Found a curious, round piece of metal, about the size of a watch battery. It was slightly warm to the touch.

aThatas it,a John said. aThatas the tracking device. It worked really well. I think WildCardas about to make a fortune with this thing. Wouldnat that be a kick? WildCard a millionaire?a She dropped it onto the desk, picked up one of her boots from the floor, and crushed it.

Meg could see from Johnas eyes that he knew what that meant. She wasnat going back with him. And he wasnat going to be able to follow her any farther.

aMeg, please,a he said. aIf you donat come back with me, youare probably going to die.a aHow can you ask me to quit?a she said, just as quietly. aIave come this far. . . .a aI donat want you to die.a aI donat want my daughter to die.a aMeg,a John said gently, ayouave got to know that sheas probably alreadya"a aDonat say it!a aDead.a No. She wouldnat believe it. Shead pretend he didnat say it. She had to get back on the road. And even though Razeen was still unconscious, she had to force-feed him more sleeping pills and make sure he stayed unconscious, this time all the way to Orlando.

But first she had to figure out what to do with John. She peeked out the window again. His car was a midsized model. It would be a little uncomfortable, but it would have to do. aGive me the keys to your car.a He took them from his pocket. aMeg . . .a She let him talk, but she didnat listen. Instead she thought of Amy. Amy who wasnat dead. Who couldnat be dead. Whom she wouldnat allow to be dead, god damn it.

She thought of Amy as she made John empty three sleeping pills into a glass of water, as he carefully poured the mixture down Razeenas throat.

It occurred to her as he did that that she probably shouldnat let John touch Razeena"in case he had more of those tracking devices. She didnat want him planting one on either of them.

So instead of having John load Razeen into the back of her car, she left the unconscious terrorist on the floor of the room. Still focusing on Amy, she led John at gunpoint across the deserted parking lot. It was starting to rain, a cold, relentless drizzle that mirrored her emotions perfectly. She thought of Amy as she used Johnas keys to open the trunk of his car. She thought of Amy as she ordered him inside that trunk.

aIam sorry,a she said as she locked him in, then threw his keys way out into the woods.

It started to pour, and she hurried back into the motel room. A quick trip to the bathroom, and then shead wrestle Razeen into the car and be back on the road.

Eve had to go to the bathroom.

It had come down to a toss-up between what would upset their captors morea"asking to use the facilities, or wetting their pants.

Shead considered simply asking to be allowed to go outside to relieve themselves, but she was afraid once outside, it would be easier simply to take them into the swamp and kill them, rather than bringing them back inside.

Shead had ten more butterscotch candies left.

Shead offered one to the Bear, even though that would be one less candy she could give to Amy. aWe need to use a bathroom.a Head looked at the candy, looked at her, then had silently turned and gone upstairs.

Eve gave one of the candies to Amy and put the last ones back in her pocket as she listened to the sudden sharp voices from upstairs. The Bear had gone to talk to the woman.

Shead held tightly to Amy. Please God, if youare real, if youare up there, now would be the perfect time for that helicopter of SEALs to appear over the house. Theyad be sliding down on ropes and . . .

The upstairs door opened, and the Bear came back down the stairs. He was a big man with big feet, and shead come to recognize the sound of his footsteps.

He came into the room, cut the ropes around their ankles, and gestured for them to follow. His face was grim, and for a moment, Eve didnat know if they were going to the bathroom or out into the swamp. This man liked them, she was almost positive that he did. Wouldnat it be the ultimate irony, a double tragedy, if head been the one ordered to kill them? And he would do it, too. Head have to, or the others would kill him.

But they went to the stairs instead of out into the swamp.

He wouldnat take them upstairs if he was going to kill them.

Thank God, they were going to live another day.

Amy went quickly up, but Eve took her time despite her need to reach the loo immediately. She slowly pulled herself up by the banister, taking one step at a time, well aware that the man whoad nearly pushed her up the stairs to the house had pulled himself away from the TV in the kitchen to watch.

aIam sorry,a she said. aIam going as fast as I can.a aNot that one,a Bear said sharply as Amy started for a bathroom that was near the top of the stairs. aYour using that would make it unclean. Thereas another here, in the back.a Thatas why theyad come all the way upstairs. There was a small lavatory off the kitchen that the men all used. One for the men, one for the woman, and one for the infidels. Good thing there were three bathrooms in the house, or she and Amy probably would have been taken into the swamp and killed.

The thought was chilling.

Eve shuffled down the hall after Amy and the Bear. Amy had stopped short in the doorway to a room.

It was crusted with dirt, the formerly white tile dingy and graya"brown in some places. But it had a toilet, disgusting as it was.

And a window. There was a window on the far side of the tub.

aThank you,a Eve told the Bear. She took Amyas hand and pulled the girl inside, shutting the door behind them.

Amy was eyeing the toilet. There was no seat, no paper.

But theyad both been camping. It was hardly worse than some of the latrines theyad used. Eve went first, and after she washed up, she left the water running in the sink. Holding her finger to her lips, she looked at Amy, then stepped into the bathtub to take a closer look at the window.

It was old, with a wooden frame and a torn screen. It had been painted shut, but that paint was blistered and peeling, the wood rotting from the humidity.

Eve pushed at it gently, to see if it would open.

It gave, but just a little. With Amyas help, she could surely haul it open, but it would make an enormous amount of noise.

And once it was opened, then what? They were on the second floor. Sprout wings and fly to the ground?

Eve wet her fingers again in the sink and rubbed at the grime in one corner of the window so she could peek outside.

The very back of the housea"the kitchena"was a single-story addition to the original structure. It extended out beyond this bathroom, its roof providing a place to stand after exiting through the window. Still, that roof was pretty steep. Although there was some kind of back porch down at the end. If they could make it that far, they could use the railing to climb down and . . .

If they could make it that far.

She couldnat even figure out a way to get the window open without everyone in the house knowing about it.

Eve climbed out of the tub, checking to make sure shead left no footprints behind. There was a torn plastic shower curtain half hanging from a bar, and she pulled it mostly closed. That would hide the window from the Bearas view when they opened the door.

The trip downstairs was as slow and labored as it had been going up. But finally they were back in their room. As Eve lowered herself carefully back onto the floor, the Bear didnat bother to tie their ankles together again. No doubt he was thinking that her bad hip kept them tethered. Good.

Amy curled up, her head in Eveas lap. She was learning to escape her hunger through sleep.

Still, just the same, Eve put her hand on the childas forehead, checking to be sure she wasnat running a fever.

Amyas head was cool.

She smelled faintly of butterscotch.

Of Ralph.

Eve closed her eyes.

aWe have to go back to the house. Nickas surely waiting for us by now.a But instead of helping her to her feet, Ralph kissed her again.

Theyad spread a blanket on the grass, alongside a stream, not far from the estate. Theyad shared a picnic lunch, during which time Ralph had been uncommonly silent. Head barely eaten half of his meat pie.

And when shead asked him what was wrong, head pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if there were no tomorrow.

It wasnat as if head never kissed her before, because over the past few weeks, he had. He kissed her good night almost every evening. Head kissed her a time or two on the beach, when no one had been around.

But head never kissed her like this, never with them both lying back on a blanket, with the weight of his body partly covering hers.

Eve knew all about sex. Her mother had explained the mechanics to her when she was barely even eight. It was the day after aUnclea Sergei had come into Eveas bedroom, drunk and completely naked. Eve had laughed at how funny head looked, but her mother had been furious. It was one of the few times her anger hadnat been an act.

Sergei had been kicked out of the house, never to return, and Eve had lost a bit of her childhood as shead learned for the first time about the power that womena"even an eight-year-old girla"had over men.

It had taken her until now to learn that there were some men who had a similar power over womena"and that Ralph was one of them.

She knew Ralph had a great deal of experience when it came to sex. With a face and eyes like his, head beena"as her mother was fond of sayinga"not just around the block, but circling it for a while. His good looks would have probably been enough, but combined with that glib tongue . . . Ralph could talk his way into just about anything, including, as her mother also would have said, a girlas panties.

Eve had been expecting him to try something like this weeks ago. Shead even had a speech prepared.

Except he didnat seem to be trying much of anything. He rolled away from her, onto his back, one arm up over his eyes.

aIam such a coward.a Eve sat up, not sure at first just what he was talking about.

aI planned this so carefully,a he continued, aso that wead have this time without Nick around, and then . . .a And then she knew. Head brought her out here, to this deserted spot to . . . Taking a deep breath, she launched into her speech. aRalph.a A good start. aIave got to tell you that you, well, you may have gotten the wrong impression about me from the way I sometimes dress and talk.a She sounded breathy and childish, and she tried to lower the pitch of her voice in an attempt to sound more sophisticated. But she couldnat do it. This was too important. She may have rehearsed this speech, but its content was something she believed completely. aThe truth is, I believe with all my heart that a man and woman should be married before they . . . before . . .a He looked up at her, his eyes wide. aDear Lord, you didnat thinka"a He sat up and started to laugh. aYou did. You thought I was planning to try to . . .a Eve felt her face turn bright red.

He reached for her and grabbed her before she could stand up and walk away, walk anywhere, walk to the stream. Walk into the stream.

aNot that I havenat thought about it or wanted toa"badly, I might add and . . . It was definitely my fault for kissing you that way. I mean, I was practically on top of you, so it makes sense that youad think I was trying to . . . Heavenly God, save me, Iam just making this even more embarrassing, arenat I?a But he wasnat. Like everything else he touched, he was making it bearable. As she glanced into his eyes, Eve felt her heart beating, so huge and heavy in her chest. And she suspected that if he truly tried to take advantage of her, shead be unable to refuse him, as frightened as shead be.

She loved him.

This wasnat just some silly attraction, like the crushes her mother used to get on the young men who came to lounge around their swimming pool.

aPlease know that I respect you far too much to even suggest you compromise yourself and your beliefs with me in any way,a he told her. aBut I know myself well enough to be aware that what I should do often gets knocked aside in the heat of the moment. If such were the case, Iad take responsibility for mya"oura"actions. At least I would under normal circumstances. However.a He cleared his throat. All laughter was gone from his face. He was suddenly so serious. aMy circumstances have suddenly rather drastically changed and you deserve far more thana"a aRalph, is there any chance you could explain what you mean in American?a What was he telling her? Eve felt a stab of fear. Circumstances?

He laughed, but it sounded forced. aAm I being too English?a aQuite, old man. Pretend youare John Wayne.a He laughed again. aIam not sure I can. You see, Iam trying rather hard not to crya"I canat imagine Mr. Wayneas ever had that particular problem.a Eve looked at him. Sure enough, there were tears in his eyes.

With one arm still around her, he got out his tin of butterscotch. He opened it with his thumb and held it out. aBetter take one. It might sweeten the news I have to share.a Bad news. He had bad news about his circumstances. Heart pounding, Eve took a candy, slipped it onto her tongue. She could barely taste the familiar sweet flavor.

Ralph drew in a deep breath, looked her in the eye, and forced a smile. aEve, Iave received a letter from my father. Iave been called up to serve in the BEFa"the British army. Iave been assigned to an antitank division thatas bound for France. Thereas no way around it. I have to report for duty in just over two weeks.a He was leaving.

There was nothing he could have saida"short of telling her that Nickyad been killeda"that would have devastated her more.

aIall have to go to my parentsa house about a day before that,a he continued. aTo pick up my gear.a Eve was frozen. She couldnat move, couldnat speak, couldnat breathe. Inside she was screaming. Inside, shead thrown herself on the ground and was kicking her feet and sobbing, the way shead done when she was four or five. Donat leave me. Mommy, donat leave me!

For the first time since she could remember, shead felt safe. With Ralph around, shead felt protected, taken care of. Shead started living again, instead of just surviving.

And now he was going to leave.

He was watching her, as if he expected her to say something. What could she possibly say?

aWell, thatas that, then.a She called up all of her motheras acting talent to make her voice sound matter-of-fact, to make the expression and smile on her face look natural, instead of as if she were being eaten alive inside with grief and anger.

Ralph looked away, out at the water.

aYes,a he said. aI guess that is that.a He nodded. aThatas that. Right.a He took a deep breath. aIall, um, Iall spend the next few weeksa"at night, of coursea"working out lesson plans for Nick, using those doctorsa methods. That way you can carry on with him. Keep up the progress weave been making. Itas just . . . my room in the boarding house is rather warm at night. Iave found itas nearly impossible to writea"I perspire and the ink runs. If you donat mind, Iad like to work in your library . . . ?a aThatas fine.a Eve stood up. aOf course you may.a Suddenly theyad gone back to being strangers. How could he talk so calmly of the next few weeks when her heart was shattered?

They packed up their picnic and returned to the house.

As they walked back, he didnat even try to hold her hand.

It mightave ended therea"and there were countless times when Eve wished that it had.

She spent the next three days numb. Ralph was there at the estate, teaching Nick, tying up all the loose ends. But other than that, he was already gone. He was polite to her again, nothing more. There were no more kisses on the beach, no kisses in the hallway as he pulled her into some shadowy alcove for a giddy, breathless, and far-too-brief moment of stolen passion.

He still stayed for dinner each eveninga"a gloomy affair despite his attempts to entertain Nicka"but he retired to the library right after. No more walks on the beach or in the garden. No more stargazing from one of the balconies. No more late night talks of books and plays and dreams.

For several mornings in a row, Eve had found Ralph still in the library, slumped over his notes, fast asleep.

And then it happened.

Nick woke her up in the middle of the nighta"just past 1:30. Head just gotten sick all over the bathroom. His head was pounding and he felt miserable.

His cheeks were bright red and he was frighteningly hot to the touch.

Eve got him cleaned up and put him back into bed, and went running for the library.

Ralph was still there. His eyes widened at the sight of her and she realized she hadnat taken the time even to put on a robe over her cotton nightgown.

But she didnat have to do more than utter the words scarlet fever before Ralph was running back down the corridor with her, to Nickas room.

One look at the boy, one touch of his head, and Ralph was heading for the telephone. Eve didnat know what he said or who he called, but a doctor pulled into the drive within twenty minutes.

Ralph woke the Johnsons, and together they worked to bring Nickyas fever down. It was dawn before he was sleeping, although only fitfully.

Eve was getting a blanket and pillow from her room, preparing to curl up in a chair beside Nickas bed, when Ralph stopped her in the hallway.

The Johnsons had gone back to bed, and the doctor had departed as well, promising to return in the early afternoon.

aHeall get through this, Eve,a Ralph told her. aNick is going to be all right. Heas strong. Heas a fighter.a She nodded, but she knew his words were just thata"words. Back home in California, Jilly Renquist had had scarlet fever. She was strong, too. A sturdy little girl of eleven. But shead died.

aYou should probably go,a Eve said. aItas been a long night.a aNo,a he said, aThe damage is already done, so Iam going to stay here. Mrs. Johnson made up a room for me.a Damage, what damage? He didnat make any sense, but then again none of this did. Scarlet fever was contagious. Why was it that Nick had gotten it, but not Eve or Ralph?

aI know you want to be with him now, but Iall come in and sit with Nick in a few hours so you can get a chance to sleep,a he continued.

She shook her head. aIam not going to leave him.a aOf course not. Weall bring a cot into the room for you. You can sleep right there while I watch over Nick.a She was too tired and too frightened to argue. She just nodded and turned toward her little brotheras room.

But Ralph stepped in front of her. aEve, thereas something else you should know.a Whatever it was, it wasnat good. He was having trouble looking her in the eye.

aI realize this is probably not the best time for this, but it wouldnat be fair for me to withhold this from youa"youave always been honest with me, so . . .a Yeah, sure, shead been honest with him. He had no idea.

aAmerican, Ralph,a Eve said. aThink John Wayne.a aYes, well, Iam not sure old John would particularly give a damn, but . . .a He took a deep breath. aBoth Dr. Samuels and Mrs. Johnson pulled me aside tonight to caution me and tell me . . . well . . . Doc Samuels actually gave me some condoms. Do you know what those are?a He had her attention now. She nodded as she blushed. Yes. aWhy would he . . . ?a aApparently the fact that lately my bicycleas been parked out front when the milk delivery comes in the morning is the subject of a great deal of gossip in town. Mrs. J. mentioned it to me, too. She told me to pull my bike around into the garage if Iam planning to, ahem, spend the night. She then told me with huge disapproval that what you and I do is, of course, no oneas business but our own.a aMrs. Johnson and Dr. Samuels think that youave . . . that we . . . ?a She giggled, her hand up over her mouth. Oh, dear.

aNot just thema"the entire town,a Ralph told her grimly. He didnat find it funny at all. aI denied it, but . . . Eve, your reputation is in shreds, and itas completely my fault.a aWell, theyare all wrong.a She laughed again, a burst of disparaging air. aTheyare all fools.a aYes, well, Iam afraid we have no choice, now,a Ralph said. aYouall have to marry me.a Eve laughed harder. But then she stopped. Holy Christmas. He was serious.