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moment, wondering why she did not just give up. “What would make you consider the possibility that I am telling the truth?”
    â€œYou want me to tell you how to convince me that your delusions are real?” When she just lifted one delicate brow and continued to stare at him, he muttered a mild oath. “I certainly need some reason of consequence, something more than the fact that you are an irritation to them.”
    â€œI am an irritation to them because I have a lot of something they dearly love—money.”
    Harrigan sat up a little straighter, a flicker of unease teasing at his mind. “You have your own money?” George’s dark frown made it all the harder for Harrigan to fight the doubt creeping through him.
    â€œOf course I do. If I was some poor, penniless relative living off their kindness, do you really think they would be so eager to get me back?” She smiled crookedly when he just scowled at her and did not answer. “My mother, father, and infant brother drowned in a boating accident seven years ago.” Ella idly stroked the silver, rose-embossed locket hanging around her neck. “They were not as wealthy as Uncle Harold, but they were far from poor. It all came to me, but my uncle had discretionary control over it until I am one and twenty, or married.”
    â€œSo, he already has control over your money.”
    â€œOnly a little. There is a whole pack of lawyers watching everything he does. He can only bleed the fund a little from time to time. Uncle watches me and they watch him.”
    â€œThen write a will and leave everything to your aunt or someone else.”
    â€œI have,” she said, failing to keep all the sharpness out of her voice. How stupid did the man think she was? “I do not believe it will hold firm. Uncle Harold has his hands on my inheritance. Because Aunt Louise left Philadelphia under a large cloud of scandal, and because Uncle Harold can afford to hire some very clever lawyers, the will I wrote could easily be cast aside. That is assuming that it is ever allowed to come to light, of course. No, Uncle Harold wants my money and he will stoop to anything to get it. Even to hiring someone to lead me to the slaughter.”
    Harrigan just muttered a curse. The situation was getting more complicated by the minute. He still was not sure he believed Ella’s claim that her life was in danger, but he could no longer treat it with complete scorn. He was caught firmly in someone else’s tangled web of deception, but was it hers, or Harold Carson’s? The hard truth of the matter was that he had no way of telling which Carson he should believe. The answers were all in Philadelphia, and would take time to ferret out.
    â€œYou are trying very hard not to believe me, aren’t you?” Ella said softly.
    â€œNo. I was just thinking that it might be wise not to believe you or your uncle and just wait until we get to Philadelphia to find out what the hell the truth really is.”
    â€œMy death waits in Philadelphia.”
    â€œSo does the truth. And there really is no other choice but to wait.”
    She smiled faintly and turned to stare out the window. “There is always Aunt Louise.”

Chapter Three
    â€œThe train has stopped.”
    George’s quiet but tense announcement almost made Ella open her eyes and look around. She continued to feign sleep, however, not wanting to expose the sudden surge of hope that warmed her blood. There were a dozen reasons for the train to stop. Once during the long night they had stopped for water. This time it could be for coal or wood or whatever they were using to fuel the engine. It did not have to be her Aunt Louise. Ella was not sure how her Aunt Louise could stop a train anyway.
    â€œHave we reached a town?” asked Harrigan as he stood up and stretched.
    â€œNot that I can see. Couldn’t see a water tower either. Looks like we’ve stopped in the middle