Nathan felt confident that it would only take one additional event to reestablish his solitude. She had rushed out of the house so quickly that he thought she might have run all the way into town. When she returned, he was disappointed. But he could tell that something was different.

He observed her movements the rest of the day, trying to gauge the remaining strength of her tie to the mansion. She stood in the middle of the entryway for the longest time, her hands hanging limp at her sides. It was odd behavior for anyone, but especially for her.

Normally she was a blur of activity, moving from one room to the next, keeping several jobs going at once. While the stain dried on the bannister, she would work on the tile in the main floor bathroom. While the grout set in there, she would...

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