Madison sat on the edge of Rosie's bed as she took in deep, cleansing breaths. She didn't know what had happened to her. One minute she was touching a music box, and the next she'd been thrown into such a vivid vision it had nearly made her curl on the floor and sob like a baby.

Had she just seen Rosie? If so, the poor girl was frightened senseless and needed to be found immediately.

"Here," kneeling in front of her, Alice lifted a cup of liquid to Madison's mouth, "drink it slowly."

Madison sniffed before allowing any of the amber liquid into her mouth. The strong, scent was unmistakable. Whiskey. The vile drink reminded her of her drunken uncle. Shaking her head, she pushed the cup away. "I shall be fine. I assure you."

Alice stared at her with wide eyes. "Are you certain? You are deathly pale."

"I-I just had a vision."

Alice sucked in an enthusiastic breath. "About Rosie?"

Madison shrugged. "I think so, but I cannot be certain. I couldn't actually see the girl, but I heard her crying, and the man on the other side of the door yelled at her to be silent."

"Oh, dear." Alice brought the drink to her own mouth and gulped it down. "We need to tell Cameron."

"No." Madison pushed past the other woman and stood. The room spun around her for a brief moment, but soon she was able to gain momentum. "Because I cannot be certain it was Rosie, your brother will accuse me of trying to trick you." She shook her head. "I won't have it."

Rising to her feet, Alice frowned as her eyes coated with tears. "But you are our last hope."

Madison's heart wrenched. "Don't say that. I'm sure your brother will find something soon. After all, he's a good inspector, is he not?"

"Yes. He's one of the best."

"See there," Madison motioned her hand. "I'm certain he'll find Rosie very soon." Her mind returned to the music box. "Alice? Did Rosie like that music box in the hall?"

"Not really." Alice wiped the moisture from under her eyes. "That was Father's favorite."

Madison narrowed her gaze on the other woman. "I wonder why I had a vision when I touched it."

Alice shrugged. "I cannot tell you. Maybe my sister bumped into it before she went missing."

"Possibly."

"Then again," Alice said as her voice grew melancholy, "if Rosie had bumped into it and it fell to the floor, she wouldn't have picked it up. She would have had our servant, Mrs. Trumble get it. Rosie walks around here as if she is a queen most of the time."

"Why do you think she acts that way?"

"I don't know." Alice sighed and walked out of the room. Madison followed. "I suppose it stems back to when she was in Scotland for the first six years of her life. When she finally came to live with us, Father spoiled her endlessly. When Father passed, Cameron took over as a father-figure, and he spoiled her, too...although not as much as Father."

Madison wasn't sure she would have tolerated the spoiled antics of that girl. It's a good thing she didn't know Rosie. Madison would have said something to put the girl in her place a time or two.

Alice was silent as they descended the stairs. Madison's chest became heavy again, knowing she would have to leave. But this was the best thing to do, especially when Cameron didn't want her here.

Smiling the best she could, she grasped Alice's hand. "I hope we will stay friends, even if your brother doesn't think you should associate with me."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I do a lot of things my brother doesn't know about. I would love to be your friend."

Madison breathed a little easier now. "I'm glad." She gave Alice's hands another squeeze before releasing them. "I do hope you find Rosie."

"Thank you. And I hope you find more people to help. You seem like such a wonderful person."

The other woman's compliment made Madison's smile widen. "I try to be kind to everyone." Especially, since she knew firsthand how it felt to have people misjudge her.

She left the house, and with every step toward town to hail down a hackney, her heart wrenched that much harder. Friends were far and few between. Josephine was her only friend, and now she had Alice. If only Cameron hadn't been such a beast to her, perhaps she would have wanted to be his friend, as well.

Almost an hour and a half later, she entered the boarding house where she'd been living for eighteen months. Madison had been on her own since she was seventeen. She'd left her aunt and uncle when she couldn't deal with their treatment of her any longer. For the first five years, she lived with Josephine's family until her friend married the love of her life. By that time in Madison's life, she had matured considerably, and thankfully, she appeared much older than she really was...which was why Mrs. Ethel Cummings welcomed her into the boarding house. She wasn't twenty-seven as she'd told the older woman. Instead, Madison was twenty-four. As long as she kept her age a secret, she'd be able to continue living here forever, if necessary. Or until she found employment with the Metropolitan Police, which had been her dream for years now. Madison knew her gift would help the officers with in solving their cases faster. If only they could believe in her as Inspector Johnson had.

Immediately, the aroma of fried chicken attacked her senses and made her stomach grumble. Ethel must be preparing the midday meal. Madison scanned the large gathering room to the right, which was cleaned to perfection, as always. Ethel did such a wonderful job making her tenants feel like family.

As she placed her foot on the bottom stairs, her name was called from the other room. Madison peered over her shoulder as Ethel bustled out from kitchen, wiping her hands on her yellow apron.

"Oh, there you are, my dear. I wasn't certain when you would get home."

The middle-aged woman looked slightly older than her forty-five years. The overly-round woman's hair was almost completely gray now with only a few brown hairs in the tight coil that wound her hair together.

Ethel waddled up to Madison and stopped. "You had a visitor about an hour ago."

"I did? Who was it?" Only a handful of people knew where she lived, and out of that bunch, none of them would just drop by unannounced.

"He didn't say his name. But he was mighty pleasing on the eye." She wagged her eyebrows. "By chance, have you gone and found yourself a beau?"

Madison couldn't stop the snorted laugh that escaped her mouth. That was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. She quickly placed her hand to her mouth and shook her head. "No, I don't have a beau."

"That's too bad." Ethel frowned. "I told him to call on you again, but he didn't tell me if he was going to or not."

Did she know any man that was mighty pleasing on the eye? Immediately, Cameron's face popped into her head, but she quickly ushered it out. It definitely couldn't have been him. "Well, thank you for letting me know."

Ethel nodded. "I'll go back to the kitchen now."

"And I shall see you soon for the midday meal."

As Madison climbed the stairs toward her room, her mind scrambled to think of who could have dropped by. Josephine's husband was quite a looker, but they were both in North Devon, visiting his family. Other than Cameron, she really didn't know any man that was handsome.

She unlocked her door, walked inside, and closed the door behind her. Shadows were everywhere because she hadn't opened her drapes yet. But immediately, the hairs on the back of her neck rose in alarm. Someone was here. She could hear them breathing.

Slowly, she reached to the shelf that was nearest to the door. She had a porcelain teapot displayed on the shelf that had been a gift from one of the women she'd helped a few years ago. The object was dear to her heart...but she'd use it to crack someone over the head if they tried to jump her.

As her fingers wrapped around the handle, the floor creaked with footsteps, and a large shadow passed by the wall nearest to the window. Her heartbeat quickened and she grasped the teapot, holding it above her head.

"I know someone is here," she said, trying not to let her voice shake. "Unless you want to make a hospital visit soon, I think it's best if you show yourself to me."

The rustle of the drapes had her zero in on her target, trying to steady her shaky hand. Within seconds, the drapes parted and sunlight poured inside the room. She squinted from the sudden brightness, but still tried to adjust her vision on the man who was in the room with her.

"Miss Haywood, it's me. Cameron Westland."

As her eyes adjusted to the light, he stood by the side of the window, with his arms folded across his wide chest. Although he wore the same clothes, there was something different about him. His expression no longer held an assured grin, and his chin wasn't lifted stubbornly. Instead, despair was the expression that coated his handsome features. She'd hoped he had come to apologize for his behavior.

Sighing with relief, she placed the porcelain teapot back on the shelf. "Mr. Westland, what are you doing in my room? If you came to visit, you should have let Mrs. Cummings show you into the sitting room to wait for me."

He shook his head. "I don't want anyone to know I'm here."

Anger rose inside of her. "Why? Are you embarrassed to be seen with the crazy woman who sees visions?"

"Uh...no." He stepped toward her and dropped his arms to his sides. "I came seeking your help."