Wiping away the tears, Mary turned around in the arms of her husband. Waking up next to him would be glorious, if not for the reason why he was home every day.

Now more than ever, they needed each other. Not only to dry each other's tears or comfort each other, but also to help each other forget the horror they had to live through.

Mary knew Thomas was doing everything he could to find Nora, but after discovering his own friend's body, she knew he could not function as well as before. She trusted he did everything he could, but what hope could she have when they have been searching Arthur for years with no result? What could suddenly make her hope that they would find her daughter that was taken by that unfindable man?

Especially now, when he was hiding. She feared he would quickly get rid of Nora to save his own skin, and she tried not to think too much about how he would rid her. Would he merely leave her behind, or would he do something much worse – something he has done to those seven men only recently?

She shook her head and looked at Eli. His eyes were closed, probably dreaming of a great life where he was home to take of the children – all three of them. She had dreamed that. Lately that was all she could dream of. A life in which Eli was home, and holding Nora, while she was holding Eddi and looking Phoebe running around them.

Twas a wonderful dream, but not more than that – a dream. She must shake her head and forget it, but she could not. Finally having Eli with her, was the what she had dreamed of for years, but she only got him because Nora was missing. And she was not certain if that was a sacrifice she was willing take make.

She pulled the blankets further over her, the cold air feeling cold on her skin. Yes, she was naked, and yes, Eli was too. One of the best ways to forget their worries and supress their panic, was to make love. It did not sound like a thing one would be capable of doing when missing a child, but they did not do it out of love. They did it to forget.

And it worked. For a while, they both forgot there was anything else but each other. And quickly after, they fell asleep and dreamed the most wonderful thing. But once they woke up, that wonderful bubble of happiness and pink clouds, was broken and they were faced with the truth again: Nora was not at home.

A hand wiped away the tears that were falling out of her eyes again, and Mary opened her eyes to see Eli looking at her. He gave her a wry smile, and Mary appreciated the gesture, but it did not help her mind. He pulled her closer and kissed her lips. She thought that on any other moment – when all of her children were safe – she would gladly kiss him back and do even more. But today she was not feeling like it.

So after a last kiss, she stepped out of the bed and dressed. Without speaking, he did too, then helped her with tying all her layers. He gave her a last kiss on her cheek before they went to the dining room together to have their breakfast.

Mary hated that even Phoebe and – especially – Eddi were so unhappy as well. She had hoped that if her husband could not bring her to life, mayhap her children could. But they missed their sister as well, although Eddie was barely old enough to say it. The house was quiet and sad, not even the sun could lighten their minds.

Lord Byron had taken over the directing of Eli's play, since he was needed at home and Ada could give birth any moment. No one of them was bothered by how well the play was doing, for they knew no amount of money would be enough to please them. All they wanted was each other, their children and Nora being harmlessly returned to them.

Instead of going to his study, Eli invited Mary for a walk through the garden. It was not big and Mary had already seen every corner of it multiple times. But she did not mind doing so again. She wanted to be with Eli, hold his hand and feel his comfort. He allowed her to cry, and she allowed him to talk of his hopes. But all in all, they were together and knew they could find support there.

For the millionth time, she wished things were different. She wished she was walking the garden with her husband because they both wanted to and had nothing else to do. She wanted to be certain that all her children were alright and unharmed, and mayhap she wanted another babe. But right now, that was in her dreams and hopes – nor in Eli's.

He was telling her of how he saw their future – their three children grown up, the character traits they were showing now only intensified, playing with their many cousins on both sides of the family, always happy and smiling and laughing – when the butler came to them to announce a letter had arrived.

"It has no name," he told them, and Mary shared a look with Eli. Could it be an announcement from Ada? Had her baby finally decided to come?

With a smile on their face, the couple quickly made their way inside, only to find a letter on Eli desk. He took a seat on his chair, and Mary came to stand behind him, looking over his shoulder to watch him open the letter.

The paper was empty. There were no words written on it. But inside the folded paper, was a stranger sort of paper – thicker and more fragile. Shapes of black and white were combined, and though it was hard to tell, a figure had appeared on it.

Mary gasped, and Eli did too. Twas not difficult to recognize the shape of a little human, wrapped in a thick blanket. Though only her head was clearly visible, the couple recognized Nora immediately.

Underneath the black square was some empty space, on which was written with a black marker: no supply = death.

Eli suddenly stood up, slamming his hands on the desk in the process. He called for the butler, who quickly responded with fear in his eyes.

"Who sent this?" Eli demanded loudly. If Mary was not as shocked by the photograph as Eli was, she would tell him to calm down and be more civilized. But her fear was far too grand to stop her husband's outburst.

"A young boy, master," Owen told them with a bow.

"Get him here!" Eli ordered. "Now!"

The butler startled, but ran out of the room to do what he must do. Then Eli fell back in his chair with a sigh, and he wiped a hand over his face. Suddenly he seemed to have remembered Mary was in the room, for he turned around and looked at her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, while he reached out to touch her arm. She nodded, but did not truly mean it. She was not doing alright, but once one was as sad as she was, one more burden did not feel like more weight.

"We should call for Thomas," she suggested. "Mayhap he will know what to do."

Eli nodded and stood up, but took her in his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead before walking out the room to find a servant.

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Thomas arrived at the house quite quickly. Mary did not know if he came for her, or rather for his investigation, but right now, she could not care less. If Nora was his investigation, than that was all she could hope for.

The butler had caught the boy who delivered the letter quite quickly, and they all had been waiting for Mary's brother to arrive. Once he arrived, he condoled Mary and Eli with a hug and kind, encouraging words, before he followed the couple inside the study.

The boy – terrified as he looked – was seating on the coach on the opposite side of the desk from where Eli usually sat. Now, it was the place Thomas took, and with searching eyes, he looked at the boy.

"Tell me your name," Thomas ordered, his voice not very kind, but not too rude either.

"Richard," the high pitched voice of the boy said.

"How old are you?" Thomas asked, his eyes in slits.

"Thirteen, my lord," the boy – Richard - answered. His voice shivered, and Mary felt compassionate with him. Though a thirteen year old was not considered young anymore, she still remembered how she behaved as a child at that age. Could it be that he was working for Arthur?

"Where do you live?" Thomas asked, seemingly not bothered by the fear in Richard's eyes.

He looked around, refusing to meet Thomas' eyes. He fidgeted with his fingers, before he answered: "nowhere, my lord."

Thomas nodded, and Mary's suspicions were confirmed. The boy lived on the street, and probably was only used by Arthur to sent the letter. Still, Thomas continued asking questions.

"Who gave you the letter?"

"I don't know, my lord," Richard said with a shrug.

"Richard, can you read?" Thomas asked kindly, to which Richard shook his head. "Then how did you know where to deliver the letter?"

"The man gave it to me. Said I must deliver it 'ere, and he'd pay me for it. Mama'll be happy with the money."

"The man," Thomas said, "what did he look like?"

"He was tall," Richard said as if he was surprised by how tall the man was. "And he had brown hair. I can draw 'im, if ya wish."

Thomas seemed surprised, then answered: "yes. Yes, that is a great idea."

Immediately, Mary shot up to fetch a paper and some crayons, and placed them in front of the boy. She gave him an encouraging smile, then waited patiently next to her husband. He took her hand and squeezed it, and she gave him a grateful smile before she laid her head on his shoulder.

It did not take Richard very long to draw a recognizable face. Mary did not doubt that if anyone saw it with Arthur's face next to it, they would all see the resemblances. After this was done, Thomas gave the boy some money before allowing him to exit the house.

Thomas sighed as he took a seat on the chair Richard had occupied just before. "The good thing is that we can now connect Arthur to the disappearance of Nora."

"And the bad thing?" Mary asked, though fearing the answer.

Thomas looked at her. "We know Arthur has Nora."

Mary knew this was a big breakthrough for Thomas. Finally he had a prove to put Arthur in prison. But twas not enough to settle his mind, and that was clearly visible on his face.

For Mary and Eli this breakthrough felt only minor. True, they were so close to finding their child. But they were still so far away from holding the little girl.

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A few days after, Eli and Mary decided to leave the house and change the subject of their constant thinking. They visited Ada and her new-born child, Eugenie. Twas good to spend some time with her friend and sister-in-law, and Mary's love for young children was too great to not smile at the sight of her niece.

"She looks so much like you," Mary told her, bringing a smile upon Ada's face. Twas funny to think, but Eugenie looked like Eli, for Ada and her brother were so similar. Their own children looked like both Mary and Eli, but Eugenie was exactly like her mother.

Eli wrapped his arms around his sister and hugged her. He whispered something in her ear that made her smile, before giving him a kiss on his cheek and telling him: "thank you."

Mary smiled at the sight, for she loved her siblings as much as Eli loved his – especially his twin sister. And in times like this, they needed every amount of love they could get. Even if Eugenie reminded Mary of Nora, she was happy for Ada for giving birth to such a healthy and beautiful girl.

"And how are you doing?" Ada asked, her eyes on Mary.

She shrugged, then answered honestly: "happy to be holding a baby girl." She ignored the pity looks Eli and Ada gave her, and kept her eyes on Eugenie. Suddenly Eli came to sit next to her on the coach, and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Thomas will find her soon," he promised, and Mary heard in his voice that he truly hoped it to be true. She nodded, hoping the same. But in all honestly, she was fearing the worst. As she was holding Eugenie, she felt how fragile a baby was. Nora was only a year older, and not much stronger than the new-born child in her arms. However long Nora could survive with Arthur, was a horrifying mystery.