“We cannot prove that yet,” Marcus said, his voice dropping to a low, quiet command. “And right now, we cannot fight him if he decides to force his way in.”

The heavy brass knocker on the front door echoed through the silent house, three loud, rhythmic thuds.

Then came three more, harder this time.

“I will go down,” Sofia said, taking a step toward the bedroom door.

“No,” Marcus intercepted her, grabbing her arm gently but firmly. “Let Nina open the outer door first. It looks less suspicious if the housemaid does her job.”

I nodded, though my hands were shaking so hard I had to ball them into the pockets of my apron.

“Keep him in the foyer,” Marcus told me. “Do not let him near this wing.”

I wiped my sweaty palms on my apron and walked out into the cold, vaulted hallway.

The mansion felt larger and darker than usual, the shadows stretching up to the high, ornate ceilings.

The knocking came again, rattling the glass panels of the double front doors.

I reached the foyer, took a deep breath, and forced my face into a neutral, submissive mask.