The big man reached out, pulling the necklace from Laura's throat, then grabbing the one from the neck of a terrified Emma. "Take these to Neil's home," he told the skinny man as he handed them over. "Tell him we will return the girls for five pounds each. If he refuses, tell him they will die by sundown, just like they will die if he tells the authorities or tries to follow you."

The skinny man took the necklaces and put them inside his shirt. "That's a lot of money."

"Enough for us to get passage on a ship and start over," the big man agreed. "Go."

The skinny man...