scrabbling to her feet , she shook her head and recoiled from him , held herself as her eyes swept the room to ensure they were alone there were no murderers who refused to stay in the past , no devils crawling out from nightmares , and no spirits of the dead reaching out from their graves she wanted to be left alone , and for a good part of an hour they stood apart from each other , in an uneasy silence , until , finally , a strained calm returned to her mind .