Page 47 of Taken to the Grave
“But that’s impossible,” Audrey panted as her pulse continued to charge.
The carriage should have been somewhere along the long street stretching before them, considering the short length of time since it had turned.
“It must’ve gone down some alley,” Sir said. He walked briskly, and Audrey followed, ignoring the stitch in her side.
The alleys they passed were dark, and even though she considered dipping down into a few of them, good sense vanquished out the idea. Hugh had accused her of being heedless before, and that it often led to danger. She hated to admit he was right, and with Sir with her, she had a responsibility for him. Leading him into some alley would not do.
A few carriages passed them, but none had the symbol. After a few minutes, she slowed. “The carriage must have turned off this street.”
Sir stopped and waited for her by the opening of yet another dark alley, this one gated. The tall iron bars were set on hingesattached to a stone arch marking the alley entrance. The gates were open, and as Sir held still, waiting for her to catch up, two men came through. They were walking quickly. One knocked into Sir’s shoulder as he came around the corner of the gate.
“Watch it now, rat,” the man said as he kept walking.
“You’re the one who knocked into me,” Sir shot back.
The two men quit moving and turned to confront him. Audrey hurried forward.
“What’s that you said, rat?”
Both men were twice Sir’s size, and paired together, they circled him like vultures.
“That is quite enough of that,” Audrey said as she reached them. She slid around the taller of the two men and placed herself at Sir’s side.
“That’s enough of that, is it?” the man parroted back, mocking her. He stepped closer. Close enough for her to see his face. The gaslight from the nearest lamppost was just strong enough to illuminate him.
Audrey’s knees turned to jelly.
It was the man from both of her visions, the one who’d been warning Mr. Givens, and who had been seated across from Mr. Comstock, glaring. Breathing thinly through her nose, she shifted her eyes to the other man. She hadn’t seen him fully in the visions, but she recalled the slimmer build and beard.
She clutched Sir’s arm. He flinched at her touch.
“We have no quarrel with you,” she replied as evenly as she could. “It was an honest mistake.”
The man scratched his thumb across his chin. The motion, as benign as it was, appeared threatening. As if he was preparing for a brawl. “He should watch where he’s standing.”
“You should?—”
Audrey cut Sir off. “Very good. We will be sure to do that. Good evening, gentlemen.”
She tugged Sir’s arm and began walking away from the two men. Her back prickled with the press of their stares, and she worried they were going to overtake them and obstruct their path away. But after several strides, and no resistance, Audrey allowed herself to breathe again.
“What was that?” Sir yanked his arm free. “Those two deserved a mouthful of knuckles.”
“They were dangerous men, Sir.” She sealed her lips against the truth that Sir could not have possibly bested both of them—whether they deserved a mouthful of knuckles or not.
She stared ahead. Gracious, where was Carrigan? They hadn’t run very far. He should be driving the lanes nearby in search of them.
Sir grumbled but none of his words were audible. She imagined he was embarrassed about being led away from a fight by a woman. Hiding behind a skirt was surely emasculating. But if Sir’s anger was the price she must pay for avoiding the two men from her visions, it was worth it.
She tossed a look over her shoulder. They hadn’t followed. The gated entrance to the alley was now closed and the men were gone. The steady clatter of wheels and tack lifted her spirits, and when she faced forward again, she saw Carrigan driving straight toward them. Basil threw open the door once Carrigan had drawn to a stop.
“That was entirely too reckless,” the valet said.
“Awe, stuff it, Baz, we saw the white cross and had to follow. It’s why we’re out here to begin with.”
“Where is it now?” Basil asked.
“Who knows? We lost it,” Sir grumbled, still peeved.
