Page 79 of No One's Bride
He would always be the man who gave her cold shivers when, in truth, his touch ignited a fire in her blood.
“You have to believe me, Cutter.” Mr Mullings’ sob broke Ailsa’s reverie. “I didn’t know someone would murder the man. It was just a simple delivery job. The likes of what I’ve done before.”
“You brought trouble to my door,” came the sinister reply.
“I’ll pay. I’ll give you what I earned.”
“Oh, you’ll pay.” Mr ‘Cutter’ Jones turned to Sebastian. “You’ve got what you came for. Happen it’s best you bugger off now.”
Mr Gibbs jerked his head at the door, urging them to take heed.
They brooked no argument and left promptly with their fingers intact. They’d reached the alley before hearing Mr Mullings’ piercing cry.
Ailsa gripped Sebastian’s arm. “Mr Daventry will demand we find Mr Smith and take him into custody,” she said to drown out the din. “But the fellow stalks the shadows, and I doubt his name is Smith.”
“We’ve the address in Tavistock Street, though that might be a temporary abode.”
“Perhaps we might use the grimoire to lure him into a trap,” she said. Mr Hibbet had gone to great lengths to give the man the book. He may have even lost his life in the process. “At the least, we should visit Tavistock Street before we report to Mr Daventry.”
Sebastian agreed, but his gaze moved along the passage to the closed gate in the iron railings, where a man dressed in black stood watching them.
A chill passed over Ailsa’s shoulders. “’Tis hard to know without seeing his face, but I fear that is Mr Smith.”
“Then why is he hiding behind the gate?” Evidently struck by an alarming thought, Sebastian moved to shield her with his muscular body. “I want you to move slowly backwards until we reach the street. There’s every chance we’ve learnt too much. Protecting a secret is a classic motive for murder.”
Ailsa might have accused him of irrational thinking, but the passage grew that bit darker. A quick glance behind explained why.
“Sebastian,” was all Ailsa managed to say as four men dressed in black entered the alley. They were tall and broad and looked keen for a fight. “W-we have company.”
Mr Gibbs wasn’t the least bit fazed. He shrugged out of his greatcoat and threw it to the ground. “Happen we’ll get to see what you’re made of, milord. Let’s hope you’re not like a pair of bellows, full of nothing but air.”
Sebastian narrowed his gaze, eyeing the four men before stripping to his shirtsleeves. He handed Ailsa his coat. “You’ll find the small pistol in the inside pocket. Don’t be afraid to use it.”
The men began a slow walk towards them.
“I’ll take the two on the left, Gibbs.”
“Can you handle two, milord?”
“I could handle three, but I wouldn’t want you to feel inadequate.” Sebastian cricked his neck and flexed his fists. “Will there be parley, gentlemen?” he said, his prowl predatory as he stepped closer. “Or shall we fight it out first?”
A dark-haired man with a squashed nose spoke up. “Give us the grimoire, and there’ll be no trouble.”
“Who said I have the book?”
The blackguard glanced at the door to the Old Crown’s yard. “The delivery driver said he made a mistake.” The devil spoke in the eloquent tone of an educated man, not a thug from the rookeries. “We searched the lady’s house last night and know you removed the tome from the premises.”
They had been to her house?
All must be well, else Monroe would have sent word.
“I pray my servants were unharmed, sir.” She hoped talking might prevent the men from exchanging punches. One could often reason with an intelligent man. “Let me speak plainly. We dinnae have the book in our possession.”
“But you do know where we might find the grimoire.” He glanced at his counterparts in crime. “One way or another, we mean to get the information, madam.”
“What’s so important about the grimoire?” Sebastian said with mounting suspicion. “Why do I suspect we’ll have our hearts cut from our chests as soon as we reveal the book’s whereabouts?”
Had Mr Hibbet been forced to give Mr Smith the book?
