Page 80 of The Ambiguous Enigma of the Hunted Lady
“Please, sir!” Gopher sank to his knees. “Don't tell Rip 'bout me botchin' it, please sir!”
“You call him a Lord.” another thug interjected.
“Do you have any idea of where she might've gone?” Kenneth pressed. “Tell me or Riphook will hear of it.”
“She ran off into the old sewers, Lord.” Gopher sobbed. It looked as if he thought he were begging for his life.Is that how quickly a life can change in this place?
“The old sewers?” Kenneth blinked.
“The Roman tunnels.” Gopher went on. “They go all over, under the river even. She could be anywhere.”
“Blast it.” Kenneth turned his horse away from the criminals.They are terribly easy to fool.“You're all done for the day.” He waved his hand. “Now out of my sight.”
They jumped aside as he rode out of the market.So, she is alive!
Kenneth spent the remainder of the day searching city streets. Up and down the blocks of London he rode, looking out for Leah's bright green eyes around every corner.
Yet he could not find her. He began to despair that this Riphook had found her already, and that she was dead for a reason he did not understand, and the rage he birthed at the entertainment of that notion spurred him onwards.
Who is this Riphook?Kenneth asked himself over and over while he rode, building intense resentment towards this faceless man who haunted his love.
I am going to kill him, he thought. He imagined a hundred-thousand faces that could be this Riphook, and the lack of a proper fixation drove him into further anger.
Dripping over the backdrop of anger was his encompassing concern for Leah – it was like a bucket of viscous anxiety that had been spilled over his chest and was slowly working its way down through his stomach.What if I am too late?
All day long he searched, and into the evening, to no avail. At the end of it, heartbroken, he returned to a place he found familiar. He lashed his horse beside St. James’s Square, and walked with a heavy heart to the Ten Drums public house.
He found the door shut and locked and was about to turn away when it clicked open.
“Oh goodness! Worthington!” His friend the Marquess laughed out as he opened the door. “What a pleasant surprise!”
“Winchester.” Kenneth replied, not at all in the mood for any of his antics. “Whatever are you doing here? The establishment is closed.”
“So, it is.” The Marquess smiled. “I bought the place! Come in, come in, have a drink!”
Before Kenneth could protest, the Marquess had swept him indoors.
“So, you purchased the property? Or the lease?” Kenneth said, trying to divert the Marquess' conversation from his own well-being.
“Only the business.” Winchester replied. “Come, have a drink with me.” He ushered Kenneth to the long, sturdy bar and unceremoniously poured them both by reaching over the counter.
“I suppose so.” Kenneth took the ale and looked down into the cup. He was entirely depressed by his inability to find either Leah or Riphook and knew that he needed to take some rest before continuing his search. His horse at the very least, needed some serious recuperation.
“That's the spirit, Worthington, take the drink.” Winchester was elated.
“Did you buy the business today?”
“I did indeed!” the Marquess laughed out.
Splendid. Simply splendid. He will surely want to celebrate, and I have no time for such things.
“What was the price?”
“A fair enough one.” His friend laughed. “Let us drink to the new owner, shall we?”
“Very well.” Kenneth accepted the toast, smiled politely, and drained his whole drink in one go.Perhaps I shall have another.
Six pints of ale later between the two of them, the Marquess had concluded informing Kenneth as to every minute detail of his acquiring the Ten Drums public house.
