Pippa had to admit he had a point.
Footsteps came from the entrance of the grove. Pippa spun around, aiming her pistol at the intruders who burst into the clearing.
“Cull?” she said in shock. “What are you doing here?”
Jesus wept, he’d missed Pippa. Yet now wasn’t the time to get into all that he had to say to her. He’d heard a gunshot come from this grove, and Wood was on the ground, bleeding out.
Soon,Cull promised himself.Soon and, God willing, for the rest of our lives.
“I had larks on Wood,” he said. “They followed him here and alerted me.”
Pippa’s gaze widened. “Why do you have that shiner?”
Back at Grier’s, Hunt had greeted Cull with a fist to the face. Cull hadn’t fought back. He’d taken his due for being a fool.
“Hunt paid me a visit,” he told her.
“Papahityou? Your poor face…” She reached toward his cheek, then snatched her hand away. Remembering his despicable treatment of her, no doubt.
“I deserved it,” he said hoarsely. “For pushing you away when that is the last thing I want to do. I love you, Pippa. I want you by my side and for the rest of our lives. I was afraid that I couldn’t protect you, that the darkness of my life would cause you harm. But whether you are willing to take me on isn’t my decision to make, is it? It is yours. And if you’ll still have me…if you still love me…”
His heart lodged in his throat. Because he couldn’t bear it if she said no.
“Oh, Cull,” she whispered. “You’re such a dolt.”
“I know. But I’m still your dolt…aren’t I?”
A smile tucked into her cheeks, and when she nodded, his chest expanded with relief.
“Pardon the interruption.” Lady Fayne’s voice was dry. “But we do have a murderer to catch.”
“The mudlarks have the cemetery surrounded.” Cull kept his gaze on Pippa, riveted by the glowing love in her eyes. “Julianna Hastings won’t get out.”
“Then let’s go find her.” Pippa held out a hand.
He grabbed onto her and knew he would never let go again.
The group split off into teams to comb the grounds for Julianna and her accomplice. Pippa and Cull had started off westward when they heard a mudlark whistle go off up ahead. They sprinted toward the sound, which led them to a group of larks.
Sally was among them. “We saw them go in there.” She pointed at the Anglican chapel, a building with a porticoed entrance flanked by colonnades. “It were a lady and a great ’ulking cove. Teddy wanted to follow, but I told ’im you said to stay put and sound the alarm,” she said virtuously.
“Tattletale,” Teddy muttered.
“Good work,” Cull said. “Now go and inform the others where we are.”
The larks scampered off, and Pippa and Cull ventured forward to the chapel. The light of their lamps slid across the Doric columns as they passed under the pediment. The doors were ajar. They slipped inside, pistols held at the ready as they went through the shadowed pews row by row.
No sign of Julianna or her brute. Pippa cocked her head at a thumping sound…footsteps?
“Do you hear that?” she whispered. “It’s coming from beneath us.”
“The catacombs.” Cull raced ahead toward an open door, nearly hidden by a column. His light showed steep steps winding down into the dark vault.
“Watch your step,” he whispered.
Heart hammering, she followed him into the gloom. A dank smell curled in her nostrils. The air grew humid, pressing upon her lungs as they descended into the catacombs. Passing through an arched doorway, they were greeted by a grid of narrow brick passageways lit by flickering wall sconces. They set aside their lamps to free their hands.
“Be ready.” Cull cocked his pistol. “They could be anywhere.”
