“It’s clearly part of an oath a physician might speak.”
She turned to him with interest.“You think there’s a clandestine group within St.George’s that’s in the habit of conducting secret meetings down here?”
“Possibly.”He stepped back, his hands thrust into his pockets as he regarded the text.“It may not be connected to the victims, though.”
“You’re right.This could be an unrelated find.”
Adrian rocked back on his heels.“I just—”
“Shush.”Samantha’s hand caught hold of his arm in response to a distant tapping.She glanced toward the other tunnel and listened as the sound came again.Louder this time.“I think someone’s coming.”
“We should try to find out who it is without scaring them off.”He crossed to one of the candelabras and began to snuff out the candles.Samantha did the same with the other candelabra, until the chamber had plunged back into absolute darkness.
Even though she knew Adrian stood roughly five yards away, she had no sense of his presence.All was still.Completely silent.Save for the taps that could now be discerned as footsteps.
She held her breath and pressed her back to the wall.The cool stone offered solid support as she waited for whoever it was to make an appearance.Her hand brushed the hilt of the dagger attached to her thigh.Stomach tight with the possibility of an oncoming fight, she wrapped her fingers around the handle and unsheathed the blade.
Light flickered from inside the tunnel, increasing in brightness as it drew nearer.Samantha squinted toward it, confident that she remained hidden within the persisting darkness that flooded the chamber.
A figure came into view.Tall, it would seem, on account of the slightly hunched posture that made it look like the person tried to avoid hitting their head.They stepped into the chamber and paused as if to get their bearings.Samantha stared as the light from the lantern they’d brought illuminated not only the space around them, but also their face.
Whoever this man was, it wasn’t one she’d seen before.Whether that was a good thing or not, she wasn’t entirely sure.
A movement behind him drew her attention back to Adrian who’d stepped between the man and the tunnel to block his retreat.Samantha peeled away from the wall and approached.She would make her presence known now and get some answers so they could resolve this matter.
The man froze, his eyes wide and lips slightly parted, the moment he saw her.And then he turned, spinning on his heels so fast the oil lamp swung sideways and sent light dancing.But rather than the open escape he’d expected, he found Adrian.
He gasped, then did the one thing Samantha hadn’t expected and sent the lantern flying.It would have crashed into Adrian’s head had he not dodged.Instead, it connected with his shoulder before bouncing off and smashing against the ground.Glass exploded and the light went out.A grunt sounded and she leapt toward it.
“Strike a flint and light the bloody candle will you?”Adrian’s voice was rough.It sounded like he was gritting his teeth.
She did as he asked and saw that he wrestled with his assailant.The man, caught in Adrian’s grasp, bent his arm and thrust his elbow at Adrian’s stomach.Adrian muttered a curse and released the man in order to better punch him.His fist connected with the man’s cheek.He stumbled slightly and Adrian punched him again, knocking him off his feet.
A howl erupted as he hit the floor.Some of the foulest curses Samantha had ever heard followed.She glanced at Adrian.“Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine once I know who that is and what he’s doing here.”He dropped to a crouch beside the man he’d just fought.
“Bloody bastard,” the man muttered.“You’ve wrecked my hand.”
“I’d say you played an equal part in that,” Adrian said.“Who are you?”
The man snorted.“The person who’s going to have you arrested.”
Adrian tilted his head.“If that’s what you think then you clearly don’t know who I am either.”
“Give us your name and tell us what you’re doing down here,” Samantha ordered.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” the man said.“I’m just looking for answers.”
“Your name,” Samantha repeated, this time setting the tip of her blade to the man’s chest.
He glared at her as though she were a demon from hell.“Victor Melroy.”
“The surgeon?”Adrian sounded just as surprised as Samantha felt.
“And you are?”Melroy asked, his voice gruff with anger.
Adrian stared down at the surgeon.“Adrian Croft.”
