“And where would I find her?”
Doctor Wolf expelled a deep breath, then returned to his desk so he could prepare a second note for Samantha.
“If you don’t mind,” Doctor Wolf said as he handed her the paper, “I’ve kept my next patient waiting too long already.”
“Of course.My apologies and thanks to both you and your son for the help and information you have provided.”Addressing Doctor Wolf more directly she said, “I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”
“Let’s check the appointment book,” Mr.Wolf suggested while ushering her out into the foyer.
Having collected the ceramic pot she’d used earlier, he covered it and set it aside for cleaning, then went to alert the next patient that Doctor Wolf was ready to see him.Once this task had been completed, he helped Samantha find a suitable date on which to return for another evaluation.
“Ready?”she asked Murry when she went to find him in the waiting room.
He frowned.“That took a lot longer than I expected.Is everything all right?”
Not really.She felt as though she’d been given too much to worry about.But of course she couldn’t tell him that, so she managed a smile and said, “Perfectly so.I was given some tea which helped tremendously.Most importantly, I learned a few things my husband may find useful.”
They left the building and returned to their carriage.Murry opened the door for Samantha so she could climb in.She scooted across to the opposite side, her mind awhirl with everything she had discovered within the last half hour.Joy and concern both warred for attention.
If she truly was carrying Adrian’s child, their lives would soon take a dramatic turn.Hopefully for the better though childbirth was not without risk.It was in fact a dangerous business.Truth be told, she’d feel more comfortable facing Finn O’Leary and his hulking companion alone in battle.
Intent on ignoring her fears, she turned her thoughts to the information she’d acquired on Islington.The excitement of sharing it with Adrian made her feel slightly giddy.She smiled, all other concerns briefly forgotten.
Murry claimed the opposite bench then pulled the carriage door shut.The horses started forward and Samantha directed her gaze out the window, only for her breath to catch in her throat as her heart slammed into her ribs.
The handsome man who casually leaned against the opposite street corner smirked while tracking her with his cool gaze.Finn O’Leary.
She swallowed past the knot in her throat and turned to Murry.“You see that man over there?Slim of build.Sharp features.Brown hair.”She tipped her head toward the window.“It’s vital that you remember his face.”
Murry leaned across the bench and peered in the direction she indicated, then shook his head.“There’s nobody there.”
“What?”Samantha twisted in her seat and stared toward the spot where O’Leary had been mere seconds before.She blinked, not quite comprehending the vacant spot that met her gaze.
It was as though the man had been swallowed up by the pavement.
23
Gabriella Hastings had always prided herself on being the practical sort.She’d never squealed when she’d encountered a spider or mouse.In fact, it was hard for her to recall ever having known fear.Except for once when one of her sisters had been deathly ill.But even then, Gabriella’s faith had carried her through the ordeal, strengthened by her sister’s recovery that the attending physician pronounced as miraculous.
Now, however, she found her comfort and well-being thoroughly tested as she accompanied Kendrick and his Runners into the rooms and hallways beneath St.George’s.Though they’d brought lanterns with them, she hated the feeling of being beneath ground-level.There was something horribly oppressive about it, as though the stones on all sides were closing in and threatening to crush her at any moment.
It was ridiculous of course.She told herself this more than once; yet it had no effect.The smell from the morgue they’d passed through earlier didn’t help.Thankfully, she’d had the presence of mind to bring a lavender-scented handkerchief, but the smell of blood and death had still managed to sneak its way up her nose.
By contrast, the corpses they’d passed hadn’t bothered her in the least.Why would they?Dead people weren’t a threat to anyone.The live ones, however, like the one they presently hunted, were something else altogether.
She experienced a fresh burst of anger as she considered what that person had already managed to do.What they might yet do if they weren’t soon caught.She forced herself to hold onto that feeling since it was more powerful than her discomfort.
Jaw tight, she quickened her steps to better keep pace with Kendrick.Sensing her, he sent a quick look her way.“Everything all right?”
“Yes.”A short response as her gaze caught his in the glow of an oil lamp.
With more important business than her to attend to, he sent his attention forward once more as they continued their march.Heels clicked against the stone floor, the sharp sound echoing down every hallway through which they travelled.
They’d already checked several rooms after leaving the morgue.All had been used for various types of storage, except the kitchen and the laundry room.Located near the periphery of the building with widows offering light and ventilation, these were both spacious and uncomfortably warm.
The nape of Gabriella’s neck still felt clammy after leaving the laundry room where steam rose from the huge basins in which all the bedding and hospital clothes could be washed.The heavy smell of soap hanging in the air had jarred her senses after arriving from the kitchen where some sort of stew was being prepared.
“Check that door and I’ll check the next,” Kendrick said when they reached another part of the basement that hadn’t yet been inspected.
