from the local pubs had come out and were taking their spirits directly from the drains.
Griffin pulled his head back in with a shiver as he tried not to contemplate what else rolled in those gutters. He snapped the curtains shut.
“No wonder disease is rampant in this city.”
The carriage was quiet except for the calls of his driver to the driver of the cart. Occasionally he heard the whoops of the drunken men. But it was quiet enough that his mind could wander away from his current location.
Where it took him was dangerous. It wandered, as always, to Audrey.
Audrey curled up in his arms, her red hair spread over his chest and her warmth filling him. Audrey dancing with him, smiling up at him with eyes shining as she laughed.
Or worse, Audrey in Douglas Ellison’s arms, dancing with
Growling in his throat, Griffin attempted to think of something else. Anything else.
And failed.
For whatever reason, the image of Audrey in Ellison’s arms remained in his mind, torturing and tormenting him to the point of frustration. She was alone with the man at this very moment.
“Ridiculous,” he muttered to himself. “Noah wouldn’t let her go anywhere with Ellison without an escort.”
And yet… Noah had lost track of his sister more than once, allowing his faith in her ability to do her job overshadow his instincts about her safety. The incident in the park a week before had been proof of that. Audrey also had a troubling tendency to put her assignment over her security. Even if Noah was able to keep an eye on her, she would undoubtedly give him the slip if she thought his watchful stare interfered with her plans.
A nagging dread troubled Griffin and the restlessness in his heart grew. He looked out the window again. The wagon was nearly cleared away from the road.
“Henson!” he called out to the driver.
The burly man appeared at his window in moments, shaking his head apologetically. “I’m sorry, m’lord. I’m tryin’ me best to move this crowd, but they was half drunk to begin with. I promise you…”
He raised his hand to interrupt the man. “It isn’t that. I want you to take me back to Burlington House.”
“Back, sir?” the other man repeated in confusion.
“Yes,” Griffin said. “I left behind something of great value there.”
***
Griffin elbowed his way through the crowd at Burlington House, ignoring the outraged gasps of the women and glares of the men. All that mattered now was Audrey. He had to find her.
The place was so crowded he’d been unsuccessful so far. Hell, he couldn’t even find Noah, and at half a head above the rest of the throng, usually he was simple to find.
“Damn it.” He moved past the musicians in one corner, hidden behind an exotic screen. He peeked behind, but didn’t see Audrey or her brother.
“Griffin?”
He turned to see Noah coming toward him and relief flooded him. “Thank God. Where’s Audrey?”
“What are you doing here?” Noah asked with a worried frown. “I thought you went home.”
“Where is she?” he repeated, not in the mood for his friend’s laissez-faire attitude. The feeling of dread about Audrey was growing in his stomach.
“I haven’t seen her for a bit, but this place is crowded. Besides, I’ve been catching up on some work. Why?” Noah set his champagne flute on a tray as a servant passed by.
“I have a bad feeling. We need to find her. Now!” Griffin straightened up to scan the room again.
Noah wrinkled his brow. “A feeling?”
Griffin turned back to his friend to grasp the lapels on his jacket. “Don’t argue with me, help me find her.”
“Hey, hey!” Noah said as he pulled away and glanced around them. “I’ll help you. Let’s split up. I’ll take the party since I already know where I
“Agreed,” Griffin called over his shoulder as he moved back into the crowd.
His head spun as he slammed the veranda doors open and the cool air hit him with a shock. There were couples swarming all around the terrace, escaping the tight, uncomfortable pressure of the ballroom with its many guests. He hurried from group to group, scanning each face, but didn’t see Audrey among any of them. At first he walked to keep from drawing attention to himself, but eventually he abandoned that completely and broke into a full bore run as he hurried down the steps. The people around him stared at his utter lack of propriety.
“Audrey?” he called out, looking around him in gazebos and beside hedgerows. “Audrey, where are you?”
There was no answer. By now his heart was throbbing, aching with fear. Why the hell hadn’t he stayed?
Further and further down the path he went, moving from bright lights into deeper and deeper darkness. Up ahead he saw a little, closed-in gazebo and raced toward it.
“Please Audrey,” he whispered to himself. “Please…”
“Please!”
He heard a weak cry that mirrored his own and raced forward. It was Audrey’s voice, begging for mercy.
Rounding to the front of the building, he bounded up the stairs three at a time, then skidded to a halt. Douglas Ellison had her pinned against the back wall of the gazebo. Her arms were flat against the wall, held by one of the stronger man’s hands. His other hand cupped her breast while he nuzzled her neck. The moonlight sparkled off the tears on her face, though her eyes were squeezed shut.
“Stop,” she whispered.
“Hush,” Ellison said against her neck. “You’ll like it well enough once you cease your struggles.”
With a roar so primal it startled even him, Griffin leapt forward and wrenched Douglas off her.
Ellison flew backwards, hitting one of the benches with a thud. Griffin didn’t allow him to regain his breath, but lifted him with one arm and slammed a fist into his nose. Blood spurted onto Ellison’s cheek and Griffin’s knuckles as the injured man howled.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ellison asked, yanking himself from Griffin’s grip as he stumbled away. He put his fists up like a pugilist, but Griffin saw the fear sparkle in his gray eyes.
Griffin repositioned himself so that he blocked Audrey from Ellison’s view. “I came back for something. And I’m glad I did. Now get out!”
“You have no right…” Ellison began, his voice wavering.
“And neither do you. How dare you compromise her?” he interrupted with a roar. “Get out!”
The other man hesitated a fraction, then bowed to Audrey. “I’m sorry, my dear. I will call on you later to make amends for my overzealous behavior.”
She didn’t answer and Ellison left, clutching his bleeding nose as he hobbled up the pathway.
Griffin spun around to look at Audrey for the first time since he’d come in. Her blue eyes were wide and her face pale, making her look very innocent in the moonlight streaming through the gazebo.
“Audrey?” Griffin reached out his hand.
She stared at him, her chin lifted in defiance and her jaw set. But then the tears began to slide down her cheeks and her bottom lip trembled wildy.
He caught her in his arms.
“Shhh,” he whispered. “It’s over now. He’s gone. I’ll never let him near you again.”
She pushed away from his chest to look up into his face. “Don’t you see? It isn’t over at all. I still have a job to finish. Even you realize that or you would have simply pummeled him to a pulp right here.”
Griffin wrinkled his brow, but had to admit she was right. His instinct had told him to beat Ellison into unconsciousness for what he’d done. But another, more rational part of him had held back, knowing that destroying the man would only prove more difficult for Audrey and Noah.
“You don’t mean to tell me you’ll finish this case?” He wiped away her tears. “After what he just did?”
A little shiver wracked her, but Audrey nodded. “I must. If we bring in another agent it will look suspicious.
