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“Where?” Rex’s deep growl cut through.
“There!” Josie pointed, but the man had already disappeared down one of the darker paths through the garden. No, notoneof, he had gone ontotheDark Walk, the long path at the edge of the garden, which no young lady was ever allowed to walk through. Josie, for all her adventurousness, had not ventured near it on previous visits because of its reputation. “We have to tell Elijah!”
“Stay put. I will go.” Rex took off through the crowd. Josie might have felt indignant at his presumption of taking action, but they all knew he was the better choice. He went through the drunken crowd like the lion he was—where Rex moved, people scrambled out of his way. He would make it to Elijah far faster than Josie could, but would it be fast enough?
“We have to go, too.” Her feet did not move her toward Elijah but toward the entrance to the Dark Walk, where her attacker had disappeared.
“Josie!” Mary was aghast. “We cannot go down the Dark Walk!” Despite her words, she was at Josie’s side, moving just as quickly through the crowd. They were not making headway nearly as fast as Rex was toward Elijah, but then, they did not have as far to go.
“Of course, we can. Well, you and I can. Lily should stay behind to preserve her reputation.” Josie glanced to her left, where Lily was looking straight ahead.
Her friend sniffed in derision. “Do not even think to leave me out.”
“We are going to be in so much trouble,” Mary muttered, but her footsteps did not slow. Josie’s bottom tingled in warning, but it did not matter.
Her brain was working hard, trying to figure out what the villain was doing here. He had shown himself to her deliberately, but why?
Not for her. She had never been the target. Elijah was. The blackguard had probably assumed she would go straight for her husband, the man who had rescued her the first time. Pressing her lips together, she picked up her pace, determined to find the miscreant before Rex and Elijah came running.
This was a trap for Elijah—she felt it deep in her bones.
Just like Jacques, the scoundrel would not be expecting her presence. He would expect Elijah to come barreling in. Elijah was the one whose life had been threatened. Elijah was the one in danger now.
Josie was not about to let anyone harm her husband.
Moving faster, her long legs had her half a pace ahead of Lily and Mary as the three of them entered the shadowed path of the Dark Walk.
Elijah
The stirring of people caught Elijah’s attention. He looked up to see Rex headed straight for him, his expression grim. Immediately, Elijah stepped toward him, nudging a drunken reveler out of his way. The man stumbled onward, completely oblivious.
“What is it?” Fear gripped his chest. “Is Josie all right?”
“She is fine.” Rex pulled up close, gripping his arms and leaning in, his words only for Elijah’s ears. “She spotted the man who attacked her. He is here.”
Here.
Where the crowds were thick, and anyone with the right sum of money could enter.
The fear that gripped him did not abate in the slightest.
“She saw him headed into the Dark Walk.” Rex turned, pointing in the direction—just in time for them to see three young ladies entering the notorious pathway. Both of them cursed loudly.
“What the devil?”
“Bloody hell!”
“Where are they going?” Standing behind Elijah, Mitchell sounded as incensed as either of them. “Do they not know their place?”
No. No, they did not, but as usual, Mitchell’s condemnation of Josie grated.
“Shut up, Mitchell.” Rex obviously agreed with Elijah’s feelings on the matter.
“Mitchell.” Elijah diverted Mitchell’s glare away from Rex. “Go find my father or Joseph and tell them. If we can cordon off the Dark Walk…” Then maybe they could catch the bastard.
Nodding stiffly, Mitchell took off in a hurry. Joseph and Miss Bliss had peeled off from their group earlier to watch some jugglers, but they should still be about. Miss Bliss had been especially keen to see the fireworks, which would start soon. Father was somewhere around with his friends. Hopefully, Mitchell would find one or both of them, and they could find enough trusted men in the crowd to help cover the exits to the path.
Rex had already started toward the entrance, and Elijah rushed in his wake, easily catching up since Rex had already carved out a path through the revelers. Despite the noise, Elijah could still hear Rex’s grumbles.
