“I think they’re just relieved to be out of the carriage,” Elliot said, doubting their babbling had anything to do with suppressing nerves.
The muscles in his shoulders were still painful to touch. But three weeks confined to such a small compact space — other than a few hours spent each night at various inns en route — had not affected his wife’s cheerful countenance.
Alexander snorted. “As we all are. I don’t think I’ll be able to straighten my legs properly for a month. Every time I try, the joints in my knees crack.”
Elliot chuckled but stepped closer and whispered, “We will need to find a way of getting more blood while we’re here. We must make it a priority once we’ve found Leo. An extra dose or two will soon lubricate your stiff bones.”
Alexander glanced around the room, not bothering to hide his disdainful sneer. “I don’t know why, but I feel like throttling every person in here for not alerting strangers to the monster walking amongst them. Perhaps an extra dose would also help me to maintain my calm composure.”
Elliot laughed. “Calm composure? Despite your best efforts, you always appear angry and highly irritated. Unless you’re talking to Evelyn, and then you look like an altar boy who has just witnessed an epiphany.”
Alexander gave a sinful smirk. “Well, she is utterly divine. She’s a saint sent to soothe all my gripes and woes. I’d be lost without her.”
A frisson of fear shot through Elliot’s body when he glanced at Grace’s angelic face. She met his gaze and smiled, but he imagined sharp fangs overhanging her bottom lip, the whites of her eyes littered with ugly red veins. “What the hell were we thinking? We should have left our wives in London,” he said as his chest grew tight and he found it hard to swallow.
“I hope you’re not blaming me.”
“Of course not,” Elliot scoffed. “We were both weak and pathetic when it came to making demands. It seems both ladies do not respond well to orders.”
Alexander gave a weak chuckle, but Elliot could sense his anxiety. “Grace only had to straighten your cravat and flutter her lashes, and you were pinning like a puppy.”
“I seem to recall as soon as Evelyn touched your cheek you fell to your knees and surrendered,” Elliot countered.
Alexander raised an arrogant brow. “So, I’m in love with my wife. Indeed, I shall be glad of a little privacy this evening.”
“I wouldn’t imagine you’ll get to spend much time in your room tonight.” Elliot winced as he anticipated Alexander’s growl of protest. “We need to search for Leo. There’ll be plenty of time to rest come the morning.”
“That bloody idiot,” Alexander snarled. “He has a lot to answer for. Had it not been for his overinflated ego, I would be nestled up in bed with nothing to do but think of new ways to entertain Evelyn.”
“Have you tried to tune into his thoughts?” Elliot asked. He was still struggling to come to terms with the fact Leo had raced off to Bavaria with the intention of punishing the woman who had ruined their lives.
Alexander shook his head. “I can’t he
ar a thing.”
“Me neither.” Elliot gave a weary sigh. He could pick up the faint strains of desire but assumed it must be the voice of his own inner frustrations. “You don’t think … think she’s killed him?”
“If she hasn’t, I damn well will.” Alexander straightened and threw his hands up. “Forgive my insensitive outburst. I’m just so damn annoyed with him I can hardly contain it. Three weeks cramped in a carriage has done little to temper my foul mood.”
“I understand. I feel your anger,” Elliot said with some sympathy, “just as I feel your fear. And like you, I’m struggling to hide my contempt for everyone here. I had hoped never to come back again.”
Perhaps they should have stayed in England. Leo was man enough to make his own decisions and reap the consequences. But due to the nature of their affliction, the bond forged between them could not be broken. If roles were reversed, Elliot knew Leo would not rest until they were reunited.
The proprietor’s cough disturbed his reverie. Elliot paid the man and took the goblets and the black bell-shaped bottle over to the table.
“Well?” Evelyn said as soon as they’d sat down. “Is he here? Has anyone seen him? Please tell me we haven’t travelled all this way for nothing.”
Elliot suppressed his anxiety and tried to infuse a level of confidence into his tone. “Apparently, he does have a room here and has paid until the end of the week, though the proprietor cannot recall the last time he saw him. His carriage is in the courtyard behind the tavern and his coachman, Chambers, has not seen him, either.”
Grace turned to Evelyn. “Perhaps one of us should talk to the maid, offer an incentive if she agrees to take us up to his room.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Elliot said as his chest burst with pride at his wife’s logical suggestion. “Although I doubt there is only one.”
Evelyn smirked. “What? You doubt there is only one maid or that he has only taken one to his bedchamber?”
“Both,” Elliot replied with some amusement as he poured the ladies a drink. “Perhaps Leo thought to use his licentious ways to taunt the devil from her lair.”
Grace raised a curious brow. “You still believe that is the only reason she poisoned you all with her tainted blood?”