By the time Anne returned to the Hôtel de Boer, it was already evening. The rain was not very heavy, but the weather was gloomy. Thick clouds hung overhead, making the entire city of London appear dim and oppressive, as if night had already fallen.
Anne stepped out of the carriage and saw the warm candlelight in the window behind the garden. The light passed through the layers of rain and gently shone on her heart.
She knew that her family and friends were there. They were probably waiting for her to come back and tell her what they saw and heard today.
Her hair and skirt were a little wet. Anne imagined that if she walked in like this, Caroline would definitely yell exaggeratedly, and then hurriedly instruct the servants to prepare hot water and clean clothes for her. Darcy would definitely look at her with a disapproving and stern gaze. And Bentley and Georgiana, they would be worried and curious as to why she would make herself like this …
Thinking of this, Anne unconsciously raised the corners of her lips. She took a deep breath and suppressed some of the bitterness in her heart.
Life is always unsatisfactory. We should see the happy and beautiful side, shouldn't we?
Anne was about to walk in when she saw a person standing in the shadows at the door.
"Connor?" Anne tried to call out.
The figure turned around, and Anne recognized that it was the old butler of the residence, Connor.
Old Connor was very surprised to see her, but his good professionalism made him quickly calm down. He walked to Anne and bowed slightly, "Miss Deboer, you're back. Do you need me to send someone to bring Miss Darcy back? "
Anne was confused by his words, "Georgiana? She's not at home? "
This time, Connor couldn't hide the surprise on his face, "Didn't you send someone to send a letter to bring Miss Darcy to Baker Street?"
Anne was shocked and had a bad feeling in her heart, "What letter? How long has she been gone? "
The old butler looked at the street not far away in confusion. "It was that carriage that just left."
Anne followed Connor's gaze. The sparse rain and thin mist made the long and narrow streets of Mayfair seem a little eerie. In the alley that was shrouded by the pitter-patter of rain, there was only a pitch-black carriage that was moving forward unhurriedly. Other than that, there was not a single pedestrian.
Anne's heart almost trembled. She grabbed the butler's arm and said, "Go and inform Darcy …"
But the housekeeper immediately interrupted her. "Mr. Darcy went out at noon because of business affairs. He won't be back until dinner time."
"What about Bentley?"
The housekeeper was infected by Anne's emotions and became uneasy. "Mr. Bentley and Miss Bentley went to a friend's ball …"
Anne tightened her grip on his arm.
"Miss Deboer …" Seeing that she was silent, the butler was at a loss for words.
Anne suddenly looked up and suppressed her violently beating heart. "There must be time! I'll go after Georgiana now. Send someone to find us immediately. Then go to 221B Baker Street to inform Mr. Holmes. Now! Immediately! "
After instructing the butler, Anne turned and walked into the rain. She grabbed the coachman who was about to drive the carriage away and said, "Catch up with the carriage in front!" After saying that, Anne stumbled into the carriage.
Anne clenched her trembling hands and told the coachman to go faster, faster.
She kept comforting herself that maybe it was just someone's prank. Don't let your imagination run wild. It couldn't be that "female ripper". She wouldn't be bold enough to directly kidnap someone in their home.
The carriage in front didn't go fast. Even when Anne's carriage was getting closer and closer, the other side didn't speed up.
The two carriages turned a corner next to each other. In a secluded alley, Anne finally caught up with the carriage. To be precise, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Anne jumped down from the carriage. Her legs gave way and she fell on the ground. She didn't feel any pain at all. She got up and ran to the carriage in front of her.
The coachman also got down from his seat and reached out to support her.
Anne pushed his arm and said anxiously, "Don't worry about me. Go and see Georgiana."
The coachman, who didn't understand the situation, looked at her in confusion. Under Anne's urging, he quickly walked to the carriage in front of them.
The coachman looked inside the carriage, then turned to Anne and spread his hands. "Miss Darcy isn't in the carriage."
What?
Anne was stunned. She dragged her heavy dress that was completely soaked by the rain and walked over. She saw that the carriage was empty. There wasn't a single person. The coachman in the front seat was also missing.
How could this be?
Anne suppressed her rapid breathing and looked around. There was no one.
"Georgiana!" Without caring about anything else, Anne opened her mouth and shouted.
She called out a few times, but other than the sound of the rain, there was no response.
The coachman's rough voice also called out a few times, but the result was the same.
The weather became more and more gloomy and the rain gradually became heavier. The coachman looked at the soaked and weak Anne. He was about to suggest that she go back first when he heard a mournful cry cut through the rain and pierced their eardrums.
It was an extremely short scream that disappeared in an instant. The street that had returned to normal seemed to have been invaded by a strange air and immediately became frightening.
Anne quickly determined the direction of the sound and took the lead to walk over.
After walking a few steps, Anne found that the coachman was still frozen in place.
"This way." She opened her mouth to remind him.
The coachman seemed to have been awakened by her voice. His face revealed a terrified expression as he muttered, "The Ripper … it's that Ripper …"
Then with a loud shout, he turned around and ran away.
In the dark alley, there was only Anne left. The sound of the rain seemed like it would never stop.
Anne bit her lower lip hard until she tasted rust in her mouth. She raised her hand to wipe the rain on her face and looked in the direction of the sound. She lifted her heavy feet again.
The deeper she went in the alley, the more Anne's heart beat. Her skirt was soaked in water and mud. It was so heavy that it seemed like something was dragging her feet behind.
She whispered Georgiana's name as she walked. When she was about to reach the end of the alley, Anne heard a weak voice like a kitten.
"Anne …"
Anne's footsteps stopped and she immediately replied, "It's me, Georgiana. Don't be afraid, tell me where you are. "
She saw a shadow move in the corner at the end of the alley.
Anne immediately walked over.
She squatted down and grabbed Georgiana's trembling hands. The latter shrank back.
"It's all right, Georgiana. I'm Anne. Don't be afraid, I'm here. "
Georgiana raised her head. After confirming that it was Anne, she suddenly threw herself into her arms.
The weak Anne was almost pushed down by her. She used one hand to support herself on the ground and steadied herself. She hugged her and asked, "Tell me first, are you hurt?"
Georgiana shook her head in her arms.
Anne let out a sigh of relief. She knew that now was not the time to ask. The most important thing was to leave.
But Georgiana held her tightly and did not let go. Her body trembled like a leaf in a storm, weak and pitiful.
Anne stroked Georgiana's back and comforted her softly. The frightened little girl finally spoke in a trembling voice.
"She's here … Anne, she's here …"
Anne knew that this was not Georgiana's nonsense. Her guess was confirmed. The breath that she had just relaxed was instantly tensed up.
If it was like what Georgiana said, "she" was here, then she must be looking at them now.
Anne only felt that her body was weak, and the sound of her heart beating almost drowned out the sound of the rain. The real fear was like a rope binding her limbs, making her unable to move.
Georgiana, who was hugging her, suddenly screamed and let go of her. She curled up in the corner in fear and helplessness.
Anne's chest was empty, and her whole body froze. She did not dare to look back, but she knew that she had to.
Fear was like a disgusting sticky animal, adhering to her skin and seeping in bit by bit.
Anne stood up mechanically and slowly turned around.
She saw a terrifying figure standing in the open space not far away.
Actually, the figure itself was not that frightening. The person opposite her was not tall. At least for a serial killer, this height was not very intimidating.
Anne also saw the long dress she was wearing. Just like Shylock said, this was a woman.
She was wearing a hat, and the big brim of the hat covered her facial features. Anne could not see her face.
What was really frightening was the aura on her body. It was cold and very quiet.
Anne had never faced a serial killer before. She did not know if all serial killers were like this. But now, the person opposite her was staring at her without saying a word, as if she was staring at a prey that was already on the chopping board. It was almost suffocating.
Anne looked at the ground beside her feet in a panic, hoping to find a tool that could be used to defend herself. However, there was nothing but rainwater on the ground.
The figure moved. As she walked closer, a cold light flashed, and Anne saw the sharp knife in her hand …
Her chest was so stuffy that it was almost unbearable. Her mind was filled with the tragic scenes of the victims that Shylock had told her that night.
Those young girls had been stabbed dozens of times. Their throats had been slit, their abdomens had been cut open, and their intestines had been cut open …
No, no, don't think about this. Anne, calm down. She was going crazy from the images in her mind.
The person opposite her seemed to snort coldly and said leisurely, "Miss Anne De Boer, I've been waiting for a long time."
Hearing her name, Anne seemed to have caught something in a flash.
"You know me? Did Moriarty tell you? "
Anne saw that the approaching footsteps suddenly stopped.
After a pause, the person opposite her said, "I know each of your names. But I'm very surprised that a noble lady like you actually knows Moriarty. "
She said "you" instead of "them", as if Anne was already one of the people who had died under her knife.
"Of course I know Moriarty. He's a smart and cunning criminal genius." Anne used all her strength to stop her voice from trembling. "Not only do I know him, but I'm also very familiar with him. Believe me, if I die, he'll be very angry. "
Anne didn't believe it herself. But now her mind was in a mess. She couldn't think of a better way to stall for time.
"Is that so? Then tell me, Miss Deboer. If you're really so important to Moriarty, why are you so close to his nemesis, Mr. Holmes? "
Anne was speechless.
The gleaming dagger began to approach her again. "Don't struggle, Miss Deboer. I won't let you go!" The woman's tone began to become angry and ferocious. "A noble lady who is engaged is still entangled with other men! Wanton! Shameless! "
What?
Anne didn't care about what the crazy woman said. She held her breath and watched her approach step by step.
When she finally came close, Anne raised her leg, gritted her teeth and kicked the woman's calf. When the woman cried out in pain, she pushed her away.
She felt dizzy. Anne endured the dizziness and quickly lowered her head to grab Georgiana's arm. But before she could pull up Georgiana, who was curled up in the corner, the terrifying female killer had already rushed over with the dagger again.
Annie's strength was too weak. Her resistance didn't cause any harm to the other party at all.
The cold dagger slid across her forearm, immediately cutting through her thin sleeve and leaving a bloody wound on her arm.
Anne fell to the ground and dodged the dagger.
"Run, Georgiana! Run! "She shouted at the figure in the corner.
But the young girl was so scared that she couldn't move.
God! She really didn't have any strength. Lying in the overwhelming rain, her hands and feet were cold in despair.
Shylock, Shylock, Shylock! … …
Anne kept calling this name in her heart.
The sky was so dark that it seemed like it was going to collapse. The thick raindrops connected into pale rain lines. When his voice came through the heavy rain, Anne thought for a moment that she was hallucinating.
Then a second voice.
"Anne!"
She suddenly turned around and saw the familiar tall and thin figure.
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