Into The Hall Of Vice

Unlike Winton. The thought of Winton sparked a flame of annoyance. Barter for a kiss? She thought not. At least she had the span of a week to investigate Miss Devonshire before confronting him again. Perhaps Mr Goodworth would be there when she ventured back to Edith Avenue. He did seem a helpful, harmless man, no matter he lived on the streets. She certainly hoped he was in good health. He stood a full head taller than she and the breadth of his shoulders and manner that he purported himself did not immediately evoke thoughts of vagrancy. Not that she knew much concerning the deprivation, but the familiar complaints voiced by her brother described a different depiction than Mr Goodworth’s congenial disposition. When the man had smiled, it was as if she could see a whole different person inside the downtrodden exterior.

Oh, how her brother would condemn her sympathies and accuse her of romanticising the scourge of greater London. He held little tolerance for the poverty-stricken population.

The hackney slowed, caught in a muddle of traffic on Hart Street, and she turned her attention towards the sidewalk, where a string of shops and eateries bordered the roadway. Stalled for the time being, her gaze settled on a coffee house at the corner where she noticed with surprise Lady Sophie Daventry sitting behind the large glass window. This area, not far from Mayfair, proved safer for outings. The urge to talk to Sophie and perhaps form an alliance, or at the least a reassurance, took hold with such demand Gemma knocked on the driver’s box before she could think the better of it.

Gathering her skirts, she exited carefully and made her way towards the table where Sophie sat alone. As if Sophie expected someone, she caught her eye immediately, replacing an expression of surprise with a delayed smile. Gemma wove her way through the pedestrian traffic and walked to the side of an unoccupied chair.

‘Sophie, it’s good to see you. May I sit down? I have a matter of personal nature to discuss.’

Sophie motioned to an open place at the table. ‘I’m happy for the company. Do sit.’

She didn’t offer more and Gemma was too pleased at the opportunity to hesitate. As always, Sophie portrayed the startling beauty most men found irresistible although the sparkle of mischief and perhaps unharnessed impulsivity in her eyes alerted the stronger gender to proceed with caution.

Once niceties about the present coincidence were dispensed, Gemma delved into the heart of the matter. ‘I have wondered if you attend the Bardsleys’ card party for the same reasons I do or if you genuinely prefer to play Loo?’

Their eyes caught and Sophie seemed to assess Gemma’s worth, not in an untoward or disdainful way, more in the manner of a friend who is worried how much of a confidence to share and whom to regard as the right person.

‘I hope to discover information to help my family cope with a crisis, but I’d rather not divulge the details. Please understand.’

‘Oh, I do.’ Gemma shook her head in the positive. ‘I attend for the same reason, although my father’s death is public knowledge. I can’t help but feel something’s left untold, the dubious incident unsettled in my heart. My brother will not speak of it and Rosalind, my sister, will not speak at all.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ Sophie’s cheerful smile dropped away. ‘Have you had any luck gaining clues? All I’ve discovered is that Lord Hodge studies my décolletage more than his cards and Lord Winton is as genuine as a clock with three hands.’

‘Indeed.’ Gemma’s brows raised high. ‘Winton promised me information in exchange for a kiss.’

‘He didn’t? That’s scandalous.’ Sophie’s eyes flared before she blinked several times. ‘I hope you told him to go straight to the devil.’

‘I didn’t, sadly, though I mentioned his information had no way to be proven and therefore didn’t warrant the boon. I think he believes himself irresistible. He proposed I wear a particular gown next Friday when I deliver the kiss simply because he favours the colour.’ She huffed a breath of impatience. ‘I could never be with a man who affects airs and regards others as insignificant, at call to do his bidding. Can you imagine?’ She tried her best to mimic his overbearing arrogance and the two ladies burst into giggles.

‘I had an interesting episode while exploring Charing Cross this afternoon.’ Gemma waited for Sophie’s reaction with the mention, anticipating shock and outrage. She wasn’t disappointed.

‘Good heavens! Charing Cross? You are more daring than I believed.’ Sophie took a long sip and folded, then refolded, her napkin. ‘You remind me of my dear friend, Vivienne Beaumont. Well, she’s Vivienne Sinclair with her recent marriage, but will always be Vivienne Beaumont to me.’ This explanation seemed to satisfy Sophie. ‘She knew what she wanted and went after it, boldly trespassing at the Underworld gaming hell and embracing a future of happiness. She recently married one of the proprietors. For a time she was truly lost, but her future couldn’t be brighter now.’

‘The Underworld? I don’t know of it.’ Gemma leaned closer, anxious to glean understanding.

‘Women are not supposed to know of it while men believe it one of London’s best-kept secrets, an exclusive club where every buck and nobleman wagers against their future inheritance. I haven’t visited myself although I’m told it’s one of the most popular indulgences; a dangerous place, full of enormous wagers, flowing liquor and a high disregard of society’s rules.’ She leaned closer now too. ‘And if I may confide in you, the Underworld is one of the last places my brother visited before abandoning London, so I’m absolutely desperate to get into this alleged hall of vice. It might provide the clues I need to find him, or at least, convince him to return home. Otherwise he’s abandoned London and fled with no trace of discovery.’

‘Oh.’ Gemma understood her friend’s dedication. ‘Thank you for your trust, Sophie. I have a sister who causes me concern. I know how awful it feels to carry the burden of familial discontent and the hopelessness that accompanies the situation.’

‘We have a lot in common then, don’t we?’ Sophie matched her candid stare.

‘We do.’

They sat in companionable silence a few minutes longer, the crack of the whip and rolling traffic outside an ambient backdrop to their inner thoughts until Gemma voiced a suggestive proposition.

‘Couldn’t Vivienne gain us entry into the hell? Now that she’s married to one of the owners, she could invite friends inside, could she not?’

‘I’m sure of it, but I’ve hesitated asking that very same question for many reasons. Vivienne has just returned from her wedding trip and I dare not burden her with my worries at the moment. Perhaps, once she’s settled… though something more important which holds me back, my parents have strictly forbidden I go anywhere near the Underworld. They hired a man for assistance in the search and have only me now.’ After a few breaths and without warning Sophie’s expression shifted, her eyes bright with a mischievous gleam. ‘Although you do have a fine point. If we went into the hell together and left in the same manner, I can’t see the harm in the little adventure. My brother was first to warn me to the perils of the establishment and yet he was last seen there before he vanished. I miss him dearly, but more so I need to know of his safety and happiness. We are…’ She paused, a shadow of sorrow colouring her eyes. ‘Were very close. I despise disregarding my parents’ wishes but, like you, I believe there is more to the story if only I embraced the opportunity to discover it.’

‘We have a plan in the making.’ Gemma tapped the tablecloth with her fingertip to underscore her intent. ‘I’ve not been forbidden from entering the Underworld. My brother will never know were I to take the risk and in that way we can help each other. He hardly notices activity beyond our breakfast conversation and remains consumed with his acts of Parliament.’ Gemma’s mouth twisted in a mulish frown of disappointment. ‘I daresay I could help you with little effort on my part.’

‘This could work to our favour.’ Sophie nodded. ‘We can join together to advance our individual causes and assist each other without breaking the stringent rules placed on our involvement. Two are better than one and all that. I like your manner of thinking. How can I help you?’

‘Oh, Sophie, this idea is brilliant.’ She dashed a quick squeeze to Sophie’s hand atop the table. ‘Next Friday at Loo, would you mention my father’s passing and see if something is said at your table? It can’t hurt to pose a few questions.’ Her optimistic determination proved contagious.

‘Of course, that will be no trouble at all.’ Sophie popped from the chair, enthusiasm clear on her face. ‘I’ll write Vivienne when I return home and ask if she’ll accommodate us.’

‘Send me a message as soon as you know which day we shall visit and I’ll be sure to make arrangements. My brother will be none the wiser.’ Gemma believed what he didn’t know would never hurt him. By far, he practised the same adage and why should the rules only be bent by the males in the family?

‘It will need to be a complete secret. Aren’t you worried someone will recognise you and report your behaviour to your brother?’ Sophie stood above her, her expression perplexed with the voiced concern.

‘He does keep note of every outing and appointment, but with a little planned subterfuge, I know I can elude him. Truly, there’s a reason brother and bother are only one letter apart.’ She wouldn’t allow Kent to ruin her plans. ‘Perhaps I could alter my appearance somehow or hide who I really am, so if something goes awry I’m still unrecognisable.’ She rose from the table, encouraged by the sudden idea.

Sophie giggled. ‘I can’t imagine how you’ll accomplish the task but I’m ready to accompany you no matter what you choose to do. Come along and I’ll have my carriage bring you home; that way we can discuss our plans during the ride without worry.’

The two women left the coffee house arm and arm, chattering and planning what could only be called a grand adventure despite their total disregard of convention and the sagacious advice of their guardians.

It was just another night, the hell crammed to the walls with every assortment of nabob and swell. The familiar sound of chips toppling, collected and gathered in greedy fists and empty pockets, coalesced with the sharp flick of cards shuffled and dealt at the tables. A riotous cheer from some lucky winner overrode the familiar cacophony and Cole stood at the centre. Business was his sanctuary, the hell a source of pride. At his right, a young viscount wagered an outrageous sum at the Faro table. Foolish pup didn’t have the smarts for the game, but he certainly had the funds. This energy, the lifeblood of his investment, hummed in his veins, the first distraction able to chase away the enchanting puzzle he’d encountered earlier in the afternoon.

Lady Amberson.

Why had she sought Maggie? Her forthright determination spoke well of her demeanour. She hardly disassembled when her purse was snatched, and her regard of his person, a stranger amidst the wayward of the streets, declared she lacked the pomposity often ingrained in women of quality upon their birth.

After assisting the lady to be on her way, he’d taken care of the business he’d dressed for and later proceeded home to scrub himself clean, the bootblack at last rinsed from his hair after repeated washings. His dual identity might be necessary, but it was bloody inconvenient above all things. He scanned the floor with penetrating discernment, noting every detail with a clarity of vision, before he turned on his heel and made for his office abovestairs.

Once inside, he strode to the far wall, opened the curtains and revealed a view of the gaming floor, though no one was the wiser. The door opened and closed behind him but he didn’t turn and a moment later Max stood beside him.

‘Quite an establishment we’ve created, isn’t it?’ The two men watched the gaming floor. Were anyone to look away from the tables and upward to the wall, they would see a mural of vivid images instead of the panes which kept the offices well hidden.

Cole noticed the reckless viscount below had lost it all, his pockets to let, but likewise knew the fool would return on the morrow. The discreet hell possessed an impressive list of guests most every evening, the reputation for high stakes and ruthless competition the biggest draw. Gentry enjoyed their private secrets, while men similar to Cole and Max wore their sins with pride. The irony amused him. ‘Not too shabby considering our upbringing, wealthy bastards from ill-begotten beginnings.’

The men never shared their personal agendas or haunting regrets. They didn’t need to. Their business was making money and together they succeeded with skill. At the moment, Luke was the missing member of their trio, each man adept at different aspects of the partnership. But, like all associates, when one had enterprise which took them in a separate direction, the others compensated.

Cole was content in his role with few complaints. He managed the business end of the hell and while he happily counted the vowels of indebted peers, he never wished for the responsibility and pressure that accompanied an entitlement. Perhaps the best thing his father ever did was shove him from that carriage step to set Cole on this course, to become the man he was meant to be.

He stood quietly with Max, admiring the exchange of money and chips against the green baize, gratified in the satisfaction and profit each night’s ante brought. Even the working girls enjoyed the evening, their laughter afloat above the frenetic exchange on the tables. This was their world. Above the upper nobility, in kind to the most fashionable society, and under no one’s thumb because of it.

With the fleeting mental suggestion, his thoughts turned to Lady Amberson. Perhaps he should mention the meeting to Max, who knew the names and reputations of most all of London’s betters. Yet something held him back. Her place in society mattered little. He would likely never see her again. Still, another part of him, some untamed and illogical desire left over from another life, decided he should keep the lady a secret. Perhaps he didn’t wish to hear how far above him she lived, or worse, that she was a wife, mother… any other label that kept her out of reach. He clenched his teeth and demanded his wayward thoughts cease. What was this foolish preoccupation with the lady? She believed him an impecunious man, living in poverty in a section of London responsible for disease and crime. That is what he wished her to see, when he was Mr Goodworth, and that is what the lady perceived. Pity though, that he hadn’t been himself in that moment. The issue itched his brain, an uncomfortable niggling he could not scratch.

He shook his head a second time, annoyed at his nonsensical struggle. Max had left the office, abandoning their conversation, full knowing that, when Cole sank into contemplative silence, no jovial banter would be had.

Gemma insisted Nan fashion her hair in a tight twist, easily concealed under a young man’s cap, purchased for just this occasion. She would not dare tell her sister or brother of her late-night excursion, but without throwing caution completely to the wind, she’d taken Nan into her confidence. Of course, she’d suffered through a long lecture on respectable behaviour and an endless listing of all the perils and cautions awaiting her in the outside world, and that was without admitting her true destination. Nan believed she was meeting at Sophie’s to engage in a masquerade of sorts. Once the maid had sat through the convoluted explanation Gemma described, Nan surrendered in her attempts at dissuasion and instead changed her language to a precautionary warning.

By years of experience, Nan knew better than to believe she could alter Gemma’s plans. Instead, the maid crossed herself with a brief prayer and set about twisting Gemma’s hair in the desired arrangement.

Now, dressed in black trousers, a flowing brown linen shirt, hair tucked neatly under a cap, Gemma paced in wait for Sophie’s carriage to arrive. Nan would watch for the conveyance and fetch her so Gemma could remain hidden until necessary. The driver had been informed to come to the rear of the house outside the back kitchen. If anyone saw her leave, it would appear Nan was escorting a messenger boy out, perhaps with a biscuit in hand for his effort.

Counting the minutes and eyeing the hall for fear her brother would awaken and discover her plan, she lingered belowstairs. The long case clock in the hall struck eleven one floor above. Time had come and, true to her word, a coach approached. Nan motioned to her as soon as it rolled to a stop and, with a meaningful expression of concern, the maid opened the door and Gemma slipped out.