Read Online Duchess 02 - Surprising Lord Jack by Sally Mackenzie - Free Book Online
Authors: Sally Mackenzie
Ads: Link
two society women turning up with their throats slashed. She couldn’t quite comprehend the tragedy—well, yes, murder was always horrible, but these women had clearly chosen to engage in dangerous behavior, so what could they expect? As she remembered from the papers, even the society girls had been no better than they should be.
But of course Albert and the denizens of this house of iniquity would be concerned. Their lives were the ones most in danger. “Shouldn’t your mistress go to the authorities with her suspicions?”
Albert shrugged. “They don’t care about a few dead dolly-mops. Nan says they’re ’appy to have some of the trash cleaned up. That’s why she’s looking into it herself.”
“Ah.” It was a little disconcerting to hear her own theory repeated, but obviously these people understood the risks and their place in society.
“Who’s here, Albert?”
“Lord Jack.”
Frances looked up to see two women on the landing just above her. They seemed to be about her age and were dressed in gauzy, almost transparent dresses of better quality but otherwise much like the one Belinda, the old drab in the street, had been wearing.
Her stomach twisted. More prostitutes.
She looked at the closed door to the madam’s office. When in God’s name—if the Almighty could be thought of in such a sinful place—would Jack come out? He couldn’t be doing more than talking with the woman, could he?
Her stomach twisted again.
No! No, of course he wasn’t. Not with the baby. Even a rake of Jack’s reputation couldn’t do whatever rakes did, with a baby whimpering so near at hand. And he hadn’t looked at all amorous when he’d burst in on the madam.
“Where’s that devil Ruland?” the shorter girl asked.
Albert grinned. “He just left.”
“Thank God!” she said as the two came down the stairs. She looked at Frances. “Who’s this?”
Oh Lord. Frances glanced at the closed door again. Surely Jack would appear at any minute.
“Francis Haddon,” Albert said. “ ’E says Lord Jack is taking ’im to ’is brother.”
The girl smiled. “And now you have to cool yer heels, waiting fer Lord Jack to finish his business.” She walked closer; Frances stepped back. “Would you like me to help you pass the time?”
Clearly the woman wasn’t suggesting a pleasant chat. Frances took another step back and bumped up against the bench. “No, thank you.”
The taller one giggled. “I think you’re frightening him, Bessie.”
Damn it, she wasn’t frightened. She just had to maintain her disguise.
Albert lumbered over. “Lord Jack won’t be ’appy if ye scare the lad.”
“Oh, pish,” Bessie said. “I’m just going to make him happy like I do you, Albert.”
Albert actually blushed. “’E’s only a boy.”
“He’s taller than me,” Bessie said. “Let’s see if he’s interested.” She reached for Frances’s crotch.
Good Lord! Frances jerked back, lost her balance, and sat down abruptly.
Bessie laughed. “What? Are you still a virgin?”
“Yes.” Frances glared at them. “I am.”
“Temper, temper, Nan.”
Nan glared at Jack and then bent over to pick up the candlestick she’d thrown at the door. “Why the hell did you have to come tonight, Jack? I had Ruland just where I wanted him.”
“With his breeches down around his ankles? I didn’t know you had a hankering for the earl.”
“I don’t.” She put the candlestick back on the table with rather more force than necessary. “He’s a disgusting, fat, selfish, arrogant blackguard, but I think he might be the Silent Slasher. I was going to try to find out tonight.” She glared at him, but he saw the fear in her eyes. “Martha from Maiden Lane showed up dead down by the Bucket of Blood while you were gone.”
“Martha? Damn.” Martha had been saving to rent a house in the country and had almost had enough money put away. She’d been smart and cautious and had generally avoided the Bucket of
But of course Albert and the denizens of this house of iniquity would be concerned. Their lives were the ones most in danger. “Shouldn’t your mistress go to the authorities with her suspicions?”
Albert shrugged. “They don’t care about a few dead dolly-mops. Nan says they’re ’appy to have some of the trash cleaned up. That’s why she’s looking into it herself.”
“Ah.” It was a little disconcerting to hear her own theory repeated, but obviously these people understood the risks and their place in society.
“Who’s here, Albert?”
“Lord Jack.”
Frances looked up to see two women on the landing just above her. They seemed to be about her age and were dressed in gauzy, almost transparent dresses of better quality but otherwise much like the one Belinda, the old drab in the street, had been wearing.
Her stomach twisted. More prostitutes.
She looked at the closed door to the madam’s office. When in God’s name—if the Almighty could be thought of in such a sinful place—would Jack come out? He couldn’t be doing more than talking with the woman, could he?
Her stomach twisted again.
No! No, of course he wasn’t. Not with the baby. Even a rake of Jack’s reputation couldn’t do whatever rakes did, with a baby whimpering so near at hand. And he hadn’t looked at all amorous when he’d burst in on the madam.
“Where’s that devil Ruland?” the shorter girl asked.
Albert grinned. “He just left.”
“Thank God!” she said as the two came down the stairs. She looked at Frances. “Who’s this?”
Oh Lord. Frances glanced at the closed door again. Surely Jack would appear at any minute.
“Francis Haddon,” Albert said. “ ’E says Lord Jack is taking ’im to ’is brother.”
The girl smiled. “And now you have to cool yer heels, waiting fer Lord Jack to finish his business.” She walked closer; Frances stepped back. “Would you like me to help you pass the time?”
Clearly the woman wasn’t suggesting a pleasant chat. Frances took another step back and bumped up against the bench. “No, thank you.”
The taller one giggled. “I think you’re frightening him, Bessie.”
Damn it, she wasn’t frightened. She just had to maintain her disguise.
Albert lumbered over. “Lord Jack won’t be ’appy if ye scare the lad.”
“Oh, pish,” Bessie said. “I’m just going to make him happy like I do you, Albert.”
Albert actually blushed. “’E’s only a boy.”
“He’s taller than me,” Bessie said. “Let’s see if he’s interested.” She reached for Frances’s crotch.
Good Lord! Frances jerked back, lost her balance, and sat down abruptly.
Bessie laughed. “What? Are you still a virgin?”
“Yes.” Frances glared at them. “I am.”
“Temper, temper, Nan.”
Nan glared at Jack and then bent over to pick up the candlestick she’d thrown at the door. “Why the hell did you have to come tonight, Jack? I had Ruland just where I wanted him.”
“With his breeches down around his ankles? I didn’t know you had a hankering for the earl.”
“I don’t.” She put the candlestick back on the table with rather more force than necessary. “He’s a disgusting, fat, selfish, arrogant blackguard, but I think he might be the Silent Slasher. I was going to try to find out tonight.” She glared at him, but he saw the fear in her eyes. “Martha from Maiden Lane showed up dead down by the Bucket of Blood while you were gone.”
“Martha? Damn.” Martha had been saving to rent a house in the country and had almost had enough money put away. She’d been smart and cautious and had generally avoided the Bucket of
Similar Books
