“Scream, an’ it’ll be the last sound you make,” a gruff voice said.
Charlotte curled her fingers around her pistol’s grip. If only she could get some leeway – spin around – threaten the villain in return. Unfortunately, her current position allowed for no such thing. “All right.”
“Did I say you could speak?” The blade pressed deeper. One hand latched onto her reticule “I’ll just take this an’ be on my way.”
Charlotte closed her eyes and prayed. She’d never felt more helpless. And she hated it. But what choice did she have? She couldn’t ask one of her parents’ footmen to join her on her excursions. Their loyalty lay with her parents so they could not be trusted with Charlotte’s secret while Daisy, the maid who’d been meant to accompany Charlotte, had been sent on an errand by Charlotte’s mother at the last minute, leaving Charlotte with no other option than to set off alone if she was to keep her appointment.
Swallowing, Charlotte tried to steady her breathing – to not panic while the thief grabbed her reticule. It contained more money than usual – three months’ worth of royalties in the amount of two hundred and eighty pounds.
Harsh laughter filled her ears. “I like the weight of this. Now stay still and count to twenty.”
Charlotte started to do as she was told, but the moment the blade left her throat, she drew her pistol from within the folds of her skirt and whipped around, only to learn that the thief had waited for just the right moment to flee. A group of children were now approaching the spot where she stood, blocking her line of fire as the thief raced away behind them. Charlotte’s hand shook in response to the shocking encounter. She lowered her arm and took a tremulous breath.
This really wouldn’t do. If she was to keep on coming here, she would have to ensure her own safety.
Intent on solving the problem as soon as possible, Charlotte set off the following morning after breakfast, this time with Daisy in tow. She was convinced she’d achieve her goal without much hardship. All it would take was a day – one week at most.
But after spending the next month visiting various tea-shops, scouring the parks, and taking luncheon at some of the more reputable inns, she was forced to acknowledge that finding the sort of man who could blend in on the streets of Mayfair and scare the devil out of a villain was no simple task.
Now, with her next meeting at Carlisle & Co. approaching fast, she decided to make one last desperate attempt at engaging the capable sort she required.
“Are you sure we ought to risk coming to this part of Town, miss?” Daisy’s voice conveyed a healthy dose of nervousness as she glanced out the window of the hackney they’d hired a short while earlier. “Doesn’t it contradict what you’re trying to achieve?”
It did, but after failing to find a suitable candidate for the position elsewhere, Charlotte had decided to try another option –The Black Swan tavern. An acquaintance of hers, Regina Sterling, the Duchess of Windham, had met her husband there, and while the duke was not considered the least bit respectable, he was precisely the sort of man Charlotte needed – one capable of instilling fear in any thug who threatened her safety.
“I realize it’s not ideal, Daisy, but I cannot walk into Gentleman Jackson’s and offer employment to one of its patrons.” Only upper-class gentlemen and peers frequented the high-end boxing establishment, and although Charlotte was certain several would be capable of warding off a thief, she could not trust them not to tell her family of her exploits.
What Charlotte needed was an individual who answered solely to her – a man who needed the coin she offered and knew he wouldn’t receive it if he betrayed her.
“I suppose not, miss, but I still don’t like our being here. Even with the window closed, it stinks worse than a chamber pot. If you’ll forgive me saying so.”
Charlotte scrunched her nose. She’d noticed the putrid stench the moment they’d turned down Drury Lane. “The place shouldn’t be far from here. I believe we’ll reach it soon.”
The carriage turned onto Parker’s Lane with a bounce brought on by the uneven paving. A startled gasp sprang from Charlotte’s throat in response to the scene before her – of a woman sitting on the doorstep of a dilapidated building. Dressed in filthy rags, she cradled a sobbing infant while two older children, both barefoot, splashed in a nearby puddle. A little way past them, a one-legged man hobbled along with the use of a crutch.
Cast in shades of grey, the street held no resemblance to any Charlotte had seen before. This was much worse than what she’d witnessed in the East End. This was true squalor painted in bleakness and utter despair.
The carriage passed as if blind to the suffering before it rolled to a halt in front of a crooked building built from black timber frame-work. It looked like it was about to fall into the street.
“Goodness,” Charlotte muttered. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised, but really, the tavern did not appear the least bit sturdy. Certainly not for a place renowned for its bare-knuckle fights. Setting her jaw in preparation for what she would find inside, Charlotte turned to Daisy. “You should stay here.”
“And let you go in there alone? I can’t possibly.”
“I absolutely insist on this point.” Charlotte had spent a great deal of time deliberating over it. The last time she’d taken a hackney, the blasted vehicle had driven off before she’d returned. She’d be damned if the same thing would happen again. Least of all in a place such as this.
“It‘s not seemly,” Daisy protested. She jutted her chin toward another building – one located just beyond The Black Swan.
Charlotte considered it for a moment. Amourette’s. She frowned. The name was familiar though she couldn’t quite—
She sucked in a breath as realization struck. This was the brothel where the Earl of Fielding’s new wife had been hiding until he’d accidentally outed her. As the daughter of an accused traitor, their relationship had been mired in scandal until they’d managed to prove her father’s innocence. The incident had served as excellent inspiration for Charlotte’s latest adventure novel.
She stared at the brothel. A lady of her class ought to blush and avert her gaze. Instead, Charlotte absorbed every detail, ferreting it away for later use when she returned home and took her seat at her desk. She’d be much better equipped to describe back alleys and places of ill repute now. Which clearly meant a few extra scenes from The Marquess’s Unresolved Mysteries would have to be re-written.
Pleased with the prospect of being able to improve upon her work, she offered Daisy a wry smile. “Between the two, I wonder that it is the brothel you’re most concerned with.”
“It’s your reputation, miss.”
“Which won’t be any better off if someone I know sees me sitting right here in a carriage located on this very street. Now, Daisy, do try to relax and please make sure the driver waits for me. This could take a while.”
“But—”
Deciding to end the discussion, Charlotte opened the door, stepped down, and swept inside The Black Swan. The interior was surprisingly neat and tidy – not at all what she’d expected. Round tables were placed with an appropriate amount of space between them. Several were occupied by men who clearly worked the docks or breweries and had chosen to come for a bite to eat. They stared at her in baffled silence.