Christmas Charity (Fair Cyprians of London 5)

“He won’t and that’s why this plan is such a good one.” Rosetta smiled at her, confident for once. Smug, even. “We have two avenues for seeking success.”

“Two?” Charity had only heard of the first. Her heart did a skittering dance in her chest and didn’t settle down. At the far end of an enormous billiards table, a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman was flanked by a couple of laughing fellows who seemed to be leering at every woman who entered the room. Like they were sport.

A game of roulette was taking place in one corner and several card tables were occupied by some characters with their heads bent low over their hands.

Charity didn’t know the first thing about how to play the games of chance that were the lifeblood of this place.

She gripped Emily’s lace-edged sleeve. “Will I be expected to play?”

Emily shook her head. “No. I might, though. I’m considered rather a dab hand. Rosetta has a keen pair of eyes and she’ll be doing her best to catch him in the act.”

“You think you will?” Charity put her hand to her chest. Her heart was beating so painfully she thought it would burst out of her bodice.

“No.” Emily’s response was matter-of-fact. “That’s why we think we’ll have to work with our second plan.”

“And what’s that? Why didn’t you tell me?” Charity had done everything they’d asked with such blind obedience but now she realised she’d not questioned them at all.

“Our second plan involves going with him to his room where you’ll hopefully find a list of gentlemen our delightful Mr Cyril Adams is currently blackmailing. Or rather, find the reasons he has dredged up in order to make his little ploy so successful.”

“What? Me?” Charity nearly choked on the word. “How can I possibly do that? I mean, I can’t.”

Rosetta, who had been conversing with a gentleman a little distance away, now turned back, slipping into position next to Emily.

“We rather thought you might protest if we told you. But really, Charity, you’re the only one who will have any chance of doing this. He doesn’t know you at all, you’re very sweet and innocent, and so you’re the last person he’d suspect if you go with him to his room.”

“To his room? Why would he even ask me? And if he does, what if he tries to…?”

She saw the other two girls exchange smiles. With a faint shrug of her shoulders, Rosetta said, “If Hugo doesn’t win back his fortune, you’re going to lose him forever. And you’re going to have to hike your skirts and spread your legs for any gentleman who desires it at Madame Chambon’s.” She encompassed the room with a sweep of her arm. “Any gentleman here, for that matter. We don’t want that, as we’ve told you. But surely the risk of doing this just once with Mr Adams is worth it?”

Charity felt her insides shrivel. She closed her eyes as Rosetta went on, “However, if you succeed in finding what you’re looking for, Emily and I have secured promises of enormous gratitude from various of our regulars while it will also ensure your Hugo is vindicated.”

Charity put her hand to her mouth, then quickly altered her expression knowing of course that her shock and horror would only draw attention to them. Forcing herself to look natural, she whispered, “You brought me here to find out what your gentlemen wanted to know? Not to help Hugo?” She’d thought them her friends. Believed they were acting only in her best interests.

Emily grasped her shoulder as she turned away. Drawing her into the shadows of a fringed, red velvet curtain, she spoke as if to an errant child. “We set about discovering how we might protect you from what you see as a fate worse than death, Charity. And if the waters have been muddied, don’t blame us.”

The expression on her normally sweet, placid face, was fierce. “Rosetta and I have been exploring myriad ways we might bring down Mr Adams in order to vindicate your Hugo.” She bit her lip, appeared to hesitate, then ploughed on. “Each evening, when the gentlemen arrive downstairs to choose who to while away a few hours of their time with, we have accepted only those whom we believe might have some useful knowledge of Mr Adams.” Her fingers dug into Charity’s shoulder as she emphasised her point. “Because information is the only currency that can benefit any of us. And the best we could come up with is that your Mr Adams is a cheat but a clever, slippery cheat who has never been caught.” She sighed. “And is unlikely to be caught tonight. But he is suspected of dabbling in blackmail and that is what is of most interest to our gentlemen.” She indicated Mr Adams across the room with a furtive look. He was in conversation now with a couple of other gentlemen, one elderly, one young, neither of them the fast set as far as Charity could tell, if their attire and demeanour was anything to go by.

The Red Door was a gaming hellhole but even respectable members of society came here.

“The elder gentleman is Mr Russell. He enjoyed my favours two nights ago though he will not acknowledge me in public, naturally. He fears that information that would compromise his son and possibly destroy his political ambitions may be in the hands of Mr Adams. And he’s prepared to pay a great deal to ensure this does not happen.”

“But this is all…impossible to ascertain. I cannot do so, surely? Where would I even begin to look? And with him wide awake having…having had his way with me?” Charity blinked back tears. She had to be stronger than this. But she was not going to sacrifice herself for such dubious gains.

Nervously she glanced over her shoulder. “I’d make a mull of it. I’m not clever like you,” she added to Rosetta who had just returned to the conversation.

“Mr Adams would be far too suspicious of us,” said Rosetta. “However, you, who have never been seen at Madame Chambon’s or anywhere else for that matter, would make the perfect candidate.”

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“He already has me in his sights.” Charity felt a surge of panic at the memory. “You heard Madame Chambon saying he was asking for me the night after Hugo lost to him. He wanted to exact an even greater revenge on Hugo.”

“But he has no idea what Hugo’s beloved looks like. I agree, if he did, he’d be suspicious of your motives. But you are an ingenue. Do you see the way the gentlemen are looking at you? They’re intrigued. They’ve never seen you grace the velvet sofas of Madame Chambon’s where they seek diversion. You’re young and full of grace and Mr Adams, from the way his gaze keeps darting in this direction, would be most amenable to a little show of interest from you.”

With a pat on her shoulder, Rosetta pushed Charity forward.

“I’ve had no practise in what I should do. I’ll ruin everything.” Charity knew she looked as panicked as she felt.

“It’s your obvious lack of experience that will win the day, Charity,” said Emily. “Madame Chambon believes it and you’re one of her favourites. She actually wants you to win your happily ever after with your beloved Hugo.” She pursed her lips and exchanged a wry look with Rosetta. “She said it would be a feather in her cap to promote a real wedding in view of Violet’s disappointment.”