Page 43 of Taken to the Grave
There were no half-dressed ladies rushing to drape themselves on his shoulder, but instead, a middle-aged woman wearing a high-necked gown of green satin emerged through the embroidered drapes. With a snap of her wrist, a hand fan unfolded, and as she sauntered toward him, she beat the fan languidly.
“We have not met,” she said, her dark, keen eyes assessing him. She would surely be looking at the cut of his suit, his accessories, and even his bearing, to know whether he was acceptable as a client.
Hugh’s jaw clenched. He had not come here to partake, of course, but to get the answers he needed. Sir Gabriel had agreed with the plan. Audrey’s reaction, however, still stumped him. He’d expected her to protest, to balk at his visiting a brothel. Instead, she’d been strangely silent on the matter.“Of course,”she’d said after he’d laid out the proposal: He would visit the Red Lotus to find out more about Madame Lee, and Audrey would go toward Vauxhall in search of a carriage with the inverted cross symbol. She would not be alone. After what her vision had shown her, he was loath to let her go anywhere alone, ever again. Bethany Silas had been cruelly misused and someone at the Sanctuary who enjoyed the play of asphyxiation had taken things too far. Hugh had appointed Carrigan, Sir,andBasil to join her tonight.
As Hugh would never have considered taking Audrey with him to a brothel, and she would never have considered sitting at home idly while he was there, he believed it the best use of their time. Her easy acceptance should not have gnawed at him as much as it did.
“I have just learned of your establishment,” Hugh said over the muffled tones of a pianoforte playing somewhere in anotherroom. “Mr. Benedict Sterling, at your service,” he added with a bow.
There was no flicker of disbelief from the woman at his false name. He only hoped he did not cross paths with another gentleman here who would know him. Then again, it was possible many clients presented themselves under false pretenses.
The woman snapped her fan shut. “I hope the gentleman who recommended the Red Lotus informed you of its area of expertise.”
He bowed his head in a nod. Sir Gabriel had whispered the brothel’s specialty as he and Audrey had been preparing to leave Tavistock Street.“Flagellation,”he’d said.“Men who enjoy being subdued, shall we say.”
That close dance of lust and violence would be ever more potent in a place like this.
The woman held out her arm toward the cordoned off room. “Welcome, Mr. Sterling. This way.”
She led him past the guard, through the pink silk curtains, and Hugh prayed that the low male voices murmuring on the other side belonged to no one he knew. Impressively, he found the room divided by hangings and privacy screens, positioned just so to create several private sitting areas. Hugh could not see the men ensconced behind them, and they could not view him either.
The woman led him through the fragrant brume of cigar and pipe smoke to one such enclosed area. The walls were formed of scarlet satin, hanging from ceiling hooks, and of a japonaise privacy screen. A table held a tray of whisky and snifters. She poured him a dram and then sat upon the only available sofa. He lowered himself to sit beside her.
“Your interests are more common than many might lead you to believe,” she said.
“Thank you for your understanding, Madame Lee,” he replied, his attention hinged on her face to see her reaction. He needed to prod her along and mistaking her for the former madame was one option.
Hugh had studied the newspapers over the last few days, and none had revealed the identities of the bodies found at Vauxhall. Bow Street officials were keeping that confidential, they said. Hugh was curious as to why the Vauxhall worker, who fed the secret toThe Morning Postin the first place, had not also given the names. Whatever the reason, that information had still not come to light.
The madame tucked her chin and canted her head, her thin, dark brow arching. “I am Madame Knight.”
Hugh pretended at confusion. “The Red Lotus has changed hands?”
Her lips and nostrils thinned. “Due to unfortunate circumstances, yes. However, the establishment itself has not changed.”
He smiled as though that was a great relief to him. “And have you been here for some time, Madame Knight?”
“I have,” she replied, though she wasn’t comfortable answering the question. She proved it by launching a question of her own to divert him. “How did you hear of us?”
He sipped his whisky. “An acquaintance. Lord Stromburg.”
Before parting ways for the evening, Audrey had informed him of Princess Esterhazy’s complaint that the Austrian had a penchant for vice. She’d been curious if a link could be established between the count and Madame Lee.
Madame Knight blinked twice, and belatedly, she pushed on a tight grin. “Is that so? Very good.”
Hugh didn’t know if she was pretending to recognize the name, or if she truly did.
“I hope by naming my acquaintance, I have not lowered in your esteem,” Hugh pressed, searching for more.
“Not at all. His lordship was a frequent and amiable guest of the Red Lotus while he was visiting Town.”
Hugh finished his drink, toasting the accomplishment and looking forward to telling Audrey that Stromburg and Madame Leehadbeen connected after all. Madame Knight lifted a small handbell next to the tray and gave it a slight jingle.
“If you will follow Nanita, Mr. Sterling,” she said as a young woman entered their small enclosure. He stood, though his stomach was slow to follow. It dropped as the pretty young woman, dressed in a gauzy white gown, hinged her intense eyes on him.
She turned to leave, and after a moment’s hesitation, he followed as instructed.
He thought he now knew why Audrey stayed quiet when he’d suggested the evening’s plans. Everything about this was untoward. Even in the name of an investigation.
