Page 32 of Honor Unbound

Southey started to trot over to investigate the newcomer but at a look from Mr. Cooke, he sat down on his haunches.

The hell owner nodded. “Who does?”

“I was hoping you had a minute to speak with me,” Lady Mary said. “It is a matter of some importance.”

“Nothing else would bring you to my doorstep, I’m sure.” Mr. Cooke smoothed his black silk cravat down under his waistcoat. “Let’s go to my office, shall we?” He nodded to Jocko, back at his post by the door, and led Lady Mary and Marie down a short hall. It opened into a large central room, sunken a couple of feet into the ground.

Marie stopped short. She’d been wrong about the profit the hell could make. At least twenty tables littered the space. A bar ran along the far wall. Only one table was occupied, by three men who seemed permanent fixtures to their chairs, but Marie could imagine that in a couple of hours the room would be bursting to capacity.

“What game are they playing?” Marie rose to her tiptoes, trying to see over one of the player’s shoulders.

“My companion has an avid interest in card games,” Lady Mary said dryly.

Mr. Cooke changed direction. “Then by all means, she should play while we talk. If you’re willing to stake her, that is?” One of his thick eyebrows rose languidly.

Lady Mary’s spine straightened. “I am.” She prodded Marie toward one of the empty chairs. “Just don’t lose,” she hissed as Marie walked past her.

Vingt-un.Marie dropped onto the chair, the corners of her mouth tugging upward. “You needn’t worry.”

Mr. Cooke held his arm out toward one of the wide staircases that coiled around both sides of the room. “Shall we?”

With one last warning look, Lady Mary followed Cooke up the steps, Southey at her heels.

Marie greeted the men. “Afternoon. What’s the opening stake?”

The dealer dug into a small lacquered box at his elbow and gave her some markers. They were rectangular pieces of ivory and must have cost more than the denominations engraved upon them. The amounts stalled the breath in Marie’s lungs. If she did lose, she would owe Lady Mary free wages for the rest of her life.

She swallowed and took her cards. Introductions were made. The dealer was one Timothy Perkins. The other two gentlemen only nodded, refraining from giving their names. Marie watched as the men received their cards, making sure to remember each one as it was shown. “So, when does this place start to get busy?”

“About eight o’clock people start coming. Gets crowded around ten.” Timothy gave himself another card, a three.

Marie stood with her first hand. “Mr. Cooke seems like a nice employer.”

One of the anonymous men snorted.

Timothy pursed his lips. “I don’t know that anyone has called ’imnicebefore. I wouldn’t call him that to ’is face. I don’t think ’e’d like it.”

“I just mean it was kind of him to allow me to play.” She turned over a queen.

“He probably just wanted to talk to that older bird alone,” the second anonymous man said. He frowned at his cards.

“Nevertheless.” Marie cleared her throat. “My friend Peg has said some nice things about Mr. Cooke. She works for him, too. Do you know Peg? Peg Rogerson? She works at The Red Chemise.”

Timothy flipped over his hidden card. “Mr. Cooke employs a lot of people,” he said. “If she doesn’t work ’ere, I don’t know ’er.”

Marie pushed a curl behind her ear. “One of Peg’s clients hurt her badly. She couldn’t work for several weeks. She said her employer was very supportive.”

The man to her left jostled the other patron with his elbow. “Can’t exactly imagine Cooke as the hand-holding type. More likely to put someone in a sick bed then nurse them out of it.”

Timothy frowned. “He takes care of his workers. If you’re loyal to him, he’s loyal back.” He gathered up their cards and redealt.

How far did this loyalty go? Marie considered the two patrons on her left. They’d jested about Cooke being violent, but would he go so far as to kill a man who’d hurt one of his ladybirds?

“What’s your story?” one of the men asked. “Who’s your mistress?”

Marie considered how to answer. It probably wasn’t in Lady Mary’s best interests to have it widely known she visited a man such as Mr. Cooke.

On the other hand, Lady Mary didn’t seem to bother too much about what others thought of her. In fact, she took some delight in shocking people.