One
London, 1842
“We need to hire more attractive staff.” Cordelia Danby made this suggestion from the safety of the offices of their gaming house, where there was no risk of any of their thoroughly average-looking staff overhearing her. The place was nearly deserted at this time of day. Their real work began in the evenings, when their rooms would be packed with women coming to gamble away their pin money.
The small but fashionably located building they’d rented on Piccadilly had once belonged to a chocolate house that went out of business when its owner passed. Taking the opportunity as serendipity—for what better start could there be for a gambling club modeled after White’s than a chocolate house?—they’d maintained the vocation, but converted the upstairs smoking and retiring rooms to card rooms. The sign out front read MRS. BISHOP’S CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM, and beneath, in slightly smaller print, LADIES ONLY. There was no Mrs. Bishop, of course. The name had been chosen in honor of Della’s friend and business partner, who had ceased to be aBishop on her wedding day and was now Jane Williams.
“Pardon?” Jane looked up from the ledger in confusion. She hadn’t heard a word—a frequent occurrence of late. She had her infant daughter, Gloria, tucked in the crook of one arm and was rocking her gently while she used her only free hand to tally their accounts. Her eyes were bleary and her hair was askew.
“The dealers,” Della repeated. “The only good-looking one in the whole lot was Frederick. Now that he’s gone, there’s no one to entice our clientele.”
“Frederick was stealing money from the pot, you will recall.” Jane’s husband, Eli, set aside the bills he’d been organizing to join in their conversation. He, too, sported shadows beneath his eyes and a look of perpetual fatigue. It was hard to say whether the club or their baby was the cause. Both of them were needy little creatures, though rewarding in their own ways. “I should think that’s more important than his looks.”
“Maybe I didn’t express myself properly,” Della amended. Other people often needed a certain amount of coaxing before they appreciated the value of her ideas, even when those ideas seemed perfectly obvious to her. “What Imeantto say is, there’s no one handsome enough to tempt the ladies into staying all night and spending more money than they ought. It’s not frivolous; it’s just good business.”
Not that I’d object to a little diversion.If she was going to spend nearly every evening supervising play now that Jane was busy with her newborn, she should really have someone to flirt with. It had been ages since she’d had time for a paramour.
“Anyway, I want to be the one to do the hiring next time.”
Eli shot a glance to Jane, who merely shrugged. “She’s right about our members staying longer at Frederick’s table.”
There we are.Once Jane had come round to her way of thinking,the matter was settled.
“We should do something about the decor, too,” Della added. She might as well press home her advantage while she had their attention. “A few more paintings would do wonders.”
The main gaming room was looking much brighter since they repapered it with something from this decade, but the walls were still sobare. They couldn’t attract a wealthy set if they looked shabby.
“This is starting to sound expensive.” Jane frowned. “You can hire one more dealer and an extra waiter. If we’re adding a roulette table like we talked about, we’ll need them anyway. But we don’t have a budget for any more than that, and we certainly can’t afford paintings.”
Jane worried too much. They were doing quite well, else Della wouldn’t have pushed for new expenses. Things had been shaky in their first few years of operation. What profit they made from the games had gone straight to fixing up the premises and hiring their first staff, little more than a skeleton crew. Della had loaned their establishment rent money more than once. But now that they’d amassed a steady base of members and a small nest egg, it was time to aim a little higher.
Of course, she understood why Jane and Eli were more cautious. The club’s income was their entire livelihood, whereas Della could go home and live comfortably on her parents’ largesse, should she choose not to aspire to any more in life than what was handed to her. That was certainly what everyoneexpectedher to do.
No matter. With a little ingenuity, she could accomplish her goal without causing any financial stress, as she usually did.
“I could borrow a piece or two from my parents’ collection until we find a more permanent solution.” She cast a hopeful glance to the others. “Perhaps your families could loan us a few forgotten treasures of their own? If we pool our efforts, we’ll fill the walls withoutspending a shilling.”
“I suppose.” Eli seemed to consider this a moment. “My mother and Hannah are coming up from Devon to visit next week. I can write to ask if they’ll bring a few decorations with them, but we won’t have much say over their choice.”
“Thank you!” Della nearly squealed with glee. “You’ll be happy once you see how nice it looks.”
“I’ll be happy if it really brings in more members,” Jane muttered.
“I have another suggestion for that,” Della began. “And it won’t cost a thing. Wait until I tell you.”
Jane didn’t always approve of Della’s plans, butthisone was sure to impress. It involved very little effort and would bring in new clients for years to come. She’d outdone herself.
But alas, Gloria chose that moment to turn her tiny face from side to side, fitful mewls escaping her mouth.
“Not again.” Jane looked as though she might join her daughter in tears soon. “She only slept twenty minutes. How can she be awake already?”
“Let me take her,” Eli offered. “I’ll walk her around the hall so you can finish what you need to, and then let’s go home so you can get some rest.”
Jane looked at her husband regretfully. “I think she’s hungry. Turn around so I can feed her first.”
“Ishould turn around?” He laughed, with a look toward Della.
“It’s different at home. And anyway, I want to hear Della’s idea.” Eli shook his head, but turned away as he’d been bid. As soon as her husband’s back was to them, Jane unlaced the front of her gown and began nursing the infant, who quieted immediately. She turned her attention back to Della. “I’m sorry. She never seems happy unless I’m holding her or feeding her. Maybe I should just hire a wet nurse so that I could finally get these accounts up to date, but it seems sucha needless expense. What were you going to tell me?”
