“No, no,” Eli reassured him. “I think she’s just overwrought. Things have been a bit difficult with my sister lately. But never mind that. I’ve put you at the vingt-et-un table just this way. You remember the rules, don’t you? Tuesday nights usually aren’t too busy, so you should have an easy start.”
Silas trailed after his friend somewhat reluctantly. It still felt as though there must be some mistake, but the full implications of his turn of fortune were starting to sink in. He’d found work. He would be able to pay rent at the extremely dodgy boardinghouse where he’d taken rooms. (He was fairly sure the other occupants were light-skirts and thieves, but a bed was a bed.) Most importantly, he would have something to keep him occupied. To keep his thoughts fixed safely on wagers and sums instead of reliving every moment that had passed since the decision that had cost him his future. Something to keep him from thinking about what his life would be like if he hadn’t set it all ablaze.
Shit. This means I’m going to have to talk to a bunch of highborn ladies all night.
Maybe he would have been better off if Miss Danby hadn’t forgiven him.
* * *
Hannah arrived at Bishop’s still riding high on her own triumph.Though she’d been a little nervous walking alone at night, she’d made it here in one piece. All that remained was to go inside, soak up a healthy dose of scandal from the surrounding games of chance, and exit a ruined woman, safe from matchmaking forever.
Unfortunately, her name wasn’t on the list.
“There’s a list?” she complained to the doorman, exasperated. She’d walked all the way from Berkeley Square for this! In her dancing slippers! She couldn’t turn back now.
“The club membership runs on subscription,” the doorman explained.
Of course it did. This was just Hannah’s luck. She would never get another chance like this, now that Mama would be on her guard. She had to find a way to talk herself through that door before her opportunity slipped away.
“Geórgios, youknowme,” she pleaded. “I’m family.”
The doorman was an old friend of Eli’s and had been given his present employment on the strength of their connection. Surely that should count for something?
Hannah put on her most pleading face. She was not above begging, if it came to that.
Geórgios rolled his enormous shoulders in a helpless shrug. “I’ll ask Miss Danby.”
Oh dear.Her plan had been to slip in unnoticed. What would she do if Della sent her packing?
But no, she was overreacting. Della had been nothing but friendly to her since she’d arrived in town. To be honest, she and Annabelle were the closest friends Hannah had now that Mama had dragged her away from everyone she knew. The only reason that Della hadn’t already acquiesced to Hannah’s (numerous) requests to attend Bishop’s was because Jane had said no. And the only reasonJanehad said no was because Mama forbid it, so there you go.
All I have to do is tell her they agreed.
She didn’t like to lie, but what choice did she have? It would be just like her flight from Mrs. Anwar’s rout—it looked impossible at first, but it was nothing once she actually mustered the courage to do it. Nothing at all.
Hannah wiped her sweating palms on her skirts as she waited for Geórgios to fetch his mistress. She was already facing the punishment of her life once she was caught. In for a penny, in for a pound.
Geórgios returned with Della a moment later. Before the other woman could say a word, Hannah blurted out, “Jane and Eli said that I could come and help you tonight so you wouldn’t be all alone.”
The fib must have been convincing, for Della immediately swept her into a hug.
“That’s wonderful. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I’m so glad Jane changed her mind!”
It was almost too easy. Hannah didn’t care for the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, but it was too late for misgivings.
“Er, yes. Me too.” It would be worth a little fib if she could make Mama give up her plans of matchmaking and take them back home. Just a few rounds of cards, a minor scandal, and this would all be over with. They might be packing their trunks by morning.
“Forgive me.” Della seemed to realize that her embrace was too tight and released Hannah. She’d always been a tad excitable. “I’m just so glad you’re here.”
“What can I do?” While the offer to help had made a convenient excuse for her presence here, Hannah was happy to follow through with it. She wanted to see how everything worked! And besides, if setting foot inside the club was enough to make her unmarriageable, how much better would it be to take an active role in running the place? She wouldn’t mind using her impending spinsterhood for something useful.
But Della exposed the flaw in her plans almost immediately. “Have you ever been in charge of instructing your housekeeper or your butler about the service of drinks and meals at home?”
“Mama handles all of that,” Hannah was forced to admit.Oh no.Della was already frowning. She could practically see her chance slipping away from her. “B-But I could learn!”
Della mulled this over for a minute before she nodded.
“Keep an eye on how much the ladies are drinking and whether anyone appears to have overindulged, or whether anyone is hungry and hasn’t been offered enough food. Check in on our cook and the wine cellar every so often to make sure we aren’t running low on anything, and send our errand boy over to the greengrocer’s if we need it. Oh! And your brother hired a new dealer, Mr. Cooper? No, Corbyn! That was it. He’s a bit rough around the edges. Could you keep an eye out that he doesn’t offend any of our members and fetch me straightaway if there’s a problem? He’s the tall, blond one with a scar on his chin. You can’t miss him.”
