“In exchange for selling them into unwilling prostitution,” Gray amended flatly.
She nodded, shaking.
“And after? Are they released?”
“They are free to leave,” she whispered, though even she didn’t sound convinced.
Calder stepped forward, voice shaking. “Why was my daughter taken?”
Mrs. Holton stared at him, and the color drained from her face as recognition hit her. “M–Mr. Fraser.”
“You knew Polly Watts was here in London with my daughter. You had Polly taken, and Fenella was taken with her.”
“No!” Mrs. Holton cried. “Polly, yes. But not your daughter. That must have been a mistake. The men take only the ones I list.”
“There was no mistake,” Calder said, leaning in. “If she is harmed, I will kill you myself.”
“They don’t harm them,” Mrs. Holton whispered. “They are collected, and kept drugged until?—”
“And that is supposed to comfort me?” Calder roared. “You are an evil, manipulative woman who deserves to suffer as you have made all those girls, and we will see that done.”
Gray stepped in. “Is Eliza Downing part of this?”
Mrs. Holton’s eyes flicked to Mungo now.
“Answer,” he said, voice like a blade.
“Yes.”
“Why? She works in the Nightingale household,” Gray snapped.
“She caused trouble at her last post, but we had enough girls… until one fell ill. Her last employer insisted it be Miss Downing. And she is known to the Baddon Boys.”
“Known by the men who murdered her family,” Mungo said, voice thick with fury. “If she or those girls have suffered, I’ll make your life hell.”
“Does this room lock?” Gray asked abruptly.
Terrified, Mrs. Holton retrieved the key from her drawer.
Gray took it. “You will remain here until someone comes for you. Then you will face the consequences of your crimes.”
“No, please?—”
He ignored her, ushering the others out. He closed and locked the door.
“Let’s go.”
They hurried downstairs.
“Quill and paper,” Gray said to the stunned receptionist. She obeyed quickly.
Gray wrote a note. “You will take a hackney to Scotland Yard. You will give this message and the key to Detective Holden. Only him. Say Detective Fletcher sent you.”
She nodded shakily.
“Do you hold the key for the front door?” Gray demanded.
The woman nodded and retrieved it from a desk drawer. She handed it to him.
