Jamie was used to women eyeing him as a prospective husband or lover, but these two reminded him of hungry wolvesstalking their prey. Eyes, ringed by something dark, ran over his body.
“I don’t want your services, but I want information and I’m happy to pay for it.” They eyed him as he pulled out the notes he’d put into his pocket.
“We don’t want trouble.”
He nearly laughed at those words from one of the women. Everything about the Crimson Serpent was trouble.
“I have no wish to bring trouble down upon you, but what I do want is someone to inform me when a certain man comes into this establishment.”
They shot each other a look before returning their gazes to Jamie.
“We need our work,” one said.
“I have no wish to cause trouble for you, but you will be handsomely rewarded if you help me.”
It was a risk—Jamie knew that. They could just as easily tell the madam and the man who had opened the door to him, but it was one he was willing to take. They must find Jackson, and to do that they needed eyes in places he would go. If Huckle was right, this was one of those places.
“Sure you don’t want a tumble, lovely? We don’t need to use—”
“Ah, no thank you. Perhaps another time,” Jamie said, feeling his neckcloth tighten.
“Well then,” one of them said, exhaling loudly. “What do we get?”
He named a sum and they didn’t look overly impressed.
“Well, what do you want?” Jamie asked.
The coy, playful smiles had left their faces and were replaced with cool, calculating looks.
He was nobody’s fool and knew that life for these women, and what they were forced to do and endure, was not good…andnever would be. He also knew that their future was uncertain, because when their looks and bodies grew too old to do what they were now doing, they’d likely just be tossed out on the streets and replaced by younger ladies.
“More money, and when the time comes, we want enough to leave London. Me and Molly.”
Jamie studied the women and noted the similarities.Were they mother and daughter?
“I will give you enough money to leave London if you help me find a man. Tell me who runs this place first?”
“Madam Louisa Ravelle and her brother Mr. Gideon Ravelle,” the one called Molly said.
“Both mean, tight fisted, and wouldn’t part with a farthing if their lives depended upon it,” the one called Ada said. “We do all the work and they get all the money.”
“I’m after information about a man called Kenneth Jackson. My informant thinks he frequents the Crimson Serpent, and he has a reputation for hurting women.”
“Why do you want him?” Molly asked.
“He has hurt others, badly, and needs to pay for those crimes.” Jamie withstood their looks.
He loathed talking about Jackson, but it seemed lately he was being forced to do just that. Jackson was the only person who could truly unsettle Jamie—or had been. Now Lady Alice could be added to that very short list.
“What does he look like?” Ada asked him.
Jamie gave them the description Huckle had given him. “He also has an odd laugh.”
“He’s been here,” the taller one said after a minute. “Calls himself Master Jackson, and laughs like a foghorn. Has dark hair, and a voice like yours, and his eyes are too small and close together. He’s used to being obeyed.” She tilted her head and studied him.
“He’s a man who enjoys inflicting suffering on others,” Jamie said. He forced the words out of his tight throat as he felt the room close in around him.
“That’s him,” Molly said. “He wasn’t one of the regulars. He liked the private rooms for when he took his pleasure in the girls.” Her fingers twisted a length of silk absentmindedly. “If he came now, we’d make sure no one new took his notice. Us older ones can handle him, but two of the newer girls were hurt by him. He’s an animal, like many, and Madam Ravelle should have known better than letting him get his hands on Jenny and Mary.”
