Madelina quickly stowed her tools and pushed to her feet. One hand on a pistol hilt, she pressed her back against the wall beside the door and cracked it open. No alarm was raised. As her eyes adjusted to the flickering torchlight without, she saw no one. She opened the door wider and shifted to peer in the other direction. The corridor appeared empty.
“How did you do that?” the bravest of the girls asked.
“I picked the lock,” Madelina replied, voice low and as deep as she could manage. “I’ll check the back staircase. Stay here.”
She slipped from the room. Drawing a pistol, she silently traversed the short hall then climbed the stone steps. At the top, she put her ear to the door.
Two men spoke without, voices quiet. Madelina frowned. Where there were two, there could be more. She looked down at the lock. It wasn’t engaged, but she could lock it, and wedge a pick inside so the key wouldn’t work from without. That way, whoever loitered out there couldn’t get in.
But if she did that, it would take her time to open the door, as well, should they suddenly need to leave that way. She bit her lip, trying to select the best course. Leaving the lock undisturbed, she turned and climbed back down the steps to find four heads sticking through the doorway of their cell. She hurried back before they were foolish enough to call out.
“Isn’t that the way we came in?” the brave one asked.
“Is it locked?” another added.
The other two stared at Madelina with wide eyes.
“It’s not locked, but there are at least two of them out there,” Madelina said in a low voice. “I’ll check the other staircase. If needs be, I can fight past the two out there.”
“We’ll stay here,” the brave one offered. She cast a look at the others. “And stay quiet.”
Madelina nodded. She headed past them to the wooden steps. These, she took with great care, fearful they would creak. As she neared the top, she heard a woman speak and a man’s answer. It took her only a moment to recognize the woman’s dulcet tones. Even as hatred for Miss White burned away Madelina’s surprise, her mind could form but one question…did Jasper know his mistress was party to abductions?
“…five, you say?” Miss White asked as Madelina pressed her ear to the door. “And all of them pretty? Pretty like that cow you dragged in last month, or pretty by my standards? Consider your answer with care, Smith, because I’m losing patience with you and your men.”
“Uh, pretty, Madam Dequenne,” the man stammered.
Madelina jerked as if shot and swallowed down a gasp. Madam Dequenne? Miss White wasn’t simply involved. ShewasMadam Dequenne?
“Real pretty,” Smith continued. “Tall, the one, and two are plump in a real nice way. They’ll fetch a good price, madam, I promise. At least one looks like a gentleman’s daughter, madam.”
“I’ll have to inspect them,” Miss White said. “And they better have most of their teeth. Without teeth, they’re hardly fit to sell to Madam Ester, and you’ve seen her slags.”
“Yes, madam.”
How could Miss White be Madam Dequenne? Hadn’t Madelina overheard her and Aunt Aubrey speaking of how Miss White once worked for Madam Dequenne? Could Madelina have misunderstood?
“Bring them up one at a time,” Miss White said. “And for Heaven’s sake, tie them up and blindfold them. It was a shame to put down that redhead after she saw my face. She would have sold for ten times what the others did.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Footsteps approached the door. Madelina knew she should retreat. Tell the girls what to do. Perhaps give the brave one a weapon. Anything but charge headlong from the stairwell.
Her rage a living thing trying to claw its way free, she hefted a pistol and tugged her mask to ensure the slip of black fabric remained firmly in place. She drew in a quick breath and flung open the door.
The man who’d brought her in gaped at her against the backdrop of a luxuriously appointed room. “What the devi—”
Madelina reversed her hold on the pistol and smashed the butt into his face. Her foot collided with his midsection. He doubled over. She slammed a knee into his chin. Shoving him to the floor, she spun the pistol in her hand and aimed at Miss White.
“Guards,” Miss White yelled. “Guards, to me.”
“Be quiet or I’ll shoot,” Madelina growled. Too late. Shouts and footsteps sounded from somewhere deeper in the building.
Miss White’s gaze narrowed. “I’ll give you one chance to drop that gun, Little Hook.”
Madelina grinned. “And I’ll give you one chance to explain why I shouldn’t shoot you.” She cocked the pistol.
Chapter Ten
