Jack turned his back and waited for the woman to gather her clothing and make herself decent. A minute later, she scurried past him, wearing a black and white housekeeper’s uniform that looked exactly like the one Wilson wore every day.
Jack spun around and faced Brandt. “Who the hell is that?”
“New housemaid.” Brandt threw off his covers and sat up. “Wilson said she needed help, so I hired Lulu to help her.”
“Lulu? You hired a harlot to help Wilson with the housekeeping?”
“Relax. She ain’t no whore.” Brandt stood up and arched his back in a stretch. “She’s a trained housemaid. She worked two years in Cavendish Square.”
“And?”
“And what?” Brandt reached for his trousers.
“And why doesn’t she work there anymore?”
“She was unfairly dismissed.” Brandt slipped on his trousers.
“What do you mean?”
“You know. Admiring master, jealous mistress.”
“And where did you meet her?” Jack held up his hands in surrender. “Never mind; I’d rather not know.”
“Don’t be a prig.” Brandt poured himself a whiskey. “Want one?”
“No, I’m anxious about the house. When are we meeting Percival?”
“At six o’clock. You ready?” Brandt asked.
“That’s in a half-hour.”
“Percival will wait if he knows what’s good for him.” Brandt pushed a whiskey glass into Jack’s hand.
“I said I didn’t want a drink.”
“Well, you’re goin’ to drink it anyway because if you don’t stop acting like you’re the sheriff of this town, things are goin’ to get ugly real fast.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Maybe try an’ remember I ain’t your valet, but I am your friend, and I don’t want to have to hit you.”
Jack took the whiskey and downed it. “You’re right. I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately.”
“’Course you do.” Brandt slipped on his white shirt and fastened the buttons. “Why did you send her away? She makes you happy.”
Jack slumped onto Brandt’s bed. “She doesn’t need to be dragged into my darkness.”
“Don’t you think that’s for her to decide?” Brandt slipped his arms through his waistcoat.
Jack scoffed. “A woman like her could never make sense of the dark thoughts that eat at my heart daily. You remember how it is, don’t you? We couldn’t rest until we hashed things out with Wardell, and I won’t rest until my uncle gets his comeuppance. I intend to break him like he broke me.”
“Does that mean you have to give up the girl?”
“You know it does. She’s not part of the plan. I don’t want to hurt her, and that’s bound to happen.”
“You can break your uncle without cuckolding him.” Brandt clipped on his bowtie.
“I can’t. He deserves utter ruin and humiliation, and I mean to serve him the full course.”
