An Inconvenient Arrangement: Rose Room Rogues ~ Book Three

by Callie Hutton

  Society, with all its rules and restrictions, along with the numerous, never-ending balls, garden parties and musicales had become so rote that she moved through the events like a mummy. Smiling at the same people, ignoring gossip as much as possible, and dancing with the same men.

  Her few assignments with the Home Office broke up the monotony, but they were few. Even though her skill was remarkable, there was not much need for it.

  Now, however she was working at a gaming club! Yes, perhaps she was stuck in the office behind a desk working on numbers, but she felt needed.

  They made their way up the stairs and Dante walked her back to the office where he pulled one ledger out from the pile and handed it to her. “This is the ledger Driscoll uses to record the take at the end of the night. I see he has slips of paper in here from the dealers that need to be recorded. Perhaps you can start with that, and I’ll send him up to go over more of the information with you.”

  “All right. Then I shall get busy.”

  Dante hesitated for a minute, then turned on his heel and left.

  About two hours later, Dante arrived back at the office just when she was thinking she desperately needed a break. Her eyes were burning from focusing on numbers for so long.

  He held his hand out. “Come, I will show you where you can observe the gaming floor.”

  She hopped up, happy for the break as well as seeing the club in action. He walked her to a glassed-in area where she could observe almost the entire floor.

  “We use this to watch the players on occasion. Sometimes to make sure everything is going well in general, other times to watch for cheating or other signs of nefarious behavior.”

  * * *

  “This is incredible.” She leaned her fingertips against the glass and gazed through the window, taking in all the activity. Shouting, cheering, and groaning rose above the general hum of the crowd. Like ants busily working. Except these people were playing. “I never would have thought that players needed to be watched.” She turned to him. “What of your employees? It seems to me they handle quite a bit of money. Are they scrutinized as well?”

  “We like to think all of our employees are honest and wouldn’t cheat us, but there are occasions.” He stopped and thought for a minute and shook his head. “We do watch the new employees for a while, but there’s only been one time when we had to let an employee go for cheating.”

  Since he didn’t elaborate on what that occasion had been, she dismissed it.

  He checked his timepiece. “I have to go back down to the floor. If you want to continue observing, feel free to do so. I also suggest you take a break and avail yourself of some of the food and coffee set up in the dining room down the corridor.”

  She perked right up. “Certainly. I think that is a wonderful idea.”

  * * *

  Lydia glanced at the clock on the wall. She had been working on the books for two more hours since her break. Driscoll had stopped by and showed her a few things about his method. His system was very straightforward and easy for her to follow.

  She stood and stretched deciding it was a good time to take a stroll down the corridor and avail herself once more of the clear glass area where she could see the gaming floor.

  The amount of activity stunned her. There must have been over a hundred people milling around the floor. She took special note of the women since Dante had told her ‘ladies’ were not welcomed at the club. There were no more than a handful, but ‘twas obvious they were not the sort of women she would see while riding in Hyde Park in the afternoons twirling their parasols.

  Like a small child, she pressed her nose against the glass so she could see more of the room. Just as she was about to pull away to look in another direction, she drew in a sharp breath.

  She stopped for a minute, then spun around and raced to the end of the corridor and down the stairs. Keniel stood at the bottom of the stairs, apparently just having left the gaming area.

  “Is something wrong, Miss Sanford?”

  “No. Yes. Well, actually can you get a note to Dante? It’s very important.”

  “Certainly. Is there anything I can do to help?” He studied her with concern.

  “No. Thank you anyway. Do you have a paper and pen?” She was anxious to get word to Dante.

  Keniel took her by the elbow and walked her through a maze of rooms of various sizes until they reached a small office. “This is my office. Please make yourself comfortable at my desk. You will find paper in the top drawer and the pen on the desk. I will return in a moment.”

  She hurried to the desk, pulled out the drawer and quickly penned her note. Unable to sit still, she left the office and attempted to find her way back through the room.

  Eventually, she ran into Keniel on his return to her. She held the folded missive out to him. “Please see that he gets this immediately.”

  Keniel bowed. “Of course.”

  Lydia took a deep breath and returned to the glass area above the gaming floor.

  Dante pushed himself away from the wall where he stood speaking with one of the club members, Lord Hathaway. The man was in his cups as well as light of pockets. He’d spent the last ten minutes trying to convince Dante to extend him more credit. The fool even offered up one of his country homes as collateral.

  Although they were in the business to make money, the brothers had made it a policy to refuse anyone who began to offer properties. Other clubs were not so fastidious, but for the Rose brothers it was a matter of honor. They made enough money without beggaring its members and leaving families with no roof over their heads.

  Keniel wove his way through the crowd, apparently heading to Dante. The manager had just left to take a well-deserved break, so it was odd to see him returning so quickly.

  Dante moved toward him. “Is there a problem?”

  Keniel shook his head and held out a piece of paper. “No, sir. Miss Sanford asked that I deliver this to you.”

  “Thank you.” Dante opened the paper.

  The Ambassador is here with the same man.

  He took a quiet survey of the room. “Thanks, Keniel. You can return to your break.”

  Dante made his way over to Driscoll. “I need to speak with Miss Sanford for a minute. Keniel’s on his break.”

  Driscoll waved his hand. “Fine. Things are quiet right now.”

  Dante took the stairs two at a time. Lydia was waiting for him at the top.

  “Where are they?”

  She took his hand and walked him to the glassed-in area. She pointed. “There. At the vingt-et-un table.”

  “Damn. I never saw him.”

  “I believe it is much easier to see everything from here.”

  They both watched the two men converse as they played their hands.

  “I need to get down there and hear what they’re saying,” Lydia said.

  Dante shook his head. “No. You cannot go down to the floor. The liquor has been flowing for a while and I don’t feel comfortable letting you walk around.”

  She tapped her fingernail on her lip. “What if I wasn’t walking around?”

  He leaned one shoulder against the wall. He could see her devious mind working and couldn’t wait to hear what came out of her mouth next. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean I know how to play vingt-et-un quite well.”

  Dante grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. “What exactly is it you are proposing, Miss Sanford? You might as well say it out loud before I say no.”

  “Please listen, Dante. I know how to play the game and I could learn rather quickly how to deal the cards. If they choose to converse in another language, I’ll understand what they’re saying. It’s the same as if we were working a ball, or a musicale. They would never assume someone dealing their cards was listening to them. Think of all the information I might glean.”

  When he hesitated, she continued. “You’ve had a female dealer on that table before. It would not seem unusual for me to step in.”

 
Dante pressed the heels of his hands against his forehead. The woman made a lot of sense. It would be the perfect set-up to hear what they were saying without having to sneak behind bushes in the dark.

  He looked over at Lydia in the black dress that would have all the men at the table drooling over their cards. “Amelia always wore a mask.”

  She apparently sensed his surrender. “Perfect! My only concern had been the many men down there that I know from various events. If word got back to my father, but with a mask. . .”

  His stomach muscles clenched. Now he knew how his brother had felt when he allowed Amelia to work on the gaming room floor. Except Driscoll had already developed a tendre for his wife by then.

  So why do you think you feel the same way?

  “I would like to find out first how long the Ambassador has been there. It is quite possible we might go through all this trouble and he’s about to leave.”

  “Would Keniel know? Since you hadn’t known the Ambassador until recently, you had no reason to note if he favored that table, or even if he spends much time here at all.”

  “I don’t know about Keniel, but I’m sure James, who deals at that table most nights would know.”

  “Can you get a note to him?”

  Dante thought for a minute. “Let me speak to James.”

  When she attempted to follow him down the stairs, he held up his hand. “Stay up here. I suggest you go to the dining room and have something to eat and drink. If you do take over James’s shift, there are still hours to go.”

  What the hell was he getting himself into? First it was seeing her only on the nights they had events. Then she ended up asking to see the club. Next, she volunteered to take care of the books on their nights off from the Home Office assignment, at a time when Driscoll desperately needed her help. Now she might very well be working as a dealer.

  Lydia was a complete surprise from when he first set eyes on her. There was a rebel inside that woman, chomping to break out. And she seemed able to twist everything he said, coming out the winner in all their verbal spars.

  Of course, what she suggested made a great deal of sense. Since Amelia had worked at that table, putting Lydia in there was not a complete deviation from what the club had done before.

  He wandered over to James’s table and indeed the Ambassador and the man they’d seen with him at the Lenard’s ball sat in front of the dealer. He slapped the Ambassador on the shoulder, startling him. “Good evening, Ambassador. Are things well?”

  The Ambassador offered Dante a tight smile. “Fine, Mr. Rose. Just fine.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He sauntered around the table and spoke into James’s ear. “How long has the Ambassador been here?”

  James spoke out of the side of his mouth. “About an hour, but he generally plays until the night ends.”

  Dante nodded. “You will have a replacement in about a half hour. Act like it’s normal.”

  James continued to deal and gave a curt acknowledgement. Dante returned upstairs and found Lydia in the dining room, just finishing up a plate of food.

  He pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “James tells me the Ambassador generally plays at the vingt-et-un table until closing.”

  Lydia nodded and took a sip of tea.

  “I have masks in my office that Amelia used when she was working at the table. If I remember correctly, there is a black satin one there that will fit you perfectly.”

  Dante groaned at the excitement in Lydia’s eyes. Was he making a mistake in letting her take over the table? If anyone from the ton recognized her, her reputation would be in ruins. And most likely her father would come after him with pistols loaded and an invitation to meet him at dawn with his second.

  However, he was quite sure no one expected to see Miss Lydia Sanford, daughter of Viscount Sterling, dealing cards in a gaming club. That, and the mask should keep her identity secret. Hopefully.

  They walked together to the office where Dante pulled out a stack of masks.

  Lydia fondled the top mask, a blue satin. “Why do you have so many masks here?”

  “Once a year we allow ladies into the club. It’s a special event, and no gaming is offered. We provide music and food. It gives the ladies a chance to see where their husbands spend some of their time.”

  “And money.” Lydia smirked and picked up the black satin mask. “This is lovely.”

  Dante continued. “It’s a masked event, and since we allow our employees to attend also, we keep a supply of masks as well as gowns on hand.”

  Lydia looked up at him. “Allowing your employees to attend is well done, Mr. Rose.”

  “We feel if our employees are treated well, they have the desire to do a better job.”

  “I agree.” She held out the black satin mask. “This is perfect.” She placed it on her face and tied the ribbons at the back of her head.

  “This might just work,” Dante said, studying her. She was still much too beautiful, especially with that gown, to not attract attention, and possibly comments, but he would be sure one of the men stood near her table to avoid any problems.

  “I know you said you knew the game quite well but dealing in a club is a little different. I told James to give us a half hour before you relieve him, so let’s go over some rules, and then have you play a few hands.”

  They spent about twenty minutes with Lydia dealing the cards to him and three mock players. She stumbled a bit in the beginning, but eventually her playing was smooth enough to take over James’s spot.

  “All right. I think we are ready.” He reached out and adjusted her mask.

  They made their way downstairs and across the floor. As expected, Lydia received more than her share of looks and comments. Dante gritted his teeth the entire way to James’s table and decided he would be the one to watch her work for the rest of the night.

  And to think he’d had the nerve to laugh at Driscoll when he’d done the same thing with Amelia.

  Dante tapped James on the shoulder, and when he finished the hand, he held his palms up, facing the players, and stepped back. Lydia moved in front of him and nodded at the group of three men and one woman.

  He grew a bit uncomfortable when the Ambassador spent too much time studying Lydia. She ignored him and dealt the cards.

  “You look familiar, miss, have you worked here before?” he said.

  Lydia looked over at the Ambassador and smiled. “Pardonnez-moi, mais je ne parle pas anglaise.”

  He tapped his finger on the table. “Ah. Too bad. I thought you looked familiar, but the woman I know speaks English.”

  She shrugged and offered him the grin that people used when they had no idea what the speaker was saying.

  Well done, Lydia. Now let us see if we get some information.

  9

  “I don’t believe this musicale will be so ear-shattering. I’ve attended prior ones at the Price home. Both Miss Amy and Miss Margaret are quite talented.”

  It was the night after Lydia had dealt cards at the Rose Room. She still felt the excitement at being in those surroundings and actually working. Father would be aghast, of course, had he found out, but no one had recognized her, and speaking French all evening discouraged most of the conversation that would have made her uncomfortable.

  Except for the young man, who she didn’t know, whose French was as good as hers. He’d introduced himself as Mr. Peter Manning. She, of course, did not introduce herself, but offered him a pleasant smile.

  When he continued to question her identity, Dante strolled up to the table and stood next to Lydia and glared at the young man. It had amazed her that Dante picked up on the fact that she was uncomfortable because he admitted later his French was meager, at best.

  After a few minutes and losing two hands, young Mr. Manning departed the table.

  Dante viewed her across the carriage as they made their way through London to the Price townhouse. “I truly do not know how you keep your brain so very sharp with all the events you
attend. Please understand I am not disparaging you, but wondering how you tolerate it since you are so very different from everyone I’ve met at these gatherings so far.”

  “Were it not for the fact that I have very little else to do, I would most likely not bother with most events. Some of them I do enjoy because they are entertaining, like the house party we will be attending starting this Friday. However, most events—”

  He held up his hand, panic in his face. “Stop. Did you say a house party?”

  She grinned at the distasteful face he made. “Yes. Lord and Lady Battenberg’s home for a five-day house party. The Ambassador himself told me he will be attending. With all the time we will spend there, I think this is our best opportunity to learn who is passing him information.”

  Lydia had to admit she was a tad reluctant to attend the party herself. Not that she minded five days away from the city with entertaining activities and large grounds to ride and walk. Her main concern was being under the same roof with Mr. Dante Rose.

  She’d been attracted to the blasted man from the time she’d entered Sir Phillip’s office. She knew in advance who her partner was to be and what was required. Sir Phillip always made sure she was comfortable with any man he wanted her to work with.

  What she’d known of Dante was his reputation as a flirt, rogue, and rake. She might as well throw in libertine, as well. Although he did not move about in Society, his name was well known among its members.

  Despite being the late Earl of Huntington’s by-blow, he’d been raised right along with his half-brothers. Once she’d heard the tale, she’d oftentimes wondered how Lady Huntington had felt about that.

  The man was too good looking for his own good. That and his well-developed expertise with flirtation drew women to him like a dog to a bone.

  Before the initial meeting at Sir Phillip’s office, she’d assured herself she was more than ready to take on the assignment and have absolutely no reaction to Mr. Rose.

  She tried her best to treat him like any other partner, even to the point of arguing with him and slapping him when he kissed her. Nothing worked. The more time they spent together the more she felt herself falling under his spell.