by Lynn Vieh
I followed her inside, up the stairs and into her chambers, where she divested me of my cloak and used her fingers to loosen the icy tresses round my face.
“I’ve put a tray upstairs, madam,” Almira said as she came out of the kitchen. “Miss Kit.” She folded me into her arms and gave me a tight hug. “Go on with you.”
Rina guided me upstairs to her chambers and forced me to drink a cup of tea so hot it scalded me into silence. Which was handy, as she had a great deal to get off her chest.
“Bleeding Walsh’s going to pay for this, I swear on the cross.” She threw her furs over a chair and kicked a tuffet across the room. “Having you tossed out your office, then taken into court like some two-pence alley-tart—and then, while you’re ducking bullets, razing your place? It’s too much, even for a nobheaded, tightassed son of a poxbox like him.”
“No, it wasn’t.” For some reason I couldn’t stop thinking about Dredmore, and how quickly he had killed the snuffmage outside court. Why had he come there? To see me convicted, and applaud as I was sent off to prison? Or to bribe someone to place me in his custody? Why had he bothered to defend me?
“Wrecker’ll do him in a minute,” Rina was still ranting. “No, I think he’ll do him in hours and hours, while we have a bottle of wine and watch and make useful suggestions.”
“Rina.” I waited until she looked at me. “Wrecker will do no such thing.”
“But after what old blueballs did to you—”
“No killing, no torture,” I told her flatly. “The same goes for Dredmore. He saved my life.” I set down the cup before rising and reaching for my cloak.
She positioned herself in front of the door. “You’re not going back out there.”
“I have to.” Even if I had nowhere else to go. “If Walsh learns that I’m here, he’ll come after you and your gels.”
“Oh, please, God.” Her smile was a dreadful thing to behold. “Let him.”
“Let him do things to you that make my misfortunes look like a spring stroll down the prommy?” I shook my head.
“Then we’ll call on Bridget’s Charles. He’ll squash Walsh like a gnat.” She went to her desk. “I’ll have him come round and you can tell him—”
“Carina. Stop.” I joined her at the desk and took the pen and foolscap out of her hands. “Just stop now. It’s done. It can’t be undone, none of it.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Do you even know what you look like, Kit? You’re as white as bone. There are marks on your wrists from the shackles and glass all over your bodice. You’re shaking.” She held out trembling hands. “God blind me. I’m shaking.”
“We’re angry, and hurt, and frightened.” I touched her cheek. “But one thing we’re not, the one thing we will never be, is daft. We need to take some time now to think and to plan.” I put my reticule in her hands. “This is every pence I have left in the world. I need you to hold it safe for me.”
“You’re staying here.”
“I can’t risk—”
“Shut up. I needed a new gel—and so I hired one.” She tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Name of Connie. A bit dark and on the skinny side, but some gents like that.”
I sighed. “Walsh knows my middle name.”
“Then Rosie, or Lucy, or . . .” She stopped and suddenly smiled. “Prudence.”
Chapter Four
“If I like the looks of someone, can I give him a free one?” I asked my new employer, and then hissed as a hairpin dug into my scalp. “You’re hurting!”
“You’re not selling or bartering or giving anything to anyone under my roof,” Rina told my reflection. She pinned the new switch in several more places. “You’re a good gel, and you’re going to stay that way.”
I tucked my bottom lip under my top teeth to keep from correcting her.
“Don’t do that; you’ll scrape off the tint.” She sprayed my switch with a light mist of her perfume and stepped back. “You make a pretty hothead.”
I studied my reflection in Rina’s vanity glass, turning my head this way and that. The elegant scarlet curls of the expensive hair switch should have made my tanned skin appear yellow, but instead they brought out the pinkish tones and gave me a rosy look.
“Bridget has freckles,” I mentioned. “I always wanted freckles.”
“You always wanted to be a man, a firebrigader, a pilot, and seven feet tall. Let us be grateful that heaven has remained stone-deaf to your prayers.” She went to her working-hours armoire. “Take off everything, including your drawers.”
I didn’t mind the switch or the lip tint, but I couldn’t imagine myself parading about in one of Rina’s filmy business garms. “Couldn’t I be Prudence the new scullery, or Prudence the apprentice cook?”
She began pushing hangers back and forth as she searched through a rainbow of cutout velvets, thin silks, and spangled nettings. “He’ll be expecting that.”
I got up and joined her. “But my posing as a working strumpet would be a complete stunner.”
“You may stir up trouble on the Hill, poke your nose in the wrong corners, and have all the worst sort of friends”—she turned and held a bronze satin corset against my front before replacing it in the armoire—” but you’re still a decent woman with a business and your own home. You’re regarded as such by all who know you. Women like you would rather starve, go to prison, jump a cliff, or embrace a blade than give it up for money.” An odd look came over her face. “No matter how desperate you lot become.”
She was only repeating the words her father had hurled at her the one time she had tried to see him. I knew because I had taken her. “Rina.”
The side of her mouth curled. “No worries. We’ll need a nudie. Be right back.” She hurried out.
I didn’t know what a nudie was, so I went to refill my tea and sat down on the window seat. Fingers of icy air poked at me from where they crept under the sill, and I saw drifts piling up on the street below. The temperature was still dropping, which would keep trade light tonight.
It had been a bright and sunny day two years ago when I’d taken Rina on the shopping expedition. She’d hated the proper bodice and skirts I’d lent her for the excursion, and had refused to take off her hat and veil, even when we stopped for tea and cakes. I hadn’t understood until after I made her come with me into the glove shop.
“You paid for tea, and you need a new pair for church,” I’d argued as I dragged her in through the entry. “Besides, I can’t afford anything grander than kid, so they’ll be warm and serviceable.”
“Aye.” She looked at the proprietor, who was coming round from behind the counter to wait on us. “I’m certain that you’ll find that here.”
“Ladies.” The shopkeep, a pleasant-faced older man with ruddy skin and a suggestion of native round the eyes, bowed politely. “May I be of service?”
“We’d like to see something in thin kid for my friend here,” I told him as I ushered Rina over to the counter.
“I have all colors dyed, bleached, or natural,” he said, holding out his hand to Rina. “If the lady would let me size her?”
“You needn’t,” Rina said, taking off her hat and veil and gazing at him with big eyes. “I’m a four slim, remember?”
Watching the change that came over the shopkeeper was like seeing a man turned to stone. “Carina.”
“Hello, Da.” She offered him a beautiful smile. “How’s trade?”
Much bellowing had followed, all from the glovemaker, who had called his daughter nine kinds of a slut before I’d tried to intervene. Then he had told me exactly why he and his family had washed their hands of their strumpet daughter before kicking us out of the shop.
Once we were in the cab I hailed, I’d turned to Rina. “Why didn’t you tell me that was your father’s shop?”
“You wouldn’t have gone in, and I wanted to see him,” she’d said simply. “I haven’t, you know. Not once since Medford broke our engagement. Last time I saw Da was when he’d tossed
me out the house and bolted the doors. When I wouldn’t leave the front stoop he had the servants summon a beater to drive me off.”
That was the last of our shopping excursions, and although I hadn’t known until it was too late, I’d always felt guilty over causing the ugly reunion. Now I’d reminded her of it again.
Rina returned with what appeared to be a pair of flesh-colored stockings sewn to the bottom of a thin corset-style bodice in matching fabric. “Here, this one should fit you.”
My gaze went to the open crotch. “I can’t wear that contraption.”
“It’s called a nudie, and it’s to preserve your modesty, madam.” She tossed the odd garment at me. “You wear it under your negli, and it keeps your naughty bits from showing through.”
I held up the crotchless bit. “Not here, it doesn’t.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” She went to her dresser and began sorting through her lingerie. “The open crotch is for convenience; some gents can be too impatient to wait.”
She produced something that looked to me like a thin nappy.
“You’re going to diaper me?” I asked.
“They’re called knickers,” she explained as she brought the abbreviated garment to me. “All the rage across the pond.” When she saw my face she held it up against her pelvis. “You see? You put them on just like drawers.”
“So I’m to wear drawers without legs under stockings and a corset without a crotch and then a gown on top.” I caught the knickers she tossed to me. “Couldn’t I pretend to be a client? A fully dressed, male client?”
“That’s a good idea,” Rina admitted, “but I haven’t any men’s clothes small enough for you here. I’ll send out for some tomorrow, but in the meantime you’ll have to be patient, Prudence.”
I gave her a narrow look. “You’re enjoying this.”
“Enormously.” She went round me and began unfastening my waister. After a moment she added, “I didn’t mean to go off on you before, love. That business with Da back then, that was all on me.”
“I never stopped wishing I could do something about it.” I pulled my bodice carefully over my head so as not to dislodge the switch. “Expose Medford’s son for what he did, or at least make him tell your da the truth.”
“No one would believe the word of a woman over a man’s,” Rina said, her tone firm. “If someone had, the rot bastard would’ve just had all his mates swear that I’d bedded them, too.” She helped me step out of my skirts. “Let’s talk about something happier, please. Like that clerk from your building who stood up for you in court. He sounds promising.”
“Fourth?” I chuckled as I stripped out of my drawers and held up the knickers. “He’s just a lad. Besides, I practically have him married off already. Do I put both feet through the holes here?”
“One in each.” She held my elbow to keep me from toppling over. “You’ve not lost your head over that towheaded copper, I hope. He’s pretty enough until you see all that disgusting truth and justice gleaming in his eyes.”
“Inspector Doyle’s a good sort.” I hauled the knickers up until they covered my front and back bits. “He spoke up for me in court, you know. He didn’t have to do that.”
Rina held out the nudie. “Step into it. That’s it.” As I braced my hands against her shoulders, she pulled the flesh-colored garment up my legs and over the knickers. “Maybe he fancies you. He’ll want marriage and a baby every year, you know. His sort always do.”
“I am not having babies; Tom Doyle’s or anyone else’s.” While Rina laced up the back, I pulled over my shoulders the short penders and buttoned them to the edge of the corset, which kept the flimsy, skintight contraption in place. “Marriage is also not in the cards.”
“Cards can be shuffled, love.” She came round to inspect the front. “Once this thing with Walsh goes away, you can move on, start over. Maybe go up to Settle.”
“All it does there is rain.” I plucked at the fabric clinging to my breasts. “This is too small.”
“It’s perfect. Stop fussing.” She brought a sheer gown made of diagonal strips of black net and deep gray satin over from the armoire. “This one will do.”
I refused to allow the colors to remind me of Dredmore. “Can’t I wear something with a bit more cheer to it?”
“I’ve a lovely little pink thing,” Rina said. “That and a switch with ribbons and tails, and you can play Daddy’s Despair.”
I shuddered. “I’ll wear the black and gray.”
“Coward.” A knock sounded on the door, making Rina glance at her pin watch. “It’s past time I got downstairs to manage the gels. Finish dressing and then go to the Amber Room on two. And unless you want to earn your keep the hard way, Kit, keep the damned door locked.”
Draping myself in the black and gray gown didn’t make me feel any less naked, but I didn’t see anything showing through when I checked the full-length glass. Wearing the garments of a working strumpet had to be my most scandalous disguise yet, but after I made a few rounds of the room I began to appreciate the lightness of the nudie and the unrestricted movements I could make in the loose gown.
Comfortable as I was, it still required a fair amount of nerve to step out into the hall and make my way to the stairs. There I froze halfway to the second floor as a blond gel with an older gent passed by me.
“You’ve a decent fire built?” the man was asking her. “My feet are ice blocks.”
“No worries, dearie.” The strumpet dropped me a wink. “I’ll have you thawed in no time.”
The man hadn’t even glanced at me, I realized, and I chuckled as I continued down. My costume was as good as a cloak of invisibility.
A few gels had already brought up their first clients of the night, judging by the noise coming from behind the closed entries I passed. I heard one shrill voice demanding to be spanked harder, and cringed as the gel in the room obliged, making him shriek all the louder.
“Hey, Birdie’s been holding out on us,” a sodden voice said behind me, and a damp hand turned me round to face three gents and the gels they’d hired. The one holding my arm grinned and stepped closer. “Oh, I do like gingers, I do. What’s your name, ducks?”
“ ’At’s Prudence.” The busty blonde clinging to his arm tried to pull him back and gave me a hard look. “Her’s been hired out for an all-nighter, ’aven’t you, dearie?”
I nodded and tried to hurry off, but the blonde’s gent wouldn’t release me.
“Must be good,” the drunk told his mates. To me he said, “Whatever he’s paid, I’ll double it.” He tried to shove me into the blonde. “I want to see the two of you have a go at it.”
“I don’t entertain ladies,” I said without thinking, which made all three men burst into laughter.
“Gel’s got a sense of humor, too. Capital.” The drunk cuffed my shoulder. “Tell you what, Pru. Since you’re so shy, you can play the maid.”
“No,” a voice I had never wanted to hear again said. “She cannot.”
I looked between the drunk and the blonde and saw the dark figure standing just beyond the group. He’d donned a heavier cloak and a mask that covered every feature above his mouth, but the voice was unmistakable.
I glanced at the blonde. If I went with her and her client, I’d have to perform an illegal sexual act with another woman for which the Church said I would be damned for all eternity. Or I could go to Dredmore.
I really had to think about it.
“Milord.” I didn’t smile or natter on about how happy I was to see him; I had a few shreds of pride left. I gestured in the direction of the Amber Room. “This way.”
“Oh, don’t go running off to do the dirty right away, ducks,” the drunk said, and wheeled round to give Dredmore a foolish grin. “Come and have a drink with us first.”
I waited for Dredmore to refuse the offer. Instead he came and put an arm round me.
“We’d be delighted,” he told the drunk.
* * *
I felt no shame
in playacting the strumpet. My garms may not have been to my personal taste, but I didn’t consider myself superior to Rina or her gels. Had fate been only a fraction more unkind to me, I might have sold myself on the streets of Middy.
But to be marched along and obliged to behave like Dredmore’s whore made me feel as if I’d poured several gallons of lamp oil over my head while standing next to a bonfire. It wouldn’t take much of a spark to set me off.
Why had he come? Furthermore, how had he known that I’d be here?
You’ve been spending too much time in the company of strumpets.
I held my tongue until we reached the large party chamber the gents had rented for their revelries. I couldn’t make myself cross the threshold, not until I felt Dredmore’s hand at the small of my back.
“Afraid?” he murmured.
“Bored.” I wondered how I might get rid of him in front of six witnesses. Perhaps when he lit one of his infernal cigars I would accidentally tip an oil lamp in his lap.
At first glance Rina’s party room resembled a parlour, with settees and lamps and elegant drapes. Then I noticed how wide the settees were, and some baskets that contained unmarked bottles of golden liquid, lengths of satin ribbon, and, of all things—
“Peacock feathers?” One of the gents reeled over to a basket and plucked out a long plume. “Now, what can you do with one of these beauties, love?”
His strumpet, a leggy brunette who had thin lips beneath too much tint, whispered something in his ear, making him roar with laughter.
Dredmore steered me round the others to a settee by the crackling fire in the hearth. Rather than sit I leaned against one arm and held out my hands as if to warm them.
He hovered, not quite touching me but close enough to keep the others from hearing him. “You shouldn’t have run from me.”
“I didn’t run.” I turned my hands over and wriggled my fingers. “I rode.”
He grunted. “I suppose I should be grateful that you left Velvet at a decent stable.”