Free Secret Night by Anita Mills Page A

whatever she asks."
    He shook his head.
    "Listen to me—the girl Pearl is in need of a doctor—and I will see she is seen by a good one. Otherwise, I fear she will die of consumption."
    "Ain't no cure fer it."
    "But can you not see? It will spread amongst all of you."
    "Not ter me. She don't let me 'ave any of 'em."
    Nonetheless, he disappeared, leaving his post unattended, and she took the opportunity to follow him inside. Behind her, her father's coachman muttered something profane, followed by, "This ain't no place fer a respectable female, miss."
    The big man hesitated outside a closed door, then rapped on it loudly. From inside, voices stopped in midsentence, then a woman called out.
    "Told ye I wasn't ter be disturbed!"
    "Aye, but ye got a fancy mort a-callin' on ye! Got th' Lunnon mint on 'er back, if ye was ter ask!" the fellow shouted through the closed door.
    "Me arse she does!" But there was the scraping of chairs within, the sound of footsteps on carpet, then the door cracked open, revealing Magdalene Coates's shrewd eyes. "Where? Oh, 'tis ye, is it?" she said nastily. "Out wi' ye! I ain't got nuthin' ter say ter the likes o' ye!"
    "I have money."
    "Fer what? Me gels don't—" The woman's words died as she watched Elise hold up several banknotes, "what was ye a-wanting?" she said instead.
    "I want to buy the girl you call Pearl."
    "Gel's a bit beneath the weather."
    "I know. Now—may I come in?"
    "Aye," the woman muttered grudgingly. She stood back, letting Elise and the Rand coachman pass into the room. "Tom, ye were ter watch as none came in," she grumbled.
    "Tried, missus—did."
    "Another time and ye'll be turned off, ye hear?"
    As he slunk back to his position, Elise looked around the room curiously, thinking it garish yet oddly opulent. Everything was dark and heavy, with red moire-covered walls, red couches trimmed with heavy gold tassels and gilded legs, red velvet window coverings. And there was a surfeit of gold paint everywhere, while above it all hung a chandelier nearly half as large as the one in her father's foyer.
    "When ye be done gawkin', ye can talk."
    But Elise's gaze had rested on long, trouser-clad legs, and as she watched in horror, they unfolded, and Patrick Hamilton stood. A faint smile played upon his mouth as he bowed. When his eyes met hers, they seemed to mock her.
    "An unforeseen pleasure," he murmured politely.
    "Not to me, I assure you. But no doubt you are quite familiar with the place." Turning her back on him, she addressed Magdalene Coates. "I spoke to Pearl on the street when we were handing out pamphlets."
    "As if yer papers was going ter feed a botly!" the woman snorted.
    "Pearl indicated then that she wished to leave your—er—employ, Mrs. Coates, but I understand she is bound to you. If that is the case, I am prepared to give you what you paid for her."
    "Ain't that kind o' ye! Ye hear her, Mr. Hamilton? The fancy mort is wishful o' robbin' me!"
    "Ten pounds," Elise said firmly.
    "Oh, did ye hear it? Ten quid! A gel can bring me more'n that in a night!"
    "Not if she is dead. Besides, I should think that cough would drive your—um—your custom away."
    "She ain't takin' any just now, but—"
    "Mrs. Coates, I have heard her cough, and I assure you—"
    "Gel's got the ague, that's all," the madam maintained stoutly. "I don't keep 'em if they was ter stay sick."
    "She needs a doctor."
    "Doctor! Humph! Gel's more in need of a birchin' than a physicking, if ye was ter have the truth. Cough's made her lazy."
    Elise sighed. "All right—how much do you wish for her?"
    "Ye was with the stout gent, wasn't ye? Aye, ye was. Well, now—" Maddie eyed the younger woman speculatively. "I got ter have more—much more'n ten quid." Her gaze raked over Elise's clothes as though she were estimating their worth to the penny, then she smiled. "I paid fifty quid fer her."
    It was a lie, and both of them knew it. Girls came out of the poorhouses for a few shillings every day, bought like the