Free In Bed With the Devil by Lorraine Heath

wrong? Is it Frannie?”
    In a way it was.
    â€œWe need to talk.”
    â€œOf course, come on up.” Jim patted the woman’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Mrs. Whitten. He’s a friend.”
    â€œNo, doubt, one in trouble. Calling on an inspector of Scotland Yard this time of night. It’s not what decent folks do.”
    â€œNot to worry. Go back to sleep, madam. I’ll keep an eye on things.”
    The woman harrumphed and shuffled back toward what Luke assumed was her bedchamber.
    â€œYour landlady is a most unpleasant woman.”
    Jim chuckled. “It has been my experience that few people are pleasant when they’re awakened in the middle of the night. Come on up.”
    Luke followed him up the narrow stairs to a flat that had a sitting room and a sleeping area off to the side. He wasn’t surprised to see a small fire going in the fireplace. Regardless of the season, he and his friends relished warmth now that they could afford it.
    Jim poured whiskey into two glasses andhanded one to Luke. “Make yourself comfortable.”
    Luke sat in one of two chairs set before the fireplace while Jim sat in the other.
    â€œAn inspector? When did that happen?” Luke asked.
    â€œSome time back.”
    â€œYou’re moving up in the world.”
    â€œHardly. It’s an impressive title, but it simply means I no longer walk the streets but oversee those who do.”
    Jim had always been humble to a fault. Luke suspected if he were suddenly crowned king of England, he’d brush it off, saying that it simply meant he sat in a fancier chair than anyone else.
    â€œWhy did you think my reason for being here had something to do with Frannie?” Luke asked.
    â€œBecause she’s what we all have in common.”
    â€œNo, Feagan is what we all have in common.”
    â€œBut Frannie is the one we all circle around to protect.” Jim leaned forward, pressing his elbows against his thighs, holding his glass with two hands, as though he expected bad news. “So if she’s not what brought you to my door in the middle of the night, what is?”
    â€œI need you to gather some information for me.”
    Jim leaned back, smiling confidently. “That’s where my true talent lies.”
    Luke was well aware of that fact, and he intended to put James Swindler’s skills to good use. He was determined to learn the truth behindLady Catherine Mabry’s request long before she revealed it. Knowledge was strength, and where she was concerned, Luke needed all the strength he could summon.
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    A gaming hell. Claybourne had brought her through the back door of a gaming hell.
    Catherine was still reeling from that realization as she stood in the office doorway watching while Claybourne sought to convince a red-haired lady—who seemed determined not to be convinced—that everything would be all right.
    â€œFrannie, she’s going to teach you that being married to a lord is not something to be feared,” Claybourne said.
    Unless one was married to the Duke of Avendale, Catherine thought wryly.
    â€œBut I don’t want this.”
    They continued on, going back and forth. Catherine listened with half an ear, more intrigued by her surroundings than the conversation, even though she couldn’t see the main portion of the inside of the building. She was halfway tempted to ask for a tour.
    Claybourne wanted to marry a woman who worked in a gaming hell. Who worked . In a gambling establishment . Society would never accept her. The entire situation had disaster written all over it. Still, Catherine embraced the challenge. She would not only teach her, but she would see that she was accepted into Society. It was worth it to see that Winnie was safe.
    The dress Catherine wore was one she used when calling on ladies of quality. It seemed entirely inappropriate all of a sudden. What did one wear when going to a gaming establishment? She