“Brutus, what have I told you about that?” A woman dressed in a white Grecian-style gown trimmed with gold ribbon moved toward them. Bits of red showed through the barely opaque costume. As she walked, the skirts separated showing scandalous glimpses of her bare legs. Her toes were painted gold to match her sandals.
“Sorry, Miss Betsy.”
Ignoring him, she focused on their little group. “Welcome to my house of pleasure.” As the woman’s gaze roamed over Dom, she purred. “We shall go into my parlor where you will tell me your desires.”
Dotty tugged him possessively closer. Never mind her staying close to Dom. He was obviously in as much danger as she. If that woman tried to touch him, she would not be answerable for her actions.
Miss Betsy glanced dismissively at Dotty. Before remembering the woman couldn’t see it through the veil, she raised a brow, giving the female her haughtiest look.
The parlor Miss Betsy led them to was decorated in the popular Egyptian style of white and gold. They sat on the low chaises, and she called for wine.
Once they had been served, Matt took a scrap of paper from his pocket. “We are here for two young women whom you bought from Mrs. White.”
Under her rouge, Miss Betsy paled, then she raised her chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My girls come to me of their own accord.”
Liar!Dotty wanted to scream at the woman. Instead she stared steadily at the brothel owner.
Next to her, Dom shifted. “Mrs. White has been arrested, and her ledgers are with Bow Street. We know the amounts you paid and the dates.”
The woman’s eyes became wary as she clearly tried to think of another story. “They weren’t appropriate for my house. I had to let them go.”
Dotty prayed it wasn’t true. As bad as this place must be, somewhere else could be much worse.
Miss Betsy cut a sharp glance toward a door that was designed to look like part of the wall.
Dotty squeezed Dom’s arm. “In that case, you won’t mind if we look around and talk to the women. After all, it is early for customers.”
The woman raised one shoulder in a shrug. “As you will. You’ll find nothing.”
Dotty rose and strode directly to the door.
“Here now, that’s my private quarters. You can’t go in there!”
Matt grabbed the woman’s wrist. “You said we could look around.”
She opened the door, which led to a flight of stairs, but Dom held her back. “I’ll go first.”
He took the stairs two by two. She hitched her skirts up following as quickly as she could. At the top of the stairs there was a short corridor with doors on either side. A sickly smell permeated the air.
Oh God, no!She took out her handkerchief, placing it over her nose. “Opium. Cover your nose.”
He did as she asked, tying a piece of linen over his face. “How do you know?”
“We had to use it for one of our tenants.” She tried to open the window at the end of the corridor. “It’s stuck.”
He managed to open it a couple of inches, but no more. “Probably nailed. Stand back.” He kicked at the window, his boot shattering the glass. Then he grabbed a chair by one of the doors and smashed out the rest of the wood.
An outraged scream came from below.
“What’s he doin’ to me house?”
Dotty opened the door next to her. A pot stood on a small brazier in a corner of the room. A dark-haired female, wearing only a soiled chemise, was curled up on a small cot. “I think I found one of the women, but we need to get air in here and throw out the opium.”
Dom pulled on the sash. Once again it opened only a few inches. “They’re probably all nailed shut.” He broke that window as well. “There now, you can toss the pot out.”
Dotty grabbed a thin blanket and wrapped it around the brazier to keep her hands from burning, and tossed it out the window. She glanced at him and grinned, but he was already on his way to the next room.
They entered each chamber, breaking the glass to allow fresh air inside, and ridding the rooms of the braziers. Once done, she took stock of the women. There were six in all. None of them wore more than a grimy chemise. One looked to be hardly more than a girl. Had they all come from Mrs. White’s house?
