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Verity shrugged, gulped from a mug, and wiped her mouth with her sleeve before answering. “A few dozen at any given night. A few men leave, find their own lodging. Sometimes women leave too, although rarer. But a few new folks find their way here.”
“And all these people work for Hades?”
Verity nodded. “Either in the hell or in some other venture. Most folks here do not get much free time. So, we celebrate every moment we can.” She took a bite of what looked like the duck’s leg and chewed loudly. “I am the lucky one. I get to spend more time leisuring about now that I am to look after you,” she added around the bite.
Eloise looked around the long table at the men and women. Most were dirty and bedraggled. She wondered where those men worked all day. What other ventures did Hades have?
“Are there servants here?” she asked.
Verity nodded. “A few. Young boys and girls, but they live separately and come to clean in the morn while most of us are sleeping. And kitchen help. The rest, we do ourselves.”
Eloise wrinkled her nose again. She’d never had servants either, but it had just been her and her brother most of their lives. And she managed to clean and scrub the house all by herself. This place was full of filthy thugs, and she was certain it required more cleaning than a few children could provide.
One bandit walked toward Eloise and stretched out his huge hand. “Come dance, little woman,” he said gruffly.
Eloise looked at his extended hand. It was greasy with bits of food on it. She looked down at her only dress. She would never get the stains out. He nudged his hand, and Eloise raised her eyes to him in horror. He was so large; she was certain he’d crush her if she agreed to dance.
She looked helplessly at Verity, but the help came from another corner. Sal stepped between Eloise and the thug.
Thank God!
“She is the master’s guest,” he said. “Not for the likes of you. Find yourself another partner.”
“Why not?” came Garric’s gruff voice. “She’s the one who insisted on stepping out of her room, wasn’t she? Let her dance.”
Eloise’s mouth dropped open. This was the first time she’d heard the man speak in so many words, and it was not to defend her, but on the contrary, to throw her to the wolves.
“You can dance, can’t you?” the man before her asked, still holding out his hand.
Eloise looked at Sal, and he just shrugged. She looked at Verity, who was observing the proceedings with avid curiosity, and lastly, she glanced at Garric, who was looking at her in challenge.
Very well. She had insisted on being out with the bandits. And she had a wager to win.
She stood and squared her shoulders. “Yes, I can. I shall gladly join you in the dance.” She threw a superior look toward Garric and placed her hand on the bandit’s arm. She held her head high and walked onto the dancefloor with confidence she didn’t possess.
The bandit took her by her hands and started twirling her around.
The rhythm of the song lost all its meaning as she was thrown around like a rag doll. The man tugged on her hands and drew her closer. Eloise gulped, taking in the smell of sweat and bad breath.
The bandit grinned his toothless smile. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
Eloise squirmed, trying to keep as much distance from the foul-smelling thug as she could. In her attempt, she collided with another man.
“Oh, it’s that kind of dance! Good then!” The man she collided with took her by her waist and spun her around.
Eloise shrieked and placed her arms against his chest, trying to get as far away from him as possible. Instead of complying with her wishes, he grabbed her by her buttocks and drew her even closer.
“Let. Go. Of. Me!” Eloise punctuated every word with a little thump to the man’s chest.
The man roared with laughter and leaned closer to her face. “Give me a kiss, lovey!”
Startled into silence at first, Eloise quickly collected her wits. “I will bite your tongue off if you try!” she cried.
The bandit released her so suddenly she stumbled and fell on her rear. She looked up in surprise. The man who’d danced with her took an uncertain step toward her in an attempt to help her up but immediately stepped back and lowered his eyes.
Only then did she realize that the entire room had gone still and quiet.What did I do?
Sal and Garric both ran to her and helped her up.
