A bruiser with shoulders like a clothespress examined him and decided against ejecting him. His pockets looked deep.
“
Come for a game of cards, sir?
”
he asked, smiling and revealing the two or three teeth that remained in his head.
“
I
’
m looking for Sykes,
”
Salverton growled.
The bruiser took one look at Salverton
’
s black scowl and said,
“
Casino parlor. Upstairs to your left. And no brawling, mind,
”
he called. Salverton had already brushed past him.
He took the uncarpeted stairs two at a time, and soon found himself in a noisy corridor. The two rooms on either side of the hallway were full to overflowing with gamblers of both sexes, none of them respectable, to judge by their appearance. He looked in the closer rooms on either side of the hallway. When he heard the clicking of the roulette wheel and the rattle of dice, he passed on. Casino didn
’
t require either a wheel or dice. He strode on quickly to the next rooms.
It was in the last one that he spotted Sykes. Salverton took one step forward, murder in his heart, and stopped. Samantha wasn
’
t with him. Sykes sat at the casino table, playing cards with three other men. A quick glance around told Salverton that Samantha wasn
’
t in the room. Three of the lower class of lightskirts made up the female contingent.
Salverton hesitated a moment, trying to decide between making a scene and taking a closer look in the other rooms. He was about to leave, when he felt a jiggle on his arm, and a blowsy blonde in an exceedingly low-cut gown leered at him,
“
All alone, love?
”
she asked coyly.
“
Come and buy me a wee drink. I
’
ll bring you luck. They call me Lucky Lucy.
”
Salverton recoiled from her touch, and the stench of cheap toilet water that didn
’
t quite succeed in covering even more repugnant odors.
“
I
’
m looking for a young lady,
”
he said to be rid of the harridan.
“
Ain
’
t you lucky? You
’
ve found me.
”
“
A lady in a blue gown. She came with Jonathon Sykes.
”
The woman looked Salverton up and down consideringly.
“
You don
’
t want to tangle with Sykes,
”
she cautioned.
“
Did you see her?
”
The blonde tossed her head toward a closed door at the end of the hall.
“
She
’
s with Amy in the ladies
’
parlor.
”
“
Ladies
’
parlor?
”
“
It
’
s all right. Gents are allowed in. It
’
s where they go to pick a girl if they come for something besides gambling,
”
she informed him with another leering smile.
“
Oh, Lord!
”
Without another word, he rushed to the closed door and threw it open. The ladies
’
parlor was a large chamber with some pretentions to elegance. It held sofas and saloon furniture, and in one corner, a wine table where a servant was selling wine. A series of doors led off the room. One hung open, showing a bed with a garish red canopy. He checked to see the room was unoccupied before returning his attention to the main room, where he saw a dozen men and girls behaving in a way he considered licentious. Some of the girls were perched on the men
’
s knees. Other men had their arms around the girls
’
waists. A few tame kisses were being exchanged.
He soon spotted Samantha, sitting on a sofa with another girl much too young to be selling her charms. A man with graying hair took the young girl
’
s arm and led her from the room. She smiled flirtatiously over her shoulder at Salverton as she left. The man at Samantha
’
s side was younger, and rather handsome. He wasn
’
t actually touching her, but he looked as if he
’
d like to. Salverton
’
s face turned an alarming shade of red.
“
Samantha, come here at once!
”
he exclaimed. Every head in the room turned.
Samantha looked up, and upon seeing Salverton, uttered a strangled gasp, and turned to the man beside her.
“
Is he your husband?
”
the man asked.
“
Yes!
”
Salverton said firmly, figuring that was the easiest way to extricate her.
“
Of course not!
”
she replied simultaneously.
Salverton strode forward and seized Samantha
’
s hand.
“
You
’
re coming with me, now.
”
“
I told Mr. Sykes I
’
d meet him here,
”
she replied, wrenching her hand free.
“
No need for you to remain, Cousin.
”
He reached out and took her hand again. It was too much for the man who was with her. He leapt up, bristling.
“
The young lady doesn
’
t wish to accompany you, sir.
”
“
You shut your face,
”
Salverton scowled.
“
Mr. Sykes will take me home,
”
Samantha said.
“
You
’
re coming with me,
”
Salverton insisted.
The altercation drew the attention of the others in the room. A crowd surged forward, sensing a brawl.
The man with Samantha rose and gave Salverton
’
s shoulder a buffet.
“
The lady says she is not your wife,
”
he said. Salverton ignored the words but returned the buffet. Within seconds, a full-fledged brawl ensued. Without having the least notion who was in the right, the others chose sides and enjoyed a fine battle. Even the women took part. Lacking strength to deliver a telling blow, they availed themselves of vases and wine bottles.
When Samantha saw that Salverton was being attacked by two men at once, she grabbed up one of the wine bottles and lowered it over the head of one of them.
“
Salverton, you
idiot!
”
she said, and was rewarded with a murderous scowl.
“
There
’
s gratitude for you!
”
he growled.
Neither of them noticed the female behind Salverton as she lifted a sturdy china jug and lowered it with considerable force over Salverton
’
s head. Samantha heard a menacing thump as it came in contact with his skull. Salverton cast a darkly accusing eye at her as he fell to the floor.
A brace of bruisers came flying in to find the cause of the disturbance, and settle it.
“
‘
Ere, this is going to cost someone a pretty penny,
”
a man of mule-like proportions exclaimed. "That
’
s it, folks. Fight
’
s over.
”
The regulars recognized in the bruiser the proprietor of the establishment, Mike Skelton.
After a little scuffling, the battle dwindled to mere verbal abuse.
“
He
’
s the one started it,
”
the man who had been protecting Samantha said, pointing at Edward
’
s inert body. He was upheld by others who felt it safe to lay the blame on the unconscious.
Samantha made some effort to revive her protector. When fanning him didn
’
t work, Mike poured a jug of water over his face. Salverton made a gargling sound, but he didn
’
t regain consciousness. Samantha was becoming worried. When she asked for a doctor, Skelton gave her to understand he didn
’
t want the body discovered on his premises.
“
I suggest you get him into his carriage and take him to town,
”
he said, but his tone made it a command.
“
As soon as he
’
s settled up for the damages here, that is to say.
”
It was all too much for Samantha.
“
Would you ask Mr. Sykes to join me?
”
she said.
“
He
’
s playing casino.
”
Sykes soon came hastening in.
“
I thought I heard a racket. I was winning, and didn
’
t care to leave the table. Ah, it
’
s him,
”
he said with a weary glance at the body on the floor.
“
Is he hurt much?
”
He bent over Salverton, lifted his eyelids, and announced he was hale and hearty.
“
We
’
ll take him home, Miss Oakleigh.
”
“
There
’
s damages!
”
Skelton said, pointing to the various bits of broken crockery and wine bottles.
Without batting an eyelash, Sykes put his hand into Salverton
’
s jacket and drew out his purse. He took out a couple of bills and handed them to Skelton.
“
This'll cover it, Mike, and a little something for your trouble.
”
Mike
’
s satisfied grin as he left the room told Samantha he
’
d been generously rewarded.
“
Are you sure Salverton is all right?
”
she asked Sykes when they were alone.
“
Just a tap on the head. Did you find out what you wanted to from Amy?
”
“
Yes. A cottage in Tunbridge Wells.
”
“
Then we
’
ll go back to the hotel.
”
He hoisted Salverton
’
s inert form over his shoulder as easily as if he were a rag doll and carried him out to the carriage. Samantha rushed to open the carriage door. When Salverton had been stowed within, she hopped in to watch over him.
“
Oh, you
’
re riding in there, then, are you?
”
Sykes said, disappointed.
“
I thought you
’
d sit with me on the perch, as you did coming, since you enjoyed it so.
”
“
I
’
d best keep an eye on him, Mr. Sykes.
”
“
Suit yourself. I wonder how he got here. He wouldn
’
t have borrowed
—”
He called for the stable boy, who had been watching them.
“
That
’
s the bloke as rode your Caesar here,
”
the boy said, pointing to the body in the carriage.
“
The devil you say! I didn
’
t think Caesar would let anyone on his back but myself. I
’
ll pick my nag up as soon as I can. Take care of him for me, lad.
”
He tossed the boy tuppence.
“
Don
’
t break your thumb, Jon,
”
the boy scowled, but he pocketed the coin.
Sykes hopped onto the perch and the carriage left for the hotel.
When Salverton began sliding from the seat, Samantha moved to his banquette and held him in place, with his head in her lap. She wasn
’
t actually worried for Salverton
’
s life. She had seen the china jug that hit him, and didn
’
t think it capable of a fatal blow. What did concern her was what mood he would be in when he regained consciousness.
She brushed the hair from his forehead, noticing how much handsomer he looked when his face was relaxed. It was only his forbidding expression that robbed him of being called handsome. His brow was high and wide, what Mama called a noble brow.
She ran her fingers gently over it, feeling the small dents of incipient wrinkles. Then along his high cheekbones, and lower to the hollows of his cheeks. Strange, how you could feel the skeleton bones beneath the flesh. Eerie. She shivered, then traced his nose, a proud, aquiline nose. With one finger she drew the outline of his lips. Nice full lips, when he wasn
’
t pinching them in derision.
Salverton gradually regained consciousness. He thought it must be a dream, those loving fingers caressing him. He was dreaming of Esmée again. He put out his hand and seized the hand that touched him. Then he raised it to his lips and kissed it with a passion that surprised Samantha. He pressed his lips firmly against her palm and held them there a moment.
“
That feels good,
”
he murmured in a voice as soft as velvet. Not Salverton
’
s voice at all, but a lover
’
s voice.
Samantha was aware of a strange warmth building inside her as his fingers squeezed hers so intimately. Then she felt exceedingly foolish, as if she
’
d chanced across her cousin in a state of undress. She cleared her throat.
“
It
’
s Samantha, Edward,
”
she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“
Are you awake now?
”
His head jerked up as if he
’
d been prodded with a hot poker. She pushed it gently back to her lap.
“
It
’
s all right. I know you thought it was Lady Louise. I hope you
’
re not feeling too badly?
”