Chapter 13 #2
She met the leatherworker’s gaze, letting a small genuine smile fill her face. He was one of the few men who didn’t bother her, had never been up her skirt, and was just generally a nice person – which was rare to find in places like this.
“You’re a good man, Garth.” She tapped the table. “Fastest in the business, no one better.”
She placed a few silver coins on the table before she walked out. Once more, she resumed her brisk pace, eventually climbing up the long hill to the mansion.
Rosetta opened the double doors to the brothel and was greeted by women relaxing in the front room. Not wanting to take out her anger on them, she gave a small sigh.
“Where is Naeem? He’s supposed to be with my ship.”
“He’s in Victoria’s room,” a beautiful, dark-skinned woman with her curly hair tied back in two braids answered. When it was clear Rosetta wasn’t moving because she didn’t know where that was, the woman awkwardly laughed. “Come, I’ll show you the way.”
She followed her guide to the second level, walking up the staircase to the left. When they got to the room, the woman gestured to the door.
Without caring to knock, Rosetta opened the door so hard it slammed against the wall. “Wake up, you lazy whale!”
Naeem’s head shot up to look at her, bashing himself in the sternum with his chin. The man was sprawled butt naked on the bed like a starfish, nothing but the two women under his arms covering him. He didn’t care to cover his groin, despite Rosetta being able to see everything.
It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. She’d seen this man’s bare backside more times than she really cared to.
“Ah shit! Is it morning already?” He threw his arm across his face with a deep groan. “Sorry, Rosetta. Was up all night.”
The women in the room looked at her with pouted faces because she’d woken them. Then one of them said, “Does he have to go?”
For a prostitute to say something like that meant she’d actually enjoyed herself.
Rosetta shook her head with a laugh. I guess we do have a little time now that Alister is busy. Plus, there was something she should do since she was here now, not that she really cared to.
“I guess I better get up.” Not that Naeem was making an effort to do so.
“You have thirty minutes,” she told him. “Make them count. I’ll be with Madame Lillian.”
“Thanks, Captain!” he yelled as she turned away from the room. “So, ladies, which one of you wants to ride my face and who wants to ride my–”
She closed the door before she could hear him finish.
“Is Madame Lillian available?” she asked the woman who brought her here.
“I’ll go check.”
She ran off while Rosetta calmly made her way through the mansion, finding herself back downstairs.
Just as she hit the bottom step, someone entered through the double doors. The early sunlight filtering through shadowed the large, tall, and obviously muscled man before her eyes adjusted.
Is that...?
She gave a shrug when she didn’t know him, as he had a big red beard, and walked down to the side of the mansion that held Lillian’s living quarters.
The woman came hurrying back, finding her along the way. “Yes, it appears she’s available. I’ve told her you wanted to see her.”
She gestured forward with her hand to let Rosetta know she could continue, and Rosetta did just that. Knocking first, she entered before she even got a reply.
“Good morning!” Rosetta exclaimed, throwing her hands open in front of the doors that slammed against the walls.
Lillian immediately frowned at her. “You know it’s rude to be so loud this early in the morning. I’ve barely just gotten out of bed.”
“And yet, you’re already dressed and covered in makeup.”
Her slightly wrinkled lips thinned into agitated lines.
Lillian raised her hands, holding the teapot she’d been using to pour herself a cup, and gestured at Rosetta. She nodded, accepting the tea offered.
“What’s wrong? You’re only ever this cheerful when you’re actually not.”
She hated how well the woman could read her. “I’m here because Naeem wasn’t at the ship when he was supposed to be.”
“Doesn’t he always do that?” the woman asked with sincerity. “You’ve never been this upset before.”
“Things aren’t the same anymore.” She turned her head to the side as Lillian placed a teacup in front of her and poured honey tea inside. “We’ve got another ship sailing with us. Can’t have them waiting around because he’s forgotten to get up at first light.”
“The other captain will be upset? Men, always so impatient.”
Rosetta folded her arms across her chest while placing her boots on the table. “Exactly. I’d rather not be yelled at when it’s not my fault.”
“Aren’t you sleeping with this man, though?” She waved her hands to get Rosetta to move her feet from the table. “He shouldn’t yell at you when you’re regularly shining his cock.”
While Rosetta did move her feet, Lillian also got her to stand by holding her hand out and gesturing her up.
“Yes, but we argue a lot. He’s a big, arrogant meathead.”
“Sounds about right.” She pulled the sides of Rosetta’s skirt. She hadn’t changed yet like she’d wanted to because she’d needed to come get Naeem. “Well don’t you look absolutely beautiful! This colour is perfect on you.”
Of course Lillian wanted to talk about a feminine aspect with her. It was a rarity between them.
She spun her finger to make Rosetta turn, and she let out an irritated, sullen noise, spinning so her dress would wave out. It felt like a show a young daughter would do for her mother.
“I actually got a compliment this time,” Rosetta grumbled quietly.
“From your dear Jolly Sailor Bold? I find that hard to believe.” She scoffed while waving her hand as they finally fell to their seats. “They hardly notice things like this.”
Rosetta went to take a sip of her tea, but it fell back to the plate before it even made it to her lips. The sound of the porcelain cup hitting the saucer rang in her ears. She found it hard not to reflect on the three days she’d had in Tortaya so far.
She knew the dynamic between her and Alister had changed, and she worried what it meant. Were they closer, or was Rosetta being foolish?
“Stop that!” Lillian leaned forward to smack the side of Rosetta’s knee with the backs of her fingers. “You only nibble at your lips when you’ve got something on your mind. I’ve told you not to. That’s how you get peeling lips.”
“I’m fine,” she said, finally taking that sip. “Just tired from getting drunk like a sailor.”
Lillian squinted at her in suspicion.
“It was another woman, wasn’t it? I told you sailors are no good! Probably got drunk and tried to play it off like some accident when they know full well that–”
Once again, Lillian was trying to insert doubt into her mind like she always did.
“It’s not that,” she laughed out. “I was the only woman he slept with while in port.”
“That you know of,” she sneered, and Rosetta hated the way her words made her gut twist. “Were you with him the entire time?”
“I don’t care either way.” Rosetta bit out her lie, folding her arms across her chest. “I have other things to worry about and I had a great time regardless.”
She just needed to get the woman to stop talking like this.
Lillian’s lips thinned once more, her eyes narrowing this time. “What other things? For you to honestly say there’s something worrying you, it must not be good.”
Crap. Rosetta cursed to herself.
She gave a bright smile to the woman in front of her. “I have a large ship to set sail today. Did you forget that I got the Laughing Siren?”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Rosetta stabbed her hands through her long, loose hair, since she’d let it down when she’d gone to sleep.
“How do you do it?” The laugh she gave came from a place of pure frustration. “How do you know when I’m lying and when I’m being truthful? You’re the only one who can seem to fucking tell!”
Lillian pointed an elegant finger at her.
“Don’t you swear at me, Rosetta Silver!” She withdrew her finger from the air to hold her teacup like a proper lady, even though she’d never been raised as one.
She puckered her lips, making them wrinkle further as her eyelids fluttered lower.
“Your eyelids flicker when you’re telling a lie. Always have.”
“My eyes?” She brushed her cheek right below one of them. The fact that Lillian could pick up something so subtle from her was puzzling.
“Yes. Now, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you, or are you not going to talk to me about it?”
With a grumble, Rosetta aggressively folded her arms. “Fine. So, you were right.”
“About?” she said blankly, lifting her teacup with a sense of superiority as she wiggled her head side to side. “I’m often right.”
“He was careful until he suddenly... wasn’t.”
The cup nearly fell from her hands and her composed posture turned into one of unmasked shock. “What?”
“Do you have any of that tea you make for the girls? It may or may not have been once.”
Rosetta had been intending to bring this up the entire time; it was why she’d come to see Lillian when she’d much rather have not. She’d seen her enough over the past few days to last her months.
Lillian leaned forward to grasp her hand reassuringly. “Rosie, when was this? You know it’s not as effective the longer it’s been.”
“Not last night but the previous one.”
“That’s too late! You should have come here straight away.”
Rosetta shrugged her shoulders like she didn’t care. “You know I don’t think I can bear children, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Will it still work after two days?”
Lillian quickly got to her feet and started making the special tea. Her actions were jarring, like she wanted to be swift to make up for lost time.
“I don’t know. There’s a lot of terrible or terrific luck, depending on your perspective, that goes into making a child. I don’t even know if this works. I just hope it does.”
Lillian eventually placed a different cup down in front of Rosetta, and she chugged its contents in one go. She scrunched her nose at the pungent, mud-like taste.