Chapter 6 #2
“Oh, well, you sent them away, so the matter is dealt with. Now drink your tea and have a scone. They are superb.”
It was another hour before people started leaving. All seemed happy with the club and what it offered them, and that made Tilly happy.
Tilly herself did not leave for another two hours. She sat in the office and wrote down everything that had happened today. Often, when her thoughts were muddled, it was the easiest way to clear them. Plus, she wanted to make sure she remembered everything she saw down in that horrid place below.
After she was done, she said goodbye to the staff and left to locate a hackney.
The wind was icy now, and the skies darker, even though it was only early afternoon. London weather at its finest, Tilly thought, winding the end of her scarf in another loop around her neck.
People were hurrying about the place, like her, not wanting to stay out in the beastly weather for any longer than necessary.
She’d just reached the gap between The Iris and the beginning of horrid Lord Talbot’s gentleman’s club when she noted the stairs. They were close to the building and would lead down below the road. Was this where the opening they’d found was located?
Looking first left and then right, she saw no one watching her. Taking the first step, she started to descend. Reaching the bottom, dull grey light from above filtered down to reveal a narrow alleyway.
Looking around her, Tilly saw several doors, but only one had a large pile of wooden crates and other debris stacked against it. However, it was the man bent low, inspecting said pile that caught her attention.
Tilly could leave, and he’d never know she was here. She should run, actually, back up the stairs, but then, she’d never been a coward, and now was not the time to start.
Her foot connected with a loose stone, and Lord Talbot’s head rose, and his eyes locked on hers. Even from several feet away, in bad light, she saw he was not pleased to see her. Well, that made two of them.
“Get back up those stairs at once and never return.” His voice was hard and cold.
“You get back up those stairs at once and never return.” Tilly would not back down. She dug her toes into her boots to stop herself from doing just that as he rose and advanced on her.
His size compared to hers was really unfair, giving him an instant advantage.
“This is not a game, Tilly—”
“No, really, you surprise me, because I saw the same things you did down there, and none of it was a laughing matter. Plus, I had a woman enter The Iris Club this morning, trying to find her sister who went missing years ago. She disappeared one day after leaving for work in the gentleman’s lodging house, which is what The Iris Club used to be! ”
Clearly, she was not as calm as she’d thought she was, as her voice had risen to a shriek. But then she’d had her first kiss with this man today, and that was enough to unsettle anyone. Well, maybe not Tabitha Varney. She doubted anything would scare that woman, and most especially not a man.
He frowned. “You didn’t mention that before. What else did she say?”
Ambrose did not seem unsettled like she was by that kiss, which told her two possible things. One, he was used to kissing women, and two, he had a better poker face than she did.
“Tilly!” He snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Focus.”
“I have told your sister I loathe it when she does that, so please refrain from doing so again,” Tilly said.
His teeth snapped together, but he remained silent.
“Ruby, who was the woman I spoke to, said her sister, Fern, used to work in the lodging house as a maid. She would hear unusual noises, and sometimes Fern would find bloodied bandages waiting to be washed. There was always an odd scent inside too. Which, now I come to think about it, could be from those incense candles we smelled earlier.”
His eyes were locked on her face now. “This woman, where is she now?” he demanded
“Missing.”
“Not that woman. The sister you met today.”
“Her name is Ruby. She is at her lodgings, which are located at Flower and Dean Street in the East End.”
“Good Lord, really? That is not a safe place to live,” he said.
“I am aware, my lord. But unlike us, she has no other option, which is also the case for so many.”
He raised a hand before she could continue. “I know the plight of those many, Tilly, and do what I can for them. Plus, we have the Pavlov fortune and are now helping people in need.”
“Yes, of course. Forgive me. I was not judging you.”
“Yes, you were.” His mouth twitched at the corners. “As you constantly do.”
Do I? “Well, you judge me constantly too,” she replied.
Perhaps they would simply ignore that kiss. Neither of them need mention it again, and they could continue on as they were. Not friends, or enemies exactly, but somewhere in between.
“What did you find there?” She pointed to the door behind the crates.
“I think that is the entrance, but as we have now locked it from the inside, they will be unable to use it, which presents another problem,” he said.
“They will have to find another way to get inside,” she said.
“Exactly. If they are members of my club, they will try through the bookshelf in that small parlor, and I cannot watch it constantly. Plus, it has a key, so if they lock it as I did, I will not know.”
“Steal the key, then, but I assure you I shall be relocking it from my side again.”
“That is only a temporary solution. They will find a way to gain entrance if they wish to.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Tilly asked.
“We will give it some thought,” he said slowly.
“Are we to tell anyone else what we have found, my lord?”
“For pity’s sake, Tilly, we shared a kiss. Surely you can continue to call me Ambrose.”
“I prefer Rosie,” she snapped, caught off guard that he would mention what they’d done.
“I prefer Ambrose, and I wonder if we could bring it up at the monthly meeting of the Pavlov group?”
“Me calling you Rosie?”
“Very amusing.” His smile held no humor.
“I feel that whatever is going on down there is dangerous,” Tilly said.
“Agreed, but the people in the Pavlov group are intelligent and know when to keep a secret. They are also our friends, Tilly. Plus, Gray is a detective.”
She nodded, knowing he was right.
“And now we leave here, as I have no wish for anyone to see us.” He urged her back up the stairs. “Where is your carriage?” he asked, turning in a circle looking for it.
“I will catch a hackney. Good day to you, my lord.”
He sighed.
“Ambrose,” she added softly.
“Come, I will help you call a hackney.”
“I don’t need you—”
He placed a gloved hand over her mouth and the other on her spine, nudging her forward.