Jack of Clubs by Bárbara Metzger Page A

can write you new references. She’s a regular Trojan. Who knows, she might have a girl this time and need the services of a governess.”
    â€œIn five years! For now she is in childbed, and I have to make my own bed. Good grief, not with your fancy pieces. Now I understand about all the women. This place is no better than a brothel!”
    â€œNow hold, Miss Silver. The girls—the young ladies—are dealers, nothing else. Gentlemen like to look at pretty women when they are out on the town. The ladies deal and serve drinks. I am not running a bordello.”
    â€œWhat of Miss Poitier? Or should I say Mademoiselle? I should not even be speaking of women such as she!”
    â€œRochelle does not live here. She has rooms of her own. I don’t suppose…” At the schoolmarm’s gasp he said, “No, I thought not.”
    â€œYou considered that I would stay in the same house as your mistress?”
    Now Miss Silver’s husky voice was loud enough to be heard in Hampshire! “Sh. Remember the child.”
    The child had tired of dressing the dog and was looking at some of the picture books on Jack’s shelves. Pictures of—“Thunderation, put that book back!”
    Harriet looked up at him. “You don’t have to marry your ladybird, if you don’t want. I don’t mind not having a mother, you know.”
    Jack turned to Miss Silver. “Good grief, you cannot leave me with her!”
    â€œI cannot stay.”
    Jack was ready to pull his hair out, or pull his pistol out to threaten her into staying. No, he had locked the guns away. Oh, lord, what was he going to do? Beg, he supposed. First he asked, “Where will you go?”
    â€œA hotel, I suppose.”
    â€œA single woman with no companion? They will slam the door in your face.”
    â€œThat would not be the first time today. An inn will do, then.”
    â€œA single woman without protection? You would not be safe. No, you absolutely have to stay here for the night. I insist.”
    â€œBut you have no right to insist about anything. I do not work for you.”
    â€œI hereby hire you.”
    â€œImpossible.”
    â€œI’ll hold my breath if you go,” Harriet warned.
    Now why had Jack not thought of that?
    Miss Silver ignored the child, pulling on her cloak after brushing dog hairs off it.
    â€œGreat gods, she is turning purple. Do something!”
    â€œWhy? She will faint before she dies. You will have to get used to such manipulations. Tears will be next, I believe.”
    Jack already had a mistress to enact him scenes. He did not need an eight-year-old with a flair for the dramatic. “I am begging you, Miss Silver, please do not leave. Give me one night. That’s all I ask, one night. Tomorrow we will come up with a plan, I know we will. Something respectable, above board, that even the highest sticklers cannot find fault with. There is always that inn where they stashed Nell’s brother. No, he is insane, you cannot stay there.” Jack realized he was babbling. Harriet had his quizzing glass from his coat pocket and was—“Not the French playing cards!” He snatched the cards and the magnifying glass away from Harriet and looked at Miss Silver beseechingly. “Please.”
    Allie looked out the window. All daylight was gone and the street lamps had not been lit. Outside was dark and empty and cold and lonely. She’d be lost in a minute if she could not find a hackney to take her—where? Inside, she could hear the man Calloway clumping down the hall, the smell of hot chocolate preceding him.
    Then she sneezed.

Chapter Five
    â€œAha!” the captain shouted. “You are not well. That does it. You cannot go out in the rainy night, heaven knows where, with no escort. I cannot take you myself, not with the club about to open for the evening, and I cannot spare Calloway or Downs. I swear you will be safe here. No gentlemen but I