Page 24 of A Devious Secret

“That is because you take your medicine and retire to your bedchamber shortly after supper,” Miss Heathcote informed her.

“Regardless, Benjamin would not be foolish enough to gamble,” Mrs. Heathcote pressed.

“But, Mother—”

Mrs. Heathcote cut her off. “You must have imagined it.” She turned her attention towards him. “You will have to excuse my daughter. She has the most vivid imagination.”

“Of course, consider it forgotten,” Stephen readily responded.

Rising, Mrs. Heathcote said, “If you will excuse me, I’m afraid I need to lie down.”

Stephen rose. “I do thank you for your time,” he acknowledged before he walked over to the door.

“If you see my Benjamin, please inform him that he has responsibilities at home that he must see to,” Mrs. Heathcote said.

Turning around, he tipped his head. “Yes, Ma’am.”

As he exited the townhouse, Stephen couldn’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that Benjamin was still alive. How did he escape capture by the French? He had so many questions to ask Benjamin and he thought it would be prudent to go to the Scarlet Lady. Perhaps someone would know Benjamin or at least where he had gone to.

He held his hand up to secure a hackney. It didn’t take long before a black coach came to a stop in front of him.

“Where to, Mister?” the driver shouted down at him.

“The Scarlet Lady,” Stephen replied.

The driver shook his head. “You don’t want to go there,” he said. “That gambling hell is close to the rookeries and has a reputation for cheating.”

“I will pay you three pounds to take me.”

“Get in, then,” the driver said.

Stephen opened the door and stepped inside of the foul-smelling hackney. His boots stuck to the floor, and he saw the fabric on the bench had pulled apart at the seams. It was a far cry from what he was accustomed to.

The coach jerked into traffic and Stephen went to open the window. Unfortunately, it was broken and only a sliver of air came through. He wished that he had brought his pistol with him, considering he was going to be in close proximity to the rookeries.

A short time later, the coach came to a stop in front of a red brick building. Three rough-looking men were loitering outside, and they were heckling people that walked by.

He opened the door and stepped out. After he paid the driver, he approached the main door but one of the men moved to block his path.

“What do you think ye are doing?” the man asked.

Stephen didn’t cower in front of the man. “I think it is fairly obvious,” he replied. “I wish to go inside.”

The man held his hand out. “Ye have to pay us each a few coins if ye want to do that.”

“And why is that?” Stephen asked.

The man smiled, revealing a row of rotten teeth. “If ye don’t, ye ain’t going anywhere.”

Stephen watched as the other men came to stand behind their friend. He had no intention of paying the men to step aside so he knew he would have to fight through them.

“I’m not going to pay you a farthing,” Stephen said. “I suggest you let me pass before you make me angry.”

The man’s smile dimmed. “What’s it to ye?” he asked. “Ye look like ye have plenty of money to spare.”

“That is beside the point.”

One of the men in the back spoke up. “Come on, bloke. We don’t want to have to rough you up. Just give us the money.”