"I think Mr. Nicholas believes he's being followed with all his heart. But that doesn't mean it's true."
Lily nodded in agreement. "The largest lies are the ones we tell ourselves. Will you look into it further?"
"I don't know," he said truthfully. "Ravenwood Agency doesn't have the manpower to handle another case. I'm stretched as it is. What did you make of it?"
"I think that young man needs help."
Riot stroked his beard in thought. "We could use a healthy dose of help in finding a teacher."
Lily sighed, and glanced at her notes. "Those willing aren't fit, and those fit aren't willing. Mrs. Famish is our best candidate so far." There wasn't a hint of excitement in her words. Riot shared her lack of enthusiasm.
"Sins of the father," he murmured, as he opened the door for her. "I hadn't considered the possibility that my reputation would affect the children."
Lily smiled at him. "People are responsible for others in all sorts of ways. Especially the ones who turn their noses up in the air. They're not worth your time, Mr. Riot."
Laughter burst from inside the house. Riot paused at the parlor door to listen. There were four voices in the room instead of three. He looked to Lily in question, hoping she had heard the same. "Was there another applicant?"
Lily shook her head.
7
An Improper Applicant
Atticus Riot pulled the parlor doors open. Conversation cut off, and five sets of eyes looked to him. Miss Annie Dupree set Watson down and stood, her eyes sparkling like sapphires. She was tall and shapely, with a careless tendril of auburn hair begging to be touched.
"Mr. Riot. Mrs. White. I was just telling the children about a boy who once brought a snake to school."
Tobias slapped his knee. "He tried to scare Miss Dupree with it." But the mere thought sent him into another giggling fit.
Jin didn't giggle. Instead, she explained, "Miss Dupree ate it for lunch."
"I've had some good snake," Sarah said.
Miss Dupree smiled, and extended her hand. Riot took it lightly. "Have you settled on a tutor?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"That's fortunate."
"And why is that?"
"I'm here to interview for the position."
Riot cocked his head, and the rest of the room went silent. Annie Dupree was renting Ravenwood's old consultation room—the French doors were discreet enough for the comings and goings of her nocturnal clients. The children did not know this, of course, or if they did they feigned ignorance.
Lily tolerated Miss Dupree. But only due to Tim. He was as unprejudiced as a man came—to color and profession.
Lily opened her mouth, looked to the children, and then gestured her into the second parlor. "Won't you come in."
Annie swept past with a swish of skirts, and Riot studied her back. Not for her hourglass shape or lush hair, but in a thoughtful, calculating sort of way. Charm and beauty were not lost on Riot. He noticed them, but only to tuck details away—to learn their 'tells'. Annie had a smile that would drop most men's brains between their legs, but Riot had grown up with such women. They were his mothers and sisters, and he had seen the pain in them that men left behind.
Riot waited for Watson to enter, and then closed the doors. He gestured for the women to be seated.
"You both appear speechless," Annie said. Watson hopped on her lap again. Her fingers idly stroked his fur.
He waited for a coy comment. A 'as most men are with me' but Annie held her tongue. Her eyes, however, communicated far more.
"Do you have teaching experience, Miss Dupree?" Lily asked.
"I do. No references, as I'm sure you understand." Annie averted her gaze. "I wasn't always a woman of the underworld. I was a governess in Boston—until the man of the house took a liking to me. I'm sure you both can fill in the rest."
"I'm sure I can, but I'd like to hear it all the same," Riot said.
Annie looked at him in surprise, her lips parting slightly.
"I wish I could say I refused his advances, but I was young. When he got me with child, he called me unfit and kicked me to the gutter without reference. I could no longer find respectable work. I heard a woman could make herself over in the West, so I relocated and began teaching. Only I couldn't live on a teacher's wage here."
It was a story Riot had heard countless times. Brothels were filled with teachers, widows, launderers, maids, nurses, shop girls, and everything else under the sun. Women were paid a fourth of what men made for the same work—except for prostitution. For the majority of women, it came down to starving or whoring.
"I'm sure you'll understand I have reservations," Lily said.
Annie looked down at the cat in her lap, unable to meet their eyes. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "I know you barely tolerate me as it is. And I know if it weren't for Mr. Tim, I wouldn't be allowed to board here."
Lily shook her head. "I don't have anything against you, Miss Dupree. I take issue with you running a brothel out of your rooms. You pulled yourself out of the gutter long ago, and there's no reason for you to remain there."
Annie arched a delicate brow. "Have I no reason?"
"Most folk get by without diamonds and fine food." Lily looked pointedly at the diamond nestled between the woman's breasts.
Annie smiled. "With all due respect, you don't know my business. But you're right. I could move on, and for the most part I have, but I do enjoy the company of certain men." She glanced at Riot under her lashes.
Careful not to look at Riot, Lily calmly folded her hands on her lap, and waited.
As a ploy to get into Alex Kingston's inner circle, Riot had hired Miss Dupree to accompany him to a number of social engagements. He had enjoyed her company, but that was all. Dinner and opera, then parting ways in the entry. His housekeeper didn't know that, however.
"Mrs. White brings up an excellent point. You could retire to the country and live comfortably for the rest of your life. Why teach children in this house?"
Annie smoothed her skirts, collecting her thoughts. "I could live comfortably outside San Francisco, but not inside the city. And I'm not the type of woman to be kept. Once you're married, Mr. Riot, I imagine you'll give your boarders notice to vacate. Ravenwood Manor is the first home I've had in a long while, and teaching the children would ensure me a room in this house."
"And what of your 'select gentlemen'?" Lily asked.
Annie smiled. "What I do in my room remains my business."
"Absolutely not," Lily said.
"Do you speak for Mr. Riot?"
"I speak for my children."
"You won't find a more qualified teacher," Annie countered. "Especially for Jin. I've dealt with young women like her. Do you imagine a young, reputable teacher will know what to do when Jin begins speaking of brothel life? Because she will. It's been her life for the past two years."
Riot kept his face blank. But his heart beat quicker. How did Annie Dupree know so much about the children? But the answer was obvious. After returning from Calistoga, Riot had thrown himself into his work. The children had had little to occupy themselves with these past weeks.
And although it worried him, Annie was right—Jin's life was a world away from that of Tobias, Maddie, and Sarah's.
"Qualifications?" Lily asked.
"I speak French, Italian, and Latin. And as you know, Mr. Riot, I possess a passable knowledge on most subjects—finances, sciences, any topic that I might find myself discussing with one of my gentlemen. I can teach the girls manners and grace. And Tobias, too. The children are bright—they need a quick mind like my own. There isn't an emotion or situation that I haven't handled calmly and delicately in grown men, let alone children."
Riot let her words settle into silence. There was a lot she was not saying into that silence, and he'd be a fool not to suspect that Annie Dupree was involved with Siu Lui, his half-sister, who sat like a spider in a web of criminal undertakings.
But Riot wasn't p
repared to show his cards. "Given recent events, you'll understand my hesitation."
"That was unfortunate." Then to his surprise, she showed him a card of her own—the card she wanted him to see. "You already have ears at the door, Mr. Riot." She gestured towards the closed door. Riot knew there would be three sets of ears pressed to the wood. "I'm only a pair of eyes. And I may prove useful one day."
Riot gently closed the door behind a swish of exiting skirts. Annie Dupree had left him with much to ponder. The moment one door closed, another pair slid open. Jin stuck her face through the gap. "We want her."
"I didn't say that," Sarah said. "It's not proper."
"What's not proper?" Tobias said.
Riot held up a hand. "We'll discuss it at another time.”
"I want to see Captain Morgan," Jin demanded.
"In good time." There was an edge to his voice. One that made Jin duck back inside.
"Finish your chores. All of you," Lily said, shutting the doors.
Three pairs of feet hurried away.
Lily took sympathy on the man. The trial had been torture for him. She had seen it in his eyes, in the set of his shoulders, every single day. And while the torture might be over, Isobel was still in an asylum, more than five hours away. He had only spent a week at Bright Waters before responsibilities had pulled him back to San Francisco. Atticus Riot hadn't stopped since, and now he looked as severe as the day Lily had first met him.
"I'll make a pot of tea."
"I'm needed at the agency," he said.
"Mr. Riot."
He drew up short at the tone of her voice.
"We need to talk."
Riot followed her into the kitchen. While Lily put the kettle on, she heard him gathering the cups. The man never sat idle while others worked. He was a rare kind of man, which made what she had to say difficult.
They didn't discuss the elephant in the room straight away. Not until they were both settled at the table with a cup warming their hands. Riot raised his dark eyes to hers. "What do you think of Miss Dupree's offer?"
"I think she's qualified. And she's right. Jin will be an issue. Even if we found someone willing to teach the children, Jin would make it a point to shock them the moment she became bored. I don't think we have much choice, Mr. Riot."
He considered the truth in her words.
"What did she mean by 'only a pair of eyes'?" Lily ventured.
Riot blew on his tea. "I suspect Miss Dupree is working for an old acquaintance of mine."
Lily waited as Riot sipped his tea, but he didn't elaborate. "Friend or foe?" she finally asked.
"Both."
"Sounds like family."
Riot grimaced. "The only one I have."
"We can't choose our blood, which is a shame because they're set to hurt us more than any stranger. Is Miss Dupree a danger to my children?"
Riot considered her question. "I can't be sure. In my youth, I would have been, but not anymore."
"If I don't know the whole story, I can't be sure either."
"The less you know the better."
"I've never found that true."
Riot's lip quirked. "You're probably right." And so he told her. Everything. Three cups of tea and a cold pot later, Riot fell silent.
The story seemed to exhaust him, and Lily itched to send the man straight to bed, but it wasn't her place. Instead she asked, "And this White Blossom, you suspect Miss Dupree is spying for her?"
"That, or Miss Dupree knows a part of the story, and she's using it to her advantage."
"Why would she bluff about something like that?"
"She'll know I'll want to keep her close so I can keep an eye on her."
"And do you?"
"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer," he quoted.
"Where is that from?"
"The Art of War by Sun Tzu."
Lily shook her head. "There's no art to war. It's more like what comes out of the back end of a horse."
"Miss Lily, you shock me."
The edges of her eyes crinkled with laughter. "Well, I wouldn't keep her too close. You're a married man, or soon to be. I can't imagine Miss Isobel taking kindly to a woman like that in the house."
"Bel isn't the jealous type."
"I've heard a number of men say that very thing. But it doesn't matter what her temperament is—or yours—people will talk. You and Miss Dupree were seen in public." She left the rest unsaid, but apparently suggestion bled through.
"That's as far as our relationship extended."
"If I wasn't even positive, what will others say?"
"They'll talk either way." He stood, and reached for his hat. "Thank you for the tea, and your listening ear."
"Don't thank me yet. There's something else we need to discuss."
"Oh?"
"I wouldn't bring it up now, but since you've returned, no time seems like the right time. And this can't wait much longer."
He sat back down. "What is it?"
"The state of your finances."
Riot narrowed his eyes. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your estate."
"Ravenwood's."
"Yours," she corrected. "Mr. Tim hired me to manage this house, and in order to do that I needed access to Ravenwood's accounts. Mr. Riot, I didn't take on boarders because I was lonely—we need their income to keep the house in good repair."
"But Ravenwood was wealthy."
"In land. And, yes, he had a sizable nest egg, but Mr. Tim and this house go through money like Tobias in a candy shop. I'm assuming you'll be giving the boarders notice soon? What with the children moving in and Miss Isobel."
"Aren't there enough rooms?"
"Jin and Sarah are sharing the spare bedroom, but I spend more time breaking up their arguments than cleaning up after them."
"They've been arguing?" he asked.
Lily fixed him with a look. And he realized just how scarce he'd been since he returned from Calistoga.
"We could fix up the attic, but that's a lot of bodies under one roof."
"I'll leave it to you to sort." He made to stand again.
"Mr. Riot."
Riot paused, and she heard a faint sigh.
"You have an estate. I need to know what you want to do with it. Without boarders you'll have no income, and begging your pardon for saying it, but your agency is more of a drain than a boon on Ravenwood's estate."
"It is?"
In answer, she stood and opened a cupboard, selecting a slim journal from the shelf. Lily laid the account book on the table, and opened it, placing a finger on the final figure.
Riot stared at the numbers. He adjusted his spectacles, and looked again. The numbers hadn't changed.
"As you can see, the income from the boarders pays for this house, groceries, utilities, and my salary while leaving a bit extra, but Mr. Tim has been using Ravenwood's… your money as a personal bank. Half the time he doesn't charge folk—not the ones who can't afford it. But he pays his agents generously all the same."
"I'll have a word with Tim, and see if I can sort out the agency. In the meantime…" Riot unconsciously reached for the deck of playing cards in his pocket. "How much do we need?"
Lily shook her head. "It's not that simple. A house this size needs steady income. There needs to be more planning than a trip to the nearest gambling hall. You have children to think about now."
"Miss Lily, the only things I know are gambling and detective work." Along with women and gunfighting, he added silently. He ran a finger along his deck, squaring the edges. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"You have a few options." She ticked off her fingers. "You could sort out the agency and try to turn a profit. But I'm not sure that's possible. Not with this kind of overhead." She gestured at the ceiling.
Finger two. "Ravenwood has property in England. You could sell it, but that's a temporary solution." She moved on to the third finger. "Or you can sell this house, and buy something smaller."
Riot
considered her words. At one time he had been set to rid himself of this house. An arrogant building of turrets and grim windows that held too many painful memories. But now the thought turned his stomach. And property in England? Riot had to admit, he hadn't glanced at his inheritance after Ravenwood's murder. He had simply left.
"Any others?" he asked hopefully.
"It's a gamble."
"I'm a gambling man."
Lily took a deep breath. "Have you thought about investing what's left of Ravenwood's money?"
From his lack of expression, he had not.
Riot cleared his throat. "I've never paid much mind to business."
"I thought as much."
"I don't suppose you have?"
"Mr. Tim didn't hand Ravenwood's estate to a simpleton. I was raised in Nantucket. While the menfolk were off whaling, the women ran things. I've run businesses before, and I have a few ideas," she said.
Riot tucked his cards away. "You can keep fifty percent of whatever you make."
"I don't take charity, Mr. Riot."
"It's not charity. You're doing all the work."
"It's your money. Offering fifty percent is a terrible way to do business."
"That's why I'm making you a partner." He thrust out his hand.
Lily stared at him as if he had gone mad.
"I don't have a head for money, Miss Lily. It's this, or the gambling tables for me."
"What about Miss Isobel? She's sharp."
The edge of Riot's lip quirked. "When it suits her. I know her well enough to say this won't."
"Shouldn't you hear my proposals first?"
"If it would make you more comfortable, but I'm already late, Miss Lily."
"Then I'll make some inquiries, and we can discuss it later. If you like my ideas then we'll shake on it."
Riot stood, and slipped on his hat. He tipped the brim, and walked out with that easy stride of his. The clink of imagined spurs whispered in her mind.
A gambler and a gunfighter, she silently added. Judging from the courtroom shoot out, she suspected he was better at the latter. The implications of what he had just offered stunned her, the reality worried her, and the eccentricity of Riot bordered on madness.
The Devil's Teeth (Ravenwood Mysteries #5) Page 4
