Jen Turano - [Ladies of Distinction 02]
Page 16
“Listen, Alfred, or whoever you’re claiming to be, I’m not going to tell you again,” a police officer growled, causing Arabella to direct her attention to the heated conversation taking place a foot away from her. The officer stabbed a stubby finger toward Agatha through the bars. “None of us believe you’re actually a journalist for the New-York Tribune, so you might as well save your breath. Besides, I think your screeching is beginning to antagonize your cell mates, and quite frankly, that’s not something I’d recommend.”
Agatha began to sputter. “But, but . . . you have to listen to . . .”
“Not another word,” the police officer snapped before he withdrew his finger, spun on his heel, and stalked away.
Agatha threw up her hands. “He doesn’t believe me.”
“Of course he doesn’t believe you,” Arabella retorted. “You’re completely overwrought, and I don’t think you’ve noticed that your wig is barely attached to your head, lending you a somewhat deranged appearance.”
“I’m never overwrought.”
Arabella threw up her own hands. “Fine, you’re not overwrought, but you certainly don’t look like a journalist, which is why the officer doesn’t believe you.”
Agatha narrowed her eyes. “I certainly don’t look like a lady of the night either. If you’ll recall, we’re wearing opera dresses, and”—she hiked up her skirt and lifted her foot—“as I only just realized tonight, would any self-respecting lady of the night go out to work in shoes like these?” She dropped her skirt and continued before Arabella could respond. “I think not, proving that I am, in fact, a journalist.”
“You’ve lost your mind,” Arabella muttered before she grabbed Agatha’s hand and pulled her rapidly across the cell until she reached a stone bench. She gestured to Katherine, who was sitting stiff as a poker on the bench, to scoot over, pushed Agatha down, and then plopped next to her. “There now, this is cozy.”
Agatha’s only response was a growl.
Katherine leaned forward. “Do you think we’ll have to stay here all night?”
“Unless Violet really did get away and thinks to go to Eliza for help,” Arabella replied.
“Why do you think she’d go to Eliza?” Katherine asked.
Arabella shrugged. “Violet’s a smart lady, and since she and her friends admitted to keeping an eye on all of us, she must know where Eliza lives. But we have no way of knowing if Violet will seek out Eliza, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
Katherine’s eyes began to gleam with satisfaction. “Harold is going to be beside himself with worry when I don’t come home. Maybe he’ll begin to appreciate me more.”
“Or maybe he’ll send you packing off to the country,” Agatha said. “That’s what my father threatened to do the first time I landed in jail.”
“Harold’s not my father, but . . . I bet he will try to pack me off to our country home. Truth be told, I adore languishing in the country. It’s so very restoring to my spirit.” She surprised Arabella when she laughed and then laughed again. “The two of you simply must agree to join me. We’ll have a splendid time.”
Perhaps Agatha wasn’t the only one who’d lost her mind.
Arabella got to her feet, moved around Agatha’s skirt, and came to a stop in front of Katherine. She reached out and patted Katherine’s shoulder. “Dear, I hate to point out the obvious, but I don’t believe Harold will be too keen on allowing you to be in our company again after what happened tonight.”
“Harold won’t be given a choice any longer regarding whom I associate with, and I take full responsibility for my being behind bars. You and Agatha are certainly not to blame, and I intend to tell Harold exactly that.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Arabella asked.
Katherine grinned. “I readily admit that I am. I feel as if I’ve seen a completely new side of the world.” Her grin faded. “You would not believe some of the stories I heard from those women tonight. They tore at my heart and made me realize what a pampered existence I live.”
Agatha sat forward on the bench. “Perhaps the night isn’t a complete loss after all.” She bent over, fought with the fabric of her skirt, and raised it above her knees as her head disappeared into the folds of silk. She reappeared a moment later with a small pad of paper and pen in her hand.
“How in the world did you manage to retain that when the officers divested us of our weapons?” Katherine asked.
“I always try to keep my tools of the trade, so to speak, up high on my thigh.” Agatha’s eyes sparkled. “The officer who was given the job of frisking me was a shy sort, and he didn’t bother to go much past my knee. Besides, I think they thought they’d confiscated all the good stuff when they took away my reticule.” She plopped the pad of paper on top of her skirt and nodded to Katherine. “So, tell me about those wrenching stories you heard.”
Katherine opened her mouth, but didn’t speak as her gaze suddenly settled on something beyond Arabella’s shoulder. She snapped her mouth shut, her eyes widened, and she pressed herself back against the wall.
Arabella turned as a hard-looking lady with brassy hair and an attitude to match stepped up in front of the bench and glared down at Agatha. “What are you doing?”
Agatha barely batted an eye. “I’m going to jot down some notes for my story. What does it look like I’m doing?”
The lady’s mouth thinned. “Judging by your constant complaining during the entire ride here, me and the other ladies came to believe you and your little friends hadn’t discovered anything of importance tonight. If that’s not true, you need to tell us what you found out. If it is true, you don’t have anything to write about.”
Agatha tapped her pen on the paper. “We did not find out anything about who is behind the missing ladies, but Katherine was just about to tell me some of the heart-wrenching stories she heard tonight. I could write a wonderful feature story with those.”
“We don’t need any bleeding-heart story,” the lady said. “The last thing we want is for all those do-gooders—women like the three of you, I might add—to read a sad tale and take to the streets to try to save us all.”
Lottie, with Hannah following a step behind, pushed her way through the group of ladies and stomped across the cell, her expression determined.
“That’s enough, Dot,” Lottie snapped as she stopped in front of Arabella and turned to face Dot. “These ladies braved much tonight to try and help us, and there is no reason to be rude to them.”
Dot’s eyes glittered. “I’m being rude?” She released a laugh that was more angry than amused. “I’m not the one who decided to play dress-up tonight and take to the streets. It’s no wonder we were raided with those three dressed in such ridiculous gowns.”
Arabella cleared her throat. “I hardly believe the blame for getting arrested can be laid at our feet. From what I understand, raids are a common occurrence in your line of work.”
“You understand nothing with your fancy manners and condescending air,” Dot hissed. “I heard you questioning some of the girls, asking them how you could assist them into a better life.” Another scary laugh erupted out of her mouth. “You, a woman who has never known a day of hardship in her life, think you know what’s best for us?”
An uncomfortable silence settled over the cell.
Arabella lifted her chin. “You don’t know me.”
Dot rolled her eyes. “You’re the great and mighty Arabella Beckett, champion of women across the country. How smug you must feel every day when you wake up and realize you’re so much better than every other woman out there.”
Hannah moved past Dot and, to Arabella’s surprise, stood in front of her, as if trying to block her from Dot’s harsh words.
“You go too far, Dot,” Hannah said. “Arabella didn’t have to help us.”
“But of course she did. A lady like Arabella Beckett loves nothing more than catering to those she feels are beneath her. It makes her feel important.”
“Ah, so this is a divine intervention, then, and has nothing to do with the fact that ladies like you always seem to act so much superior to all of us sinners.” Dot began tapping her foot against the floor. “If I understand you correctly, God, our heavenly Father, has specifically chosen you to carry out His will, and that’s why you work tirelessly for the cause, saving souls as you travel from city to city.”
Arabella stepped closer to Dot, facing her directly. “I realize your life has probably been extremely difficult, Dot, but I’m afraid I don’t understand why you’re targeting me with your anger. I’ve done nothing to deserve your disdain.”
“You’re incredibly judgmental.”
“I am not.”
“Then why do you assume your life is so much better than ours?”
Arabella blinked as something unpleasant settled in her stomach. Could Dot’s accusation have merit? Did she assume her life was better?
The unpleasantness in her stomach increased even as the truth swirled around in her mind.
Of course her life was better, no question about it, but did that make her judgmental?
She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “I have been blessed with a comfortable existence, so yes, I do believe my life is better. I don’t face the dangers you face every time you walk the streets, and I certainly can’t understand how anyone in your position could be content with such a life.”
Dot shrugged. “You might have a comfortable existence, Miss Beckett, but I have true freedom.”
Agatha stood, pushed down her skirt, and dropped her paper and pen to the bench. “Freedom you might have, but at what cost? Your life is frequently at risk. My friends and I never meant to insult any of you, but we are in a position to assist you. We can get you off the streets and into better positions.”
Dot’s eyes turned icy as she lifted her chin. “If you’re about to whip out a Bible from under that skirt of yours and start reading us Scripture, I might just feel compelled to smack you.”
“I didn’t actually have enough room to strap my Bible to my leg,” Agatha returned with a lift of her own chin.
“Well, we can thank the good Lord for that small favor.”
Lottie held up a hand. “I think that will do, Dot. It’s clear there are differences of opinion here, and nothing productive is going to come of spending our time bickering. Shall we agree to a truce and try to spend the rest of the night as pleasantly as possible?”
Dot looked as if she wanted to argue, but then without another word, she turned and flounced over to the front of the cell, presenting them with her back as she gripped the bars and began to converse with the ladies locked up in a cell across the hall.
Arabella breathed a silent sigh of relief when all the other ladies, except Lottie and Hannah, went to join Dot. She moved to the bench, sat down next to Katherine, and saw that her hands had taken to trembling. Lottie sat down beside her and rubbed her arm. “Don’t let Dot upset you, Arabella. She’s a bitter woman, and she doesn’t like anyone who is more fortunate than she is trying to tell her how to lead her life.”
Arabella blinked as unexpected tears stung her eyes. She swiped her eyes with her sleeve and drew in a shaky breath. “I didn’t mean to offend her.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” Hannah said, moving to stand in front of her. “She was very harsh with you, and it was completely undeserved. There is no way you could really understand our lives. You live in a different world, one that I couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Maybe I really am judgmental,” Arabella whispered as she ducked her head to hide the fact her eyes had taken to tearing up again.
“Good heavens, Arabella, everyone is judgmental to a certain extent,” Katherine said, rubbing Arabella’s back. “Why, I freely admit I was judgmental in regard to you until I really got to know you.”
Arabella raised her head. “What do you mean?”
Katherine pursed her lips. “I thought you were certain to be an unpleasant and masculine type, but instead I’ve discovered you’re delightful.”
Arabella’s eyes misted over again and she let out a small hiccup, but before she could thank Katherine for that rather odd compliment, Agatha interrupted.
“Shh, someone’s coming.”
The sound of a male voice drifted into the cell, becoming more audible as Dot and her friends went quiet.
Agatha’s mouth dropped open. “I think that’s Theodore.”
For just a moment, a glimmer of relief flowed through her, until she rapidly came to her senses. She turned to Lottie. “You’re going to have to hide us.”
“What do you mean, hide you?”
“You know, stand in front of us. If that’s really Theodore, we can’t let him know we’re here.”
Katherine scooted forward on the bench. “I’m afraid you’re not making much sense, Arabella. The only reason my brother would be here would be because he’s come to fetch us, and . . .” Katherine’s voice trailed off, her mouth went slack, and the red rouge on her face stood out vividly against her now pale face. She suddenly began shoving Lottie off the seat. “Don’t just sit there, Lottie, hide us. That’s my brother, my completely unreasonable brother, out there, and we can’t let him know I’m here. Why, just look at the way I’m dressed, and this wig I’m wearing, and . . .”
Arabella couldn’t help but grin as Katherine’s words came out faster and faster, until Arabella couldn’t even decipher what Katherine was saying.
“She’s rather pushy,” Lottie said with a sniff. She gestured to Hannah after she got to her feet. The two ladies presented Arabella with a nice view of their backs as they spread out their skirts.
“I need to be on that bench too,” Agatha said, then slipped past Lottie and Hannah and sat down between Arabella and Katherine. “We need to make ourselves as small as possible.”
“Good luck with that,” Lottie tossed over her shoulder. Then she turned her head and began to whistle an unrecognizable tune.
Theodore’s voice suddenly sounded incredibly close, and Arabella winced as Katherine dug her fingers into her arm.
“You’re hurting me,” she whispered.
Katherine sent her an apologetic look but didn’t remove her fingers. Arabella began to pry them off, then stilled when Dot let out a loud, remarkably shrill laugh.
“Mr. Wilder. What a delicious surprise.”
“Dot, how lovely to see you, although not under these conditions,” Theodore said, his raspy voice causing a trail of goose bumps to travel down Arabella’s arm.
“I cannot believe he is personally acquainted with these ladies,” Arabella whispered.
“He’s a private investigator,” Katherine said, keeping her voice low. “He knows all sorts of people, ladies included.”
“We’ve missed your charming company,” Dot purred.
Arabella’s mouth dropped open. “Private investigator or not, Dot seems a bit . . . familiar with him.”
“For a lady who claims to hold no interest in my brother, you sound almost jealous.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Arabella hissed before she leaned to the right in order to peer cautiously around Lottie.
She tried to ignore the way her pulse quickened when she got her first good look at Theodore. He was standing in front of their cell, completely at his ease as he conversed with Dot, his hair attractively rumpled, and his mouth curved into an amused smile. She blew out a breath. Who looked that handsome when it was the middle of the night and after most likely having been pulled from sleep? For some strange reason, her temper began to simmer when she realized, by the way Dot and all the other ladies were cooing and batting their lashes at
Theodore, that they’d obviously taken note of Theodore’s all-too-handsome face and masculine appeal as well. Her temper moved from simmering to boiling.
Why, he was being charming, deliberately so. Her jaw clenched. He was never charming in her company, only annoying. Why did he reserve his charm for ladies who . . . She blinked and wouldn’t allow her mind to finish the thought as shame shot through her.
Good heavens, Dot was right. She did believe she was better than the ladies now pressed against the bars of the cell, and that certainly didn’t speak well of her character. She sagged against the cold wall and pretended not to notice the concerned looks Katherine and Agatha were sending her way. Her dark thoughts were distracted when one of the ladies standing at the front of the cell suddenly let out a giggle.
“Do tell us what you’re doing here tonight, Mr. Wilder. Have you just taken into custody a horrible criminal and brought him to jail to await justice?”
Theodore released a booming laugh, the sound setting Arabella’s teeth on edge, which, strange as it seemed, caused her to feel a little better. Anger was always much easier to deal with than self-reflection.
“No criminals for me tonight, darling. I’m actually looking for three ladies.”
Dot’s throaty gurgle bounced around the cell. “I’d say you’ve found about thirty.”
Theodore’s laugh joined Dot’s, which had Arabella wishing she had something to throw at the man. He was too suave and debonair for his own good. Of course, if she did throw something at him, it would completely defeat the purpose of hiding.
“While it does seem as if I’ve been fortunate to stumble upon a bevy of beauties,” Theodore began, “I’m looking for two lovely blondes and one black-haired lady.”
“I’m a blonde,” Dot said.
“And a very attractive one at that,” Theodore said. “But I have three specific ladies in mind. From what I understand, they decided to go undercover to obtain a story, so they might be disguised.”