Jack of Clubs Read Online Free PDF

shall try the other door. Perhaps they are more hospitable there.” She picked up one of her suitcases. “And we will inform Captain Endicott of his surly staff.”
    Harriet was already hefting her bag and “accidentally” knocked the doorman in the shin with its brass corner. “At least I do not have to write my name on my arm in order to remember it,” she said, loudly enough for the man to hear.
    Allie pulled her away. “I do not think the man’s name is Snake, dear. And I do not think it wise to antagonize a member of one’s own household.”
    â€œI’m not staying. You’ll see. Double or nothing.”
    â€œYou are staying,” Allie said firmly, knocking on the other door. It swung open at her rap.
    Maybe Harriet would not be staying, after all.
    This entry was a long, narrow room, with wooden benches along both sides. The benches seemed filled with…Well, Allie did not use such words, and perhaps young women in London dressed differently from those in the country, wearing lower necklines, tighter bodices, and face paint.
    Allie did not think so. Neither did Harriet, whose mouth was hanging open. “They look like…”
    Allie clapped her hand over the child’s mouth. She took a deep breath, ignoring the smell of liberal amounts of inexpensive perfume and less amounts of soap and water. Under the unwelcome odors was the blessed scent of fresh paint. “…Applicants for housemaids,” she completed the girl’s sentence. “The captain must have moved in recently and is renovating and hiring his staff.”
    He must be a bachelor, for no agency would send such…colorful females to be interviewed for positions. Allie did not think any proper female’s lips could be so red, although she was aware her own cheeks must be pink by now, and not just with the fever. Perhaps they all had a contagion. But there went her hopes of any Mrs. Captain Endicott keeping her on as governess. An unmarried man would send Harriet to some school, or to his family.
    A desk was positioned at the far end of the room, with a gentleman sitting behind it. He had sandy-colored hair, a neatly tied neckcloth, and a pleasant, although tired looking expression on his face as he spoke to one of the women.
    Allie sat Harriet down on an empty stretch of the bench near the door, as far from any of the other women as possible, their baggage around her. “Stay there while I announce us to the captain.”
    She headed toward the opposite end of the room and the desk, not looking at the hard-faced women to either side of her. Then one of them called out, “Here now, where do you think you’re goin’, missy? You can wait in the queue like the rest of us.”
    â€œThere is a line?”
    â€œThat’s right. First come, first served. You’re after Darla, over there.” A dark-haired woman pointed to a plump redhead sitting near the entrance door, across from Harriet.
    â€œI beg your pardon. You are all here to see Captain Endicott?”
    â€œCap’n Jack, that’s right,” the black-haired woman said. “Iffen we get past the bloke at the desk. You’d think he was guarding the pearly gates the way he acts.”
    Even as she spoke, a young woman with improbably yellow hair turned from the desk and trudged down the length of the room, her head lowered, her feet dragging.
    â€œToo bad, ducks,” a different redhead called out to her, while the man at the desk sighed and said, “Next.”
    Another fair-haired woman stepped up to the desk and he smiled at her.
    â€œYou mean that is not Captain Endicott?” Allie asked, disappointed, for the man looked kindly and polite.
    â€œNah, that’s Mr. Downs, Jack’s assistant. He does all the work while the cap’n plays.”
    Allie glanced again at the women on the benches. “He…plays?”
    The female with black hair poked her neighbor.