at Clermont, who lay
on the bed, his handwritten pages in one hand, the fat cigar
between the fingers of the other.
“We agreed you will not entertain here,” he
said.
“I can’t help it if the ladies come after me.”
Clermont took a big puff of the cigar, and ash spilled onto his
chest. “You’ll just pay the staff a little extra, and I can at last
employ my staff in more pleasant surroundings.”
“No, Clermont. The rules aren’t going to change just
because we’re not in London.” Reed picked up the list of ships
heading back to England and waved it in his usual unspoken threat
of handing in his notice.
Clermont swung his legs off the bed. “Laddie, I am
sad we aren’t getting along lately.”
“You’re sad that the more responsible members of
your family will probably send the law after you if I scarper.”
“Not at all, but I know they’ll ship someone even
less fit and able than my old friend Reed.”
“God bless the man your family sends. He’ll need God
on his side.” Reed pulled out a watch and slumped down into a
chair. “Is the female downstairs a professional? Because they
warned me again at the front desk—this is a respectable
establishment. If any more ladies of the night show up asking for
you—”
“I tell you, I hadn’t made any plans. Now I might.
I’ll nip down and take a good look at her.” He rubbed his hands
together.
“No. I’ll nip down and send her on her way.
You push the limits of my patience.”
Clermont still wore that vapid smile that meant he
wasn’t thinking about anything other than plowing into whichever
female waited for him downstairs.
Reed tried again. “You said you wanted to go to the
Lotus House tonight. Save your strength for that.”
Clermont flopped back down and stubbed out the cigar
on the bedside table. “Very well.”
Reed examined the man lounging on the bed. He’d
learned Clermont’s mannerisms well enough to know when the man
planned to escape his keeper, and this wasn’t one of those times.
Apparently the reminder of the Lotus House had worked.
One of the older siblings in a large family, Reed
knew how to manage small children, and Clermont’s personality
rather resembled a toddler’s. One could take away his toys far more
easily if one dangled the promise of another treat in front of him.
Keep him busy, and he’d stay out of trouble. What a pity Clermont
wasn’t a small child instead of a strong, reasonably good-looking,
too-wealthy, unbridled idiot.
Reed picked up his wallet and hat. If necessary,
he’d escort the woman from the premises, perhaps pay her cab
fare—or even more. He had grown weary of Clermont and most of his
ladies, but occasionally the female who’d hunted down the rich
Englishman was desperate and hungry.
God knew he wasn’t a puritanical soul—or hadn’t been
until he’d held this job for several weeks—but it gave Reed
positive pleasure to give such a woman a hefty sum from Clermont’s
purse as he informed her she needn’t use her body to earn her
living for at least a few days.
He avoided the creaking elevator and used the stairs
all the way to the first floor. The bellboy asked him to wait in a
semiprivate lounge while he fetched the lady.
“Who is this lady?”
“Dunno.” The bellboy pushed away the strap to his
cap and absently scratched at a red mark on his chin. “Didn’t give
a name. I swear it, Cap’n. Said it was personal business.”
Confirmation that she was up to no good.
Reed settled himself in a chair and waited. The last
one who’d shown up at the hotel had tried to seduce him, and
despite months of celibacy, he’d said no without much regret.
There was only one female who’d appealed to him
lately. She’d drawn him with her full, expressive mouth, the
delicious curves of her figure, but he’d grown too accustomed to
that sort of appeal—Clermont would only visit sexually arousing
women. The difference was he’d also decided he liked her. He’d had
a