Despite the quickness of the encounter, it had been utterly satisfying. Josie wondered at her excitement from it all evening. The night at the Society, she had felt similarly when anyone might have walked in and seen them. Why had it had aroused her? Was it possible she actually wanted to be watched?
No… the very idea made her shudder, but the thought someone might catch them was different somehow. Possibly the secrecy added to the intimacy.
Whatever the reason, the rest of the evening, she felt even more connected to Elijah, and when they tumbled into bed that evening, their lovemaking was passionate.
Chapter 28
Elijah
My Lord,
I urge you to visit the Tramp’s Den with me this evening. I have received word our elusive Frenchman will be there. I will be there at half-past midnight.
~Mitchell
Anticipation and excitement rose in Elijah’s chest. Finally, after days of frustration and a lack of leads, he may be able to find the Frenchman who had set Josie up. Not that he regretted the events as they happened—he did not think he would be married to Josie otherwise, and his life would be the sadder for it—but if the villain had succeeded, it would have caused great unhappiness for his family and him personally. Not only that, they could not rely on the traitor’s future machinations to have such happy endings.
Theton’s entertainments would still be in full swing at half-past but would have gone on long enough, no one would think it amiss if he stepped away.
“What is that?”
Elijah’s first instinct was to hide the letter from Josie, but he did no more than twitch when he heard her voice. He did not mean to keep things from her anymore, not after he had promised to keep her informed.
Lifting his head, hiding his reaction, he smiled when he saw her standing in the hall with his father, both of them looking at him curiously.
“Exciting news?” his father asked amiably, though his eyes were alight with sharp curiosity, knowing no invitation or social note would cause Elijah such elation.
“Mitchell believes the Frenchman will be at the Tramp’s Den tonight,” Elijah said simply, striding forward to pass the note to his father. Josie leaned in to look, and Elijah saw his father hesitate for a moment before tilting the paper to accommodate her. Including Josie would take some getting used to, but if it kept her happy and from following Evie’s example, it would be worth it.
His father straightened, a grin spreading across his face, just like Elijah. They had both been in the game long enough to have a sense for when there was going to be a break in the case, and this was it. Elijah knew it. It did not hurt to see his father had the same presentiment.
“What is the Tramp’s Den?” Josie’s confusion made Elijah wince. She, of course, did not possess the same intuition, nor did she have any knowledge of the Tramp’s Den. Discussions about gaming hells were not for ladies’ ears, but he had promised to keep her informed.
“It’s a gaming hell in one of the worst parts of London.”
A little scowl furrowed her brow, and she looked up at him, opening her mouth to say something before glancing to the side at his father and dropping her head. Elijah realized she had almost revealed how his last trip through the streets of London had gone, then remembered he was keeping that particular incident from his father. She was keeping his secrets, even from his father, proving she could be trusted. A happy warmth spread through his chest.
They truly were a partnership.
“Well, you cannot go alone.” Josie’s scowl deepened, her lips pursing together.
He knew keeping of his secret would only go so far if she felt he was in danger, and though it was frustrating, that warmed him in a different manner.
“I will not be alone. I will meet Mitchell there.” This time he would also be more on guard instead of lost in his own thoughts. “I will be careful.”
“I should come with you.”
“Absolutely not,” he and his father said in unison, horrified by the very idea. They exchanged a quick glance, and Father grasped Josie’s arm.
“The Warrens are no place for a woman unless she’s… well, suffice to say, the only women there are the ones…” Father floundered to find a genteel way to tell Josie the only women in the Warrens were lightskirts and not the best quality of those. Since Elijah did not have any suggestions and was perfectly happy to let Father explain to Josie why she could not join him, he kept his mouth firmly shut.
Josie rolled her eyes at both of them. “The whores? I am not entirely naïve, you know.”
Josie
Men… always thinking they knew better than everyone. She enjoyed seeing their expressions when they realized she knew exactly what Elijah’s father was referring to.
She would spare both of them the knowledge it had been Evie who had educated Josie and the others about the occupations available to women who had fallen on hard times and did not have the skills or opportunity to find other avenues of work. There were not many opportunities at all for women, especially women on their own. Evie had explained the different levels of selling oneself, from the mistress of a wealthy man all the way down to the three-penny-uprights.