Scoundrel Ever After (Secrets and Scandals) Read online

  Audrey’s skin prickled. “What’s going to happen to him?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but from what I hear Gin Jimmy’s angrier than anyone’s ever seen ’im.” That didn’t sound good at all. “Come on, we ’ave to get downstairs.” She gave Audrey a pitying look, then turned and led her back down to the ground floor. Instead of going to the front of the flash house, where the common room was located, they turned to the back of the building. They entered an extravagantly decorated room. The walls were hung with silk, the furniture ornate and expensive, if a bit mismatched. There was a dais at the opposite end with a large chair surrounded by lush pillows littering the floor. It was a reception area fit for a king who prized decadence and self-importance.

  A stout man with a shock of white hair came from a door in the corner and climbed the dais to sit in the chair. Audrey recognized his face—the man who’d been wearing the livery at Lockwood House: Gin Jimmy.

  He was dressed in clothing that suited his surroundings—a dark velvet frock coat and a garish silk waistcoat with alternating red and gold stripes. Lace from the cuffs of his shirt draped over his hand, which were covered in brightly jeweled rings. He looked like an aging dandy.

  “Miss Cheswick at last. Ye know who I am?” He held his hand out just as a boy rushed to his side with a gold goblet.

  “Gin Jimmy.” She noted the men who’d clustered at the sides of the dais. Rough-looking men like Perkins and Bird, who were standing a few feet away.

  “Ye’ve done well,” Gin Jimmy said to them. “Ye’ve earned yer keep.” He inclined his head at the man closest to the dais, a surprisingly young fellow with spectacles. He withdrew two pouches from his coat and tossed them at Perkins and Bird.

  They each caught their pay, bowed their heads, and left. Bird flashed her a nasty leer as he passed.

  Audrey suppressed a shiver. They hadn’t touched her beyond moving her here and there, but the danger surrounding her was seeping into her bones by degrees. She glanced behind her for a supportive look from Nan, but the maid was gone.

  “Were ye comfortable upstairs?” Gin Jimmy asked before taking a draught from his gaudy chalice.

  “Not particularly.”

  Gin Jimmy laughed. “Ye’ve got fire. No wonder my boy Jagger likes ye. But at least I didn’t put ye to work. I’m thinkin’ ye’d rather not do that.”

  A chill settled over her. “No. Thank you.”

  “Polite too.” Gin Jimmy chuckled, shaking his head. “What’s happened to my boy? He’s traded a good life for a bit of Society fluff. Question is, can ye keep his attention? At least long enough for him to come after ye?”

  Audrey looked at the group of men with their pistols and knives and was glad Ethan couldn’t walk into this trap. “He can’t. He’s been arrested by Bow Street.”

  Gin Jimmy took another swig from his cup and handed it back to the boy who’d kneeled on one of the pillows. “That won’t stop him.”

  Audrey couldn’t contain her curiosity—or her worry. “What do you mean?”

  He lifted a velvet-clad shoulder and Audrey noticed a sparkle in his earlobe, an earring. “Jagger’s a cunning lad. He’ll find a way to get out. And if he doesn’t”—he glanced at his small army and grinned, stirring them to grin and chuckle in return—“they’ll try him and sentence him to hang.” His tone had turned cold, vicious. His eyes shrank to terrifying slits.

  Audrey clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking, but it was no use. A shudder shook her frame. She couldn’t countenance either of those outcomes. “What do you plan to do with me?”

  “We’ll just wait fer a bit. I’m not lettin’ Bow Street rob me of sendin’ ’im to ’is maker. If necessary, we’ll get ’im out and then ’e’ll come for ye.”

  She tried to show bravado. “He may not.” Could Jimmy tell she was lying?

  He scrutinized her a long moment. “I think ’e will. ’E dragged ye all over England. Aye, ’e’ll come fer ye, and then I’ll gut ’im. I’m going to ’ave some luncheon. Ye must be famished.” He made the observation as if he hadn’t just promised to murder the man she loved.

  Audrey could only stare at the garish fiend. But then her stomach growled, prompting everyone in the room—save the boy—to laugh.

  “Stay and eat then.” He stood and walked down the steps of the dais toward her. She fought the urge to turn and run. He held out his hand. “Come, dearie. Let us share a meal and ye can tell me all about our boy Jagger.”

  Audrey didn’t want to tell him a thing. “I’d rather not.”

  Gin Jimmy’s eyes hardened. “Ye ought not turn down my generosity. Wouldn’t want ye to end up in a room upstairs.”

  His threat had the desired effect. Audrey could scarcely breathe through her fear. She gave him her shaking hand. He took it and she steeled herself against the rush of revulsion as he led her to a baroque table at the side of the room. The boy rushed to hold a chair for her.

  After Gin Jimmy was seated at the head of the table and she on his right side, the crime lord snapped his fingers. A young woman rushed forward and curtseyed to him. Her gown was even more revealing than Audrey’s. The woman, little more than a girl really, was a tiny thing, but her breasts had been pushed up until they swelled above the neckline nonetheless.

  “Fetch Marie,” Gin Jimmy said to her.

  She dashed from the room and came back a moment later with a very attractive woman. She was curvaceous, with blazing red hair and full lips. Her attire was equally scandalous, but for some bizarre reason it suited her. She didn’t look nearly as awkward as Audrey felt.

  “Marie,” Gin Jimmy said, “this is Miss Cheswick. She’s Jagger’s new plaything. Miss Cheswick, this is Marie.” His eyes narrowed with devious intent. “She’s Jagger’s old plaything.”

  Guffaws sounded from the gallery of men near the dais. Gin Jimmy laughed with them, then inclined his head for them to take seats at the table.

  Audrey stared at Marie, who was beautiful, despite her vivid attire. Jealousy pricked her, but she quashed it. Thinking of Ethan with another woman was pointless. He loved her. And he would come for her. But no! She didn’t want him to walk into a trap.

  Marie sauntered toward her. “Can’t see what Jagger’d want with ye. But I s’pose it was all part of his act.” She leaned down and sneered in Audrey’s face. “Can’t pretend to be a fancy gent without a fancy gel on yer arm.”

  Audrey opened her mouth to tell Marie she was far more than arm decoration, but Gin Jimmy snapped his fingers again and more scantily-clad women appeared bearing trenchers of food. As a steaming plate was placed before her, Audrey struggled between hunger and nausea. She looked around at the men attacking their meals and wondered how she was ever going to escape this nightmare. She wanted to pray for Ethan to find her, but couldn’t bear to see him killed. Neither could she contemplate him hanging. If a more hopeless situation existed, Audrey couldn’t imagine it. All she could do was fight for her survival. With that thought, she picked up a piece of bread and ate.

  Chapter Eighteen

  DESPITE A BATH, fresh clothing from his own apartment at the Bevelstoke fetched by a pair of Jason’s footmen, and two glasses of whisky, Ethan didn’t feel remotely fortified.

  They were still waiting for Carlyle to arrive, so Ethan had asked Jason to meet him in the office. Ethan paced the room like a caged animal, occasionally looking up at the portrait of their father, which strangely gave him a modicum of solace. Father had loved him, had wanted the best for him despite his illegitimacy. He would’ve hated what had happened to Ethan, what Ethan had done. The solace melted into shame.

  Jason came into the office and shut the door. “Carlyle’s not here yet.”

  “I know. But there are . . . elements to the plan I wanted to share with you alone.”

  Jason blinked at him, appearing astonished, as he sat behind his desk. “You want to share something with me?”

  Ethan stopped his pacing to glare at his brother. “Is now really
the time for sarcasm?”

  Jason held up a hand. “My apologies. I’m just shocked.”

  “If you’re going to pretend to be me, I may as well tell you why you’re going where you’re going.”

  “And where’s that?” Jason asked.

  “A flash house off Portugal Street—the Brazen Bride.”

  Jason sat back in his chair and studied Ethan. “Why is this particular place important?”

  “It’s where I first met Jimmy.” Memories rushed over him. He immediately smelled the filth and the putridity and the cheap perfumes that were used to hide the overwhelming stench of desperation and decay. He’d wanted to cry at the loss of the comforts he’d known, but such weakness had been beaten out of him right after his mother had died. “After you turned me away, I went to Davis. He’d been Mother’s final protector.” Ethan didn’t look at Jason while he spoke, but went to the bookshelves that lined two walls of the room and sightlessly studied the spines. He didn’t want to see the play of emotions cross Jason’s face. And if there weren’t any, he didn’t want to see that either.

  “He was a thief-taker, but corrupt,” Ethan continued. “I didn’t know that at first and I was simply glad to have a roof over my head, which he’d arranged for me at the Brazen Bride.”

  “You went to live in a flash house.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement toned with disbelief.

  Ethan glanced at Jason, but didn’t let his gaze linger. “That’s where I met Jimmy—back when he was just Jimmy Gare.” Ethan recalled the younger version of Jimmy, with his red-blond hair shot with only a few strands of white and his jovial grin. Something inside of Ethan bent, but he ignored the reaction. “He took a liking to me, I don’t know why.” Though he could guess. He’d been young, vulnerable, and desperate for someone to treat him with kindness. Davis had helped him, but he could be cruel, demanding. He beat Ethan and his crew when they didn’t score enough. “I worked in Davis’s theft gang, and Jimmy’s gangs were rivals. Davis was setting me up with a job so that he could take the bounty for catching me and the crew. Jimmy helped me foil his plan, and it was Davis who was arrested and hanged.”

  Jason’s intake of air sounded like a thunderclap. “Jesus, Ethan. How old were you?”

  Ethan shrugged. He didn’t want Jason’s pity. “Barely fifteen. After that, I joined one of Jimmy’s gangs and eventually took it over.” Why not tell him the whole truth like he’d told Audrey? “I had to kill the leader of the gang. It was that or be killed. Jimmy congratulated me and encouraged my leadership.” Jimmy had taken Ethan under his wing and brought him up through the ranks. He’d risen along with Jimmy as he’d grown his criminal empire. “Eventually I oversaw all of Jimmy’s thieving operations, but I refused to become involved with any of his brothels or gin shops. I figured one vice was enough to see me to hell.”

  “Why are you telling me all of this?”

  Now Ethan turned. “Because the Brazen Bride is where my life changed. It’s where I left my life as Ethan Lockwood behind and became Ethan Jagger. It’s where Gin Jimmy found me, thoroughly corrupted me, and treated me like his son. I would’ve done anything to please him.” And he had. Thankfully, he hadn’t had to kill, only on occasion to protect himself, as with the leader of the gang, but he’d ensured plenty of people had carried out Jimmy’s death sentences. Ethan might not have wielded the weapons, but he felt the blood on his hands just the same.

  Jason stood and came around his desk. He strode toward Ethan, stopping only a foot away. “I don’t know what to say. All this time I hated you for giving me a stupid scar and ruining my reputation, when your life has been nothing but an open wound. Would that you had a scar, for that would mean your injury is old and healed.” He pulled Ethan into a hug. “I wish I could go back and make my mother take you in.”

  For a moment, Ethan just stood there. Jimmy had hugged him at first. But the outward affection had decreased as Ethan had gotten older, which made sense. Men like them didn’t show their emotions, particularly between each other. Yet, Ethan had always known Jimmy cared for him, as much as a bastard like him could care for anyone. It was the one thing that had kept Ethan human.

  “We’re going to get Audrey back,” Jason said, pounding his fist against Ethan’s back. “And we’re going to eliminate Jimmy from your life. He isn’t your family, Ethan. I am.”

  Ethan closed his eyes and hugged his brother. The tension in his chest splintered and emotion swept through him. He squeezed his eyelids tight and held on.

  A moment later, a discreet cough broke them apart. Jason’s butler, North, stood just over the threshold. “Lord Carlyle is here, along with Lord Sevrin and Lord and Lady Saxton. Lady Lockwood will be pouring tea for them in the drawing room.”

  Ethan looked at Jason. “You included Lydia?”

  Jason moved toward the door. “Of course. Audrey is her dearest friend, and you know my wife, she’s not to be deterred.”

  Ethan followed him, glad for this trifling conversation after the weight of his revelations. “Your wife? You were married by special license while I was gone?”

  “I’m afraid we couldn’t wait for the banns to be read. I had to get her away from her vicious aunt.”

  “Yes, I’m sure that’s the only reason for your haste.” Ethan gave him a knowing look. “I’m still sorry to have missed the occasion.”

  Jason turned and clapped his shoulder. “We’ll celebrate at your wedding.”

  Ethan silently prayed that would come to pass, but didn’t want to dwell on it. Instead, he recalled something from earlier that day. “Do you know what happened to Oak? He was going to testify that I’d paid him to poison Lady Aldridge.”

  Jason shrugged. “He might’ve gotten on a ship bound for the Orient or some faraway place. You could ask Scot.”

  Gratitude—an emotion Ethan reserved for very few occasions and even fewer people—swelled within him.

  They went to the drawing room, where Carlyle, Saxton, Lady Saxton, Sevrin, and Lady Lockwood were already seated. North’s twin, and Jason’s manservant, Scot, was just delivering the tea tray. Instead of departing, he took an empty chair.

  Ethan’s gaze settled on Scot, and on his brother, North, who lingered near the door.

  “We need all the help we can get,” Jason said, sitting beside his wife on a plush settee. He indicated for Ethan to take the chair angled beside him, then turned his attention to the former magistrate. “Carlyle, what did you learn?”

  Carlyle inched forward in his chair opposite Ethan. “She’s at the Cup and Burrow. Arrived sometime this morning.” He looked to Ethan. “There are men stationed at all of your usual haunts, including the Bevelstoke.” Carlyle glanced at Jason. “Because Jason’s retainers went there to obtain your things, Jimmy is undoubtedly aware that you are no longer at Bow Street.”

  “Does he know Ethan’s here?” Jason took his wife’s hand. “Is it safe?”

  “I’ve asked Bow Street to post a couple of Runners outside, just in case.”

  Ethan’s insides churned with anxiety. “It doesn’t matter, I won’t be staying. We need to act. Do you know if Audrey is all right?”

  “Not specifically, no.” Carlyle grimaced apologetically. “I agree we need to move quickly.”

  Ethan removed a piece of parchment from his coat. “I drafted this letter to Jimmy, asking him to meet me at the Brazen Bride. I’ve used . . . language that should be enough to draw him forth.”

  Sevrin leaned forward. “What does that mean?”

  Jason jumped to answer before Ethan could. “They share a common background. The Brazen Bride is where they met and Ethan believes the location holds enough personal meaning that Jimmy won’t be able to deny Ethan’s request.” He shot Ethan a questioning look. Ethan nodded imperceptibly, relieved that Jason understood and that Ethan didn’t need to explain anything to the rest of them.

  Carlyle took the paper. “I’ll see that it’s delivered.”

  “I, of course, won’t be at the Braze
n Bride; Jason will be. In addition to covering his scar, he’ll wear some of my clothing, which I had his footmen bring from my apartment—things that are known to belong to me.” Ethan allowed a small smile. “I’m quite known for my style.” He flashed his left hand, which bore three of his rings, including the one inscribed with L that he’d had made after he’d amassed some of his wealth.

  “I’ll go with his lordship,” Scot said.

  Carlyle opened his mouth, but Jason cut him off. “Scot has some experience in the underworld. I wouldn’t take anyone else.”

  Carlyle nodded. “I’ll be waiting nearby, watching for Jimmy so that we can apprehend him. I’ll have some of my old constable friends with me.” He turned to Ethan. “We’ll send a message to you as soon as we arrest him so you know you’re free and clear.”

  “What can we do?” Sevrin asked, indicating himself and Saxton. “You know I can fight, but you should know Saxton’s nearly as skilled.”

  “Nearly?” Saxton sounded mildly affronted. On any other afternoon, Ethan would’ve laughed.

  “This can go several ways,” Ethan said slowly. He’d thought this through every way possible over the past hours. In the best scenario, Jimmy went to the Brazen Bride and was arrested. In the worst, Jimmy never left the Cup and Burrow, and Ethan was forced into his trap. “You can help Carlyle. Or you can wait for me outside St. Giles.” The rat’s castle was no place for men like them. They’d be eaten alive.

  Saxton frowned. “If we dress appropriately, why can’t we go in with you? Can’t we pass for your lackeys?”

  “I can’t endanger you that way.” He looked at Sevrin. “Lady Sevrin,” he glanced at Saxton’s wife, “and I’m sure Lady Saxton, would never forgive me. Please, don’t.” Ethan hoped Sevrin knew how sincerely he meant it.

  Sevrin stared at him a long moment before settling back in his chair with a slight nod. He looked over at Saxton and shook his head.