She just needed to remain calm, quiet, and patient. Nothing bad was going to happen to her. Her death would assuredly give rise to inquiries, would it not?
She hadn’t quite known where the person would meet her, but she didn’t have to wait long. The pitter patter of footsteps alerted Selena to another person, and a woman’s voice issued from the shadows.
“You came.”
“You thought I wouldn’t?” Selena asked with a guarded tone she reserved for those who were not enemies but not yet friends.They must have been watching her, and even if they weren’t, the scene at the alehouse should have brought her to their attention, if nothing else, but what sort of attention that was, she could not yet say.
“I wasn’t sure, to be frank.” A figure appeared from the darkness. Cloaked in red. “I didn’t think you would come alone.”
“I’m here.” But she didn’t want to tarry. “And I’m not alone.” A bluff if there ever was one. “Why did you ask to meet?”
“We have something you want, and you have something we want.”
Now that was interesting, and it surprised Selena. “What could I possibly have that you want?”
“The betting book you stole from White’s.”
Her entire body froze and, for a second, even her brain. They wanted that old, cursed misery of a book? “Why ever would you want the book?”
“That is our business.”
Fair enough. She didn’t care anyway. “And what would I receive in turn for the book?” Selena already suspected the answer.
“An invitation into our club.”
Finally.The long-awaited invitation.
How unfortunate that she felt no relief, no giddiness whatsoever, after receiving the one thing she’d wanted for so long.
“Do not tell me you don’t want our invitation anymore?” the voice asked when she did not reply.
Anymore.The arrogance! Not misplaced though . . .
But why now? “Won’t the book be my business too if I enter the club?” Selena asked instead of answering the woman’s question.
“You are a sharp one.” The woman chuckled. “Yes, it will, but that is business for when you join. And the betting book is the price of admission.”
How curious. “Do all members pay a price of admission?”
“Of course. No club is without its membership fees. Ours is merely a once-off fee of money, object, or favor.”
Money, object, or favor?
Theodosia would be dying of laughter by now, pointing a finger—I told you so.
“If the betting book is the price of admission, why ask for it only now? We’ve had it for weeks.”
“Yes, but we didn’t know who stole the book. Then a few of you released copies of its pages. After that, we had to observe you and decide who best to approach.”
“And I’m the only one who showed blatant interest in joining your club.”
“You have been quite obvious about it, yes.”
“Why meet me in such a horrifying place?” Selena crossed her arms. “Could we not have met elsewhere?”
“My apologies for the unpleasantness of the location, but you have people following you, so we had to be careful.”
Was she talking about Warrick? Selena didn’t think that was the only reason she chose this as their meeting place.
