The carriage swayed back and forth, making Lucy’s stomach toss. It was most likely due to her nerves and not knowing what to expect. Or it could be the dress she wore, which showed off a great deal of skin, more so than she was used to.
She’d selected one of the most daring dresses in Rue’s wardrobe, a royal-green taffeta with black lace trim and off-the-shoulder sleeves with a bustle in the back. No ribbons adorned the hem or the bodice. She felt completely bare, her chest on display with nothing to cover it. She didn’t even have a necklace to adorn her throat since she didn’t own any jewelry except for her wedding ring hidden underneath the ivory elbow-length gloves she wore. She inhaled, her corset pinching. She’d abandoned a chemise and wore only two petticoats under the gown because it was just too tight.
“You look beautiful, Luce. Green suits you.” Approval lined Chase’s tone.
He looked dashing in his dark-gray jacket and trousers with a green vest to match her dress. He’d planned it after she told him what she was going to wear. She had expected some sort of complaint over the lack of fabric covering her bosom, but he didn’t have any. For some reason, he wanted her to style her hair better. She had tried to pretty it up with the aid of a maid, but it was no use. Her hair was one of the banes of her existence. She kept it back in a chignon, with a few tendrils framing her face.
“Thank you, little brother. I hope this plan of yours works. I still don’t understand why you think I can help.”
“Colby won’t listen to me if I come alone. I couldn’t ask Rue for obvious reasons, and she would kill Freddy if he took one step near the club. Colby would never expect you to visit Pythos.”
“I hope it’s the case because I don’t want us to stay any longer than we have to. We find Colby, and then leave.” She swallowed back her anxiety as the carriage came to a halt in front of a brightly lit brick building with two massive double doors. Men in top hats and dressed as if they were going to the theater or a ball strolled up the front steps.
“And here we are.” He slapped his knees. “We’ll be in and out in two hours at the most. We’re early, so there shouldn’t be too much of a crush.”
From the number of people, she doubted it. Several groups of men and women entered the building. The women wore masks, but the men none at all.
“This is a masquerade, correct? Why are women wearing masks and not the men?”
“Some of the men wait until they’re inside to wear one. Oh, before I forget, here’s yours.” He presented her with a white satin mask with a gold-tipped ostrich feather attached to the right side.
It was quite lovely and unlike anything she had ever worn. She drew it over her face and righted it. She could see clearly, even though when she blinked, the inside of the mask rubbed her cheeks and forehead.
“How do I look?” She patted her hair and fixed her gloves. She was trying to ignore the tugging sensation in her stomach and the rubbing of her bodice on her bosom where the fabric chafed her nipples, causing them to tighten. She grabbed her shawl from her seat and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Beautiful, like always.” He nodded in approval.
She smiled in gratitude. Not many thought her beautiful, not her parents or even her husband. But Chase always had.
“And you’re handsome,” she complimented back, and he gave her a huge grin.
He opened the door and stepped out ahead of her. She climbed out of the carriage and, taking her brother’s arm, walked into the unknown.
* * *
The Pythos Club was unlike anything Lucy had ever seen, not that she had much to go on since she had never been inside such a place. It looked like a combination of a ballroom and theater, with walls lined with red velvet and the ceiling a bright-white marble. People were dressed to the nines, the majority of the men in tails or suits one would wear to a ball. The women wore a wide array of gowns in different colors and styles. Most wore masks, but the men in the vicinity didn’t. Chase was one of the many who had abstained. To her surprise, he was greeted many times as they made their way to the main room where there was music and dancing. There was conversation all around her, and the press of the bodies soon became overwhelming.
Chase escorted her to the immense ballroom where a woman dressed in purple sang far too loud on stage with men playing various instruments behind her. Lucy winced when the singer hit a high note.
She clutched Chase, her head swiveling from left to right, taking in everything around her and almost losing her footing on the waxed floor. An older man with salt-and-pepper hair walked past and leered at her. She shuddered and held her brother tighter.
“Are you all right?” He stopped near a grouping of potted plants. A waiter passed with a tray of drinks, and he took two.
“Now I am.” She fanned her face, using her gloved hands since she didn’t have a fan. She wanted to blend in, and in order to do it, she had to be like any other woman here, showing off her assets. She sipped the sweet-tasting liquid. Bubbles tickled her nose, and she held back a sneeze.
“Don’t drink too fast. The champagne has a kick to it.” He drank and surveyed the area.
She peered over his shoulder at the crowd that had grown quite large in the last few minutes. Other than people talking and drinking, it was far from as offensive as she’d expected it to be.
“Where does everyone gamble or play card games?” She lifted up onto her toes to get a better look.
“There are rooms for specific types of gambling. Here is where the dancing takes place and La Donna sings.” He tipped his glass back and finished his drink.
She did the same and blinked when she suddenly grew dizzy. It wasn’t often she had spirits, usually a glass of wine at dinner. But how could something like champagne be so strong?
Another waiter passed by and she reached out for a second glass. Chase opened his mouth, most likely to remind her to take care. Before he could advise her, two men wearing black masks called out his name and approached them.
Chase groaned but then presented both men with a congenial smile. He shifted to stand in front of her, but she moved to his side instead. She appreciated her brother trying to protect her, but she refused to cower.
“Chase! It’s been forever since we last saw you. How have you been?” The taller and slimmer of the two held out his hand.
He shook the offered hand and nodded at his companion, a short, stout man with a large nose and small chin.
“I’m well. Thank you for asking, Melton.” He clapped him on the back. “Nice masks. Did you match on purpose?”
Melton grinned and nudged his partner. “Gilbert and I got a great deal on them. And the ladies love mysterious men in black.” He stared straight at Lucy. “Don’t you agree, Miss….”
She covered a laugh by drinking more champagne. These two were harmless. Perhaps a little too jolly from their imbibing, based on their red faces and the way they swayed.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend, Daugherty?” Gilbert bowed and almost pitched forward.
Chase sighed and patted her hand. “The lady prefers to remain anonymous. I hope you’ll respect her wishes.” He brought her up against his side. “These two are Mr. Gilbert and Melton Percivile, brothers. They’re regulars here at Pythos.”
She curtseyed and briefly smiled. “Perhaps you know Chase’s brother, Colby? We’ve been trying to locate him.”
Chase glared at her, and she mouthed, “What?” She’d rather get to the point than stand around making pleasantries, not knowing if Colby was in some sort of trouble or throwing away all his money.
Melton snapped his fingers then hiccupped. He smacked Gilbert’s arm. “Gil, didn’t we see Colby in the high-stakes-poker room an hour ago?”
Gilbert bopped his head. “Yes. I believe so. Colby just sat down with five other gents. The table is too rich for my blood. Instead, Melton and I enjoyed the buffet and the well-stocked bar. Did you know they have an 1846 Meur—”
Chase snagged Gilbert and Melton. Lucy moved forward, but he waved her back. She huffed and started to cross her arms, but another server appeared. She replaced her empty glass with a new one. This time, it wasn’t champagne but ruby-red wine. She drank while Chase talked to the men. She didn’t catch what they were saying, due to their low whispers and the loud music playing from the front of the room.
Chase broke away and came to her. He frowned when he noticed her new glass.
“What is this now? Your third? You must be care—”
“Oh, pish posh.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m a grown woman who can handle her drink. It will be my last one, I promise. Now, tell me what you and the Percivile brothers talked about that you didn’t want me to hear.”
He squeezed the back of his neck and glared at the two men who held not one but two glasses each. They drank and laughed, eyeing a group of women wearing low-cut gowns and masks.
“Colby is in one of the high-stakes rooms where women are not allowed. To enter the game, the buy-in is fifty pounds. Once the doors are closed, no one can enter unless they’re willing to play or the players take a break. Every ninety minutes, they reopen the doors and invite new players in. Gilbert and Melton will take me to the room, but it means leaving you alone for a short time. I don’t want to do that but—”
She patted his shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I can find a place to sit until you find Colby. You can meet me back here at the top of the hour.”
“Are you sure? I hate to leave you alone. You can always come with us and wait out—”
“I don’t want to bring attention to myself.” She gave him a bright smile. “I’ll just watch. It’s not like I’d be asked to dance anyway.”
“Aw, Luce, don’t say that.” He squeezed her hand. “Any man would be honored to dance with you.”
“Chase, we must hurry before they close the doors again. Kiss your lovely lady goodbye so we can go,” Melton said in a grating whine and chugged his drink.
“Ignore those buffoons. I barely see them except here or at my gentlemen’s club.” He kissed her cheek.
“Go find our boy so we can take him home.” She spotted a few vacant chairs at a table near the edge of the dance floor. “I’ll sit and wait for you and Colby to return.”
“Good idea.” He led her to the table. With one last kiss on her cheek, he joined the two brothers. They bowed in her direction, spilling their drinks on the floor. She snickered and waved at the two men in farewell. Soon all three disappeared into the crowd.
Sipping more of her wine, she observed the dancers circling the middle of the room. The men held their female partners tightly with their chests brushing one another. Her jaw dropped when more than a few of the men caressed their partner’s posterior. The women didn’t slap them as she’d expected. One woman even kissed her partner on the mouth for all to see.
She sipped her wine faster, the sweet liquid warming her belly and helping the tension leave her body. She lifted her mask to wipe away her moist cheeks and under her eyes. When a violinist started playing, she caught sight of a tall woman with black hair piled high on her head, wearing a gold silk gown. The unmasked woman tipped her head back as she laughed at something the extremely handsome and dark-haired man by her side said to her. He whispered something in her ear, and she faced Lucy’s way.
Her throat constricted. She rose from the chair on trembling legs and almost stumbled on the hem of her dress as she moved back as far as she possible. Before she could escape the room, the striking woman’s mouth dropped and her eyes widened. Time came to a screeching halt.
“Irena?” She blinked rapidly as if it erased her former best friend and ex-lover from her sight.
Irena stepped toward her. She backed away, bumping into a group of men. The room spun. No matter that her face was covered by a mask; Irena would recognize her anywhere. The last time they had spoken, Irena had said such a thing before Lucy told her to never contact her again.
She thought she heard her name, but darted through the mass of bodies, searching for the exit, until she was caught near a bar. She turned to see if she spotted Irena, when a hand landed on her shoulder. The room started to go dark, and she blinked away the purple spots in front of her eyes.
An arm curved around her waist. Staring up at an older man with graying hair and a pointed goatee, she struggled as he leaned down to kiss her.