Page 32 of A Treacherous Trade

As if I wasn’t here on her behalf.

Either Indira or Brinda—the one in what I’d be forced to call a gown—glided to the middle of the room, flipping a feathered fan open to brush it against her glowing skin. “Jane’s body was found upstairs a couple of days ago,” she informed me in perfect English, with a haughty glare of abject disapproval. “Some of the girls think she was poisoned, but we havenoproof of that.” She sent a quelling look to the women gathered around, and they each ducked their heads in what seemed to me a deferential manner.

“Dear God, I’m so sorry for your loss.” I meant every word.

She lifted a lithe shoulder and smoothed her hand down hair as shiny as a slick of ink.

“Doona tell Indira ye’re sorry,” Morag crowed. “She hated Jane.”

It took everything inside of me not to ask why. Now wasn’t the time. Not yet.

I took in the impossibly perfect symmetry of Indira’s features with a more assessing eye. Could all that haughtiness contain hatred? Enough hatred to kill?

Glaring over at Morag, Indira said, “It isn’t speculation regarding Alys. The coroner said she drowned herself in his official report. We should leave all of this unpleasantness to the experts and the lawmen rather than indulge in foolish theories and reckless suppositions, don’t you think?”

“I very much agree, Miss, er…” I held out my glove to her, hoping to offer the respect of a proper introduction.

“Just Indira.” She frowned at my hand as she nodded to me. “You would not be able to pronounce my surname.”

“Fair enough.” Dropping my hand awkwardly, I turned to Isabelle, my only ally. “Is there somewhere I can put my things?”

She looked around us, seeming as stymied by the chaos of the room as I. “If you’re to take Alys’s old room, then I s’pose you can have her trunk over there in the corner as well. Though…” She paled a bit. “I think it still has a few of her things in it.”

“Oh.” I swallowed hard, wondering how to sidestep this mire. I wanted a moment to look through those things, but absolutely could not in present company.

Besides, I was still uncertain what I’d be searching for.

“Well… perhaps I’ll ask Mrs. Chamberlain if she might send Jane’s effects to her next of kin.” I followed Isabelle as she navigated around some of the chaos to a hook over a trunk in the corner nearest the door I assumed led to the establishment.

“Do you know when Bea might arrive to show me to my room?” I asked, after finally gathering the courage to undo my coat and hang it.

Peals of feminine laughter erupted from every corner.

“Oh,la!” Someone taunted from behind me. “Has the Queen her own self descended from Buckingham Palace to consort with Bea?”

“Need an attendant, do ye?” Morag quipped. “Doona look to poor, dull Izzy. She’d lose her way with a map and a guide.”

“Izzy is one ofus,” Indira snapped.

MeaningIwasn’t.

As an interloper who’d already secured a position of importance,of courseI wasn’t well received.

I turned to face them, and was saved from having to address this as their mirth swelled to hilarity.

It took every bit of willpower not to cover my exposed shoulders and breasts by crossing my arms. Or better yet, to throw my coat back around myself and sink into it until I disappeared.

They were all laughing at me. At how I looked.

All but Indira.

Indeed, her gaze was so hard it could have been chiseled from marble.

“Youworeyour costume here?” Belle drawled between chortles.

I couldn’t imagine the reason for their glee as I glanced down at the skirt drawn to just above my stockinged knees. I’d been pleased with what I saw in the mirror before I left my home.

“What is the matter?” I queried. “The long coat with the cloaked hem and train protects me from any bother about indecency by the police. No one would have the slightest idea what I wore beneath.”