The Treasure Read online

  “When do the festivities begin?”

  He brought her through a kitchen filled with Chinese people, then down a dark hallway. At the end of the hallway, he slid a door open and ushered her into a red room with a dozen people in it. Most women were veiled, like her, others were dressed in cheaply made sacks of broadcloth with gingham handkerchiefs thrown over their heads, tied beneath their chin, wearing shoes with two-inch heels. These young women, some probably no more than fourteen, stared down at the floor, awaiting their fates. They were slaves up for auction. The men were all dressed like Billy, in expensive suits, although most were Chinese. A sweet, sickly odor permeated the room. Opium and tobacco. She ground her teeth together in repressed fury. That Melody would have to endure this was enough to make even Lily turn violent.

  “I am looking for someone quite young,” she said. “Someone I can teach to please me.”

  Billy nodded. “How young?”

  She tapped her finger against her lips. He followed the movement hungrily.

  “No older than eight, but no younger than five. That age is perfect…to teach.”

  Billy licked his lips. “How much you willing to pay?”

  She raised her brow. “This is an auction, is it not? I will bid as all the others do.”

  He ran his fingers down her arm. “I’ve got one for you,” he whispered. “You don’t have to bid neither. You and me, we’ll do business together.”

  “You must think me a fool if I believe that. I can assure you, I’m not a fool.” Her heart jammed in her throat as she played the disinterested card. She silently prayed he’d buy it. Lily turned to walk away when he caught her arm and reeled her back against him.

  “No, I can see you’re not a fool,” he said as he began kissing her ear. She felt his arousal pressing against her hip and said a prayer to be strong.

  “I tell you, I got one for you. She’s five or six, half-white. She’s healthy too.”

  Lily made a show of running her hands along his shoulders. “Why should I believe you?”

  “She’s in my carriage now in the back. I can show you her and then you and me…” His hand closed around her breast, “…we can do business.”

  Think of Melody. Think of Melody.

  “If I am to believe you, I must take Mason with me. You understand, don’t you, darling?”

  He nodded. “You are a smart businesswoman, Miss Rose.”

  “That’s Mistress Rose, Billy.”

  His nostrils flared. He knew what it meant and was even more aroused than before. His erection pushed against her hip and Lily clenched her teeth to avoid running from him.

  “Shall we go?”

  Within minutes, they were back outside. She crooked her finger at Trevor who followed behind her. She felt the waves of anger and frustration rolling off him.

  When they reached the dark alley that smelled so badly it made her eyes water, she motioned for him to stay put. A black carriage stood in the weak light thrown by the rear door of the building. Billy jumped in and stepped out with a blanketed bundle in his arms. When he pulled the blanket back, Lily’s heart leapt for joy.

  It was Melody and she obviously hadn’t been bathed or allowed to use the facilities in days. Lily clapped a hand over her nose against the stench.

  “She smells, Billy. And she looks terrible. I don’t think we’re going to be able to do business.”

  It took everything she had to turn and start to walk away.

  “Wait, Mistress Rose,” he called. “She’s healthy. We just had to, you know, keep her quiet. Just gave her a little bit in her milk. It ain’t hurt her none. A bath and some clean clothes and she’ll be good as new.”

  Lily looked again and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know…”

  “You can have her for two thousand. That’s half what you’ll pay in Mr. Shen’s.”

  Two thousand?

  She wondered how they’d find so much money, it was a small fortune. She knew Ray brought some with him, she hoped it was enough.

  No matter what, she’d get the two thousand dollars. There was no other choice to make.

  “That’s four times the going rate for one of those slaves inside, Billy.”

  He frowned, absorbing her knowledge, and switched tactics. “Yes, but she’s half-white, and she’s even younger than them. That makes her special and worth four times as much. She’s untried, of that I can be certain.”

  Lily’s stomach heaved and rolled like the deck of a ship, she bit her lip to keep from showing Billy her dinner. With her heart pounding in her throat and tears stinging the back of her eyes, Lily knew she had to play this right or Melody was lost.

  “You clean her up and bring her to me at midnight. Jackson and Dupont Street at the Globe Hotel. I’ll have your money.” Just saying it out loud made her knees weak. She wanted to snatch Melody and run like hell.

  “Deal.”

  Lily walked back toward Trevor with a swing to her hips.

  “Oh, and Mistress Rose?” Billy looked at her expectantly. “Afterwards, maybe we can…have fun?”

  “Rest assured, Billy Black. You bring me that girl all cleaned up and you will have a night you’ll never forget.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ray couldn’t find Lily. He and Tyler searched for an hour and found nothing but the clothes she’d worn strewn about the room, along with some of Trevor’s. That wasn’t like her. Now he wasn’t angry anymore, he was plumb worried sick.

  His brothers, Noah and Tyler were out looking for her while he stayed at the hotel waiting. Waiting was not his strong suit—in fact, he hated it. And now that he had to worry about Lily and Melody, he felt like tearing the hell out of the furniture just to release his anger.

  The door opened and Lily walked in dressed like a high-priced courtesan in a slinky purple dress. Behind her was Trevor looking like a slicked back fop.

  His anger surged. “Where the hell have you been? And why are you dressed like a whore?”

  Lily reared back as if he’d slapped her. Her face was drawn and pale and her lip trembled. Her eyes were pools of pain.

  “I’ve been out finding Melody. Where have you been?” she asked, sticking her chin up in the air.

  “I…I tried…” He cleared his throat as his heart pinched at the memory of exactly where he’d ended up. “I tried to find information, but I couldn’t get anyone to talk to me. Somehow I ended up in a bar waiting for dark and my brothers dragged my sorry ass back here.” He realized what Lily said and his heart leapt. “What do you mean finding Melody? Where is she?”

  “I bought her.”

  Ray’s mouth dropped open and he sank onto the bed. All the fear, the uncertainty and the anger swished around in his stomach like an acid cocktail. She bought her?

  “Money hasn’t changed hands yet. That’s why we’re here. We need two thousand dollars. Fast. We’ve got an hour and half.”

  Trevor finally closed the door and stared at Ray. Hard. Gone was the flirting, sassy-mouthed boy.

  “Lily was amazing, Ray. She fooled all of them and brokered a deal to get her back. She even saw Melody. You’ve got no quarrel with her. But I’d like to knock your teeth out right about now.”

  His eyes were hard with anger. Ray looked inside at his own behavior and felt shame. She asked him to trust her and he hadn’t. He had immediately thought the worst and let no one tell him any different. He’d gone off half-cocked and wasted nearly a day. A day Melody spent without him, alone and unprotected.

  “I’m sorry,” Ray offered pitifully. There was nothing he could do to make up for acting like such an ass.

  “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to your wife. She’s a goddess.” With that, Trevor slammed into the hallway, leaving them alone. Lily’s spine was straight and she gripped her reticule so hard, he was surprised it hadn’t ripped in half.

  “I’m sorry, Lily. I…I have a hard time trusting people and…”

  She waved one gloved hand. “There isn’t time for that now
. Do you have two thousand dollars?”

  He grimaced and shook his head. “I’ve got about twelve hundred.”

  “We need eight hundred more.”

  “I can do the math too.”

  “Stop it,” she said, stepping forward to poke a finger into his chest. “Stop thinking about you and think about her. Ray, if you could have seen her…” She pulled the hat off her head and tossed it on the bed. “She was dirty and smelled like urine. And…and they drugged her. Oh, Jesus, they gave her opium.”

  Tears rolled down her face, smearing the make-up she had applied. He felt like crying too. His daughter was out there lying in her own filth with opium racing through her veins and he was sitting in a hotel room feeling sorry for himself.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, this time with a rasp to his voice he didn’t bother to hide.

  Ray clasped her trembling body to him tightly and rocked back and forth. He was more scared than he’d ever been in his life.

  “We need to find my brothers and see if we can get the other eight hundred.”

  She nodded against his shoulder.

  “I love you, Lily.”

  Lily’s head snapped back and she looked at him with her mouth a small “O” of surprise. Her nose was red, as were her eyes, and her face splotchy, but she never looked more beautiful.

  “I love you too, Ray.”

  He kissed her gently, then stood, anchoring her to his side.

  “Let’s go save our daughter.”

  ———

  Billy whistled as he carried the child back into the apartment. Regina lay on the bed, staring out through the window into the night.

  “We need to clean her up.”

  She turned and looked at him. “Hmmmm?”

  “I’ve got a private buyer. She insists on having the girl clean, so get your ass up and get water to wash her.”

  He set the girl on the bed next to Regina. She scuttled away like a cockroach until she stood, wrinkling her nose at the child.

  “Wash her?”

  “Are you deaf, bitch? We’re going to make two thousand dollars on this sale. Wash her.”

  Regina nodded then went to the kitchen to get water.

  Billy rubbed his hands together as he stared down at the two thousand dollar prize he’d taken for his own. Perhaps he’d take the money and the girl. Then fuck Mistress Rose until she couldn’t scream any more.

  He watched as Regina washed the child, slopping water and soap all over the bed. He didn’t care as long as she was clean.

  “Put her in one of your robes or something.”

  “But, Billy…”

  “Shut up, Queenie, and do it.”

  With more grumbling, Regina went and retrieved her blue satin robe, wrapping the child in it. As she bent over her task, Billy decided he was done with Regina. She’d turned into a harpy just as all the others had done.

  When she straightened, Billy calmly stood behind her, kissed the nape of her neck, then put both hands around it and snapped it.

  Stepping over Regina’s body, he picked up the girl and walked out the door.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The Malloys all pooled their money together and had just over two thousand dollars. Ray gazed at the people surrounding him, realizing how lucky he was to have them. Their anxious faces and commitment to rescuing Melody was enough to make him almost tear up. Almost.

  Lily put the money in her reticule, which she secured to her wrist. Pulling on her gloves, she looked at him and gave him a small smile.

  “We should be back within an hour.”

  “Back? What do you mean back? I’m coming with you.”

  She shook her head. “This Billy Black is too smart for that. If I show up with more men, he’ll run, I know it. Just Trevor, well Mason, and I must go. You stay here and wait.”

  “No.”

  “You have to trust me.” Her eyes implored him.

  “It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s this man who kidnapped my daughter. Pardon me for feeling he’s not worth the spit I can hurl at him.”

  “I won’t risk Melody’s life for your pride, Ray.”

  Was it pride? Was that what was urging him on? He knew he had an excess of it, but would he allow it to interfere with what he knew must be?

  “It’s hard, Lily. I…I feel like such a shitty father.”

  She cupped his cheek and her lavender scent wafted under his nose. He breathed in deeply, using the power of her to calm himself.

  “You are an excellent father. The proof is in that little girl. She’s smart, clever and a caring person. No parent ever did a better job, especially alone.”

  She kissed him, then ran her gloved thumb along his bottom lip. He inwardly shivered at the lust she ignited with such a simple touch.

  “Can I wait a block away at least?”

  She pursed her lips. “Three blocks.”

  “Two.”

  “Okay, two.” She turned to Trevor who stood in the corner talking softly to Tyler, Noah and Brett. “Ready, Mason?” she asked in clipped British tones.

  To Ray’s astonishment, Lily changed in front of his eyes. When she walked, she swayed like a trained courtesan. Her entire demeanor became one of sex and pleasure. This was his mousy little governess?

  “Of course, mistress,” replied Trevor with a bow.

  Together they walked out of the room and into danger. Ray scowled at the closed door, then glanced at the rest of his brothers and Tyler. Noah’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

  “I told her we’d wait two blocks away. Grab up those bags and anything else here. We’re not coming back after we get Melody.”

  Tyler nodded. “Let’s go.”

  ———

  The inevitable fog from the water had drifted along the streets until it was difficult to see more than fifty yards away. Lily and Trevor sat in a hansom cab near the corner of the rendezvous point. She picked at her gloves, her stomach jumping like a bucket of frogs.

  What if he didn’t show up? What if he tried to take Melody and the money? What if he tried to kill them?

  Too many what ifs. She’d drive herself crazy thinking about what could go wrong. She had to concentrate on staying in character and getting Melody back no matter what.

  Trevor sat up abruptly from the corner where he slouched. “I hear something.”

  She did too. Horses hooves clattering along the street. They stopped nearby although the fog made it difficult to pinpoint anything.

  “Go out and check to see if it’s him.”

  “Why me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You are my manservant. You will always do what I tell you. Besides, that’s what servants are for, to step into danger before his mistress.”

  He scowled. “Next time I get to be the master and you get to be the servant.”

  She tried to grin at his attempt at humor, but it fell short.

  He kissed her cheek and stepped out of the carriage. She heard the murmur of men’s voices, then footsteps coming back toward her carriage. The door opened suddenly and she bit her lip to stifle a shout.

  Billy Black looked in at her with one raised eyebrow. “Did you bring the money?”

  “Yes,” she said with a sniff. “Did you clean up the child? I must see that she is clean and healthy before I give you one cent.”

  “Sure thing, love. Step out and we’ll do business.”

  Lily couldn’t see Trevor, but she really had no choice. She held out her hand and stepped down from the carriage onto the sidewalk slick with fog.

  “Well, where is she? I’ve got another engagement in an hour, Mr. Black. I cannot dally here with you.”

  “Of course, Mistress Rose. Step right this way to my carriage and we’ll have a look.” His oily voice sent spiders of disgust skittering down her skin.

  “No one will come looking for this one, will they?” she asked.

  “Not a chance. She isn’t from around here. Besides her mother’s dead.”

  Dead? Did that
mean he killed Regina?

  They walked over to his black carriage with his meaty hand clamped to her elbow. She glanced down at his hand then up at his face, half hidden in the shadows thrown by the street lamp.

  “I do not need assistance walking, Mr. Black. Take your hand off my elbow or I will take it off. This rose has thorns. Sharp ones.”

  He laughed. “Feisty one, aren’t you? What are you going to do, bite it off with your sharp, little teeth?”

  She smiled with enough hate to light up the entire city. “I’ll let it be a surprise. Now, remove your hand.”

  Something in her tone must have told him she meant business because he removed his hand. She was startled to see Trevor sitting on the sidewalk holding the side of his head. A thread of panic wound around her, but she held it back, opting to sound annoyed instead.

  “What did you do to Mason?” she asked impatiently. “I do need him. What will I do without my manservant? I can’t be expected to serve myself.”

  Billy’s gaze raked her up and down slowly. “I don’t expect you ever need to serve yourself. Too many bucks waiting in line to do it for you.”

  She sniffed disdainfully. “It’s an exclusive line. One by invitation only.”

  Billy paused with his hand on the carriage door handle. “You inviting me?”

  She raised one eyebrow and made an impatient gesture with her hand. “Mr. Black, if I didn’t know any better, I would swear you don’t want to do business with me. In another minute, I will find another seller or go back to Mr. Shen’s.”

  “No need to get snippy,” he said defensively. “Here, have a look.”

  He reached in and scooped up a bundle from the bottom of the carriage. The bastard put that child on the floor. He had her in a different blanket, wearing a large women’s satin robe. Lily leaned forward and peered at the little girl, trusting the darkness to hide the relief and joy at seeing Melody.

  “She definitely smells better.” Lily felt Melody’s arm. “She’s skinny.”

  Billy shrugged. “She’s strong though, I swear to you. Do you want her or not?”

  Lily pursed her lips together and looked unconvinced. She glanced at Trevor.