Page 22 of Infamous

‘He waswonderful,’ Eddie said, regaining her senses. ‘Do you not think?’

‘He is a very gifted public speaker,’ said Rose flatly.

Eddie shot her a brief grimace and then went back to tracking Nash across the room. His smile never faltered; he seemed glad to see everybody, although she noticed that he paid only the briefest of attention to each of them out of necessity before moving on to the next person, like a roving spotlight in constant motion.

‘Do you wish to go and speak to him, Miss Miller?’ Mr Rednock asked; Eddie felt immediately horrified, imagining herself as part of the throng, tapping him on the shoulder so that he might smile and say good evening and then move on to the next adoring fanatic.

‘Good Lord, no. He has far too many people to speak to as it is .?.?. let us just finish our drinks quickly, and then we can go.’

‘Nothing would please me more,’ said Rose. ‘I mean .?.?. it isdreadfullystuffy in here, isn’t it?’

Albert said something inane in reply about the lack of open windows. Eddie ignored them both. She could see Nash speaking to Valentine now, the two of them conversing properly even as the crowd around them refused to abate, and she realised that she felt heavy with disappointment; she was almostsurethat he had seen her, and had hoped that he might make a point to greet her – and yet of course it was foolishness to imagine that he would make a beeline for her when he had a whole room full of admirers to entertain, as if she were an important or noteworthy guest.

Her heart sank a little more; she drank her wine quickly, wishing to slip away as hastily as possible so that she could tell herself that his lack of attention was entirely due to the fact that she had exited too soon.

‘Steady on,’ Rose said, noticing that she was draining her glass at an alarming pace and putting a warning hand on her arm. ‘You are in imminent danger of drowning.’

‘Come on. Itistoo hot, you’re right, I think we ought to .?.?.’

Eddie was already standing, and Rose scrambled to join her. Mr Rednock had to say very rapid farewells to his friends at the table; Eddie was already pushing her way across the room before he’d managed to get his hat back on. He was waylaid again halfway across the room by some more acquaintances, but Eddie did not wait – she ducked her head and pressed on until she reached the lavishly carpeted hallway outside, where the air was far more breathable.

‘My God, Eddie, are you trying out for a sporting event of some sort?’ Rose said, upon eventually catching up with her. ‘A twenty-yard dash, perhaps?’

‘I just want to go home,’ Eddie said, glancing impatiently back at the doorway to see if Mr Rednock had yet appeared. ‘I wish he would—’

‘Christ,’ said an unfamiliar voice. ‘What the bloody hell is this?’

A group of young gentlemen had just crested the stairs; they were staring openly, and it took Eddie a moment to recollect that she and Rose were two ladies standing unaccompanied in the hallway of a gentleman’s club.

‘I’m sure I was told upon joining,’ said one of the men, a blonde with a plummy voice, ‘that guests of this sort wouldnotbe tolerated. It seems I have been missing out, all these years.’

They all laughed, but there was something very unfriendly about the manner in which they did it.

‘Guests of what sort?’ Eddie said indignantly. Rose’s hand closed around her wrist.

‘He is implying that we are working women,’ she muttered.

‘Oh,’ said Eddie. ‘Well, we are not.’

An older man stepped forwards, inspecting Eddie with open disdain. ‘We ought to have you arrested, you know. It isn’tdecent.’

‘Arrested for attending a poetry reading?’ Eddie snapped back, ignoring Rose’s warning tug on her hand. ‘It is not yet illegal to have an interesting thought, sir, although even if it were, you would certainly be in no imminent danger.’

The man bristled with instant affront. ‘Ibegyour pardon?’

‘Oh, let her off, Archie,’ said the first man. ‘She has simply never been taught how to behave. Sad, really. I shall tell you what – come with me,young lady, and I shall give you the first of a few very important lessons—’

‘Sir,’ Rose said. She was very pink in the cheeks. ‘There is no need to speak to us that way. We were just leaving.’

The blonde man smirked, turning his attention to Rose; Eddie wanted to break his nose, to put an immediate stop to this leering.

‘I save my manners for those who deserve them, madam. And I know awhorewhen I see one.’

‘Excuse me,’ came a furious voice from behind Eddie. ‘What thehelldid you just say?’

It appeared that Nash had just exited the card room, a clutch of hangers-on in tow. He looked utterly incandescent, but the sight of him lightened something in Eddie’s chest.

‘Women! In the club!’ the man said, gesturing at Rose and Eddie as if this would get Nash on side.