The Fighter and the Fallen Woman by Pamela Cayne

Author:Pamela Cayne [Cayne, Pamela]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-04-20T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

“Mr. Adams, Mr. King is here to see you,” Mrs. Binkley said.

Hannibal looked up from the most recent report on his porcelain sales and smiled at his housekeeper. “Thank you, Mrs. Binkley. Would you give me a moment and show him in?”

She bobbed a little curtsy and left, and Hannibal compared the numbers in his manager’s report to those he’d ciphered the day before. Yes, there was definitely room for growth, and thanks to Collins throwing a few big building blocks his way, Hannibal decided to do it. He could add a score of new girls to the upper floors of his warehouse, girls who could copy Chinese paintings on the blank vases he bought cheap, and those toffs in America would never know they’d just paid ten pounds for a two-shilling vase. And when the girls couldn’t paint anymore, he’d send them to the Red Door, where the only work they’d have to do with their fingers was make a circle and pump.

“Mr. King, sir,” Mrs. Binkley announced before leaving King standing in the doorway.

“Come, come. Sit.” Hannibal gestured to one of the chairs before his desk. He poured two whiskeys and gave one to King, setting the other in front of the matching chair beside him. “Have a cigar.” He held a lacquered box in front of King until he took one of the pungent smokes.

Giving King time to adjust to his gifts, Hannibal also selected a cigar and lit it. He offered the flame to King and then settled into the chair beside him and enjoyed a few puffs. This was the beginning of a new, successful venture for him and he wanted to savor it. It was like when he went to the Red Door—sometimes he wanted to enjoy the sight of his girls dressed in their peek-a-boo underthings before he took one and tupped her. Anticipation had its own reward, he knew, taking a sip of whiskey and enjoying the taste of smoke on smoke. Later tonight he’d be at Lady’s, enjoying the sight of her in diamonds and sapphires, and damn certain he’d be enjoying that buildup. The idea of a perfect end to a perfect day made him laugh.

“Is everything all right, Mr. Adams?” King asked. Hannibal realized he was still chuckling a little bit, already picturing Lady in her jewels and nothing else.

“My dear boy, everything is grand.” He set down his whiskey and slapped King on the shoulder. “And a large part of that is due to you.”

“What did I do, Mr. Adams?”

“You used Lady to distract that bloke you were fighting. That was a stroke of pure genius. You took a bad situation, looked at what you had available to you and turned it to your favor. You scrapped and fought and profited from it and I admire that. I have to say, it reminds me of me just a bit.” He winked.

“Thank you, Mr. Adams.” King took a sip of his whiskey and set down his glass.

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