imagine. “How do I approach him?”
“ Don't. Make him come to you. Flash some coin, if ye look like you got lots a coin to lose; he won’t resist giving you the chance to lose it.”
Colton nodded. He adopted a rather inebriated smile and laughed loudly. “Give everyone a drink on me.” He winked at the bar wench and slapped a bag of coins on the table. Everyone cheered and some even rose to clap him on the back. As the crowd drew away, the man in the corner had disappeared and before Colton could search the room, reappeared by his side.
“ Je bent in grote geesten mijn heer.” The man smiled.
Colton blanked. “Beg Pardon?”
“ Please excuse me,” the man said in perfect English. “I was not aware you were not a Dutchman like myself. I merely commented that you appear to be in great spirits.”
“ And well I should,” Colton slurred for effect. “No one is more blessed than I this eve.”
“ How fortunate you are. What brings you to our humble city?”
“ Gold, silk, luscious women and fine ale, my friend.” Colton clapped the man on the back heartily and nearly tumbled from the stool.
“ Ah, is it riches you seek?” The man eyed him shrewdly.
“ It is riches I bring. Gold and silk... the women I still need to find.” Colton laughed and the men around him joined him.
“ Let me be of service to you, my lord.” The man stepped closer and from his pocket slipped out a large wood coin. It was painted red.
“ This will grant you admission to the finest brothel in the city. There you will find the most beautiful women in the world, gambling, and more than you could ever imagine. A more exciting evening could not be had anywhere else. In fact, some gentlemen find the entertainment so alluring that they stay with us for days, sometimes weeks, even months. We have special gatherings for elite society, and certain levels of the manor reserved for those of special interests.”
Colton raised an intrigued brow. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His gut told him this was the place where he would find Devon. “Sounds like heaven. How will I find this place?”
The man pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to him. “I promise all your wicked fantasies will come true, my lord.” Smiling wickedly, the man moved away into the crowd, and Colton looked down at the card. All it contained was an address. He looked at Dirk. “What do you think?”
“ Sounds like a good place to start. They won't let the likes of me in there.”
“ They probably wouldn't want me either. Why don't you head back to the ship, and I will check it out.”
Dirk frowned. “All due respect, Cap'n, I don't think you should go alone.”
“ I agree, it isn't the safest idea, but what other options do I have?”
Dirk shrugged.
“Head back, and I won't be too late.” Colton kept a small pad of paper and pencil on hand and pulled it out. He scribbled the address on it and gave it to Dirk. “In case I don't return. I plan to be back long before dawn.”
“ And if you’re not?”
Colton scowled as he thought about it. “First and foremost, you get Lady Olivia back home. Mr. Timms will know what to do for me.”
He could tell Dirk didn't like it , but he nodded in agreement.
They parted ways and Colton hailed a hackney. The driver didn't speak English , so he showed him the card. Nodding, he motioned for Colton to get in. The drive only took a quarter of an hour before they stopped in front of a nondescript house in a well to do neighborhood. With the red wooden coin in his hand, he climbed the steps and made use of the heavily ornate knocker.
The door opened to reveal a butler who looked both stern and brutal. His faced was lined , and his hair a bright white, but his shoulders bulged with muscles beneath his fine coat and he eyed him with menace.
Colton presented the red coin. The butler nodd ed and beckoned him to follow. The door closed heavily behind him as they entered the main foyer where
“ Don't. Make him come to you. Flash some coin, if ye look like you got lots a coin to lose; he won’t resist giving you the chance to lose it.”
Colton nodded. He adopted a rather inebriated smile and laughed loudly. “Give everyone a drink on me.” He winked at the bar wench and slapped a bag of coins on the table. Everyone cheered and some even rose to clap him on the back. As the crowd drew away, the man in the corner had disappeared and before Colton could search the room, reappeared by his side.
“ Je bent in grote geesten mijn heer.” The man smiled.
Colton blanked. “Beg Pardon?”
“ Please excuse me,” the man said in perfect English. “I was not aware you were not a Dutchman like myself. I merely commented that you appear to be in great spirits.”
“ And well I should,” Colton slurred for effect. “No one is more blessed than I this eve.”
“ How fortunate you are. What brings you to our humble city?”
“ Gold, silk, luscious women and fine ale, my friend.” Colton clapped the man on the back heartily and nearly tumbled from the stool.
“ Ah, is it riches you seek?” The man eyed him shrewdly.
“ It is riches I bring. Gold and silk... the women I still need to find.” Colton laughed and the men around him joined him.
“ Let me be of service to you, my lord.” The man stepped closer and from his pocket slipped out a large wood coin. It was painted red.
“ This will grant you admission to the finest brothel in the city. There you will find the most beautiful women in the world, gambling, and more than you could ever imagine. A more exciting evening could not be had anywhere else. In fact, some gentlemen find the entertainment so alluring that they stay with us for days, sometimes weeks, even months. We have special gatherings for elite society, and certain levels of the manor reserved for those of special interests.”
Colton raised an intrigued brow. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His gut told him this was the place where he would find Devon. “Sounds like heaven. How will I find this place?”
The man pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to him. “I promise all your wicked fantasies will come true, my lord.” Smiling wickedly, the man moved away into the crowd, and Colton looked down at the card. All it contained was an address. He looked at Dirk. “What do you think?”
“ Sounds like a good place to start. They won't let the likes of me in there.”
“ They probably wouldn't want me either. Why don't you head back to the ship, and I will check it out.”
Dirk frowned. “All due respect, Cap'n, I don't think you should go alone.”
“ I agree, it isn't the safest idea, but what other options do I have?”
Dirk shrugged.
“Head back, and I won't be too late.” Colton kept a small pad of paper and pencil on hand and pulled it out. He scribbled the address on it and gave it to Dirk. “In case I don't return. I plan to be back long before dawn.”
“ And if you’re not?”
Colton scowled as he thought about it. “First and foremost, you get Lady Olivia back home. Mr. Timms will know what to do for me.”
He could tell Dirk didn't like it , but he nodded in agreement.
They parted ways and Colton hailed a hackney. The driver didn't speak English , so he showed him the card. Nodding, he motioned for Colton to get in. The drive only took a quarter of an hour before they stopped in front of a nondescript house in a well to do neighborhood. With the red wooden coin in his hand, he climbed the steps and made use of the heavily ornate knocker.
The door opened to reveal a butler who looked both stern and brutal. His faced was lined , and his hair a bright white, but his shoulders bulged with muscles beneath his fine coat and he eyed him with menace.
Colton presented the red coin. The butler nodd ed and beckoned him to follow. The door closed heavily behind him as they entered the main foyer where
Similar Books
