“Just before the séance. We’ll be able to direct energy at Griffin using your father’s apparatus.”

“All that mucking about in the Aether is going to attract Garibaldi.”

Emily nodded. “Ipsley thinks forcing Garibaldi to come to us is our best chance of beating him and getting Griffin’s Aetheric aura back.”

“Let’s hope he’s right.” Finley walked toward the lift. With every step she said a little prayer—and she wasn’t much for God and such. She prayed for strength and she prayed for Griffin. She prayed for hope, and she prayed that it would be enough, but in her heart she was terrified of the truth.

They didn’t have a prayer at all.

* * *

The girls convened in Mila’s room when they all arrived home much later that night. Each and every one of them was wide-awake and anxious to discuss the evening’s events, especially those involving Mila.

“You were so good!” Marissa enthused. “No one would ever know you were new.”

“You’re one of us now,” Gina commented, patting Mila on the back as she offered her the bottle of wine they’d been passing around.

Mila shook her head at the bottle. “The last time I imbibed, I punched a hole in the ceiling.”

Gina passed the bottle onto Millie. “While the place could use some renovation, I’m certain the missus would appreciate your restraint.”

“I can’t believe you turned down Lord Blackhurst,” Henrietta blurted.

From the rapt attention of the others, Mila figured this was a topic they’d all been wanting to bring up.

“It wasn’t very difficult,” she answered. “He’s not a nice man.”

Henrietta waggled her brows. “Who wants nice?”

That got a few chuckles, and even Mila smiled. “I’m serious. He’s not someone a girl should trust.”

“No one’s ever turned him down.” Millie’s eyes were huge in her pale face. “Mila, you’re the first to refuse him.”

Mila frowned. “I find that hard to believe. Why would any girl take up with him?” Then she remembered that they had a friend who went with Lord Blackhurst just a short time ago. “No offense.”

Gina waved a dismissive hand. She was on her stomach on the bed, feet crossed above her backside, head propped on her hand. “You haven’t offended anyone, ducky. Chits don’t refuse him because he could make our lives very difficult if we did. Plus, he is handsome and he’s rich. I’ve heard he pays the girls he takes quite well, and settles a large amount on them when he’s done.”

“That’s not all he leaves them with,” Marissa commented. “I’ve heard horrible stories.”

“And I’ve heard ones that turned out all right,” Gina interrupted, giving the other girl a warning glance. “Money can fix all that other stuff.”

“Not the scars,” the other girl challenged. “You can’t ever fix those.”

The two of them stared at one another, and Mila wondered what it was all about. It was none of her business, though, so she didn’t ask. It was fairly obvious anyway that Marissa, and quite probably Gina, had been ill-treated by a man in the past, and had opposing views on how to carry on.

Mila had heard of “pleasure automatons” that were available for humans to use for their pleasure. It had to be awful to not have any choice in the matter. She just as easily could have ended up one of those poor machines, forced to give herself over to whoever owned her. Instead, she’d ended up with Jack, who didn’t want her at all.

Henrietta cleared her throat. “Girls, what if Lord Blackhurst comes back for Mila?”

“If he comes back I’m going to break his bloody arm,” Mila informed them. “It’s a crude, but effective plan.”

Her new friends chuckled. Only Henrietta remained quiet. “He’s dangerous, Mila. Be careful.”

The girls sobered a little—enough to make Mila reconsider. “I’ll be careful, Hen. I promise.”

“Speaking of dangerous men,” Marissa piped up, clearly wanting to change the subject. “Did any of you notice who else was at tonight’s performance?”

They shook their heads. “Who?” Gina asked.

The other girl smiled coyly. “Jack Dandy.”

Mila’s heart stopped. For a split second she thought she might have to punch herself in the chest to get it going again. Jack had been there?

“Ohh,” Gina pursed her lips as though she was about to kiss someone. “He’s entirely too delectable. I’d like to have him for dinner. And breakfast.”

The other girls laughed. Mila did not. “What do you mean?”

Their laughter trailed off. Gina shrugged. “I’d like to have a go at him, that’s all.”

Mila stared at her. Gina had become her friend, but at that moment she could have cheerfully broken the girl’s nose.

Instead, she said, “I can introduce you if you like.”

The girls all sat upright. Millie pointed the wine bottle at her. “You know Jack Dandy?”

Mila nodded. “He’s a friend.”

“You’ve been holding out on us!” Henrietta cried.

Gina scooted closer to her on the bed. “What’s he like?”

Mila opened her mouth and hesitated—just for a second. “Brooding.”

The girls giggled. “What else?” Marissa demanded, leaning in.

“Violent. I once saw him take out three men at once and receive barely a scratch for the trouble.”

More giggles. This time it was Henrietta who demanded more. Mila gave it to them. Some of what she said was true, but most of it exaggeration. The truth—the real Jack—she kept to herself. She wasn’t about to share the man who read to her, who took her to shows and played cards with her, even though he mostly taught her to cheat. That Jack was her Jack, and he wasn’t up for public enjoyment. She saw a side of him he didn’t show other people, and that was a gift. She wasn’t going to dishonor that gift by treating it as if it had no value.

Besides, these girls wanted to think of Jack as a dark and gothic hero, and he was that. He was also so much more.

And he’d been in the audience. He’d seen her performance. Had he recognized her? Of course he had. Jack didn’t miss anything—except the fact that she was a girl, apparently. Maybe he had finally seen her differently. No, she would be foolish to even entertain the idea. He probably had wanted to wrap a blanket around her shoulders and protect her, but he hadn’t wanted her like Blackhurst did. And even if he did, Jack Dandy had too much honor to act on it. For a man who prided himself on being a rake and a rogue, he did a piss-poor job of it.

“I can’t believe you know Jack Dandy,” Marissa remarked.

“I just gave you ample proof,” Mila responded. While she understood the concept of lying, it was not something she’d found use for thus far in her existence, and she resented the implication that she might not be truthful. Truth was important. Truth meant something.

Henrietta touched her arm. “She means she’s surprised, love, not that she doubts you.”

“Oh. All right.”

Millie was watching her. “You’re so odd.” It was delivered with about as much judgment as “your eyes can see things,” so Mila decided to take no offense.

“I’m bored,” Henrietta bemoaned dramatically. “Let’s go out.”

Mila’s head whipped around. “But it’s late.”

The girls laughed. “That’s the point, silly!” Marissa informed her. “We want to go have some fun. It’s not as if anyone’s going to punish us for it.”

“That’s right,” Gina joined in, jumping to her feet. “We don’t answer to anyone. If we want to go out, we can go out.”

“Provided we don’t disturb the missus,” Millie reminded them all. “She’s done all right by us, so we ought to show her the appropriate respect.”

It occurred to Mila at that moment that the girls were a little tipsy from the wine, which explained their somewhat uninhibited behavior. She didn’t particularly feel like going out, but who was going to look after them if she didn’t? They were all capable girls, but there were dangerous things that skulked about London after dark, and Mila was the only one of them capable of handling just about anything.

As quietly as they were able—which wasn’t very—they collected their coats and belongings and made their way downstairs in a flurry of petticoats and loud giggly whispers.

Mrs. Rhodes was in the parlor in her dressing gown, reclining on the sofa reading a book while enjoying a cup of tea. She looked up as the girls filed past.

“Going out?” she inquired.

Mila stopped in the doorway. “Yes, ma’am.”

The older woman smiled. “You’re allowed to come and go as you please, Mila. Do you have a key?”

She nodded.

“Have fun, then.” The lady went back to her book.

Mila couldn’t believe it! Jack would not be impressed that she was out so late. But then, Jack seemed to assume that everyone she met was out to hurt her in some way.

As they left the house a steam carriage rumbled up to the curb and stopped, its engine running and chugging steam into the darkness. The driver tipped his hat to them. “Is there a Mila amongst you?”

“I’m Mila,” she said warily, stepping forward. She didn’t know this man.

The man offered her a slight smile. “For you, miss.” He leaned down, offering her an envelope.

Mila took it. “Thank you.”

“Good evening,” the driver said and pulled away.

“Ohh, Mila got a letter from an admirer,” Gina cooed.

“Open it! Open it!” The girls all chanted. Two doors down a woman opened her window. “Shut up out there!”

The girls giggled. Mila frowned and opened her letter. It read:

I know who you are. It is imperative to the well-being of our mutual friend Mr. Dandy that you come to my house. Now. Use the servants’ entrance.