Sawbuck stood behind me; I ran right into him. “I’m sorry, mum,” he said. “But I did warn you what might happen.”

I turned towards Tony and his cousin Blitz. The two didn’t appear alike except for their smiles, but neither were smiling now.

“Mrs. Spadros, I came to see you,” Tony said, “but instead, I find this girl wearing your dress. Who’s this girl? Why’s she wearing your dress?”

Madame said, “I told you, Monsieur Spadros. This is Tenni; she’s under my protection. An orphan. I made this dress for her.”

“Don’t lie to me, Madame. Don’t you think I know my own wife’s clothing?” Tony grabbed Tenni’s arm, jerking her to her feet. “This ripped at the waist when my wife and I lay together before her maid undressed her — a maid who raised me.” He let go of Tenni, who slumped into her seat. “Don’t you think I know the stitching of a woman who sewed with me at her side when I was a boy?” He pointed towards the floor. “I spilled red wine on the hem after dinner. This stain and the one on the carpet in my library never came out. This is my wife’s dress, and a stranger wears it.”

He took a few steps along the curtained entryway. “But that’s not the worst of it. My wife, Madame, wears your dress. I remember it from the memorial. Why’s she wearing your dress? Where’s she gone? I depended on you to be her protector.”

He turned to me. “And why do you evade your men? You did the same at the Diamond Women’s Club the day of the explosion. Where do you go?”

I stared at him in terror.

“We’re going home,” Tony said. “Madame, lock your store. Perhaps you’ll be more forthcoming at Spadros Manor.”

Blitz snorted, uncrossing his arms with a slight shake of his head. I recalled his words the night Marja died: My loyalty is to the Spadros Family. Who is your loyalty to, Mrs. Spadros?

Sawbuck took my arm, but his grasp was gentle as he led me past a group of Tony’s men loitering in Madame’s shop room.

Honor stood stiffly by the carriage, not meeting my glance.

He believes I’ve betrayed the Family.

Fuck him, I thought. If he and that driver had taken me to the bank instead of locking me in my carriage, I could have sold Anastasia’s necklace before gem prices fell. I’d have all the money I needed.

Tony climbed into the carriage next to me.

I said, “Where’s Madame? Where’s Tenni?”

“They’ll be well,” Tony said.

He probably put us in separate carriages so we couldn’t confer as to our stories.

The prospect of returning terrified me. I didn’t think Tony would harm me, but what might he do to them? And how long would they be able to withstand before they told the truth?

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

I couldn’t see Roy or Tony taking kindly to my work. If I confessed to my business and wasn’t beaten, or killed outright as any other Spadros would be who stepped out of line, I’d be watched every step I took.

I remembered Madame’s little jest then, and my hands began to shake. Even if Roy didn’t kill me, Tony could presume that if I left home on false pretenses, changed clothes, and hired accomplices, it was proof of infidelity, easy grounds for divorce.

I wouldn’t be safe anywhere in Bridges.

* * *

I sat in my parlor, gloved hands in my lap, as Tony paced the room. Sawbuck stood in front of the fireplace, arms folded.

My gloves were soaked in sweat.

“Why did you go to the zeppelin station? Honor told you we had specific instruction not to go into Clubb quadrant that day.”

Tony tricked too much information from me, only to ignore it. “I told you, I had evidence of a bomb. I tried to warn them —”

“By giving your name? Mrs. Jacqueline Spadros, illegally in Clubb quadrant, with knowledge of a bomb? Which you told no one about —”

“I didn’t learn about it until I was on Market Center —”

“And why on earth were you there? Why evade your men?”

Why wouldn’t he listen? “I was helping Gardena!” I shook my head. “They aren’t my men in any case.” I had more than sufficient evidence of this already. “They’re your men, they’re your father’s men. Would they have escorted us to meet her blackmailer?”

Tony hesitated, a quick procession of anger, fear, and resolution crossing his face. “Why would anyone blackmail Gardena Diamond? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“Tony, I can’t tell you that! She risked everything to trust me with this. If I betrayed her now ... it would be wrong.”

Gardena had killed her grandfather — as he asked — when his life became pure misery after his terrible accident. And someone threatened to go to her father with the truth.

The fact that she came to me, of all people ...

I faced him. “I will not tell you, nor will I tell your father —”

Tony flinched, turning pale. The torture room of Roy Spadros was no secret in Bridges.

“— if that’s your wish. So you must decide. Gardena’s secret has nothing to do with you, nor with this Family. I’m astonished you would pry into a woman’s private affairs this way.”

Tony began pacing. “Did you know Pearson keeps record of what goes on in this household?”

This didn’t surprise me. But it raised a number of questions.

“For example, in January you told him more than once you were out calling, or going to tea. Yet later he found your driver and footman engaged in tasks around the house.”

I gaped at him in horror.

“Where did you go? Who did you see? Was Gardena being blackmailed again?”

I said nothing.

“Regina Clubb brought formal charges to The Commission, claiming she saw you illegally at Clubb Women’s Center — and accuses us of spying. Us!” He let out a bitter laugh. “That’s rich.”

I smiled in spite of myself.

“But on that day, Pearson has a notation that you were visiting Helen Hart. Must I speak to each of these people to verify your locations? Now I doubt your word on several matters.”

I never met with Helen Hart that day. I went to Market Center — by way of Clubb quadrant — to investigate David Bryce’s disappearance. Tony’s little sister Katherine went with me to see the stable-master, who was now dead. Had my actions put her in danger as well?

“And then there’s Madame Biltcliffe.”

This change of subject made no sense. “What of her?”

His face softened into amusement. “The accountant you insisted upon discovered Madame Biltcliffe charges the Spadros Family significantly more than others using the same services. Is she cheating me? Or is she providing some additional service?”

Oh gods, I thought. Is he going to kill her?

“Was her story about the break-in at her shop true? Or is she allied with our enemies? You’re the judge of this. Is it too personal a woman’s affair? Or maybe she was being blackmailed as well. Perhaps I should send her and the orphan to my father to learn the truth.”

I stared at my hands. “There’s no need to involve your father.”

Tony stopped, leaning towards me. “What?”

All I had worked so hard to keep secret was being revealed. But I couldn’t allow Madame Biltcliffe and Tenni to be hurt on my account. “There’s no need to involve your father.”

I took a deep breath. “From the age of sixteen, I have employed myself as a private investigator.”