“Do you love James?” Ursula asked.
“Yes. I met him some time ago. He was dating my sister.”
“Ouch. How did your sister take it?”
Prue smiled. “She’s happy that I’m happy.”
“I was Stephen’s housecleaner. Violet worked for Cadeon.”
She smiled at Violet. “I used to work in the same building. I don’t know if you remember me.”
Violet shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t.”
They sat in silence.
“I bet this is the strangest greeting you’ve ever been to.”
She smiled at the women. It was the strangest night of her life.
“I think things are going to get a whole lot worse.”
“Ursula, she doesn’t need to know this. He’s gone.”
“What is going on? Does this have to do with that news report last year?” Prue asked.
Violet glared at the other woman.
“What has James told you?”
“Only about Possession and Ravage and where it comes into his life.” Prue was beginning to feel there was a whole lot more to the problem. James hadn’t told her everything.
“This is not our place,” Violet said.
Prue stared between the two women. They seemed to be having a private conversation. “James wouldn’t want you to tell her what he doesn’t feel is relevant.”
Another bout of silence and then Ursula smiled at her. “It is nothing. I’m sure everything is fine.”
Prue smiled and stared around the room.
“So, how are you finding James? Is he as possessive as Stephen is?” Ursula asked.
“I don’t know about Stephen, but I think James is possessive enough.” She chuckled, thinking about the way he had stopped the men from hassling her at the club when she first began going.
“I know that look. He must be pretty special.”
“He is,” she agreed.
“What about you, Violet?”
“Cadeon is worried about the pregnancy. He doesn’t like the thought of anything hurting me.”
“How is pregnancy?” Prue asked, thinking about James’s lack of thought with regards to protection.
“Good. I’ve suffered with morning sickness, but I’ve been able to overcome it. I think I’m through the worst.”
“Stephen and I are trying for a baby. He wants things to settle down before we are parents.” Ursula closed her mouth and stared past Prue’s shoulder. Dane stood looking at them. “James is looking for you,” he said.
She nodded her head, getting up from her seat.
“Stephen and Cadeon want you both as well.”
“That’s our cue to leave.”
They followed Dane up the stairs. James was waiting in the bar with the other men. They all stood up to greet them the moment they entered. It was such an old-fashioned action that Prue paused. James opened his arms, and she went into them willingly.
“I apologise there is not a lot of entertainment. I’m hoping to have everything back into shape in no time. You should bring her often, James,” Stephen said.
“I will. I’m afraid we must be off.”
James shook his friends’ hands. Prue gave them a smile before they were heading out the door once more.
****
The drive back was a tense affair. James knew something had been said among the three women. He stared at her as she looked out of the window. Arthur drove them back to his house, leaving them at the gate as he requested. Prudence didn’t speak as they walked up the long drive to his house.
“Do you think we can get a car that we drive to and from the gate? These walks are going to ruin my shoes.”
He pulled her close, kissing her head. “I’ll buy you more shoes.”
The cold air surrounded them. James looked up to the moon wondering why he had a really bad feeling in his gut. He tightened his hold on Prudence all the way to the front door. When they were inside, he followed her up to their room.
He’d come to view his bedroom as their room. He liked her sleeping by his side. They changed out of their clothes, and Prudence put on one of his shirts. It fell down to her knees.
She was brushing her hair, and he walked up behind her taking the brush.
“Tell me what is going on in that pretty mind of yours.” He glided the brush through her hair.
“Ursula and Violet are worried about something.”
He paused.
“You’re worried about it, too.”
James stared at her through the reflection of the mirror.
“Please, tell me. I don’t want to be kept in the dark.”
He sighed, brushing out the strands of hair. “There is something going on. I don’t know if it is over or just beginning, Prudence.”
She turned to him. “I don’t care. Tell me.”
James took her hands leading her over to the bed. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Start from the beginning. This has nothing to do with Possession or Ravage, does it?”
“No, not at all. At least I don’t think it does.”
“Tell me.”
He took a deep breath keeping her hands in his. “It all started with Violet. She’s from England and came here trying to get away from a man. Her mother had been one of Dominic Green’s prostitutes, and Violet had no choice but to run from him.”
Prudence gasped. “I recognise that name. He’s dead, right? In some kind of a shootout?”
“Yeah, well over a year ago now. Violet was free when he died. He saw his woman’s children as an income. He’d have put Violet to work, and she’d have been killed or something worse.” Her hand pulled out of his covering her mouth. “I know this is awful, so if you want me to stop then tell me.” He caught her shoulders in his arms and pulled her close.
“It is just awful to think of that kind woman at a monster’s mercy.”
He nodded his head. “Then, after some time, Stephen and I kept getting warnings about our club and our women. He was only just starting to date Ursula. The threats continued, and before we knew what was happening, Eugene Black had hired Ursula’s ex-boyfriend to arrange Rebecca’s beating. She was his step-mother. Rebecca and Lucas’s sister, Isabella, ended up in the hospital. Isabella was one of Green’s girls, we think. She’s not been very talkative to anyone since she came out of the hospital. We believe that Dominic Green was working for someone else, and we think that it was not just prostitution but human trafficking. They were taking women off the street and selling them like they were meat.”