“The mail has already been taken to your study, sir.”
Hugo gave him his gloves and opened the panel door that was off to one side of the grand entryway. “Where’s The Book?” The Book was the daily ledger.
“Mr. Andrew brought it by half an hour ago.”
Hugo looked at his watch. “Go tell Maisie to be down here in an hour. An hour,” he repeated.
“She won’t like that, sir.”
“I don’t care.”
Maisie was one of the house’s most expensive and popular whores, and she was also its biggest pain in the arse. Hugo had nobody to blame for her except himself since he’d been the one to hire her.
“Very good, sir. Shall I send up coffee?”
Hugo paused and stared at Daniel, an idea blooming in his head.
Daniel eyelids lowered fractionally over his coffee-colored eyes as Hugo studied him.
He was a beautiful lad and if Hugo hadn’t been a happily married man, he might have taken him up on that come-hither look. As it was, he wanted something entirely different from him.
“How old are you?”
“Er, twenty-nine on my next birthday.”
A little young, but the dark hair and brown eyes were a good match—even though the real Johnny was fair-haired like both Hugo’s parents. “I have a business proposition for you, Daniel. Join me for dinner in my study later and we can talk.”
Daniel nodded, his handsome face puzzled. “Of course, sir.”
Hugo loved his study. It wasn’t the biggest or nicest room in the two buildings that made up Solange’s, but, in his opinion, it was the most elegant. It reminded Hugo of the drawings he’d seen of the toff men’s clubs he’d never be allowed to—places like White’s, Brooks’s, or Boodle’s.
Luxurious but slightly worn carpets covered the dark wood floor; comfortable leather chairs and sofas were scattered about the room; and the walls were lined with hundreds and hundreds of books. Since claiming the room for himself Hugo had discovered there was nothing more delightful than working while surrounded by books.
Thankfully, the room had escaped Laura’s recent predations. She had maintained both her suite of rooms and office in the newer building, so most of the damage—gaudy furnishings, tasteless art, and whorish color schemes—had occurred in that part.
Hugo had made changing those rooms back to their original state one of his first priorities, along with re-hiring valuable staff like Daniel. And he’d also made an effort to personally meet with each of their clients to assure them that business had returned to normal at Solange’s.
Many of those who’d left had come back quickly when they’d learned Laura was no longer in charge. And even more had returned after Hugo had put out the word that Bev was not an active partner.
And then there had been those who’d come back for his services, in particular.
Hugo had put off most of those meetings while he’d actively engaged in recruitment. As arrogant as he was about his sexual abilities, he knew that all his clients, with a very few exceptions, would be pleased if he could hand them over to an equally skilled employee. Especially if that person was younger and more attractive.
To that end, he’d hired two new men and four women. Well, to be honest, he’d poached them away from two competitors, which hadn’t been difficult. Working for Solange’s had once been the aim of any smart, ambitious whore.
He’d gradually eased his best customers into accepting his new employees, although it hadn’t been as easily done since people seemed to think they deserved a reason for why he wouldn’t fuck them.
He could have told them that he had married. But—after they had stopped laughing—most of his clients would tell him they didn’t care, since most of them were married, too.
But Hugo had no intention of advertising his recent marriage. In fact, he planned to make sure that this part of his life and the part with Martha never got within miles of each other.
Hugo turned his mind to the prior night’s bookings and was just finishing up with the account book when there was a knock on his door.
A quick glance at the clock showed that an hour and a half had passed. He scowled. “Come in.”
Even Hugo, as jaded as he was by working with beautiful woman, caught his breath whenever he saw Maisie Hudder.
But he easily squashed his admiration. “You’re late.”
“I’m sorry, Hugo.” She smiled blandly and teetered across the room on her high-heeled slippers. She was dressed in a snow-white silk dressing gown that made her raven-black hair and startling blue eyes all the more attractive.
And then there was her body…
Well, the woman wasn’t their most sought-after employee for no reason. She lowered herself into the chair across from his desk with the sinuous grace of a cat, her gaze heavy lidded, her smile lazy.
“The next time I summon you and you don’t arrive on time you can pack your things and get the hell out. Understood?”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Do. You. Understand?”
The fragile architecture of her white throat flexed. “Yes, Hugo.”
“Good. Now, what’s the problem with Percy and Blackheathe?”
A smug smile tugged at her sinful lips. “They both want to offer me a contract.”
Hugo bit back a groan, hoping he hid his irritation. “So, which one do you want?”
“Neither.”
He frowned. “Then—oh, let me guess, they’re behaving like two skunks pissing over who gets you. But, instead of piss, they’re throwing jewels at you?”
Her smile grew.
Hugo leaned across his desk. “Do not fuck with my business, Maisie.”
Her smug smile slowly drained away.
“You know the way things work: if you want to accept an outside offer, then do it. I won’t have you turning the place into riot just so you can collect more baubles. Understood?”
Her plush lower lip quivered. “Understood.”
“I want you to stay away from both of them for a while.” Hugo turned to the appointment book that he usually kept locked in the safe but had been looking at earlier. He turned to the page of appointments for tonight and ran his finger down the list. “It looks like
