Cast in Ice (2 page)

Nick Stillman adjusted the mask on his face and walked through the doors of
The Soiled Dove
.
The Dove
, as it was commonly called was one of the most exclusive gaming hells in London. It was a heavily guarded, private establishment, with such strict membership requirements that it was one of the most exclusive clubs in London. Allowing both male and female members only added to
The Dove’s
appeal.

The Dove
was located in a large, three-story brick building in the eastern part of London. Not as far east as the St. Giles area, yet far enough east of the fashionable West End that its location didn’t draw notice from anyone who passed by. At a glance, there was nothing of note about the building. Until you walked through the doors, and entered into
The Dove’s
special world.

This was not the first time Nick had been here, although it had been some time since his last visit. He didn’t frequent
The Dove
too often for fear he’d become too familiar to
The Dove’s
patrons, or its proprietors. He’d discover much more if he remained inconspicuous.

The main entrance was located in a rather common side alley. Nick opened the outer door then entered the first small room. He knocked on a bolted door and waited until a small window opened. Without a word, Nick held up the special card that confirmed his membership. After a few moments, the bolt on the door slid, and Nick was allowed to enter.

The lower level of
The Dove
was called The Blue Room. This was the largest, as well as the busiest level at
The Dove
. The purpose of this level was for the members of the nobility, both male and female, to enjoy a game of cards without being identified. Hence, the masks. The stakes wagered at this level were not unrealistically high, which allowed the patrons to win moderate amounts, while remaining nameless.

This was the level where Nick spent most of his time. The reason was two-fold. Before he could investigate
The Dove
further, he needed to acquaint himself with the basic running of the club. And that included discovering as much as he could about the patrons who visited on a regular basis, as well as observe the owners without their realizing they were being watched.

Since one of the requirements of membership was that each patron wear a mask at all times, it was easy to study the players without their knowing they were being observed. Unfortunately, it was impossible for him to identify the players with any certainty. All the masks were the same for both male and female, which made for an ethereal experience. It also made identifying the patrons more difficult. Nick was forced to rely on his skills of observation.

Male and female servers wearing masks identical to those of the players walked about the room carrying trays of complimentary drinks. The owners of
The Dove
had clearly discovered that the more the gamblers drank, the freer they were with their money. Nick couldn’t imagine how large the profits were on an average evening.

He looked around the lavishly decorated room, then wended his way between the filled gaming tables. When he reached the center, he lifted his gaze.

Six massive chandeliers hung from a third floor ceiling. A balcony circled the second level, with doors to twelve rooms all around the circumference. Each six rooms were divided by a staircase that led to a third level.

From what Nick had determined, the front six rooms on the second level were private gaming rooms for those patrons who considered themselves more skilled, and wanted to wager larger amounts. These rooms were called the Gold Rooms.

Tables in the Gold Rooms were open only to members who’d gained special permission. They were members who’d proven their level of skill, and wanted to play for higher stakes. Members eligible for the Gold Rooms were given a special coin—a large gold medallion with a soaring dove emblazoned on the front, and a leafy crown on the back. This token was the key to every level of
The Dove
.

Nick fingered the coin in his pocket, but didn’t remove it. He had no intention of taking his chances on the second level until he had to.

At the back of the second level were six more rooms. These were the business offices of the owners, Basil Ellsworth, and Harvey Willard. No one was sure where Ellsworth or Willard had come from, nor did anyone know where they’d acquired the capital to establish
The Dove
. Speculation was that the financier was a secret third party who wanted to remain anonymous. And the reason was obvious. There were things that happened at
The Dove
that were rumored to be illegal.

Nick had his suspicions as to what these events were, but until he knew who the mastermind was behind the enterprise, he couldn’t involve the authorities. And, it wasn’t the second level that interested him, but the third.

Nick made his way through the room, stopping to observe several of the games already in progress.
The Dove
was busy tonight and every table was full. He waited for someone to leave their table, then moved in that direction.

Nick recognized the man who was leaving. He’d seen him here several times before. He didn’t know his name or his title, but he’d given him a nickname. Just as he gave everyone here a nickname. It was easier to remember them that way. This man he called him
The Rooster
. That was because his red hair always stood up on top like a rooster’s comb.

The Rooster
wasn’t exceptionally skilled at cards and lost more often than he won. But at least he was wise enough to know when to quit. He never seemed to lose more than he could cover, which was fortunate for him. Because one of the rules of
The Dove
was that no vowels were accepted. No credit extended. No physical properties or possessions could be wagered. Only currency used.

If a player lost more than he could cover, he had twenty-four hours to pay his debts. If the debts were not covered in one day’s time, the gambler was left with one option. He could cover his losses on the third floor, or his family—as well as all of Society—could read that Lord this or Lady that had lost a certain amount at the gaming tables at
The Dove
, and was unable to pay his debts. Nothing ruined a nobleman or noble lady’s reputation faster. And before the ink was dry on the morning paper’s print, creditors were at that unfortunate loser’s door demanding payment for every outstanding bill he or she had.

More often than not, the unfortunate gambler took his or her chances on the third floor.

Nick tipped his head back and stared at the twin stairways that led to the third floor. He’d never been up there, and had only heard whispers of what happened there, but he didn’t need to hear the gruesome details. He’d seen firsthand the results of those who visited the third floor.

Jenny Belden’s sweet, innocent face flashed before his eyes. She was Viscount Balden’s only daughter. The love of his life. She’d been a childhood friend of the Viscount’s niece, Lizzy, and the two girls had been inseparable. Nick had watched Lizzy and Jenny grow into beautiful young ladies with their futures before them. Until
The Dove
stole Jenny’s future from her.

When Jenny went missing, Viscount Belden contacted Nick to find his daughter. Every clue led to
The Soiled Dove
, and something that had happened there. But before Nick could find Jenny and deliver her safely home to her parents, Jenny’s mud-soaked body was found floating face down in the Thames.

If it was the last thing Nick did, he intended to close down
The Dove
, and make the owners of this gambling hell pay for the lives they’d destroyed.

Nick watched the man he called
The Rooster
walk away from his table, and stepped forward to take his place. The gamblers were playing
vingt-et-un
.

As usual, few words were spoken in welcome. Greeting from the three other players at the table consisted of sharp nods of acknowledgment. Gossip wasn’t the reason members of Society came to
The Dove
. There were other desires that brought players here.

For some it was the thrill of playing against people they didn’t know, and who didn’t know them. The thrill of being someone different than how society perceived them.

For others, it was the hope—or the desperation—that they’d leave with heavy pockets.

Nick studied the players at the table and wondered what reasons brought them.

He studied his opponents. There was one man and two women. He’d seen all of them at
The Dove
before, but had only played against two of them. The man he’d nicknamed
The Rabbit
, because the harder he concentrated, the more his nose twitched. It was a habit he should learn to control if he intended to continue to wager. It was a telling sign when he doubted his hand.

The one woman he’d nicknamed
Lady Woodpecker
, because she had the annoying habit of tapping the nail of one finger against the table when deciding what wager to make. The more she doubted her hand, the faster she tapped.

He’d never played against the second female, and thought of what name he would give her. But he didn’t notice any habits she exhibited that might earn her a nickname. Then, her stillness provided him with a moniker.

There was a cool air of confidence in the tilt of her head, a poised set to her shoulders. Without knowing exactly why, Nick was fascinated by her captivating presence. He studied her for several long moments, then gave her the name of
Ice Lady
. For that is what she seemed to him. As cold as ice.

With a nod, she picked up a few cards in the deck and held the top card up. The card was a queen.
The Rabbit
did the same. His card was a seven.
Lady Woodpecker
held up a three. Then it was Nick’s turn. He held up a Jack.

The banker was determined. Without acknowledging the other players,
Ice Lady
picked up the deck and dealt each player a card. The card remained face down on the table.

The players each looked at their card and slid their initial wager in front of them. The banker dealt each player a second card.

The Rabbit
studied his two cards for several long moments. His nose twitched from side to side, then up and down. Eventually, he decided to add another card. He looked at his cards, then placed them facedown, indicating he wanted no more.

Ice Lady
turned her attention to the lady opposite her. The lady nodded once and the banker slid another card across the table.

Lady Woodpecker
picked up her third card then began the rapid tap-tap-tapping of her fingernail against the marble tabletop.

The tapping continued for several nerve-wracking minutes, then the tapping stopped and
Lady Woodpecker
nodded that she wanted another card.

Ice Lady
slid another card across the table and the female player picked it up. With a painful moan,
Lady Woodpecker
dropped her hand face up to the table. With no show of emotion, the banker took
Lady Woodpecker’s
chips, then placed the losing cards to the bottom of the pack.

Nick studied the
Ice Lady’s
controlled reaction. Nothing she did indicated she was pleased that one of the players had lost to her. It was almost as if she expected to defeat her competition one by one.

Next,
Ice Lady
turned to
The Rabbit
. Like the player before him, he indicated that he wanted another card.
Ice Lady
dealt him a card and pushed it across the table. With a twitch of his nose, he lifted the corner of his card up enough to see what it was. Then he slowly placed it with the two cards in his hand and began his deliberation. His nose twitched nervously as he debated what to do, then he indicated that he wanted another card.

Ice Lady
dealt the card, and the twitching began again. A sheen of perspiration rose on his forehead. He placed his cards on the table and wiped his sweaty palms on his pant legs more than once. It was obvious his decision wasn’t an easy one. Finally, after much deliberation, the player indicated he wanted a fourth card.