In The Beginning by Gail Daley (top 100 books of all time checklist .TXT) 📕

said rising from the table, "come upstairs, put on some old riding clothes and put your hair up under an old hat. You and I are also going to pay someone a visit."

"Why do we need old clothes?"

"Because we don't want to be seen visiting Antoinette Larrabee. If anyone knows something we can use against Lutz, it's her."

"Why would she tell you what she knows?"

"She and I once lived in the same emigrant camp," Giselle said, as they headed upstairs. "At one time, we were friends."

On the way to their rooms, she stopped and ordered the desk clerk to send to a note to the local stable requesting two saddled tricorns be brought to the back of the Hotel.

She nodded approvingly when she saw their nondescript appearance. Mounting, Giselle led the way upriver, walking the animals until they passed the edge of town so as not to attract much notice leaving. Once they were out of sight of the town, she urged her tricorn to a faster pace.

Bethany hadn't asked many questions, but seeing the direction they were riding, she was puzzled enough to ask, "Where are we going? There is nothing out this way."

"We're going the back way into Minerstown," Giselle informed her. "We don't want to be seen going there, or have it known who we are going to see, so we will be using the ford about ten miles upriver."

"Ah—who are we going to see? I thought you said we would be visiting Antoinette Larrabee. Does she live up here?"

"Antoinette owns La Belle Sans Merci."

Her granddaughter gasped. "What?"

"You heard me."

"But—Gran—that's a bawdy house!"

"Yes, and we are going to be talking to the head bawd. Treat her like a lady when you meet her. And for the love of Pete, don't go telling your husband about this visit!"

"No kidding," Bethany muttered to herself.

For an hour, they traveled north along the edge of Black River, arriving finally at a wide ford not much used by anyone. The ford wasn't exactly shallow; the water was deep enough so both women ended up soaked to the tops of their boots, but it was crossable on the tricorns.

Once across, Giselle kicked her tricorn into an easy lope to traverse the trail into the back side of Minerstown.

Unlike River Crossing, with its clusters of houses extending behind the businesses grouped around the center of town, Minerstown had one long street. Saloons, hash houses, sleeping dormitories, the Chinese laundry, a dry goods store and those places advertising feminine company lined both sides of the long street. At the end of town, La Belle Sans Merci occupied a large two-story building. Unlike most of the other buildings, it had been painted, and was surrounded by a neatly kept garden and white picket fence.

From the rear, the building looked to Bethany just like any large mansion. A stable and corral were set off to the left.

Giselle rode right up to the stable and dismounted. The young boy who came to take their mounts, stopped dead when he realized he was facing two women.

"Ma'am," he blurted out, "you shouldn't be here!"

Giselle tied her tricorn to the hitching rail. "Never mind that. Please give Madam Antoinette this," she handed the boy a small pouch. "Tell her an old friend wants to talk to her. We will wait here until you come back."

He accepted the pouch and bowed to her. "Better you wait in here, Missus," he said, opening a door to a small office. "No will see you there."

"Thank you. Come, girl."

Bethany followed her grandmother. She waited until the boy had closed the door before she whispered. "He acted like he knew you. Have you been here before?"

"Not for a long time. Antoinette and I lived together in the emigrant camp in Gateway City after your grandfather was murdered."

"I never knew. You don't usually talk much about that time. I'd like to hear more if you want to tell me."

Giselle sat down on a dusty couch she suspected doubled as the boy's bed and patted the seat beside her. When Bethany joined her, she said, "I don't talk much about it, because I was forced to do some things I'm not proud of to keep your father and I fed and housed."

"Were you a—I mean—"

Giselle laughed. "No, I didn't have to sell myself, but for a time I was a Portal Runner, a thief and a grifter. I told fortunes and read cards. A woman alone in a place like Gateway City—well it's hard. Back when the Tresoni family ran the camp and the City, there was a set of rules serving as laws. Unless someone was killed, the Tresoni's pretty much left us to settle things ourselves. I learned to use a knife and a gun to defend Michael and myself. I made sure you girls could shoot and handle a knife. Several of us banded together to help each other. At first, there was only Antoinette and me but eventually there were many members of the Women's Circle. We formed our own Circle of influence to help each other as much as we could. Some of us made different choices in our lives along the way, but the bond is still there. Or so I hope."

She had given Bethany a lot to think about. When the boy opened the door, she looked up in surprise. "Madam will see you now, Missus," he said. "Please to follow me."

He led them in through the kitchen, and up the backstairs to a sitting room. Madam Antoinette was not at all what Bethany expected. She was tall and slim, dressed in an afternoon tea dress any lady might have worn. Her face bore a minimum of makeup, and her once gold hair, showing only the barest touch of gray, was bound up in a chignon, fastened with a single gold clasp. She greeted Giselle with both hands held out.

"Giselle, how wonderful to see you. You look just the same. And this must be one of your granddaughters."

"It's good to see