“I’m fine,” she assured him when he hesitated. “Findlay intended to start his fun after the ball tonight. The plan was for him to attend the ball, act the distraught fiancé, and then return to make me distraught,” she said dryly.

Daniel’s mouth tightened at the words and then he smiled crookedly. “Well, from the looks of it, he would have had a surprise waiting. It’s almost a shame we weren’t late enough for you to have koshed him a time or two first.”

“While I would be delighted to kosh him a time or two. I am grateful to be getting out of here,” Lisa assured him as she helped Robert across the open area. Her gaze slid around the room as she went, noting Richard and two light skirts standing by the stairs, watching over the unconscious bodies of a couple of Findlay’s men.

“Lisa!” the dark-haired one cried in a loud whisper.

Lisa came to a halt, forcing Robert to one as well and watched wide-eyed as the dark-haired light skirt spotted her and rushed toward them. Her eyes widened incredulously when the woman hugged her, nearly knocking Robert to the ground in her eagerness. Lisa glanced to Daniel with bewilderment, silently asking who the hell the woman was.

“Suzette looks magnificent, doesn’t she?” Daniel asked with a grin and she turned her gaze sharply to the woman, but all she could see was the side of her head from her embrace. And then her gaze slid to the blonde approaching at a more dignified walk with Richard following, trying to drape his jacket over her, and Lisa’s eyes nearly fell out of her head as she recognized Christiana.

“Dear God,” she muttered, amazed at just how well her sisters could pass for prostitutes. Good Lord, it was rather shocking really. It made her think that if they took a light skirt off the street and dressed her proper, she could pass for a lady. The concept was one she had never contemplated. Lisa had always thought there was something different about such women, that they would be recognized for what they were no matter their dress or surroundings. But if Suzette and Christiana could pass for light skirts so easily . . . well, perhaps there wasn’t really that much difference between ladies and light skirts except for circumstance.

“Thank God you are all right,” Christiana murmured, hugging both her and Suzette at once.

“Why are you dressed like this?” Lisa asked uncertainly, and then paused to glance worriedly at Robert as he groaned and leaned more heavily against her.

“What the devil is taking you people so long?” a deep voice hissed.

Lisa glanced toward the top of the stairs to see a tall fellow with salt-and-pepper hair glaring down at them from the open door. He looked vaguely familiar, but it took her a moment to recognize him as the man Robert had met with several days ago.