CHAPTER ONE #2
Her hands, clutched in front of her, were white knuckled. There was fear and vulnerability in her eyes. He hated that this had happened to her. She should have been able to live a quiet life, one where her family kept her safe.
“Are you going to turn me out?” she asked.
“No. I’m not that cold. However, I find myself in possession of a mistress that isn’t a mistress. As mayor of this fine city, people are going to notice I have a woman living with me. And I can’t very well set you up in the Storyville house like I would any other mistress.”
She stared at him silently.
“Laurell, what do you suggest? A train ticket to a new city? Somewhere your parents can’t find you?”
She licked her lips and turned her head, not holding his gaze. But not before he’d seen the shame in her eyes. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“Explain.”
“You obviously know that my parents sold the wrong daughter to Madam Giselle.” She licked her lips again, something he decided was a sign of her nerves. “What you don’t know is why they did it.”
She had a point. He’d wondered about it, but figured the younger girl was their favorite. Or perhaps, they’d thought their eldest daughter more disposable, though he couldn’t fathom why. She was beautiful in a quiet, unassuming type of way. But it was her eyes that drew him in. They were stunning.
“I assumed the younger daughter was more in favor with them.”
She nodded. “Yes, but…it didn’t used to be that way.”
Was she ever going to tell him everything? Or would have to pull it from her one bit at a time? Whatever she was hiding, it couldn’t be all that bad. Had she angered her parents? Maybe done something she shouldn’t have? Spent too much money? He couldn’t imagine her doing anything truly scandalous.
“So what changed?” he asked.
Her gaze dropped. “I did something bad. Very bad.”
He gave her an indulgent smile. He had a hard time picturing this angelic creature doing anything bad. She was soft spoken, and from what he’d seen, mild mannered. It was hard to picture her doing anything she shouldn’t.
“And what might that be?” he asked.
“I allowed a young man to carry me off into the gardens one night. He…We…” She licked her lips yet again. “He took advantage of me and there were consequences.”
Remy arched a brow. Well, this was getting more and more interesting by the moment.
He had to wonder if the gentleman in question had, in fact, taken advantage or had she let him under her skirts?
If she’d tried to stop him and the man had persisted, then Remy needed a name so he could have a little visit with him.
“Are you telling me that you’re expecting? ”
She nodded. “The man denied having touched me and refused to marry me. I was an embarrassment to my family and they worried about Rachel finding a decent husband while I was under their roof. My father owed Madam Giselle a hefty sum from some card games he’d played at her establishment.
When she came to collect her debt, she demanded his youngest daughter in payment. ”
Of course she had. The younger the better in her line of work.
It really was beyond time for him to find a wife.
If the thought of bedding girls young enough to be his daughter was bothering him, then it was time to make a change.
Although, he supposed it depended on the young woman.
Laurell was still quite young, but she had a quiet grace and maturity that most debutants lacked, despite her current circumstances.
“And instead your father sent her you.”
Laurell nodded. “It was the perfect solution to his problem.”
Remy sighed and leaned back in his chair. This complicated things quite a bit. He couldn’t send her off somewhere on her own, but he didn’t know what else to do with her. Keeping her was out of the question, and he certainly couldn’t make her his mistress.
“Doesn’t make things any easier for us, now does it?”
She lowered her gaze and twisted her hands in her lap, but not before he’d seen the flash of guilt in her eyes. Whatever her part in her present circumstances, she obviously felt responsible.
“No, I suppose it doesn’t,” she said.
“Gauthier is well connected and will have spread the word about his newest acquisition, or what he assumed would be his newest acquisition. Thankfully, the name being bandied about is Rachel’s. No one will think to look for a Laurell having come from Madam Giselle’s establishment.”
Her gaze lifted to meet his. The pain and despair made his heart ache for her. One mistake had ruined her life, while the man responsible was still out there having a grand time and possibly getting another girl in the family way. It wasn’t fair, but it was, unfortunately, the way the world worked.
“I’m ruined either way.”
“Yes,” he murmured. “You are. Well, for tonight you can get some rest and we’ll look at the situation again in the morning. Are you hungry? I’m sure my housekeeper could find you something in the kitchen.”
Her stomach chose that moment to growl. “Madam Giselle hasn’t fed me since breakfast.”
He glanced at the clock. Nearly midnight. “I’ll have a tray delivered to your room.”
Laurell rose from her chair. “Thank you, for rescuing me. You could have left me to my fate. It’s what I would have deserved, having shamed my family the way I did.”
Remy’s jaw tightened. Hearing those words from her lips, the resignation… He wanted to smash his fist into something, break things, shout. Instead, he tried to remain calm, but couldn’t quite hide the bite of his tone. “No one deserves the fate you would have received at the hands of Gauthier.”
She nodded.
“Come,” Remy said, standing and holding out his hand. “I’ll take you to your room. I hope you’ll find it to your liking.”
Her palm slid against his and his fingers closed over hers.
Pulling her hand into the crook of his arm, he led her out of the study, back to the main entrance, and up the grand staircase.
Guest rooms were housed on the second floor, and that’s definitely where he should have taken her.
And yet, there was something prodding him along, forcing him to climb another set of stairs to the third floor – the family wing.
When he stopped outside of the room adjoining his, he knew he’d taken leave of his senses, but for some reason he wanted Laurell close.
“I’ll leave you here and go in search of Mrs. Curry. She’ll see to your needs tonight and assign a maid to you in the morning.”
“Thank you, Mayor.”
“Remy,” he said softly. “Please call me Remy.”
A small smile teased the corners of her lips and she nodded. “Remy.”
He liked the sound of his name on her lips, perhaps a little too much.
Before insanity could completely set in, he left her and went to fetch Mrs. Curry as he’d promised.
The more distance he put between him and his new houseguest, the better.
At least, until he had himself back under control.
It was ridiculous. She had to be more than ten years his junior, and here he was mooning over her like some lovesick schoolboy.
Something told him his life was about to change, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.
Laurell looked around the room, decorated in soft pinks.
It was a very feminine room for a bachelor’s home, but then she was only assuming that the mayor—Remy—was a bachelor.
Just because he frequented a whore house and knew Madam Giselle by name, didn’t mean anything.
There were plenty of married men who had women on the side, like her father.
Part of her was glad to be away from home, but the other part of her was terrified about what fate held in store for her.
Remy had purchased her, had every right to use her however he saw fit.
What if he decided he wanted a mistress after all?
She’d have no way to stop him from taking what he wanted.