Passion Wears Pearls by Renee Bernard Read Free Book Online Page A

the woman held her ground. “What man of substance quibbles over a shop girl’s meager wages?”
    “One with a distaste for bullies and a determination to see that you recall the day before you try to press another young girl into your service. My name is Josiah Hastings.” He lowered his voice, the calm far more menacing than if he’d bellowed. “Don’t let the state of my coat fool you, Madame Claremont. Mind your manners and obey your betters, or I’ll take pleasure in what will follow when I call in the watch.”
    The woman’s mouth fell open before she could close it, a fish out of water. “M-Maggie! The red opera gown! Bring it!”
    He relaxed his stance and even pretended to admire a few of the dresses she had on display. The dim shop made it all colorless and lifeless to him, but he was enjoying the awkward presence of Madame Claremont as she tried to decide how best to get him appeased and out of her shop before another customer arrived.
    “It’s quite an expensive gown, sir. She didn’t make enough to pay for it and I had planned to withhold her wages for the rest of the month as well. Naturally, if you’ll pay the balance, she can have the gown. I didn’t mean to quarrel with you, but you can understand I cannot absorb the cost for a girl I have just let go.”
    He ignored her and turned one of the hats on its display stand. “I don’t care.”
    “I don’t know who you are or what she’s told you, but the girl is quite spoiled and prone to lies.”
    “Is she?” He turned back to the woman. “A liar, you say?”
    “Here is the dress, Madame Claremont.” Maggie interrupted the exchange, handing the dress directly to Josiah and betraying that she was well aware of the subject at hand and her own position on the matter. “Is Eleanor all right? I also brought out her reticule. Miss Beckett left it in the drawer by the sewing machine and I know it’s her favorite.”
    She held out the small beaded bag, but Madame Claremont moved quickly to make her claim, glaring at the young girl. “I should see that she didn’t help herself to anything else!”
    “Is Miss Beckett also a thief, then?” He grabbed the reticule from the greedy woman’s grasp. “You are a piece of work, woman. If so much as a farthing is missing from Miss Beckett’s purse, I’ll call the authorities and have you touted as the soulless flesh-peddler you aspire to be!”
    “You have no—”
    “Here, miss.” Josiah pulled out his wallet from inside his waistcoat pocket, unfolding several pound notes without even trying to look at their amounts. “A gift for your trouble and your kindness to Miss Beckett.”
    Maggie took the money in astonishment. “Thank you, sir!”
    As an afterthought, he also gave the girl his card, and then turned back to the modiste. “That same threat about calling the authorities applies to this young lady as well. There wasn’t a penny of that intended for you, Madame Claremont, and if you punish her for the gift, I warrant she’s smart enough to let me know. Aren’t you, Maggie?”
    Maggie bobbed a curtsy and tucked his card safely away. “Yes, Mr. Hastings,” she said, and then vanished into the back of the shop.
    Madame Claremont abandoned all affectation and put her fists on her hips, her accent suddenly as coarse as burlap. “You cannot just walk into my shop and … toss about threats and throw money at my … Whatever Miss Beckett told you is a lie and slander! It’s her word up against mine, and I’ll see to it that they hear how she invited that man’s attentions and was eager for it. I’ll say that’s why I threw her out and who’s to say otherwise?”
    Josiah’s breath caught in his throat, the weight of his anger and indignation making it hard to focus. For a few seconds, it had been like a game, swaggering in and getting the dress, even giving the other shop girl a chance to run. But this—he’d never wanted to hit a woman in his entire life—until that moment.