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

“Your word will be worth nothing by the time I’m through. Your reputation will be forfeit, madame, and I wonder how many respectable ladies will cross your doorstep if they know how you encourage your girls to sell themselves for your benefit? I’m not sure”—he looked at her with contempt, before continuing—“but I don’t think they’ll want their day dresses pawed over by whores.”
    She gasped, her color draining quickly, and even in the shop’s poor light, he could see the change. “You’re a devil! Take her and good riddance! That little baggage thinks she’s too good for it, does she? Well, I had no idea that Mr. Perring meant her any harm! He comes from a very good family, and any other girl would have been flattered. Hell, I was doing that chit a favor!”
    And there it is. Spoken like a true pimp. God, what world is this and how do any of us survive it?
    He turned to go, but the woman screeched out one last protest. “You’re no better than the others! You’re no saint! You’ve
saved
her for your own wicked pleasure, no doubt! And when you’ve ruined that strawberry and set her out in the cold, I hope you remember that I saw you for what you are! You’re the Devil!”
    His stride never slowed, but the words stung a bit. It was true his motives weren’t as altruistic as one might hope. But he wasn’t going to ruin her, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let the cruel badger of a woman see him stumble on his way back to the carriage.

Chapter
4

    You’re the Devil!
Eleanor shuddered as her ex-employer’s words echoed into the street. Her rescuer gave every indication of being a gentleman even if there was something of the buccaneer in the way he carried himself. Tall and rakish, she still wasn’t sure what to make of her remarkably handsome guardian angel. Mr. Hastings might be Satan himself, but at the moment, she felt lost and wasn’t sure what a lady would say to uncover the truth.
He may be a terrible fiend, and what have I to do? Politely thank him and climb out of this carriage so that I can honorably freeze to death?
    Even so, the sight of him coming down the shop steps with that impossibly red velvet evening gown was an arresting experience. He was being so heroic on her behalf, but the sight of the loathed garment made her want to start crying all over again.
    Oh, God.
    He climbed inside the carriage, setting the rescued gown down onto the seat next to her with as much care as hecould. “I didn’t manage to extort any funds from the woman, but I did manage to get the gown she’d forced you to buy.”
    “Th-thank you. It’s … hardly … I’m not sure what to say.”
    “Where do you reside, Miss Beckett? I ask, only because I have a sinking feeling that your employer may have helped you secure those lodgings?”
    It shouldn’t have surprised her, but it was a horrible truth she’d managed to forget in the chaos of the moment.
Oh, God. Everything I have left is in that rented room.
“Yes! How did you guess? Her sister owns a boarding house at the end of the street. It’s the one with the green trim at the corner. But, surely you don’t think … ?”
    “You need the rest of your things, Miss Beckett.” He tapped the roof of the carriage. “Just to the corner for now, John!” The hack pulled away from the sidewalk and Josiah sighed. “Let’s pay your landlady a visit before Madame Claremont thinks to send a runner and make your day more difficult.”
    “Oh my! Would she take my things?”
    “There’s nothing she wouldn’t do out of malice at this point. But don’t worry. We’ll collect everything and I can contend with your landlady. I would offer to go in alone, but I’d rather not be arrested for burglary.”
    Eleanor’s heart was pounding at the speed of her life’s unmaking, but there was nothing to do except move forward. Her rent had been deducted from her wages, but with the hateful tone of her departure from madame’s employment, she wasn’t