Quick, Amanda by Lie By Moonlight Read Free Book Online

Miss
    Bartlett’s gloves raised your suspicions?”
    “The housekeeper was a sullen creature who kept to herself as much as possible. I later learned that she
    was addicted to opium. I was forced to have several stern talks with the cook, who showed no interest in
    preparing healthy meals for the students. The man in charge of the stables was a lazy drunkard. The
    gardeners never tended the gardens and”—she paused, eyes narrowing slightly—“they carried guns.”
    “Guards, not gardeners.”
    “That was certainly how it appeared to me.” She took one more sip of the sherry and slowly lowered
    the glass. “But the things that concerned me the most were the gowns.”
    He looked at her. “What gowns?”
    “Ten days ago a dressmaker came all the way from London. She brought with her bolts of expensive
    fabrics and three seamstresses. Several lovely new gowns were made for all of the girls. I was told that
    Mrs. Jones wanted the students to be prepared to take their places in Society. But that made no sense.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    She did not bother to conceal her impatience with the question. “The young ladies were all born into
    respectable families. Indeed, Edwina and Theodora once lived a very privileged life. But all of them are
    now orphans. None can claim any property or inheritances or social connections. They have a few
    distant relations but none who cared enough to step forward to take them into their homes.”
    He contemplated that briefly. “I see what you mean. None of them can expect to move into Society.”
    “Precisely. At best they can only look forward to careers as teachers or governesses. Why provide them
    with gowns that are suited to the ballroom and the theater?”
    “Obviously you suspected the worst.”
    “Yes, Mr. Wells, I did.” One hand clenched in her lap. “I came to the conclusion that my students were
    being prepared to be sold as expensive, fashionable courtesans.”
    “It’s a possibility, I suppose,” he said, thinking it over. “As I told you, Larkin does have extensive
    interests in a number of brothels.”
    “You must have seen some of the scandals in the press concerning the trade in young girls who are taken
    out of orphanages and sent to work as prostitutes. It is quite appalling. And the police have done very
    little to halt the business.”
    “Yes, but your girls were not packed off to a brothel. They were sent to Aldwick Castle. A teacher was
    employed. You said yourself the girls’ reputations were to be carefully preserved and guarded.”
    “I do not believe that my girls were intended to become ordinary prostitutes. Consider the facts, Mr.
    Wells. All four of my young ladies were brought up in respectable circumstances. They are well
    mannered, well bred and well educated. They speak with the refined accents of their social class.”
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    “In other words, they did not come from the streets.”
    “No. I am not naïve, sir. I have been out in the world for some time. I am well aware that there is a
    market for exclusive courtesans who can emulate ladies who move in respectable circles.”
    He managed to conceal his surprise. Her casual acknowledgment of certain realities was oddly
    disconcerting. Women of her class rarely discussed such matters, let alone in a matter-of-fact fashion.
    “True,” he admitted.
    “How much more valuable would those women be if they actually came from good social circles and
    possessed the airs and graces to prove it? To say nothing of innocence, youth and pristine reputations?”
    “I will not argue with you on that account. Nevertheless—”
    “Tonight I overheard Rimpton and his companion discussing some sort of auction that was to be held in
    the near future. I am certain that they meant that my students were to be sold to the highest bidders.”
    “An auction?”
    Her hand tightened in her lap. “Yes.”
    He hesitated, thinking it