The Price of Innocence (The Legacy Series) by Vicki Hopkins Read Free Book Online Page B

on, your hours will be from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. each day. Your pay will be three francs per day. If I’m satisfied after a month that you are able to carry out your duties, I will raise it to three and a quarter francs per day.”
    Monsieur Brouchard doubted the young woman would last a month hauling baskets through the streets of Paris. She reeked of untouched innocence, which both disgusted and enticed him at the same time. The washhouse would toughen her up for whatever lay ahead. The women currently in his employ had been there for years and were rough around the edges, most of them morally loose and alcoholics. They’d spread their legs for a decent meal. He chuckled out loud over what the petite little creature was about to endure. It was time to give her exactly what she came for.
    “Since you have no experience, I can only assign you to washing sheets, tablecloths, and curtains. Unless I know you have the ability to wash blouses or shirt fronts, you’ll not be allowed to touch the clothes of my best clients.”
    Suzette pleaded, “Monsieur Brouchard, I would be most indebted to you if you would let me work for your establishment.”
    He liked it when people begged. “Fine then,” he answered, standing to his feet. Brouchard crushed out his cigar next to other butts in the overflowing ashtray and began giving her instructions.
    “Come with me. I’ll show you where you’ll sleep, and you can start work immediately. I’ll introduce you to Flora, who will train you on what’s to be done.”
    Suzette gasped. “You wish me to start now?”
    “Yes,” he sneered. “Do you want the job or not?”
    “Yes, of course,” she said, “but I thought I would have time to return to the charity to retrieve my belongings.”
    He looked at her in astonishment. “And what might those things be? Whatever they are, you can get them another time.”
    Afraid to disagree lest he change his mind, Suzette followed behind him like an obedient, frightened puppy dog. Once again, her life had turned upside down, and she hadn’t been given the opportunity to thank Sister Mary for her kindness. However, as she walked through the facility following Monsieur Brouchard, she began to wonder if she would be as thankful a week from now.
    The facilities were stifling hot from the rising steam of large washing bins on the lower floor. Suzette glanced at the working women as she passed by their stations. No one was talking in front of the manager, and there were only a few individuals who raised their eyes in her direction.
    The air was moist and hot and filled with odors that irritated Suzette’s nose. Tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead as Monsieur Brouchard escorted her through the facility and up a narrow staircase to the second floor. Once upon the landing, he flung open a wooden door to a small, dark room. Inside were four cots pushed up against the wall.
    “The one on your right is yours. The others are taken already. A bath chamber is down the hall on the left.”
    Suzette stared at the cramped quarters and the dirty mattress on wooden slats with a wool blanket and no pillow. “Do you have much in the way of clothes, shoes, personal belongings to get?”
    “No sir. I’m afraid very little is back at the charity.”
    “Well, I suggest you retrieve what you do have when you can. Sometimes we have clothes that are unclaimed, and you can pick through the leftovers if you need anything. You won’t need to dress in your evening gown to get the work done here!” His condescending laugh filled the hallway. “As you can see, most women around here strip so they can handle the heat.” His lecherous behavior became obvious as he added, “And I don’t mind the show.”
    He headed back and spewed out an order. “Follow me! I’ll introduce you to Flora.”
    They walked downstairs, and Suzette followed him over to large piles of dirty linens that looked like mountains of white cotton. Upon closer inspection, Suzette noticed