The Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart Read Free Book Online Page A

unladylike reaction. “A lovely thought, dear. But how are you going to meet this very rich man when we’re living on the edge of the Paris slums? The next move will put us in the heart of them. It’s going to come to that, eventually, and I’m not quite sure we’ll survive.”
    â€œI have faith,” Lydia said simply. “The answer will be provided when we need it.” On top of everything else Lydia was a devout Christian, whereas Elinor had lost her faith years ago, when she’d met Sir Christopher Spatts, and now she accompanied Lydia to church only as a matter of form.
    â€œI think the answer is long overdue,” she grumbled. “If you could make it hurry up I’d appreciate it.”
    She heard the commotion coming from the back of the apartment, and Jacobs burst into the room, his hat in his hand, his weathered old face creased with worry, Nanny Maude close behind him.
    â€œShe’s gone, miss,” he announced.
    There was never any question who he was talking about. “What do you mean, gone?” Elinor said, jumping up. “Is she dead?”
    â€œNo, Miss Elinor,” Nanny said, her voice thick with worry. “Your mother managed to find the last of the money I’d had for food, and she put on her fancy dress and left.”
    â€œOh, dear God. How did she manage that? I thought she could barely move,” Elinor said, chilled. “We can find her, can’t we? She can’t have gotten far.”
    â€œI almost caught her, miss,” Jacobs said miserably, crushing his hat with his big, strong hands. “I thought I recognized her running down the streets, but she got in a coach before I could catch her.”
    â€œA coach? Are you sure it was my mother? I didn’t realize she still knew anyone with a coach.”
    â€œIt was her,” Jacobs said grimly. “And I recognized the coach. Even in the streetlights I could see the crest.”
    â€œOh, Lord,” Elinor moaned. “What new disaster has she gotten us into? Whose was it?”
    â€œSt. Philippe.”
    â€œBloody hell,” Elinor said. “Don’t look at me like that, Nanny Maude. I know you raised me better, but if any occasion deserved a curse then this one does. You know who St. Philippe’s friend is, don’t you, Jacobs?”
    â€œI don’t,” Lydia piped up, her blue eyes shining with curiosity.
    â€œYou don’t need to know,” Elinor snapped.
    â€œIt’s that devil, isn’t it?” Nanny said, her voice grim. “She’s gone and taken herself off to the devil’s lair, where there’s orgies and such, and she’ll lose the tiny bit of money we have left and probably end up sacrificed to the dark one.”
    â€œI don’t think they do sacrifices, Nanny,” Elinor said in her most practical voice, trying to ignore her own racing heart.
    â€œThey do,” Nanny said, nodding her head so vigorously her lace cap slipped off her silver hair. “Women go in there and are never seen again. They kill virgins and drink their blood.”
    â€œWell, if it’s virgins they kill then I think our mother’s safe,” Elinor drawled, determined to take the terrified look off her sister’s face. “And I doubt anyone will be so besotted with her that she’ll disappear. She’ll gamble away the money and then come crawling home, sick and helpless.”
    â€œYou don’t understand, miss,” said Nanny. “It’s the only money we have left. And she took the diamond brooch.”
    A cold chill ran down the center of Elinor’s body. It was the last thing of value they owned, a poor piece with tiny, flawed diamonds that was worth very little, but she’d kept it hidden for an emergency that didn’t involve their deliberately self-destructive mother. She straightened her shoulders. “Then I’ll simply have to go after her.”
    She ignored