When Catherine awoke that morning the space beside her was empty. Gabriel was gone. She sat up in the bed, her hair mussed beyond repair. Mindful that the sun was now high in the sky, she scooted out of the bed. Catherine’s stomach recoiled from the champagne she had drunk. Her head hurt and her mouth tasted sour.
Catherine looked about the notorious blue Room. She felt the onset of mortification. Shame made her grit her teeth, but she reasoned she would never see these people again. She dragged herself from the bed with the sheet about her, her body sore and stiff from Gabriel’s vigorous lovemaking.
Gabriel had kissed her awake in the wee hours of the morning, despite her sleepy protestations. His hands and mouth had driven her wild. He took his time, lingering in the bed with her, bringing them both to feverish ecstasy. Every part of her body ached deliciously in constant reminder. The smell of him was ingrained upon her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut in anguish, trying to block out the carnal images of him, but they persisted.
Catherine washed her burning face and her mouth in the basin. She bit her lips to quell the tumultuous tears she felt building inside, but it was done. She sold herself for money. Reminding herself that her noble intentions to restore Jaime’s birthright meant more than her remorse did not improve her mood.
Jaime’s future and Cullen’s were worth more than her regret. What she received for her body was far more than just the few shillings these women at this brothel received. Who was she fooling, she thought? She was no better than the women who worked here, and she knew it.
Going to her brother-in-law’s bed was bad enough. Doing it for financial gain sealed her fate. As much as she would like to deny the truth, she was now a whore. Tears brightened her gaze as she looked at herself in the mirror, seeing the shattered expression with grim acceptance.
The morning also brought with it the knowledge she could not possibly continue this. She was not the type of woman to use her body in such a way and not feel it eat at her soul. Catherine knew what was at stake. She couldn’t do it, no matter how much it was necessary. Lilly would understand, hopefully. Through the course of the evening she had come to her senses.
Somehow she would seek out Edward Thornton today. She prayed the old man helped her return to Ireland, as soon as it could be arranged. The children worried, no doubt. She and Brian would figure out how to keep the estate solvent. Her green eyes filled with fury to envision what she would do if he dared try take her brothers from her. She swallowed hard, reminded this man meant her family ill.
No, she would not see Lord Iverleigh again after last night. For that she was relieved. She cringed with embarrassment at her behavior, glad he was not there. Still, the encounter had been far more pleasant than she would have liked to admit. Just remembering how tender he had been, and how thorough, made her face flame.
There was no point in dwelling on him. He had gotten what he wanted of her and left. The encounter had meant nothing to him. She was just a pretty whore, soon forgotten. The resentment she felt to be so used made her bristle despite the deception she agreed to play.
It was ridiculous that she would be expected to stay here. Lilly expected her to pose as a prostitute and wait for him to return and seek out her favors. It was ridiculous, now that she examined the plan. Lilly would have to find some other way to reclaim her husband on her own. She wanted no part in it anymore.
Catherine didn’t have much time to be off. She was hearing movement within the house now. Suddenly a knock came at the door. She was grateful to see it was only the timid maid. The girl was named Milly. She arrived with a tray of tea and scones.
Catherine was grateful her trunk had been brought up the night before. The thought of putting the red dress back on was repugnant to her. Burning it suddenly came to mind.
Milly rifled through her things to find fresh under garments and helped her into one of her old gowns. She donned a faded rose-colored silk that had seen better days. Catherine refused to wear any of the other gowns Lilly purchased for her. They only reminded her of her most recent sins.
Milly cinched the corset loosely and tied up the back of her gown. The maid helped repair the damage done to her hair, and pinned it up into a loose chignon. Catherine nibbled upon a stale scone and sipped lukewarm tea. Milly made short work of tidying up the room. She watched as Milly removed the sheets from the rumpled bed, now a twisted disaster after the previous evening. The maid eyed her speculatively as she removed the soiled sheets and remade the bed. Catherine could not meet her gaze. The maid took the sheets and left.
Catherine was moody and despondent as she wondered how she would get out of the brothel unseen. She knew most of its inhabitants were probably still fast asleep, and planned to use that to her advantage.
Catherine had doubts she would be allowed to leave without Clarice’s consent. Some nagging intuition told her Clarice would refuse. She didn’t plan to wait around to ask. One way or another, she was leaving here.
###
“Let us speak plainly, my lord,” Clarice said in a crisp businesslike tone. “I have an investment in the girl’s future. You must realize what I could make? Losing Catherine will affect my profits considerably.”
“How much do you want to release her, Clarice? Name a damned price and let us be done with this haggling,” Gabriel said sharply. He knew the bawd was going to bleed him dry. “She has been here one day. How much could she have possibly cost you in that time?”
“I paid a pretty sum for her wardrobe alone, my lord,” Clarice argued defensively, her painted eyes meeting his boldly. “There are also my lost revenues to consider. Do you realize how many requests for her I have already? Her absence will no doubt anger many of my best clients.”
“How much do you want, Clarice?” Gabriel snapped irritably once more. “Let us not quibble. I mean to take her with me when I leave.”
“I think three thousand pounds most fair to cover my loss of such a rare beauty, my lord.”
“I think you are robbing me blind, that is what I think,” Gabriel growled and wrote out the bank draft nonetheless and tossed it across her desk.
“I would have asked for less, Lord Iverleigh,” Clarice replied defensively as she tapped a finger upon the bank draft. “One of the maids brought her virginity to my attention. This is a paltry amount for what I could have gotten for her. Lord Dartmouth would have paid twice that. Beautiful virgins are in short supply, if you must know.”
“I would have paid more, Clarice,” he said with a disgusted sneer. “Let us be glad she kept such a secret to herself.”
“Take her with my blessing, my lord. Do not be surprised if her innocence is not the only secret she has.”
Gabriel more than wanted to ask her what she meant by such a remark. He knew that would also cost him dearly. He got up and left Clarice’s office. He was feeling like a fool for agreeing to pay such a ridiculous price to release Catherine from Clarice’s employ.
Thinking about Catherine softened his expression. He realized he could not leave her there that morning. Just watching her sleep and seeing how young and innocent she appeared had done him in. Wasting no time, he dragged Clarice from her bed to see to it first thing that morning. He chomped at the bit to wait in the salon until the Madam joined him in her office.
Gabriel doubted the girl would argue his buying her debt from Clarice. A satisfied smile curved his lips to think of how she could show her gratitude. Surely becoming his mistress for a time was better than whoring for Clarice her whole life?
Nicholas was waiting for him in the foyer when he arrived, sitting upon a padded bench, looking pensive and cagey to be off.
“What business did you have with Clarice? Do not tell me you found fault with her new girl,” Nicholas remarked dryly with a tight smile.
“I paid the girl’s debt off, against my better judgment. Let us hope I don’t come to regret this. She goes with us,” Gabriel replied tightly. He didn’t see how Nicholas’s smile faltered at the news. “I will go fetch the girl and meet you at the coach.”
###
Catherine was preparing to pack what little she could carry when the door opened. She jumped and dropped the lid of her trunk. Her eyes widened in surprise to see Gabriel stride back into the room. He was fully dressed once more, and looked quite pleased with himself. Seeing once more how handsome he was made her hands clench to her sides, annoyed by her reaction to him.
She felt the heat of those dark eyes as they slid over her warmly. He shut the door behind him and leaned his tall frame against the panel to watch her. A lazy smile played at his lips.
“Lord Iverleigh, why have you returned?” she asked casually. “I thought you had gone.”
“I just came from speaking with Clarice down below,” Gabriel informed her smugly. “You are going with me, my dear.”
“Go with you? What do you mean?” She saw his satisfied expression, dread filling her.
“I paid off your debt to her,” Gabriel replied with a trace of arrogance. “You are leaving with me, Catherine. You could try to appear more pleased for what it cost me.”
Catherine’s mind was spinning out of control at what he had done. She had just been about to flee the room when he arrived. It appeared Gabriel had thwarted her intended escape from the brothel.
Anger filled her gaze as she faced him. “You paid off my debt to her? Why would you do that?”
“Come now, paying off your debt to me would be far more pleasant for us both, don’t you agree?” he asked silkily with a smirk. “A mere ‘thank you, Gabriel’ would suffice.”
“I thank you for it, of course,” Catherine said quickly, aware Clarice had seen a way to line her pockets at her expense. “I would ask what you intend for me now, my lord?”
“I see no reason for you not to become my mistress until your debt to me is paid,” he answered her with a roguish grin.
Catherine blushed furiously at his words. “How much did you pay her?”
“Too much, but you are worth it, my sweet.”
Catherine glared at him fiercely. “How much do I owe you now, my lord?”
“Three thousand pounds,” he replied with an amused gleam in his eyes. “It appears we will enjoy a long and very pleasurable association.”
Catherine was stunned into silence, unable to comprehend Clarice’s despicable selling of her. This was not what was agreed upon when they sought out the Madam’s assistance.
Catherine had agreed to enough encounters with Lord Iverleigh to end his attachment to Mrs. Farrand while posing as one of Clarice’s girls, but not this. Oh Lord, what was she to do?
A scowl formed on her smooth forehead, despite her telling herself to calm down. Anger filled her to know she had no control over what had been decided.
“You realize, she has outright robbed you, my lord?” she snapped irately, her green eyes narrowed in fury. “I do not owe her even close to that amount!”
“I would have paid more, my dear,” Gabriel informed her tersely, looking irritated. “You might at least appear to show some gratitude, girl. You make me question my niceness.”
“Gratitude, is that what you think I should feel? Do you realize how long it will take me to pay off such a debt?” she nearly shrieked and made a disgusted noise. “There is nothing nice about what you did at all!”
“I look forward to the arrangement,” he teased her unmercifully and winked wickedly. “Just think, if you apply yourself as enthusiastically as you did last night, you might even pay it off in both our lifetimes.”
Catherine could see the man was playing with her now, and was sorely miffed. “Surely you cannot think of holding me to this? Can we not work out some other arrangement, my lord?”
“No, I think not. I consider it as much an investment as she did,” Gabriel countered mockingly, his dark eyes filled with warmth.
Catherine forced herself to get her wits about her. Her mind was racing at how she would get away from Gabriel. As soon as it was feasible, she would flee Gabriel and find Edward Thornton. The old man was her only hope now.
Lilly would no doubt be pleased she had ensnared him so easily. But her sister had not foreseen this. Catherine was in no position to argue it, or she proclaimed her own guilt. She refused to rake herself over the coals just yet, for she had a lifetime to atone for what she had done.
A frosty smile curved her lips. “It appears you have bought yourself a mistress, my lord.”