The Price of Innocence (The Legacy Series)

by Vicki Hopkins

  His plan for the evening was to arrive precisely at seven o’clock and head straight for the room to wait for Suzette’s arrival. If she showed any signs of wanting him that evening, he would take her and be done with it. That way, he could leave and forget the entire matter, which he felt at that moment was the best course of action. Then with a clear conscience, he would board the carriage for Calais at noon and be on the ship back to England. All would be over and forgotten.

  When he arrived that evening, he proceeded as planned. He checked his hat and coat with the hostess. It was Friday night, and every aristocrat in Paris seemed to be crowded into the selection parlor. He glanced quickly inside, spotted Madame Laurent with her back turned, and took advantage of the situation. He had paid his fee already and had no further business with the woman, so he climbed the stairs two at a time, anxious to reach the Louis XV Chambre.

  As he approached the door, he heard the sound of Suzette’s whimpering voice and halted. Someone was inside the room with her, so he placed his ear near the door to hear the conversation.

  “Come here, damn it!”

  A man yelled, and then her piercing scream met his ears. He grabbed the doorknob but found it locked.

  “Please don’t,” her voice pleaded.

  The horrid sound of her begging sent Robert into a rage. An animalistic urge to protect Suzette rose inside his chest. He stepped back, lifted his booted foot, and kicked the double doors. They jolted slightly. With another thrust of his leg, his heel hit it again, and the doorjamb split.

  Suzette’s terrified scream reached a peak, and her pleas for help were enough to force the adrenalin through his veins to finish the task. The next thrust of his leg broke the frame, causing the French doors to fling wide open and hit the opposite wall with a crash.

  To his horror, the Marquis’ naked fat body was firmly planted upon Suzette, attempting to force her legs apart with his knee. Suzette’s hands clawed at his back, and he angrily grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head. Torrents of tears flowed down her cheeks. The Marquis, ignoring Robert’s arrival, was about to gain successful entrance into Suzette’s purity. The scene appalled Robert to such a degree that he lost all control.

  The moment the Marquis was about to thrust his erection into his purchase, Robert wrapped his arm around the man’s neck and jerked him backward off her body.

  “Get your filthy hands off her, you pig!”

  Terrorized, Suzette screamed louder as she wiggled her torso away from the Marquis. Her vision caught sight of Robert’s seething face, and she screeched, “Robert, please, help me!”

  It was all Robert needed to finish the deed. With every ounce of strength, he flung the Marquis’ naked body off the bed. He landed on his back with a thud, which shook the floor. The Marquis moaned in pain.

  “I should kill you for this!” Robert growled.

  Immediately, he turned his attention to Suzette. When he saw her nakedness, he pulled a sheet up over her body. The groaning buffoon rolled on the floor at his feet, and Robert continued his angry rant.

  “You’re a disgusting animal! I should thrust my knife in your fat gullet and be done with it!”

  “I paid for her, you know,” he huffed, out of breath. “She doesn’t belong to you. I want what is due me,” the Marquis argued indignantly, trying to stand up.

  Suzette turned away from his grotesque, naked body and clung to the sheet. Robert took out his wallet, grabbed 300 francs, and tossed them into the Marquis’ face.

  “Here’s your refund—the price Madame Laurent charged you for a virgin, no doubt.”

  “You English trash!” the Marquis growled. “I will not be treated in this fashion. I’ll see that you pay for this!”

  Robert was about to pull out a knife from his pocket and carry out his threat. When Suzette’s uncontrollable sobs filled the room, he relented, realizing she had suffered enough.

  “Come with me,” he said, holding out his hand to her. She quickly grasped it, and Robert led her shaking body, wrapped in a sheet, to the door. A crowd had gathered outside, other patrons and prostitutes drawn by the noise of screaming and splintering wood. Nadine was among them, and Robert asked for her help.

  “Nadine, do me a favor,” he said softly, knowing he could count on her assistance.

  “Yes, whatever you need,” she answered, looking at Suzette in his arms.

  “Take Suzette back to your quarters, dress her, and bring her downstairs to Madame Laurent’s office as quickly as possible. Whatever you do, don’t let that fat ass touch her again. If he tries, fetch me immediately, and I’ll finish the job.”

  Suzette clung to Robert. “Don’t leave me! I’m afraid.”

  With sympathetic eyes, he instructed her gently. “I need you to trust me, Suzette. Do as I ask. Dress quickly in whatever you can find and meet me downstairs. Do you understand?”

  She nodded, and he released her into Nadine’s care. He sped down the staircase in search of Madame Laurent. Apparently, she had heard the commotion coming from upstairs and was about to ascend the staircase. Robert glared at her and bellowed a command.

  “Madame Laurent, a word with you . . . NOW!”

  As soon as the word “now” left his lips, the entire parlor within earshot of his voice fell silent. Madame Laurent, well aware of what the discussion was about to entail, answered him tersely.

  “Very well. My office then.”

  She entered first and quickly walked over behind her desk, in order to put distance between the two of them. Robert slammed the door behind him and stood in front of her. He placed both his hands on the desktop and leaned forward. With clenched teeth, he demanded answers.

  “How much, damn you? How much to buy her out of this whorehouse?”

  Madame Laurent fell back into her chair aghast over Robert’s frightening demeanor. She had never seen him in such a state of anger. Even a formidable woman such as herself had the good sense to respect the ire of a man when she recognized it.

  “I suppose 5,000 francs,” the words spewed from her mouth without thought. “That’s three months of profits I’d gain from her body.”

  “Fine, then 5,000 francs it will be. She’s worth all of it. I am taking her with me this instant.”

  He opened his coat pocket, pulled out a small checkbook, and flipped it open on her desk. He dipped her feather quill pen into the ink well, scrawled her name on the check, and signed it forcefully. After placing the pen back in its holder, he picked up the check and blew on the ink until it dried. His stare bore into Bridgette with disgust over her cruelty to Suzette, and he threw the check on her desktop.

  “You betrayed my trust, woman, and I refuse to return to your establishment again.”

  He stomped toward the door and flung it open. Suzette stood at the end of the hallway wrapped in the arms of Nadine. He approached the hostess and asked for his topcoat and hat. The night was chilly, so he took his coat and wrapped it around Suzette’s trembling shoulders.

  “I owe you, Nadine, but I’m afraid I shall not be returning here again.”

  Suzette grabbed Robert’s arm, afraid of where he was taking her. “Robert, where are we going?”

  “Don’t worry, Suzette. Trust me.” He led her out the door to his waiting carriage parked a few yards down the street. As he approached, his driver opened the door with a curious look upon his face.

  Robert helped Suzette inside and gave orders to be driven to the Hotel du Louvre. Robert climbed into the carriage and closed the door. Suzette, obviously in shock, sat motionless and pale. Her condition broke his heart, and he sat next to her and drew her into his arms.

  The carriage gently rocked to its destination, and Robert stroked her hair with his hand. “It will be all right. I promise you.” As he consoled Suzette, the rapid beating of his angry heart subsided. Finally calm, he explained his violent reaction.

  “I have despised that fat pig for many years. He’s been a thorn in my side, and when I saw him on top of you, I coul
d have killed him.” He paused, considering his words. “I should have killed him.”

  The realization of what he could be capable of on her behalf shocked Robert. He held in his arms a beautiful, delicate creature that deserved so much more than a life of prostitution. His path, for whatever reason, had crossed a damsel in distress, and she had captured his heart. He felt endearment toward the French Mademoiselle. Unsure of what to do next, he only knew that Suzette Rousseau was never meant to live inside the Chabanais.

  * * *

  The carriage pulled away, and a shaken Madame Laurent walked back into the hallway to calm down the upset patrons. The Marquis limped down the staircase, his face red as a beet, spewing his rage.

  “I damn well expect a replacement,” he growled. “I nearly got killed by that mad Englishman.”

  As much as she hated to say the words, she offered her condolences. “I apologize for Lord Holland’s intrusion.” She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “By the way, were you able to accomplish the task?” she asked hopefully.

  The Marquis lied. “I damn well did,” he said, puffing his chest out like a male peacock. He wasn’t about to admit defeat in the area of his sexual expertise.

  “Good,” Madame Laurent said, satisfied all had not been lost on her behalf. She glanced around the room and saw that her petite Asian prostitute was still available. “May I offer you a trip to the Orient this evening Marquis for your trouble? I’ll even give you a refund.”

  He looked at the little Asian beauty, who fluttered her black eyelashes at him, and his arousal returned. “Yes, that will be fine,” he said. He wasn’t about to tell Madame Laurent that Robert had already paid him a refund. As far as he was concerned, it was merely restitution for throwing him on the floor.

  His purchase sauntered over to the Marquis and began stroking his forearm. “You wish to come with me?” she purred. The Marquis wasted no time. He followed her up the staircase, puffing the entire way.

  Madame Laurent watched the two depart and let out a long drawn-out sigh. Nadine approached with a smirk across her face, determined to ask one more time. “So, does the Louis Chambre XV belong to me now?”

  Madame Laurent smirked. “Fine,” she reluctantly agreed. “You may assume your role as queen of the brothel.”

  Nadine smiled.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Suzette, shaken from the last hour, listened to the click clack of the horses’ hooves on the cobblestone pavement. For the moment, she felt safe in Robert’s strong arms. In extreme shock, she remained speechless as the haunting visions of what had transpired returned.

  As requested, she arrived at the room on time, spending only a few moments thinking of what lay ahead. She struggled with her attraction for the likeable Englishman, so she played a game in her mind to prepare for the night. She would pretend they were married and it would be their wedding night. The fantasy would allay her fears, and if he stayed true to the tenderness he had expressed beforehand, all would be bearable.

  She escaped into a make-believe world, feeling calm and ready as she sat inside the beautiful Chambre. When the door opened to reveal Marquis Barone, Suzette jumped to her feet in protest. He smiled wickedly and locked the door behind him.

  “Monsieur,” she boldly protested. “I’m waiting for Lord Holland. I believe you have the wrong room.”

  He merely shot a grin in return and began approaching with beast-like lust in his eyes.

  “No, it’s not a mistake. I’ve just purchased your services from Madame Laurent. Apparently, your lord has been a bit remiss in taking what he paid for and won’t be here this evening.”

  The next few minutes turned into a fiendish nightmare. Gone were her visions of a wedding night. Instead, they were replaced by the aggressive Marquis. He aggressively stripped her of her gown and then disrobed in front of the locked door, which Suzette had tried numerous times to escape through. Fully naked, he dragged her to the bed, threw her down, and climbed on top. She was helpless under his mass. It was then she heard the pounding of Robert’s foot against the wooden barrier.

  Suzette clawed and screamed, and when the Marquis had pinned her arms above her head, Robert burst into the room with fury. It frightened her. She never witnessed such intense anger in a man’s eyes before and fully expected him to kill the Marquis.

  It happened all so quickly and now she was here, in the carriage, with Robert holding her tight. She wanted to thank him but couldn’t form the words. Instead, she began to worry what would happen to her next.

  A few minutes later, the carriage halted. Suzette recognized the hotel. Robert released his arm from around her shoulder and brought her chin up with his hand to meet his eyes.

  “Mademoiselle, I am putting you up in a hotel for the evening. However, I don’t wish you to enter the lobby looking like such a fright.”

  He was quite right. Suzette had grabbed her old dress from the laundry house, which she secretly kept after having it washed. Her hair was a mess and her makeup smudged. I must look terrible, she thought.

  “I shall procure a room, and the driver will take you around to the servants’ entrance down the alley. I will meet you and then escort you to the room up the back stairway.”

  He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and then opened the carriage door and exited. Suzette heard him mumble instructions to the driver, and Robert disappeared inside the foyer of the hotel.

  The carriage lurched forward, turned down a side alley to another entrance, and came to a halt. Suzette anxiously looked at the door, waiting for Robert to arrive. A few minutes later, it opened, and his head popped out. The driver jumped down, opened the carriage door, and escorted Suzette to the servants’ entrance. Suzette pulled Robert’s topcoat tightly around her due to the cold outdoors.

  As she approached, he smiled warmly, attempting to alleviate her fears. When she reached his side, he put his arm around her waist and led her inside.

  “Follow me, sweetheart.” He escorted her three flights up a small staircase, and then once through the stairway door, he inserted a key into the first room on the right. It opened, and she entered a room illuminated by a small lamp. He quickly locked the door behind them and made his way to the side table to turn up the light.

  Robert walked over to the window and drew the curtains shut. A housekeeper had started a fire per his request to the desk clerk. It was beginning to take the chill out of the air. He walked around surveying the quarters, while Suzette stood motionless in the middle of the room. Robert sighed.

  “It will do for the evening until I decide what to do next.” He walked over to her, taking his coat off her shoulders, and pulled her closer to the fire.

  “Stand here for a moment and let the fire warm you. I will pour us a drink.”

  Robert pulled the stopper off a crystal decanter filled to the brim with brandy and poured two glasses. The reality of the situation bore down upon him, for now he was faced with a difficult choice. He looked over his shoulder at the petite figure that stood facing the fireplace. In his zeal to save her, he had done so without thinking of the consequences. A hard decision would need to be made.

  He remembered when he was a little boy how his father had scolded him for bringing home a stray puppy, and Robert admitted how much he loved to rescue anything in need. It was his weakness. He felt terribly responsible for her predicament, especially now that she was practically homeless again. Bloody awful timing, he thought to himself.

  He walked over to her side and handed over the glass. “Drink. It will warm you.”

  “Thank you,” she mumbled, eying the brandy. She hated the taste, but needed something to calm her down.

  “You’re welcome,” he said, while tenderly pushing back her messed-up hair from her cheeks. “Even with a tear streaked face, you are quite the most beautiful woman I have ever known.”

  Suzette felt secure and safe with Robert by her side. She owed him her life, and she wanted to thank him. He had shown her true kindness and mercy, whe
n others had not. She placed her glass upon the hearth of the fireplace, then turned and looked into his blue eyes.

  “I owe you a kiss,” she said, leaning into him. Suzette unashamedly placed her lips on his and kissed him deeply. The sensation of his warm touch felt marvelous, and her heart swelled with adoration.

  Robert, shocked at her actions, put his glass down next to hers and took advantage of the moment. He pulled Suzette into his arms and kissed her deeply in return. As she moaned, responding to his hands that slid down her back, it aroused his need. He released her lips quickly, knowing if they continued it would end in the consummation of his purchase.

  “Please, let me thank you. This is the only way I know how. I can give you what you paid for now,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I’m not afraid.”

  Robert’s heart pounded in his chest. “No,” he said, pulling away from her body. “Not like this.” He picked up his drink and walked back to the decanter to refill his glass. Suzette followed and put her hand upon his shoulder.

  “Don’t you want me?”

  He turned and looked at her beautiful face. “Want? I burn for it, Suzette, but I did not rescue you to be repaid in this way.” He shoved his fingers through his blond hair with frustration, as he tried to decide what to do next. He looked at her petite form, acutely torturing him each passing second.

  “I must go. You need to sleep, so get some rest. I will be back in the morning, and we’ll talk.”

  “Must you leave?” Suzette asked sorrowfully.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so.” He gave her a glancing kiss upon her cheek and cupped the side of her face in his hand. “Get some rest, Suzette. You’ll think clearer in the morning, and you’ll understand then.”

  “You said that when I wanted you as much as you wanted me that you would take me.”

  Suzette looked at him with such longing, he knew she had arrived at that point.

  “I want you,” she pleaded.

  Robert’s resolve weakened—he not only wanted Suzette, he needed her. He pulled her into his heaving chest and gently encircled his lips with hers and kissed her passionately. Her arms reached up around his neck in response, and a soft whimper escaped her throat. The two lovers released their yearning.