The Price of Innocence (The Legacy Series) (22 page)

“Here, babe . . . undergarments!” He opened one box and revealed a chemise, corset, and bloomers, along with a bottle of perfume. Suzette couldn’t help but laugh at the boyish look on his face. He opened the next box, pulled away the tissue paper, and revealed a beautiful dark blue day gown. He took it out, held it in front of her, and smiled approvingly.

“The color is just perfect.”

Suzette smiled when she held the garment and examined the delicate lace trim and satin. “Thank you, Robert. It’s beautiful.”

“You are quite welcome, Suzette. I just hope it fits, but I have a pretty good sense for size.”

The smile on his face faded, and it caught Suzette by surprise.

“I need to speak with you. Come here and sit with me on the divan.”

She followed him and sat down, inquisitively looking into his blue eyes. A fear of abandonment rose, and she braced herself for what was to come next.

“I’m afraid, Suzette, I’m in a bit of pickle, like the English would say.” Robert lowered his gaze to the floor in avoidance.

“What do you mean?” she asked in a worried tone.

He picked up her hand and rubbed it softly. “I’m scheduled to leave for Calais today at noon by carriage, and then I board a ship for England.”

Suzette’s eyes grew wide, and she grasped Robert’s hand tightly.

“I spirited you out of the clutches of the Marquis and paid for your freedom, but I did so without thinking ahead.” He appeared sorrowful, but he wanted her to understand. “I assure you, I am not sorry for my deed. I am not sorry at all, especially after our time together last evening.”

“What will I do, Robert? If you leave, I . . .” Suzette began to cry.

He embraced her and pulled her close. His heart pounded in his chest, while he carefully considered his next words. The responsibility for her life was overwhelming, and there was no other way around the dilemma.

“You’ll just have to come with me, that’s all.”

Suzette pulled away from him. “With you?” she asked, confused.

“Yes, with me.” Nervous agitation caused him to jump to his feet. He walked over to the window for a moment to collect his thoughts. It wouldn’t be impossible, just difficult. There would be things that would need to be taken care of, but he could manage them in secret. Convinced it was his only course of action, he turned around. Suzette’s distraught face met his.

“You see, Suzette, I only come here to Paris on holiday. I have a townhouse in London and an estate in Surrey, where my parents reside. There are duties that I must attend to, and my father has written and called me home. I must go.”

He heaved a frustrated sigh, and walked back to sit down next to her again. Robert held her hand for reassurance. “If I leave you here, I cannot care for you. I do not know when I shall return to Paris. My only recourse is to take you with me back to England. There, I can provide for you a proper residence and help you get back on your feet so that you are self-sufficient.”

Suzette slid her hand away. “But you are asking me to leave my home and all I’ve known my entire life. How can I do such a thing?”

“How can you not?” He needed her to see the wisdom of his offer. “You must see that it makes the most sense.”

The clock chimed on the mantel, and he lifted his eyes and saw it was now ten o’clock. “Suzette, I have two hours—just two hours and that is all. You either come with me so that I can care for you, or I must leave you on your own. I could perhaps give you some money, but I’m afraid I just wrote a rather large sum to Madame Laurent for your freedom. My funds are limited at the moment, until I return to England for additional monies.” She needed to make a decision and trust him. That was all there was to it.

As she sat motionless on the divan, Suzette’s distraught face pained him. She needed time to think it over alone, so he decided it would be best to leave her now rather than pressure her to make the difficult decision. He wanted her to come of her own free will, not because he gave her ultimatums, as Madame Laurent had no doubt done.

“I have matters to attend to, Suzette. I must finish my arrangements for departure.” Lifting her chin with his hand, he forced her to look in his eyes. “I’ll leave you to think it over. I will return at eleven thirty to hear your answer.”

He did not wish to seem cold, but time was of the essence. He would take full responsibility for his actions of the evening before and would care for her the best way he could. “I assure you, Suzette, if you come with me, I will not abandon your side. You can trust me to care for you as long as you need me. I just cannot do so here in Paris, as my life is elsewhere.” He wished for some acknowledgement from her silent lips. “Do you understand?”

Suzette looked at him. She nodded but said nothing.

“Good then.” Robert’s heart pounded from tense emotion. He was taking on a brave task to care for a woman he barely knew. Should she decide to come, he would stand by his promise, as he was a man of his word.

“I’ll be back at eleven thirty.” He walked to the door and quietly left, slowly closing it behind, leaving Suzette to ponder her decision.

The
click
of the latch echoed in the room, and Suzette’s body weighed heavily upon the divan. The dress she held in her hand was beautiful. New undergarments lay upon the bed, as well as a hatbox and shoes. His kindness in providing for her was overwhelming.

Suzette put down the dress down, walked over to the window, and surveyed the street below. The avenue was bustling with morning carriage traffic, and in the distance was the Arc de Triomphe. Paris was the only world she had ever known.

Her father had taught her to speak English, but her thick French accent revealed her true origin. She had never been to England and had no idea what to expect. It was a foreign world, one she had only read about in literature or history books. The thought of leaving with a man she barely knew was frightful.

Suzette turned and walked over to the fireplace and stared into the ashes thinking of the night before. She would have died at the brothel. Suzette was sure of it. Either physically or emotionally, every ounce of life would have left her being. Robert was right. She was not a prostitute, nor did she have the makings of one. The alternatives presented to her by Madame Laurent bred fright in her heart, and it pushed her to a choice she did not wish to make.

If I do not go with him, what will I do
? Suzette feared the uncertainty and hell on the streets that awaited her return after his gift of money ran out. There were no guarantees she would find work again. Even if she did, it would most likely be in another sweatshop where she would end her days in poverty and squalor, or even worse in another brothel.

She walked back over to the bed, picked up the dress once more, and began to unfasten the buttons. Afraid to stay and afraid to go, Suzette made her decision. She had to trust Robert. She owed him her life, and she adored him for it.

Resolute in her choice, she bathed, dressed, and readied herself for Robert’s return. There was nothing to keep her in Paris. It was time to bury the past as her father had been buried months ago.

Chapter Sixteen

  Robert returned to his townhouse convinced he had made a rational decision. As a gentleman, he was a man of honor, and would do just as he promised. He would take care of her to the best of his ability by bringing Suzette to England. It was the only way to keep his pledge, especially now that his duties demanded attention.

His personal attendant, Giles, who often traveled with Robert, greeted him upon his return. He reported that everything was packed and they were ready to leave. As he entered his bedchamber, the maidservants were just closing the lids on multiple trunks, while footmen waited to load them onto the waiting carriage outside.

Giles noted the forlorn look on his employer’s face. “Is everything all right, my lord?” He assured Lord Holland that he had performed his duties to the letter. “As you requested, your trunks have been packed, and we shall be ready to leave when you are ready.”

Robert shook his head. “Yes, I see that, Giles. Well done, as usual.”

The housekeepers had draped white sheets to protect the furniture from dust during his absence from Paris. Everything had been removed, even his decanter of brandy. “Do you think you can find me a drink somewhere, old man?”

“Of course, my lord. I’m sure there’s still a bottle in the kitchen. Will that be brandy or Irish whiskey?”

“Whiskey will do just fine. I need something to relax me before this trip.”

“Very well,” he said, turning on his heels.

Robert knew that, in a few moments, his assistant would return with the alcohol. He needed to explain to Giles that they may not be traveling alone. While waiting, he walked over to the window and glanced out at the gardens. Soon, the curtains would be drawn shut, and his townhouse would be sealed until his return. He was unsure whether he would even return to Paris in the near future. When he did, he had a strong suspicion that things would be much different.

“Here you are, my lord.” Robert turned around and took the crystal glass from Giles.

“We need to talk,” he said pensively. He took a sip and let the liquid course down his parched throat. The instant warmth soothed his tension. He glanced at Giles, knowing he could trust his him with his secrets, as well as his life.

“You’ve been with me for many years.”

“Yes, my lord. I’ve been most pleased to serve you since you were a young lad.”

“Well, I might as well come to the point.” He took a swig for fortitude. Giles looked at him with an inquisitive gaze. “We may not be traveling alone to England. There’s a good possibility a young lady will accompany us, but I’ve yet to hear her decision.”

“A young lady?” Giles replied with a tone of curiosity. “I don’t quite understand.”

“Well, you know how I am, Giles, always picking up the strays and rescuing the needy. I’m afraid I came across a rather nice young woman who has fallen upon hard times.”

Not wishing to go into the details of the brothel and his whereabouts, he left the rest unspoken. “I’ve offered to help her settle in England. We will be dropping by the Louvre du Hotel on our way to Calais. She is to give me her answer at eleven thirty.”

He took his pocket watch out of his vest and flipped the golden lid open to look at the time. “It’s eleven,” he sighed deeply. “We haven’t much time.” He downed the rest the whiskey and handed the glass to Giles. “Let’s finish closing up the place and leave. Frankly, I’m a bit anxious to leave Paris and return to England. It’s been a trying holiday, to say the least.”

“Very well, Lord Holland. I’ll see to it.”

Giles took his glass and walked out of the room to attend to the rest of his duties. Within a few minutes, everything was in order. The footmen carried out the numerous trunks and strapped them to the top and back of the carriage. Robert stood outside on the stoop and watched the last leather binding pulled tightly down. After insuring the doors were locked and secured, he climbed inside. Giles sat next to the driver and gave instructions.

“Lord Holland has a stop he needs to make at the Hotel du Louvre. Proceed there first.”

With a flip of the reins in his hands, the driver urged the horses onward. Robert sat back in his seat, mulling over Suzette’s anticipated answer to his offer. He was sure that he had done the right thing in rescuing her from the brothel. Through no fault of her own, she had fallen on hard times.

Relocation to England was the only way he could help her. He planned to find a modest place for her to live and pay the rent. In the meantime, he would personally recommend her for employment, which would surely increase her chances of finding work. However, what worried him the most were the demands his family would make at the same time, all of which would vastly complicate the situation.

As the carriage drew closer to the hotel, his stomach drew into a tight knot. He felt bound to Suzette after taking her virginity the evening before. He hadn’t planned to do so, but the game he played at the brothel had pent up his desire. When she freely offered, he felt helpless to control the passion. After it was all done, he held no remorse. However, now he struggled with affection for Suzette, which made the situation even more complicated.

The carriage slowed and came to a stop in front of the hotel, and Giles opened the door. “Hotel du Louvre, as requested, my lord.”

“This should only take a few minutes. I’ll—we’ll return shortly.”

Upon entering, he climbed the stairs to the third floor and quickened his step to the suite. He decided that if she declined, he would open his wallet and leave with her a sum of money to help her through the next few weeks. He feared she would eventually be back in dire straits, though, if she decided not to accept his offer.

He hesitated in front of the door for a moment and then rapped on the wooden surface with his knuckles. A few seconds later, it opened to reveal Suzette wearing her new dress and hat, along with a pleased grin upon her face.

“Hello, Robert.”

He smiled and bowed. His excited voice spilled forth. “My God, you look absolutely stunning. Does everything fit?”

Suzette laughed. “Yes, except for the shoes. They were a little big, but I stuffed the toes with tissue. They are fine now.” As hard as things had been, she had learned some helpful tricks along the way.

They both stood silent. Robert’s eyes searched hers, and within them, he saw the answer. “Have you decided?”

“I’m terribly afraid, Robert. I won’t deny my fears.”

Robert reached out and grabbed her hand. It was cold and clammy.

“I shall come with you, but you must promise me that you will not abandon me, Robert. Please promise me that I can trust you. I shall die if I’m back on the streets again, even if it’s on English soil.”

Robert watched the tears well in her eyes and spill over her cheeks.

“Oh, my dear, I shall not abandon you. I am a gentleman and a man of my word. I assure you.” With his thumb, he gently wiped the moisture from her cheeks and then gathered her into his arms, embracing her with warmth and reassurance. “Be comforted, Suzette. You’ve been through enough these past months. It is not my intent to bring you further harm.”