Free The Price of Innocence (The Legacy Series) by Vicki Hopkins

Once inside the forbidden world, Suzette stopped. The beauty of the ornate room took her breath away, and Suzette basked in the enthralling atmosphere of opulence.
    Madame Laurent smiled at her reaction and motioned her to a red velvet settee. She sat down and patted the seat next to her.
    “Come sit with me, Suzette. Rest a moment and take a look around.”
    Suzette walked over to Madame Laurent and slowly lowered herself onto the soft, cushioned seat. She hadn’t felt such comfort since her father’s passing, and the touch of softness to her tired body brought tears to her eyes.
    Madame Laurent said nothing. She gave Suzette time to absorb her surroundings, while she studied her more closely. Suzette’s complexion, albeit dirty, was flawless. Her auburn hair displayed a slight natural curl even though it was piled high on top of her head in messy tousles. Her body was far too thin, but she was certain that was only from too much hard work and poor nutrition.
    It was easy to imagine Suzette with makeup to accentuate her features and fine lotions to smooth her rough skin. With a few dabs of enticing perfume to replace her obvious body odor, the young lady would be quite the attraction in her establishment. She needed a girl for the Louis XV Chambre to serve her aristocrats and rich businessmen. Suzette would fill the part perfectly—after a little makeover and training, of course. Her beautiful features and regal look would bring a high price.
    Madame Laurent reached over and tenderly picked up Suzette’s hand and held it in her own. She turned it back and forth examining the poor condition of her skin.
    “My word, child, don’t you have any cream for your delicate hands?”
    Embarrassed, Suzette wanted to pull her hand away, but feared to spurn her touch. “I’m sorry, Madame, but I barely make enough for a good meal. Cream, I’m afraid, is a luxury I cannot afford.”
    “How did you come to choose the life of a laundress, Suzette? You seem intelligent and well bred,” she inquired, after releasing her hand.
    Suzette’s wounded heart, still tender with grief, skipped a beat. For months, she had consciously chosen not to think of her father’s death. In reality, there was no time to grieve either. The washhouse consumed her life, and each night she was too tired to think of anything except sleep.
    “My father passed away four months ago.” She paused for a moment letting out a sigh and then continued. “I didn’t know, but he was deeply in debt. His estate was sold to pay the creditors.”
    “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Am I to assume that you have no other family or friends to care for you?”
    “No, Madame, I do not. I stayed with the Daughters of Charity for a while until they helped me find the position at the washhouse.”
    Suzette felt increasingly uncomfortable with time slipping by and begged to leave. “I need to be going. Brouchard will wonder why I am late returning.” Suzette couldn’t stand the thought of him reprimanding her upon a late return.
    “Not yet, Suzette,” she sternly replied. Madame Laurent looked into Suzette’s eyes, and her serious gaze kept Suzette motionless in her seat. “I have a proposition for you, my dear.”
    Suzette swallowed a lump in her throat. “A proposition?” she repeated, wondering what she could possibly mean.
    “I need a girl for my Louis XV Chambre.” She softened her tone and conveyed her pride in her establishment. “This is no ordinary brothel, Suzette. I only cater to one type of clientele—the rich. The men who frequent my doors are royalty. We have Dukes, Marquises, Comtes, and Vicomtes, who visit my girls.”
    A prideful twinkle radiated from the Madame’s eyes over her successful business.
    “If you come to work for me, I can offer you a life of luxury. You’ll be well fed, clothed, and housed in quarters that are a thousand times better than the filth you live in now. Instead of working eighteen hours a day, you’ll only work