Page 65 of Their Courtesan
“Nice speech,” the madam said, slowly heading toward the door. “I have to admit, I didn’t see this situation coming anytime soon. We are all thinking the same thing.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve done more ethically ambiguous things in this business, and that was whenIwas younger.” Judith slung some bags over her shoulder. “I’d be too much for that kid, anyway.”
“Probably. Grace knows how to be more demure and go slow. You would probably scare him out of the room.”
“I can be demure too, you know.”
“Do you want to be?”
They were at the door. “Only for the right man.”
“Speaking of the right man, both Dr. Christens and Mr. Bolivar have upped their bids.” Monica grinned. “They’re quickly approaching $50,000 for your monthly fee.”
“Excellent.” That kind of money would go a long way, even if she only kept a percentage and had an expensive image to maintain. “Who was the last to bid?”
“Mr. Bolivar, with 45k.”
“Then I’ll make sure that Seth has a good time today.”
“Do that.” Monica turned toward the grand staircase. “See you later.”
Judith was almost to her room when a familiar face popped out of her own and tore across the hall to intercept her.
“Hey!” Holly shoved herself into Judith’s doorway, one arm stretching across the frame and blocking the poor woman’s entrance. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
Sighing, Judith dropped her bags and turned to the boisterous troublemaker who was more issue than annoyance. “What is it? Have a problem with what I said back here?” Holly would be the kind to raise a stink.
“Oh, no. I wanted to say that I heard about your good fortune with your patron hunt.”
“Thanks.”
“You know, I’m about to be open for my first patronage soon.” Holly’s fake smile was so obnoxious to behold this close. “You can’t have two patrons. So, you know…”
“Let me guess: whichever one loses, I should send your way?”
“I don’t mind either one! I could be a model… and I’ve met Mr. Bolivar… you two seem to have a lot of fun.”
The idea of Holly being with either SethorMiguel made Judith’s cheeks burn in… what? Certainly not jealousy. She never got jealous over clients spreading their seed around like the Château was a flower garden. While many clients were dedicated to their favorite girl they clicked with, there were as many who wanted to sample them all over and over again. Some men liked dedication, and some liked a healthy variety.Neither Miguel nor Seth is like that.Thus far they were both dedicated to Judith andonlyJudith. Miguel never looked at another woman, and Seth was… well, Seth.
“I suggest you keep entertaining the clients you get now and build up a relationship with them. They will be your main pool for drawing out a patron.” Since the day Holly debuted in the Château, men had lined up to get at least a look at her. She was new, fresh, and ready to be plucked from the garden. Just because Judith didn’t personally care for her didn’t mean she wasn’t good for the overall business. “Let me worry about my own patron debacle.”
She stole into her room and shut the door in Holly’s face.
The nerve! One thing if it had been Chelsea or Grace, the two others Judith got along with the best, but Holly had been butting against Judith since the moment she arrived.To think I helped hire her.Monica had done the preliminary screening, but it was Judith who helped her narrow down the final candidates. Holly offered variety and a different kind of personality. What neither Monica nor Judith anticipated was how mercenary she could be.Fuck, she’s like me at that age.Except Holly was working one of the cushiest jobs this career offered. When Judith was that age? She was working as an escort for a company that fronted as a dating agency and was busted by the cops no fewer than three times. Judith was the only one to not be arrested since she was in Italy with a client when everything crumbled.Returned to America with no job.Luckily, that Italian client had paid her expenses for the two months it took her to get back on her feet.
She never wanted to return to that sort of uncertainty.
Before getting ready for Seth’s appointment, Judith took out her cell phone and checked her three separate bank accounts. One was for personal expenses and whatever credit payments she had to make. Another was money for her parents’ debt. The last one was Judith’s personal savings account, at a hefty $250,000.
She hadn’t touched that money since starting the account five years ago. Whatever wasn’t necessary for her mother or personal expenses went into that savings account. Judith had no plans to retire soon, but if this job went belly-up or something happened to her health, she wanted to make sure she was financially prepared. There was also the prospect of either buying Monica out one day or opening up her own shop – probably on the other side of the country so as to not directly compete with a woman she admired and respected – but both options required millions of dollars.
Technically, she was already rich by many standards, but that money was untouchable as far as Judith was concerned. Product of growing up lower class, she supposed. She was still dependent on her job and what she could do for and at the Château… like keep men such as Seth so happy they threw thousands of dollars at her pussy.
A maid knocked on her door. “Dr. Christens has called and left a message for you,” she said the moment Judith answered. “He’s asked that you dress in matching lingerie and robe and to meet him in the hedge maze. He said something about wanting to capture the sunset light, so you two need to start the moment he gets here.”
Judith went to her lingerie closet and thumbed through her wares. (Or was itwears?) She considered these pieces to be part of her uniform. Lace and silk meant to entice and arouse. Most of them weren’t practical, and she definitely didn’t sleep in them if she could help it. Yet whenever she went into town, she always stopped by her favorite lingerie boutique to buy at least one new piece – her regular clients appreciated new and exciting, even with their favorite mistress.
So happened she had a new bra and panty set in a little black bag. Made of the softest cotton and covered in fine lace, the lingerie was such a pale lavender that it was almost white. The bra was a pushup and the panties a thong, of course. Wouldn’t do her much good to show anything less than both ass cheeks. After Judith wiggled into her new purchase and cut off the tags, she picked out a sheer ivory robe and a pair of off-white pumps to wear outside.
