Page 68 of The Truth Serum
“Not so much,” Monsieur said. “But the payment is good.”
“How good?”
The two men inched to the side of the room closer to Nate, no doubt to hide their transaction from the delicate women. Nate concurred, though not for the reasons they probably thought. He knew from experience that women could be more intelligent and devious than men. There was no need to shield the fairer sex from anything.
But Nate had no desire to embroil the women any more than they already were. Which was when Becca suddenly had enough. After a significant glance at Nate—which he couldn’t read—she spun on her heel and walked out of the room. A second later, Kynthea joined her.
That was enough to alarm Ras, who looked up from his discussion with Monsieur, but Nate was already getting to his feet.
“I’ll stop them,” he said, praying he could. There was no way he would let them wander around this house of vipers alone. God only knew what scheme Madame was cooking up. And what she would do to turn two naïve women into her assets.
Chapter Twenty
Rebecca moved quicklyupstairs, guessing that the women were closeted up there. She needed to see exactly how hurt this maid was. Or wasn’t. She wanted to trust Nate. Indeed, she did trust that what he had done with the girl was consensual. But she still wanted to see the girl with her own eyes.
She crept upstairs, listening for conversation, for sobs or gasps of pain. Miss Petrelli walked beside her, her expression cautious without stopping her.
They heard the voices the minute they topped the stairs. Madame Joguet chattering away in rapid French that was too quick for Rebecca to understand. She glanced at Miss Petrelli who shrugged. She couldn’t translate it either. But they both could tell that there was no alarm in the tone. If she had to guess, the lady was in a good mood. Which was greatly reassuring.
Steeling herself to commit a rude intrusion, Rebecca knocked on the door.
The French conversation stopped immediately. A moment later, a woman of middle age opened the door. She looked composed, and though her hair appeared hastily restrained, she smiled respectfully at them.
She was also the maid from the garden. The one at the ball when the baron had taken the truth serum. She’d been hovering in the shadows near Nate during that whole debacle.
Could this be the “girl” whom Nate had debauched? She had to be twenty years his senior.
“Bonsoir, mesdemoiselles!” Madame Joguet called. “Come in! Did you arrive with the handsome duke?”
“Er, yes,” Rebecca said. “I apologize for the intrusion. I have some small medical skill. I thought I could help if…” She swallowed. “Well, we don’t really know what happened. I thought I—”
“You thought you were needed?” trilled the madame. “You English are so droll. A virgin thinks to teach you, Frid.”
The maid in question bowed her head in response, but there was a smirk on her face.
“I would think,” Madame continued, “that the future duchess would know more, eh?”
Kynthea blushed, but she held her ground. “From everything your husband was saying, we feared the worst. I take it that Frid here was unharmed?”
“Only by the interruption,” Frid said, her tone amused.
Definitely consensual, then. Rebecca’s heart squeezed tight at the thought of Nate with another woman. It was illogical. She had long since given him up. Indeed, she’d decided just this morning that she would search for a different husband.
But she couldn’t deny a wholly illogical pain at the thought of Nate with somebody—anybody—else.
“You have no need for us, then—” Rebecca said, turning to leave.
“Nonsense,” trilled Madame Joguet. “Sit down. Since you have invaded my salon, you must tell me something entertaining, yes? Those are the rules!”
Not any rules that Rebecca honored. Fortunately, a male voice interrupted before she could form a response. It was Nate, his tone cordial if not exactly warm.
“Haven’t you gotten enough gossip for one night?”
“And there he is! The culprit himself.” Madame twisted so that she could see down the hallway. “Are any more coming?”
“Ras and Claude are negotiating,” Nate said. “I am here to…” He turned to Frid. “You are well?”
Frid grinned and sauntered up to Nate. Her strut was suggestive, and her eyes danced with amusement. “I could be better,” the woman drawled.
