LITMIR.BIZ

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      “May I ask what you stated in your message, Mr. Rodin?”

      He tucked his arm around my waist and leaned in close. Again, I was assaulted by his exotic, earthy scent.

      “Call me Thomas,” he whispered, and placed a hasty kiss on my temple. “I insist.” He wagged his finger at me.

      “Very well…Thomas. Again, may I ask what message you sent?” For all of his charismatic charm, I needed to know what he had told my family so I could uphold the lie when I returned home. It was not something I was looking forward to.

      He shrugged. “Simple, really. I told them you were staying in town to help a friend.”

      “A friend?” I repeated, seeing my father’s face in my mind as he read the note.

      He opened the pub door and the boisterous sound from inside came spilling out onto the street.

      “Yes, you do have friends, don’t you, Helen?” he called to me above the din, ushering William and me ahead of him.

      “Yes, of course—” I started, but the noise drowned out my words. The thick smoky haze caused me to squint. The acrid scent of ale and sweat permeated the air. I held my hand to my nose as I was pushed forward, the crowd catching me in its current. I lost sight of both William and Thomas. I tried not to panic as I stood in the midst of the sea of men, most of them drunk. A hand snaked around my waist and instinctively I batted at it.

      “It’s only me, Helen.” Thomas pressed his mouth near my ear. “Hold tight and stay close. I’ll get us to our table.” He did not let go as we weaved through the crowd. Ahead I saw one of the barmaids, gripping two tankards in one hand. She bumped into Thomas, causing him to stop. He acted surprised at first, then threw his head back and laughed.

      “Annie, you little trollop. How are you?” He released my hand and grabbed her face, kissing her hard on the mouth. With a sly smile, he discreetly tucked a shilling down the front of her low-cut bodice, then he tugged me to his side, clamping his arm around my waist.

      “Annie.” He grinned with pride. “I want you to meet my newest pupil, Helen.”

      The woman looked me over from head to toe, her dark brown eyes snapping in challenge.

      “’Pupil’ is what you call it now? Be mindful, Helen. Thomas surely enjoys his role as teacher.” She kissed his cheek and eyed me again.

      “Do you think she has what it takes, Thomas, to be one of us?” she said, as if I did not hear what she was saying, or didn’t care if I did. Regardless, if she was the example of an artist’s model, I did not intend to become like her. Although it seemed my new employer found her most agreeable.

      Thomas’s laughter melded into the roar of the crowd. “Bring us a round, Annie, and some of those oysters. Come, Helen. Pay this wicked wench no mind. She’ll be lucky if she ever sits for me again,” he shouted, but his smile revealed he was teasing.

      “Watch out for that one, Helen,” Annie called over her shoulder as she handed the pitchers to the barkeep. “Be sure you know what Thomas will have you sittin’ on!” Thomas reached over and smacked her bum. Her surprise turned to glee as she faced him, plucked her fingers down her cleavage and retrieved his monetary gift. She gave him a sly wink and kept her eye on me as Thomas pulled me toward the back of the pub.

      “Thomas! Will here says we’ve got us a new stunner,” exclaimed a ruddy-faced man with spectacles perched on his rosetipped nose. He stood as I squeezed between two large chaps, lost my footing and careened headlong toward the floor.

      William appeared seemingly from nowhere and caught me before I landed flat on my face.

      “Don’t be frightened, Helen. The boys are friendly.”

      “Thank you,” I responded, quickly releasing myself from his grasp.

      The man with the glasses offered me his seat. William ushered me to the chair. I tried to offer the men a friendly smile, wondering if I would have to spend much time with them collectively. I had a sudden change of heart and turned to find William to ask him to take me home, but he had disappeared and apparently so, too, had Thomas.

      Annie sauntered up to the table and slammed two pitchers of ale on the table, sending the contents splashing over the side.

      “Let’s see what she’s got,” she called out to the men around the table.

      My heart stopped. What on earth? I frantically scanned the faces of the men, whose eyes had all turned to me. I was grateful to spot Thomas making his way over to my side. He held out his hand.

      “They’re perfectly harmless, I assure you.” He looked down at me, his cerulean-blue eyes sparkling wickedly.

      “I—I don’t understand.” I looked again at the men seated around the table. They did not seem as friendly anymore. One of them, a stately looking chap with a shaggy blond beard, smacked the table once with his hand. He looked at his peers, giving them a grin, and they, too, began to slap the table.

      “These are my brothers, Helen. Their approval is vital. It would not bode well to keep them waiting,” Thomas said. “Besides, it’s all in good fun.”

      I cautiously took his hand and stood. The drumming grew louder. My gaze landed on Annie, who’d precipitated this demonstration. She gave me a smug look, amusement dancing in her eyes. “What am I to do?” I asked Thomas, averting my eyes from hers.

      “Get up on the table,” he responded with an easy grin.

      “You want me to stand on the table in front of all these people?” I stared at him with wide eyes.

      “Your face is going to be seen by far greater numbers, my muse. Come on now, up you go.”

      “But I—” I started, but my protests dissolved when his hands circled my waist and he lifted me to the tabletop.

      Raucous laughter and applause followed as I looked down at the gallery of approving male faces. Thomas held my hand, displaying a sense of ownership that I found comforting.

      The brotherhood men nodded, waving their hands, motioning for me to turn. A couple of them lifted my skirt to view my ankles. Thomas slapped away their hands but laughed good-naturedly. After a moment or two, I offered a smile, dipping in a short curtsy. I no longer felt like that ugly duckling. I looked down at Thomas, his fingers locked with mine, his smile encouraging, and I believed I’d become a beautiful swan. The catcalls and whistles continued, drawing curious onlookers into the private circle.

      “Very well, gentlemen, that’s enough,” Thomas ordered, reaching up for me.

      I inched to the edge of the table and leaned forward. He grabbed me around the waist, his hands sliding precariously close to my breasts as he lifted me to the ground. He held my gaze possessively, letting my body slide slowly down the front of his.

      My feet touched the floor, but he continued to hold me close, his arm encircling my waist.

      “You’ve got your balance, then?”

      Pressed against his solid frame, I could barely think, my heart still beating from the rush of my initiation. Balance? Doubtful.

      “I do, Mr.—Thomas,” I answered, pleased when I saw Annie scowl and turn back into the crowd.

      Thomas kissed my forehead and drew back, his eyes resting for a heartbeat on my mouth before he returned his eyes to mine.

      “Welcome to the brotherhood, Miss Bridgeton.”

      “Do call me Helen,” I said bravely.

      “As you wish.” He grinned.

      I was living a lie, but to whose benefit? For two months, I had been telling Madame Tozier that my stomach was the cause of the many afternoons that I had asked to leave the shop early. However, as my acting skills grew weaker, the actual pains in my stomach increased. I found myself losing track of the days, and on

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