easy, madame, especially a captured spy. I was not at my best when we first met."
"Neither was I, sir."
He held her gaze, his brown eyes steady. "But we both survived to see another, prettier day, didn't we?"
The viscount chuckled. "You're scarcely pretty, George, and Madame Delornay was always beautiful to me."
"She was an angel."
Helene found she couldn't look away from Lord Grant's eyes. He understood her; they all did. They knew what she had been, and yet they still saw the best in her. Tears pricked at her throat.
"You are all too kind, gentlemen. I only did what was necessary."
"You did far more than that." The viscount looked around the room. "And now it is our turn to make sure you will never want for anything else in your life." He sat forward.
"We have agreed to buy you a house in whatever part of the country you prefer and give you a yearly stipend that will be increased when necessary."
Helene took a deep breath and allowed the silence to settle around her. Did she have the nerve to propose her pathetic plan to the powerful men surrounding her? What if they thought she had run mad and refused to help her at all? Was it truly worth the risk?
"It is more than I expected, gentlemen, much more. I assumed you might help me find some employment, not offer me such a secure future."
The viscount raised his eyebrows. "You are too modest, my dear. You saved our lives and the lives of those we love. How could we offer you anything less ? You will have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
Helene contemplated her hands, which were twisted together in her lap. Could she ever settle down in this foreign country and pretend to be what she was not? Would any amount of money be large enough to make her forget the abuse of her body and the destruction of her innocence?
She thought of Philip Ross, his hands on her skin, showing her that lovemaking didn't have to be a chore or something to be endured. He'd also taught her that there was power in the sexual act for a woman. Her shocking idea stirred to life again in her brain. Could she use that knowledge to change her life around? Did she have the determination to take her past and finally make sense of it?
"Madame? Are you feeling well?"
She looked up at the viscount and saw the concern in his eyes. "I am fine, sir. I was just contemplating my future and how I should respond to your generous offer."
"You are not thinking of turning us down, are you?"
"Oh no, sir." She gathered her courage. "I was just thinking that it might be more interesting if we went into business together instead."
"Business? What kind of business?" Lord George Grant said.
Helene hesitated again, and the viscount smiled at her. "My dear, whatever it is, please tell us. We are hardly likely to object or be shocked by any suggestions you might have."
"I'm not quite sure of the details yet, my lord." Helene closed her eyes. Perhaps it would be better to just blurt it out. "I think it will involve the erotic carnal arts."
The viscount raised his eyebrows. "The erotic carnal arts?"
"Yes, sir. I recently met a man who reminded me that the English are not known for their skills in pleasuring their partners."
"That is true, madame, but I fail to see how—"
"I would like to offer discerning patrons a place to learn these arts, improve their lovemaking abilities, and explore new sexual possibilities." Helene smiled cautiously at them all. "I would like to own a pleasure house like that."
The viscount frowned. "My dear, as we said, there is no need for you to—excuse my directness—go whoring again."
"I would not be whoring, sir. I would be offering a very expensive and discreet service to a limited amount of customers."
"An exclusive brothel, then, but I still don't see—"
Helen kept talking as the idea took further shape in her mind. "No, sir, more of a private club, like a gentleman's club, where each member has to be approved and pay a yearly fee."
"But why would
"Neither was I, sir."
He held her gaze, his brown eyes steady. "But we both survived to see another, prettier day, didn't we?"
The viscount chuckled. "You're scarcely pretty, George, and Madame Delornay was always beautiful to me."
"She was an angel."
Helene found she couldn't look away from Lord Grant's eyes. He understood her; they all did. They knew what she had been, and yet they still saw the best in her. Tears pricked at her throat.
"You are all too kind, gentlemen. I only did what was necessary."
"You did far more than that." The viscount looked around the room. "And now it is our turn to make sure you will never want for anything else in your life." He sat forward.
"We have agreed to buy you a house in whatever part of the country you prefer and give you a yearly stipend that will be increased when necessary."
Helene took a deep breath and allowed the silence to settle around her. Did she have the nerve to propose her pathetic plan to the powerful men surrounding her? What if they thought she had run mad and refused to help her at all? Was it truly worth the risk?
"It is more than I expected, gentlemen, much more. I assumed you might help me find some employment, not offer me such a secure future."
The viscount raised his eyebrows. "You are too modest, my dear. You saved our lives and the lives of those we love. How could we offer you anything less ? You will have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
Helene contemplated her hands, which were twisted together in her lap. Could she ever settle down in this foreign country and pretend to be what she was not? Would any amount of money be large enough to make her forget the abuse of her body and the destruction of her innocence?
She thought of Philip Ross, his hands on her skin, showing her that lovemaking didn't have to be a chore or something to be endured. He'd also taught her that there was power in the sexual act for a woman. Her shocking idea stirred to life again in her brain. Could she use that knowledge to change her life around? Did she have the determination to take her past and finally make sense of it?
"Madame? Are you feeling well?"
She looked up at the viscount and saw the concern in his eyes. "I am fine, sir. I was just contemplating my future and how I should respond to your generous offer."
"You are not thinking of turning us down, are you?"
"Oh no, sir." She gathered her courage. "I was just thinking that it might be more interesting if we went into business together instead."
"Business? What kind of business?" Lord George Grant said.
Helene hesitated again, and the viscount smiled at her. "My dear, whatever it is, please tell us. We are hardly likely to object or be shocked by any suggestions you might have."
"I'm not quite sure of the details yet, my lord." Helene closed her eyes. Perhaps it would be better to just blurt it out. "I think it will involve the erotic carnal arts."
The viscount raised his eyebrows. "The erotic carnal arts?"
"Yes, sir. I recently met a man who reminded me that the English are not known for their skills in pleasuring their partners."
"That is true, madame, but I fail to see how—"
"I would like to offer discerning patrons a place to learn these arts, improve their lovemaking abilities, and explore new sexual possibilities." Helene smiled cautiously at them all. "I would like to own a pleasure house like that."
The viscount frowned. "My dear, as we said, there is no need for you to—excuse my directness—go whoring again."
"I would not be whoring, sir. I would be offering a very expensive and discreet service to a limited amount of customers."
"An exclusive brothel, then, but I still don't see—"
Helen kept talking as the idea took further shape in her mind. "No, sir, more of a private club, like a gentleman's club, where each member has to be approved and pay a yearly fee."
"But why would
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