Read Online Sinful in Satin by Madeline Hunter - Free Book Online

thoughts were visible. She had seen the low burn of desire just now, set aside but still there. Not only her blood raced when their gazes connected.
    He was good at hiding those lights. She always saw them, however, flickering through him and into the air at her. She saw them and felt them. She knew about male desire in all its forms and manifestations, and could sense it the way some people could smell rain on its way.
    She had been taught by an expert to know it, feel it, and use it to her own benefit, after all.
     
     
    T hirty minutes after Mr. Albrighton had gone above, a commotion poured into the house from the street. Shouting and whistles broke the day’s peace.
    Celia strode to the front sitting room and looked out. Thomas stood in the street, face red and body tense, surrounded by other lads. It was not clear if he wanted to fight or cry.
    “In service to her, ya say,” one of his tormenters taunted. “Or was that servicing her?” He roared at his own joke and his friends joined in.
    “You’ve caught a fine one there, Tom boy,” another teased. “Her mother was the expensive sort, we hear. Fancy carriages and such. I don’t think you’ve got it in ya yet to appreciate such as her. You might need some help there.” He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned lewdly.
    They continued taunting Tom, not letting him out of the circle. It was just boys being what they were, but Celia’s heart sank and thickened.
    Someone in this neighborhood had realized who she was. Word had spread. Now everyone knew the daughter of the famed Alessandra Northrope lived among them. Everything would change now.
    She closed her eyes and tried to conquer the desolation that hollowed her out. She had known for years that she was vulnerable to cruel judgments merely by her birth. She had never before actually experienced it, though. Certainly not while she lived with Daphne.
    Not even while she lived with Mama, now that she thought about it. She had known it was happening while they rode the carriage through the park back then, but she had not actually seen it. However, Mama had warned that she would someday witness the scorn firsthand. Celia just had not anticipated how the reality would make her breathless from dismay.
    Had Alessandra used a different name when she visited the shops here? Maybe she had never walked among these people at all, but only stayed in this house.
    The ruffians began pushing Tom this way and that, toying with him, daring him to swing the fist that would result in a sound beating. She wished she could spare Tom this, and regretted hiring him. He was no match for these other boys, and could only try to break away to no avail.
    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she saw another person approach. Not a neighbor, but a tall man dressed in gentleman’s clothes, and boots that strode with purpose. Mr. Albrighton advanced on the little group like a man taking a brisk turn on these lanes.
    He paused as he passed the clutch of boys. Their noise arrested his attention. At just that moment the boldest of the group broke away and walked with a cocky jaunt toward Celia’s door. His friends lost interest in Tom and cheered him on.
    An arm suddenly appeared like an iron bar, blocking the boy’s path.
    “Where are you going, young man?”
    “I’ve business there, so be moving your arm if you don’t want it broke.”
    “You have no business with this house if it is not your home. Walk away now.”
    “ You walk away. We don’t like strangers here. You’re looking for trouble, and over a whore at that.”
    Mr. Albrighton’s arm lowered. Sneering with triumph, the boy took another step. A hand came to rest on his shoulder, stopping him.
    Celia could not see exactly what that hand did. It appeared only to lie there. Yet the boy’s eyes grew large and his knees buckled. His face contorted with pain.
    In the next moment the boy spun across the street toward his friends, like a rag doll cast aside by a child. His friends