Stunned, Pearl stared at the woman, horror filling her. She’d noted the women lingering about in the gambling hall. She’d seen the kind of men they took upstairs and she wanted nothing to do with this. And yet what choice did she have?
“That is none of your business.”
Just then a man entered the room.
“Strip,” Miss Champe said.
“What? No, I’m not disrobing here in front of these men.”
The lady grinned and held up a flogger with leather strands that had a knot on the ends. She banged it against Mr. Wiggins’s desk.
“I said strip or I will use this on you right now.”
The man behind her leaned down and whispered in her ear.
“I need to examine you,” he said.
“Do it now,” the woman screamed at her as she moved toward her. “I do not accept intolerance from my girls. You will obey me or you will face the flogger.”
Swallowing her tears, Pearl stood. She began to unbutton the front of her bodice. Dragging it out as long as possible, she stepped out of her dress.
“Remove everything,” the woman said. “We want to see what we have to work with.”
They were going to make her into a whore. What had she done?
Slowly, she removed her petticoats and corset until she was down to her shift.
“I’m tired of waiting on you,” the woman said and she reached out and ripped the material off her, exposing her to the men in the room.
Quickly she tried to cover herself with her hands.
“Oh, stop it,” the woman said. “Soon many men will see you. Now lie back on the table.”
“Why?”
“Dr. Reed is going to make certain you’re a virgin,” she said.
The man helped her onto the desk and then he went down between her legs. She’d never felt so embarrassed in all her life. Tears welled in her eyes and then she felt his fingers going up inside her womanly area.
A sob escaped her.
“Yes, she’s a virgin,” he said, removing his hands and standing back.
Mr. Wiggins glanced at Miss Champe and grinned. “You could make most of your money back on the auction.”
“My interest is a bit higher. She will have to work one year in the brothel to pay off her debts. By that time, she’ll be soiled goods and no man will want to marry her, so most of my girls stay.”
One year of her life being a prostitute?
No!
The madam walked over to her and swatted her with the flogger. Her legs stung where she hit her. What would her life be like with this woman?Hellwas all she could think of.
“Don’t even think about running away. I will find you. I will allow you to return to your boarding house and pack your things. One of my men will accompany you and bring you back here as soon as you finish packing. Don’t delay, it will only make me angry and you’ll feel the flogger again.”
“Damn shame she’s a virgin. I would have liked a little sample,” Mr. Wiggins said.
Pearl sat up and put her clothes on, not waiting to be told.