A Regency era courtesan gives up her empire for love and discovers how truly binding her connections are to the noblemen she used to serve.
*****
In the sequel to Courte...
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There was little time for happy reunions once Jules found me. He made haste to secure Duncan's hired hooligan so he couldn't run off, gagging and tying his limbs with the bindings that had held me. Then we left him in the cot to await Captain Boucetta's return.
After insisting we not leave Norris, Jules loaded him in the carriage he'd been using to search the city for me. I also learned that the boy from the dock had led Jules to me after giving him my description and some coin. As a reward for the boy's good deed, I asked where he lived and promised to deliver plenty of sweet potato pies to him and his family.
When the coachman had carried us safely away from the dock, Jules pulled me into his arms and held me in an unforgiving embrace. "I thought I had lost you for good. I thought that blackguard had taken you out to sea. I was ready to enlist the help of the entire royal navy to find you."
"I'm sorry you had to worry. I was not treated poorly. In fact, I was fed better than the crew. Although the bindings did cause my skin to blister a bit."
"Fair treatment is no excuse for kidnapping. And being of noble birth, your father could seek the death penalty."
I gasped. "Heavens no. I am opposed to such a crime against human life."
"He committed a crime against human life."
"It was a crime of greed not of murder."
"The captain wouldn't hurt yer young lady." Norris croaked from his slumped position opposite us. "It's clear to me he finks highly of her. I 'spect he was reconsidering his choice once he'd given it more thought."
Jules frowned. "No matter. He should have thought of the consequences before he drugged her and carted her off. If I ever see him again, I will tear him limb from limb."
His hands clenched, and I took them both into mine. "It's alright now. I'm okay. Where is my father? Is he planning to pay Duncan the ransom? Or is the Duke of Montrose giving up the pendant?"
"Your father is managing it. But now that you've been found, I can tell him to call off the exchange."
"Yer prolly too late fer that," Norris said. "The captain left at dusk to collect."
Jules snorted. "We'll see about that."
I directed the coachman to stop at a voluntary hospital so I could see that Norris was properly treated. After assuring the clerk I would cover all expenses, I bid Norris good health, and he seemed content to have a pretty nurse escort him away.
Back in the carriage, Jules queried me. "What happened between you two? Wasn't that man holding you prisoner on his ship?"
"He was under Duncan's orders to keep me from escaping. But the man is not well. He is malnourished and suffers from opium addiction. He collapsed and stopped breathing not long before you arrived."
