Read Daughter of the Thirteen: Bourbon Street Witches Book 1 for Free Online

not near as elegant as what she’d seen with the rest of the house.
    The stairs were steep, prompting Laurel to grab the rough wood of the rail to steady herself.
    When they finally reached the top, they were in another hall, but this one was smaller. Here, there were only six bedrooms, all of them in poor condition.
    Mora opened one of the doors and entered a small room with three beds.
    The surprise on Laurel’s face prompted Mora to spout another explanation. “The nice rooms are only for the ladies who entertain regular. I’m not a full fledged working girl just yet.”
    “I’m sorry … I just thought …”
    Mora cut her off. “It doesn’t matter. I do my share around here. I’ve used my hand to pleasure men, and I dance sometimes.”
    “So you are the one that’s a virgin!” Laurel was shocked.
    How could one grow up in a brothel and remain a virgin?
    A shadow passed over Mora’s face. “Not exactly.”
    Now Laurel was really confused, but she decided not to push it. Instead, she felt an apology was in order. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so insensitive.”
    Mora waved aside her apology. “I forget just how ignorant you are of the world. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be kept in a convent your whole life.”
    “It wasn’t so bad,” Laurel told her, though of course she really wouldn’t know, since she didn’t have any other type of life to compare it to.
    Dumping her hat on one of the beds, she motioned for Laurel to come with her.
    “Come on. I’ll introduce you to Madam Arlington. I might be able to talk her into letting you take this extra bed. Renée won’t have any use for it anymore. She up and moved over to Madam Roslyn’s place.”
    After descending both flights of stairs, Mora led her to the back of the house. She stopped in front of a set of dark mahogany doors and knocked.
    “Come in.” A rough female voice called.
    Mora opened the door.
    Looking over her shoulder, she made sure Laurel was right behind her.
    Laurel hesitated.
    She’d never met a brothel madam before, so she had no idea what to expect.
    “Come on,” Mora urged under her breath.
    She entered the room and Laurel followed, but her steps faltered.
    This was even more frightening then going before the mother superior.
    The first thing Laurel noticed was the large tub in the middle of the room, and the woman in it.
    She appeared to be in her 50s, and not exactly the most attractive woman she’d ever seen. A tall girl with beautiful burgundy colored hair was massaging soap through the older woman’s thin red hair.
    Laurel assumed the woman in the tub was Madam Arlington.
    “Who’s this you have with you?”
    Laurel found the woman’s rough demeanor and looks completely out of place from her surroundings.
    “I found her near the market. She was on the streets, and a man was trying to take advantage of her,” Mora explained.
    “Is that so?” Madam Arlington eyed Laurel speculatively. “What’s your name girl?”
    “Laurel Fabre.”
    “Hmm … well you could fetch a pretty penny. Are you a virgin?”
    Laurel opened her mouth, but no words would come out.
    Mora came to her rescue. “Laurel doesn’t want to do that … but she’s offered to do some work around here to earn her keep.”
    “Well what a waste that would be!” Madam Arlington scowled.
    After the girl carefully rinsed the older woman’s hair with fresh water, Madam Arlington stood up and reached for a towel. After wrapping the plush terrycloth around her aging body, she stepped out of the tub and went straight to a cupboard, where she poured some brown liquid into a crystal glass.
    “Seems we have too many helpers already,” she said, casting her bloodshot eyes at Mora and the girl with the burgundy hair.
    “But I might be more inclined to let you stay, without working … if you could do something to draw in the gentleman,” Madam Arlington said, looking to Laurel.
    “What could I do?” Laurel asked.
    “You can’t be