Sinful Seduction Read Online Free PDF

she’d allowed herself to enjoy the strange new sensations his clumsy gropings produced - before pushing him firmly away. ‘I wants don’t get!’ she said tartly. ‘Just you keep your hands to yourself, Thomas Watkins. I ain’t that sort of girl.’
    And his groan of frustration did nothing to soften her heart. Served the bugger right. It was all very well for blokes; they could take their pleasure and walk away without a second thought. She snorted. They could afford to. They weren’t the ones left holding the baby, were they? She shuddered. And marriage - if you could get it - wasn’t much better. No money, a brood of snotty kids at your feet - with another on the way every year, as like as not. She should cocoa! She was perfectly happy as she was, thank you very much.
    Tucking away a few stray tendrils, she pinned her bonnet in place, smoothed down the folds of her new lilac print dress and smiled. It was her birthday, it was her half-day off - and she had five bob in her pocket to spend exactly as she pleased.
    The day was infinite with possibilities. She could take a walk along the market and see if she could find a new straw hat to go with her dress. She could sit in the park and watch the soldiers strutting by in their scarlet uniforms. She could even be daring and go to a matinee at the new music hall.
    But then these pleasant thoughts were rudely interrupted as the door flew open and Emily burst in, red-faced and breathless. ‘Yer gotta come right away, Maggie,’ she gasped. ‘Mrs H wants yer.’
    â€˜But it’s my afternoon off,’ protested Maggie. ‘I’m going out.’
    â€˜Not any more yer not,’ contradicted Emily. ‘Come on, get yer arse moving - don’t just stand there gawping like a booby.’
    With a sigh of exasperation, Maggie threw her dolly-bag on the bed and followed Emily downstairs, and as she took in the scene in the kitchen her mouth fell open in shock. Mrs H was sitting in front of the range, rocking backwards and forwards, and sobbing in the corner was Millie, her ladyship’s personal maid, her bags piled round her in an untidy heap. Maggie gawped at her; this pathetic creature bore no resemblance to the snooty little madam who thought herself a cut above everybody else. There was no sign of her airs and graces now. What the hell was going on?
    She soon found out.
    â€˜In the club, ain’t she,’ snapped Mrs H, and at the words there was another wail from the corner. Mrs H ignored it. ‘Stupid little cow,’ she spat, glaring at the snivelling girl. ‘Out on her ear without a reference. And what am I supposed to do now, that’s what I want to know? With young master Jeremy back from India next week there’ll be all sorts of goings on - not to mention her ladyship going off to the ball tonight and no maid to do for her.’
    Her lips set tightly. ‘There’s nothing for it,’ she announced, staring grimly at Maggie. ‘You’ll have to take over.’
    â€˜Me?’ squeaked Maggie, in disbelief. ‘I’ve never even been upstairs, ‘cept on errands. I ain’t no lady’s maid.’
    â€˜Nothing to it,’ said Mrs H dismissively. ‘If that half-witted little mare could do it, so can you. You’re a smart clean girl. You can sew and iron, can’t yer?’ Maggie nodded dumbly. ‘That’s settled then,’ said Mrs H in relief. ‘Lucky you’re the same size as Millie. Get yourself back upstairs and changed into her uniform, then I’ll give yer a quick run through while her ladyship’s at afternoon tea in the drawing room.’
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    By the time Maggie returned the pile of bags was gone and Millie had disappeared as if she’d never existed. It was as if the streets she’d come from had opened and swallowed her up again. Maggie shivered; what would happen to her now?
    She didn’t have time to