Scarlett Read online

  Scarlett

  Women Betrayed Series

  Book 5

  By

  Award Winning, Best Selling Author

  Margaret Tanner

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  SCARLETT – Women Betrayed Series

  Book 5

  First edition. November 7, 2017.

  Copyright © 2017 Margaret Tanner

  Written by Margaret Tanner

  Cover Art by Susan Horsnell

  Acknowledgement: Thank you Susan Horsnell for your on-going help and support. Couldn’t have done it without you my friend.

  Heat Level: Adult theme, but only mild sexual scenes depicted.

  Acknowledgement: Thank you Susan Horsnell for your on-going help and support. Couldn’t have done it without you my friend.

  Please Note: Scarlett was previously part of the Soiled Dove Series, which has now been disbanded, and each of the authors involved have had their stories returned to them. Scarlett has been revised, and is now going to form part of my new series – Women Betrayed.

  Chapter One

  1870’s South Dakota.

  Please come and collect Katie. I’m dying. The words from Pearl Wilson’s letter kept flashing through Scarlett Jones’ brain as she alighted from the stagecoach in Deadwood. Slowly, on leaden feet, her stomach churning with worry, she made her way to the back of the coach to await the driver, who would hopefully take her trunk to the hotel where she would spend the night.

  Pearl’s letter had sounded the death knell of her hopes of saving a few more dollars to secure her daughter’s future. She had to collect Katie straight away. She couldn’t let her child endure life in an orphanage as she herself had done. Her whole body shuddered on recalling her own bleak childhood in an institution owned by two sadistic women. I hope they’re both dead she thought, trying to swallow down on her bitterness and hatred. They deserved to die for what they did.

  I’m twenty years old in years, double that in experience. Her traumatic childhood had left a mark that would never be erased. “Don’t get bitter,” she whispered. “You’ll end up poisoning your whole system if you do.”

  A burly youth lumbered up to her. “I’m Karl from the hotel. I’ll help you with your luggage Ma’am.”

  “Thank you.”

  He hoisted her trunk up on one shoulder as if it weighed nothing, picked up the large carpet bag, leaving a smaller one for her to carry. She changed her reticule from her right hand to her left, before picking up the other bag and following him. He walked with a lumbering, almost unsteady gait, giving her the impression his legs may have been injured.

  “You leaving on the morning stage, Ma’am?”

  “Yes, I’ve been on several different stages to get here and I’m sick of them.”

  Inside the hotel, a smartly dressed middle-aged woman handed her a leather sign-in book. “Your room is upstairs Mrs. Jones. Karl, take the luggage up to room ten.”

  Scarlett signed her name before following Karl up the carpeted stairs. To the left of the landing she spotted a door with Room Ten written in gold lettering.

  “Ma got everything ready for you, Ma’am.”

  “Ma? Oh, the lady downstairs is your mother?” That explained a lot of things.

  He opened the door and stepped back so she might enter first. It wasn’t a large room, quite plain in appearance, but spotlessly clean. The furniture was sturdy, a double bed with bass bedhead, and an oak wardrobe with matching mirrored dresser.

  “Supper is served at six in the dining room.”

  “Thank you.” She pressed several coins into his hand and he left the room grinning like a weasel in a hen house.

  She had an hour or so to fill in before it was time to eat. Not that she was hungry, food was the last thing on her mind. What if she didn’t get to Pearl in time? What would happen to three year old Katie? She hadn’t seen her daughter since she had handed her over to Pearl when the baby was ten months old.

  She had begged and pleaded with Jake for a few more months, so she could continue breast feeding. All to no avail. He said she already owed him far too much. Hadn’t he let her keep her room at his exclusive brothel at The Black Stetson when she had returned from New Orleans? When she was heavy with the pregnancy and couldn’t service his patrons, he had forced her to recruit other girls for the several high class brothels he owned. He had taken most of her money, leaving her with only a pittance. After Pearl had taken the baby and moved to live with her elderly brother in Twisted Creek, South Dakota, Scarlett had sent money for Katie, which left little for herself. Not that she begrudged the money as Katie was well loved and cared for by Pearl, it just broke her heart because she couldn’t be with them.

  Scarlett’s gowns were low cut and revealing, although of the finest silks and satins, as were her shoes and undergarments. Men coming to The Black Stetson were wealthy enough to expect the best in food, liquor and women, and Jake made sure they got it.

  Apart from running his own brothels, Jake also provided high class whores for several other clients. Even though he was rich, he was greedy and ruthless, always wanting more money. Never satisfied.

  She glanced down at her simple blue gingham gown with white lace on the collar and cuffs. I look like a preacher’s wife. It was sheer hypocrisy to dress like this knowing she was a very soiled dove. Scarlett, the auburn haired whore had changed into Scarlett Jones, demure mother of Katie. How she would support them both she had no idea. It certainly wouldn’t be by selling her body and womanly charms.

  She sat on the bed and stared into the mirror, not liking what she saw. Outwardly attractive, beautiful many men had called her over the years, yet inwardly she felt filthy and degraded. She had done bad things over the years to survive, it being the nature of the business she was in.

  She closed her eyes and the pictures flitting through her brain were ugly. In her whole life she had only loved four people, Jessica, Liam, Pearl and Katie.

  The Beginning.

  Jessica Smith had been her friend at the orphanage where they had both been brutally treated until she escaped when aged thirteen, because she couldn’t stand it a moment longer. She had pleaded with Jessica to come with her, but the tiny, frail looking eleven year old had been too frightened. Not that she blamed her, she had been terrified herself. Any child caught trying to run away was severely beaten, resulting in death on a couple of occasions she knew about. During her time at the orphanage she had gone by the name of Amy Jones.

  She had been smuggled out of the orphanage in a laundry trolley by Les, the illegitimate son of one of the maids at The Black Stetson. Of course, nothing was ever free. In a stable on the property, Les had taken her virginity, roughly and insensitively because of his youth. Strange, how she had trouble recalling what he looked like now.

  Once Jake found out what Les had done he forced the youth and his mother out of The Black Stetson to God alone knew what kind of future, and employed her as a maid. After a couple of years Jake decided she was old enough to service his special clients, after he gave her a period of training.

  “The ultimate fantasy of old men is to bed young women, the younger the better,” Jake said. “Give them what they want and they’ll pay handsomely for it.”

  “How much will I get?” she had asked. “I’m not spreading my legs unless I get something out of it, too.”

  “I’ll take half your earnings.” He smirked. “Can’t get fairer than that. You’ll have free board and lodging and I’ll supply your gowns.” His eyes gleamed. “You’ll need to learn a few things first.”

  “Like what?” She had quickly learned he was a bully, and if she stood up for herself she would get a better deal, as long as she didn’t push him
too hard.

  “For starters, you will change your name to Scarlett, it has a nice ring to it especially with that auburn hair of yours. New gowns.” His top lip curled in derision as he took in her maid’s uniform, a black skirt and white blouse.

  “You’ll be wearing silks and satins from now on.”

  “Like the other ladies who live here?”

  “Ladies!” He threw back his head and roared with laughter. “No ladies here, my dear. They’re all whores.”

  “Oh.” She knew what they were. Hadn’t she tidied the boudoirs before and after each gentleman visitor? She couldn’t call these women whores, even though they were, as most of them had been kind to her. They earned a lot of money and also received expensive gifts. Sometimes they gave her a few dollars which she carefully hid under her mattress. No-one ever entered her tiny attic bedroom.

  Jake lit a cheroot and leaned back in his chair, his legs splayed. “Do you know how to pleasure a man?”

  “Lay down and let ….”

  “I’m not talking about a boy groping around and then emptying himself into you after a couple of thrusts.”

  He undid the front of his pants and she drew in a shocked breath when his manhood burst forth.

  He gave her step by step instructions, clamping his hands around the back of her head so she couldn’t pull away. His grunting and groaning was followed by a full-throated roar when his release came.

  “Good girl.” He patted her head. “I’ll turn you into a high class whore. Men will go crazy for you, Scarlett, and will pay top dollar for your services. Go upstairs and see Ruby, she’ll teach your how to take care of yourself.”

  “What!”

  “You won’t make much money if you have a brat every year.”

  “No. No.” That was probably how she ended up at the orphanage. Some desperate unmarried girl had dumped her there. She would rather die than do that to a child.

  “Now, stand up.”

  She did so and turned to go.

  “Just a minute.” He grabbed her arm and swung her around. “Tell Ruby I want you ready for me by tomorrow.”

  “All right.” She scurried off. You can do this for a couple of years Amy, she thought. No, she was Scarlett now, Amy was dead and buried, never to be resurrected again. She could make a lot of money then leave. Once she had enough saved she could buy a hat shop or some other respectable business and no-one need ever know about her shameful past.

  She almost skipped up the stairway, which led to a landing with a huge leadlight window taking up most of one wall. If she got really rich, she could go back to the orphanage and buy the orphans off Gerda and Matron then set them free.

  Upstairs were fourteen rooms in all, seven on either side of the wide hallway. She had been in most of the rooms at some time or other. They were painted in light tones, then embellished with rich burgundy, green or red window drapes and matching quilts on the large beds. The glass on the lamps were the same color as the other décor, but trimmed with gold. A gilded framed mirror dominated the intricately carved dresser. This was how the rich people lived she was sure of it.

  The last door on the right belonged to Ruby. She was older than most of the other girls, being part oriental it was hard to tell her exact age, though.

  Scarlett knocked on the door, wondering whether to enter without being asked to. The door swung open.

  “Ah, Scarlett, I’ve been expecting you.” Ruby stepped back to allow her entry.

  The color scheme in this room was crimson, a perfect foil for Ruby’s midnight black hair and ebony, slightly slanted eyes. Where this room differed from the others was that there was a specially set up section where Ruby mixed up her potions.

  I’m Scarlett from now on, Amy Jones is now as dead, as what she would have been, had she stayed at the orphanage.

  “Let me take a good look at you.” Ruby smiled in a friendly fashion.

  Scarlett stood in the middle of the room as Ruby inspected her from head to toe. She didn’t walk, sort of glided silently around on her small slipper clad feet.

  She took out a tape measure from the pocket of her gown. “I’ll measure you, then have our dressmaker sew gowns for you.”

  “Gowns!” Scarlett couldn’t believe she was hearing right.

  “Each girl gets several gowns and sets of undergarments to start off with. Blue, green and perhaps a very pale pink will be the best color for you. Hold your arms in the air.”

  Scarlett did so and Ruby put the tape measure around her chest.

  “You’re rather small, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How old are you, Scarlett?”

  “Fifteen.”

  “No wonder you’re not fully developed yet. I’ll make sure the dressmaker puts a little extra stiffening in your bodice to push up your breasts.”

  After the measurements were complete, Ruby said. “Tell me what you can do?”

  “Do?”

  “To entertain a man?”

  Scarlett felt her face grow hot, her eyes were probably wide as saucers. “Jake put his….Well, I pleasured him with my mouth.”

  “Good. Take your clothes off, I need to point out a few things on your body. I heard Les took your virginity.”

  “What! Oh no!” Scarlett covered her face with her hands.

  “He boasted about it, the foolish boy. It cost him and his mother their jobs here.”

  “It was awful.” Scarlett couldn’t suppress a shudder.

  “Yes, well the men who come here will expect you to do more than lay on your back and open your legs, that’s what they get from their wives. Take your clothes off and lie on the bed and I’ll explain your body parts to you, and what they can do for a man.”

  Scarlett could hardly believe her ears, but if she wanted to make a lot of money, she was eager to learn as much as possible.

  “I’ve got a couple of instruction books you can look at. They’re written in French, from New Orleans. Jake owns a floating bordello there, along with a couple of other premises.”

  “Floating? You mean a ship, Ruby?”

  “Yes, a large steam boat goes up and down the Mississippi River. If you’re lucky enough to be sent there, you can make a lot of money. Rich southern gentlemen, French aristocrats and the like are big spenders. If they have a good win at the gambling tables, they can be extremely generous to their women.”

  As she spoke Ruby turned down the covers on the large double bed. “Take your clothes off and lie on your back and I’ll show you how to use your body to the best effect.”

  With trembling hands Scarlett started to remove her clothing.

  “Everything, you need to be completely naked.”

  Scarlett had always been a quick learner, had to be to survive the orphanage. The sooner she learnt how to pleasure men, the sooner she could start earning lots of money, and once she was rich she would leave all of this behind.

  She let out a shocked gasp when Ruby parted her legs and inserted two fingers into her private place.

  “Relax, don’t tense up.”

  The fingers moved in and out, and it wasn’t unpleasant, in fact Scarlett liked it.

  “Good, good,” Ruby kept saying. “You’re hot and wet inside, men will love it.”

  “Really?” Scarlett squeaked.

  Ruby’s tutelage went on for about an hour. Scarlett couldn’t believe there were so many ways to pleasure a man. While Ruby moved to a little alcove to make a pot of tea, Scarlett dressed.

  Ruby served the tea from a white teapot with gold edging. There were dainty matching cups and saucers. “You need to learn how to act like a lady too? Sip the tea, don’t gulp it down. Watch me.”

  Scarlett watched with interest as Ruby took tiny sips and nibbled on a heart shaped cookie.

  “Some men will take you to restaurants or even the opera. They will want people to think they are escorting a lady, not a whore.”

  “Really? I’ll go to places like rich ladies?”

 
; “Most probably, depends on the men and where Jake sends you. Tomorrow, Jake will take you to his bed and see how much you’ve learnt from me. Don’t let me down. You’re a smart girl, you can do well, but heed this warning. Never cross Jake.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Make sure you don’t, you’ll pay dearly if you do; it could even cost you your life. Do everything he asks of you and there’ll be no problems. You can take the books with you and look at the pictures. Give them back to me tonight.”

  “Thank you, Ruby, there’s so much to remember.”

  “One more thing, the most important of all. I have a special herb. Put a pinch of it in liquid and drink it every morning.”

  “What!”

  “It will ensure you don’t conceive.” Ruby handed her a round tin with flowers and birds on the lid. “Just a pinch will do.”

  “What is it?” What if it was poisonous?

  “It’s from the root of a shrub called Paniculata Murraya, and has been used successfully in China for centuries. If you forget to take it, or circumstances stop you before a man mounts you, there’s a bees wax barrier you can use. Once you insert it inside you, it stops a man’s seed from passing into your womb, so he can’t impregnate you. Understand?”

  “Yes, yes.”

  “Remember, if you get yourself with child, you’ll be out in the street, homeless and destitute.”

  “I won’t forget.” Scarlett shuddered, she would rather die than give birth to a child who would end up in an orphanage. She wouldn’t wish a hellish life like she had endured on her worst enemy.

  Chapter Two

  The next day, armed with the knowledge she had obtained from the French instruction book Ruby had loaned her, she ventured into the parlor to await the summons from Jake. She could barely read and write English so there had been no hope of reading French. Thankfully, the pictures were explicit and coupled with the knowledge Ruby had imparted, she felt confident Jake would be pleased with her performance.