An Improper Governess: An Improper Liaisons Novella, Book 2 Read Online Free PDF Page A

for as long as I damn well like, Regina. And invite whomever I like, whenever I like.” The woman’s imperious manner irritated him no end and he couldn’t resist the perverse urge to rankle her in return. “You know, you can always relocate to Hedgesparrow House at any time if you’d rather not put up with my habits... Or should I say, proclivities…?”
    Regina paled beneath her powder. “Nicholas, I didn’t mean to offend.”
    “Of course not,” he remarked with a sardonic twist of his lips. “You never do.” As his sister-in-law took her leave with a good deal of indignant flouncing and silk rustling, he called out after her, “Perhaps it would be wise to remind Lavinia and Kitty, to avoid walking about the north end of the lake near the folly whilst I’m here. It looks like we are in for another scorching day.”
    Regina turned and inclined her head. “As you wish.” She took a few more steps toward the door but then paused on the threshold. “Oh, whilst I think of it, what are you intending to do with Miss Adams other than using her in the library? ”
    Nicholas almost laughed at her question. You really don’t want to know... Instead, he simply said, “I don’t take your meaning.”
    Regina puffed out her chest like a ruffled pigeon. “Well, she cannot take up residence in the Amber Room. If you entertain house guests, as I know you do on occasion, it will look decidedly odd if the governess is sleeping in one of Hartfield’s best suites. Aside from that, the servants will talk. But then of course, it’s entirely up to you...”
    Nicholas sighed heavily. Although he hated agreeing with Regina, he was afraid she might be right on that score. Nevertheless, he wasn’t going to let her off easily. “You can install her in one of the spare bedrooms in the east wing then. I can’t imagine the third floor apartments ever get much use. And before you even think to quibble, might I add a fourth floor bedroom that is little more than a cupboard, is entirely unsuitable. I won’t have one of the upper servants treated so shabbily.”
    Regina flushed scarlet at his intended slight, but nevertheless, she simply tilted her head again. “I will make it so.”
    Telling himself he’d done all he could do to better Miss Adams’s lot in life at the present moment—whilst still steadfastly refusing to examine why he should care so much, indeed at all—Nicholas returned his attention to his other correspondence, but after fifteen minutes, he realized it was a useless endeavor. His mind kept straying to other things, or rather, a particular someone, he really shouldn’t be thinking about.
    The fact that the breakfast room felt like the Devil’s own furnace wasn’t helping matters. Even though it was still quite early and the casement windows were wide open, nary a breeze stirred the gauze curtains or the foliage in the willow copse beside the lake. After discarding his navy tailcoat and loosening his damnably tight cravat, Nicholas wandered over to one of the doors with his coffee cup and leaned against the frame to admire the view. The sky, a cloudless azure blue, vividly reminded him of the long, lazy summer days he’d enjoyed during his sojourn in Tuscany last year.
    Today certainly wasn’t a day for being holed up with his steward in a stifling hot office going over the accounts. It was a day for lying in the shade somewhere beside the lake, drinking chilled champagne and eating juicy summer strawberries or sliced peaches from the fingers of...
    Miss Adams suddenly appeared on the northern edge of the emerald green lawn and like a hound who’d just scented the quarry, his heart rate immediately kicked up a notch. Dressed in a gown of pale yellow, she looked as bright and fresh as one of the roses in Regina’s garden. Even though a white parasol concealed much of her face, he caught a glimpse of her glossy brown hair as she turned—she was clearly sans bonnet—just before she called over her