Damsel in Distress Read Online Free PDF

her on the Marriage Mart, before she fancies herself in love with some uncouth country lad. Aunt Milchamp has volunteered to undertake chaperoning duties; for the Season, but for the first ball, I wanted to tag along.”
    “It seems impossible your daughter is making her debut, Dolmain. You must have married very young.”
    “Killed in covert, ma’am. A stripling of twenty years. To save you the bother of doing the arithmetic, I am eight and thirty years old. And you, if memory serves, must be — ”
    “There is no need to go into that, sir.”
    A smile tugged at his lips. “Vain creature. In any case, you do not look twenty-seven.”
    “You are too horrid. Is a lady allowed no secrets?”
    “Surely a lady’s life is an open book. She has no need of secrets.”
    She lifted a well-arched eyebrow in derision. “What a dead bore she would be without them. We all have our little secret vices, you must know.”
    “And yours is an unreasonable fear of arithmetic. Let us speak of other things. I see you are wearing the orchids. My uncle breeds them. That one is called the Incomparable, which is why I wanted you to have it.”
    “A very pretty compliment, sir.”
    The cotillion began and they took their place in the set with Helen and Newt and the other couples. When the set was finished, they went to the refreshment parlor. Dolmain procured wine for them and they moved to the edge of the room to talk. Several guests who remembered how the gaming night had begun congratulated Caroline on its continued success. She explained to Dolmain that it had been her late husband’s idea.
    “I believe I remember it now. The first few years it was held at Winbourne House, if memory serves. A little risqué — like that gown you wore the other night.”
    “You said you liked it,” she reminded him.
    “I did. It suited you.”
    “Are you calling me risqué? I take leave to tell you, any gentleman who would allow his young daughter to make her bows wearing a set of diamonds more suitable to a lightskirt is no judge of ladies’ fashion.”
    “A lightskirt! The necklace may be vulgar, but it is not the sort of present a man gives a lightskirt — unless he is a fool. It is worth thirty thousand pounds.”
    “That much! What a waste of blunt. I could put the money to better use.” She thought of what could be done for the orphans with that sum.
    “I oughtn’t to have let Helen wear them,” he admitted. “The diamonds belonged to her mama. She particularly wanted to wear them this evening. Helen is a very well-behaved girl as a rule, but headstrong. She is studious and full of good works, but undeniably headstrong. We did mention she takes after her mama,” he added with a grin. “If you could talk her into putting them in her reticule, I would be eternally grateful.”
    “I doubt she would listen to me.”
    “Now, there you are mistaken, ma’am. She most particularly admired your toilette. I think you might hint her into a more proper style, if you cared to.”
    “My risqué style, you mean?”
    He looked at her with the ghost of a smile touching his lips. “That would not suit my daughter. I meant your other style, the country girl I caught a glimpse of this afternoon.”
    Caroline sensed that he was mentally sizing her up for the role of Helen’s stepmama. It was too early for this, but she liked Dolmain and was willing to take an interest in the girl. She had no notion of giving advice so early in the acquaintance, however. If, in future, they became friends, then she would drop Helen a gentle hint.
    After they had drunk their wine, Caroline went to tidy her hair in the ladies’ parlor. The room, like the ball, was a squeeze. Helen was there, as was Lady Milchamp. Helen sat in a corner apart from the others. Caroline noticed she was wearing only one slipper. She went to have a word with the girl.
    “What happened to your slipper?” she asked.
    “Mr. Newton broke the buckle on it. A servant is having it repaired