Improper Ladies Read Online Free PDF Page A

man a second look, so they say. Ah, now see, you’ll be able to judge for yourself.”
    A door at the top of a spiral staircase opened, and amid a sudden hush, a woman appeared on the landing there.
    She was not especially tall, not above middling height, but she commanded the room just by standing still.
    She wore a black silk mask that covered all her face except for her full red lips and an alabaster jawline. Her hair, a deep burgundy-red color, was piled atop her head in curls and whorls. The emeralds in her ears winked and dazzled in the light.
    Mrs. Archer was very striking. And she did indeed have a magnificent bosom, its whiteness set off by the low bodice of her green satin gown.
    Justin very much feared he was gaping, just as everyone else in the room was. But he couldn’t seem to help himself; she was such a terribly striking sight.
    “You see?” Freddie sighed. “Beautiful.”
    Then Mrs. Archer came down the stairs, her skirt held up daintily to reveal green heeled slippers and the tiniest amount of white silk stocking, and moved into the crowd.
    Justin could see only the very top of her red head as she walked about, stopping to speak to various patrons and accept a glass of champagne from a footman.
    He blinked and turned quickly away, feeling as if he were trapped in some bizarre, terribly attractive dream.

Chapter Three
    Caroline had never seen him before. She was sure of it. If she had, she would have remembered him.
    He stood in the doorway between the dining room and the gaming room, surveying the crowd with a look of almost-boredom on his face. He did not look contemptuous or disdainful, only as if he wished he were anywhere else.
    And he was handsome. Very handsome indeed. His hair, a sun-streaked light brown, was a little longer than was strictly fashionable and brushed back in neat waves from his face. Unlike most of the men who came to the Golden Feather, he radiated good health and vitality. His skin was dark, as if he spent a good deal of time outdoors, and his tall, lean figure obviously had no need of corsets or of padding in his coats.
    Beside all the other men who flocked around the gaming room, he stood out sharply, as a beacon of things that were honest and decent. Things like a fresh morning breeze, a brisk ride down a country lane, or a good laugh.
    Things Caroline hadn’t enjoyed for years.
    She smiled wryly, mocking herself for such fanciful thoughts. A beacon of honesty, indeed! Here she had thought herself far beyond having her head turned by a pretty face. If he was here, he could scarcely be so decent as all that. No doubt he gambled terribly, just as Lawrence had. He was just a new patron, perhaps one who had recently come from the country.
    Definitely one she should meet. After all, it was her job to make certain everyone who came to the Golden Feather enjoyed themselves.
    Just her job.
    Caroline made her way slowly across the room toward him, stopping to talk to people, to sip champagne, to check on the dealers at the various tables. All the while, she kept her eye on the stranger, where he stood talking to Lawrence’s old friend Freddie Reed.
    As she came closer, she felt a most unusual sensation fluttering in her stomach, tightening her throat. Was it ... could it be nervousness? Nervousness at the thought of talking to a strange man?
    Nonsense , she told herself briskly. It was only the champagne.
    At last she reached them, and came to a halt to smile up at Freddie. “Good evening, Mr. Reed,” she said. “So nice to see you here again.”
    Freddie blushed at this special attention, and stammered out, “G-good evening, M-Mrs. Archer! You are looking stunning, as always.”
    “Thank you very much, Mr. Reed.” She glanced over at his companion, the handsome stranger, and tilted her head inquiringly.
    “Oh!” said Freddie. “Mrs. Archer, I would like you to meet my friend, Lord Lyndon. He is just back from India and has never been to the Golden Feather