Improper Ladies Read Online Free PDF Page B

flew. There were shrieks and screams as everyone scrambled out of their way. Mrs. Scott sobbed hysterically, stamping her feet and shaking her champagne-splattered skirts.
    “Oh, no,” Caroline muttered. “This is just what I need on one of my last nights here.” She lifted her skirts above her ankles and waded into the fray, closely followed by Lord Lyndon.
    It took only seconds for a full-fledged brawl to form. Other people with grievances, seemingly inspired by Harry and Burleigh, broke into smaller fights. Harry himself had knocked Lord Burleigh down and was now planting him a sound facer in the nose. Mrs. Scott was deeply in hysterics.
    Caroline picked up a heavy crystal vase, emptied the flowers onto the floor, and tossed the cold water onto the pair of them. It hardly made an impression, but it did thoroughly soak Mrs. Scott’s gown, causing the woman to swoon.
    It wasn’t so good for Caroline’s shoes, either.
    Lyndon grabbed his brother by the coat collar and hauled him to his feet. Harry flailed helplessly for a moment but instantly stilled when Lyndon said, in tones of steely command, “Harold, you will cease this at once.”
    Harry quit wriggling and wiped at his bloodied nose with his coat sleeve. “He called Mrs. Scott a-a—”
    “It doesn’t matter what he said,” Lyndon growled. “You should have taken your differences outside. There is no excuse whatsoever for causing a public scene in a lady’s house.”
    Caroline stared at him, more startled by his words than she had been by the whole silly fight. A lady’s house? She had never heard the Golden Feather—or herself—referred to in such a way.
    She had the most unaccountable urge to give a pleased giggle.
    “Now, apologize to Mrs. Archer, and we shall take our leave,” Lyndon said, giving his brother a shake.
    Harry glanced shyly at Caroline, then looked quickly away. “I am sorry, Mrs. Archer. What I did was completely unforgivable.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Seward,” Caroline said, a bit bewildered. “You are forgiven.”
    “Freddie,” Lyndon called to his friend, who was still drinking champagne in the doorway where they had left him, “would you please escort Harry, Mrs. Scott, and your—friend to the carriage and wait with them for me?”
    “Of course,” Freddie answered, coming forward to offer the sobbing and soaked Mrs. Scott his arm and taking firm hold of Harry with his other hand. “Glad to, Justin.”
    When they had gone, winding their way through the other, deliciously scandalized patrons, Lyndon turned back to Caroline. He smiled at her ruefully, and suddenly he no longer seemed the remote, polite, bored gentleman. He looked like a young boy, his hair rumpled and his cravat askew.
    He swept his hair back off his brow, and said, “I, too, wish to apologize, Mrs. Archer. I hope that my brother does not always behave like this.”
    “Oh, no,” she murmured, quite distracted by one wave of golden-brown hair that would not be tamed. It slid back down over his eye, only to be pushed away impatiently. “Mr. Seward is usually an utter lamb when he comes here.”
    “I am glad to hear it. I do want you to know that I intend to pay for any damages incurred this evening.”
    Caroline arched her brow, startled. That was a first. Usually when patrons owed her for damages, she had to threaten to set the Bow Street Runners on them in order to collect. And even that usually did not work.
    “Well ... thank you, Lord Lyndon,” she said.
    “I shall call on you tomorrow, then, if that would be convenient.”
    She would get to see him again tomorrow? Caroline’s heart gave an unwilling little leap of expectation. She quickly reminded herself that this was strictly business, and said, “Yes, quite convenient. I live here at the Golden Feather, but you will have to knock at the side door.”
    “Very well.” Lord Lyndon looked about at the shambles of the gaming room. The footmen had cleared out most of the quarreling patrons, but