Mistress by Marriage Read Online Free PDF Page B

candle, a robe thrown over his striped butler’s pants.
    “Lady Christie, I do hope everything is all right. I heard the disturbance and came as fast as I could.”
    Poor Hazlett. His wiry white hair stood on end. If it was how he woke up every morning, he must give Mrs. Hazlett quite a chuckle. Caroline had never seen him at such a disadvantage, but then she rarely had callers in the middle of the night. “We have an unexpected visitor. Ned Christie, my husband’s oldest son. Or at least I believe it’s he who is at the gate. The guard says he’s not well.”
    “Oh, dear. Shall I fetch a doctor?”
    “I don’t think that will be necessary, but you could prepare a pot of coffee. Perhaps a sandwich. You needn’t wake Mrs. Hazlett.”
    “No indeed. That is all within the realm of my capability. Would you like me to wait with you to assist the young gentleman into the drawing room?”
    Caroline had dealt with her father’s, and then brother’s drinking for years. They had been easy to maneuver. Parkers were was not nearly as tall as Christies, however. She would hate to have Ned topple to the tile and ruin his pretty face. “Thank you, Hazlett. Your assistance will be most welcome.”
    There was a fair amount of commotion in the street—some cursing by both parties, a snatch of song, and the unmistakable sound of retching—but at last a chastened Ned stumbled up the steps in the arms of the guard. Caroline would have to tip the poor man for his efforts tomorrow. For tonight, at least, she’d send Hazlett out with coffee and extra sandwiches.
    “Caro!” Ned said with a loopy grin. He seemed to think that explained everything.
    “Come sit down, Neddie. Ned.” Between the guard and Hazlett, they deposited Ned on a sofa in the downstairs drawing room. Caroline had redecorated recently with the proceeds from The Maid’s Master , her most popular volume yet, and hoped the boy had cast up his accounts sufficiently to keep her new green brocade safe. Somewhere along the way of his evening Ned had lost his neckcloth and one glove. His pants were torn, and his dark hair rivaled Hazlett’s in its defiance of gravity. She gave Hazlett instructions and the butler disappeared to the kitchen.
    “I have not set eyes on you in five years. What brings you to my doorstep? And in this condition! Your father will not approve. He’s forbidden me from seeing any of you, you know.” Caroline tried her best to summon sternness, but was checking his forehead for fever and brushing his coat of crumbs.
    “F-father never approves of anything he didn’t think of first. Pay no attention to him. Don’t m-myself.” He hiccupped.
    “Easy for you to say. Oh, Neddie! Why are you here? I should send you home now that I know you’re not at death’s door.”
    “Might be. Don’t feel at all the thing, Caro.” He looked up at her pleadingly with his father’s hazel eyes.
    Caroline repressed a desire to slap some sense into him, and sniffed in disdain. “I should think not. You’ve fallen into an ale barrel.”
    “Brandy, too. Inferior stuff. N-nasty.”
    “I’m going to fill you with some coffee and send you home in a hack. And you must not tell your father you were here. Why are you here?”
    “ ’Twas a m-mission of mercy. Wouldn’t come if it weren’t ’portant. Know I’m s’posed to cut you. L-like you never ex-existed. The old man will flay me alive for finding you, but I don’t c-care. The fellows tonight got to talkin’ about parents. Parents are the v-very devil, you know. Cut off one’s ’lowance for no good reason. Rules and r-regulations. One l-long and boring lecture after ’nother for the m-merest infraction. A Christie never does this. A Christie never does that. And then they do just as they please. Do y’know Father wants me to m-marry my cousin when I come of age? S-safe, he says, as if a fellow wants safe. She’s got a squint, and no chest to speak of. I won’t do it. But that’s not—no, I’m