Reforming a Rake Read Online Free PDF Page A

dog pranced about and growled happily to himself, Alexandra unfastened the trunk and began unpacking. Coming into a situation blind was not the way she worked. She had never accepted a position without first meeting her charges. In the morning she fully intended to lay out her conditions for accepting employment in Kilcairn’s household. If he didn’t like any of them, or if she didn’t like the Delacroix ladies, she would…
    Her hands slowed as she set out her toilette items. Ifshe left this post, it would probably be another six months before she could find another household willing to hire her. Resolutely she went back to her task. That, she would worry about tomorrow.
    Tomorrow arrived earlier than she expected. When Alexandra first opened her eyes into complete darkness, she couldn’t decide what had awakened her, much less where she was. Then Shakespeare wumphed , and blinking sleepily, she remembered both.
    Fumbling for the candle on the bed stand, she sat up. As dim golden light flickered in the room, Alexandra spied her dog by the door, looking from her to the exit and wagging his tail pitifully.
    “Oh, goodness, Shakes,” she whispered, swinging her feet out from the warm bed and onto the cold floor. “I’m so sorry. Just a moment.”
    She couldn’t recall where she’d put her slippers, if she’d even brought them. But her dressing robe lay across the foot of the bed, looking shabby against the magnificence of the quilted golden coverlet.
    “Get your leash,” she instructed, shrugging into the robe.
    The terrier dashed to the dressing-table chair, leaped onto it, and reared onto the table to pull the coiled leash down. That done, he dragged the braided leather line over to her.
    She hooked the leash to his collar, picked up the candle, and hurried to the door. The bolt and the hinges were both thankfully silent. With Shakespeare tugging her forward, they stepped into the silent, moonlit hallway. “Shh,” she reminded him as she padded down the stairs in her bare feet.
    As they reached the foyer, the grandfather clockstanding there chimed. Alexandra glanced at it as they passed—fifteen minutes before three. The front door opened easily. A night breeze lifted the hem of her gown and robe, and she suppressed a shiver as cold air traveled up her bare legs. Leading the terrier around the side of the house to the small garden, she said, “Hurry, Shakes. It’s cold.”
    “Trying to escape already?”
    Alexandra whipped around, a shriek stuck in her throat. Lord Kilcairn stood at the border of the garden, looking at her. “My lord!”
    If not for the candlelight, he would have been invisible, for he was clothed in black from his boots to his greatcoat to his beaver hat. The veriest edge of snow-white cravat glinted at her as he shifted. “Good evening, Miss Gallant. Or rather, good morning.”
    “My apologies,” she said with a shiver, induced more by his imposing presence than by the cold. “I neglected to take Shakespeare outside before I retired for the evening.”
    “You’ll catch your death out here.”
    “Oh, no. It’s quite pleasant this evening.”
    The earl stepped forward, shedding his caped greatcoat as he approached. “If you die of pneumonia, Miss Gallant, I’ll have to hire someone else for the devil spawn,” he said, lifting the coat and placing it over her shoulders. “And I don’t want to go through that horror again.”
    The coat was heavy and warm from the heat of his body, and smelled faintly of cigar smoke and brandy. She abruptly remembered his deep voice talking of hot, slow kisses, and swallowed. “Thank you, my lord.”
    “In the future, Miss Gallant, I would prefer that Shakespeare not relieve himself in my garden. And under no circumstances are you to go wandering outside in your bare feet and nightclothes.” He paused. “Though I believe a competent teacher of etiquette would know that already, wouldn’t she?”
    Alexandra narrowed her eyes, a flush creeping