Something Reckless Read Online Free PDF

ball a night before, but were now in her parlor to “support” her. But what was support when it was all done in secret?
    “Each of you has the power to help our cause,” Penelope insisted, harking back to the argument she had been making from the very beginning.
    “Power?” Adela Forster, the Marchioness of Chartsford repeated with a sniff. “What power do we have?”
    Penelope looked at the young woman with a sad frown. Although Adela sometimes seemed haughty and abrasive, she was a very pretty woman, dark haired and bright eyed, with the most beautiful skin Penelope had ever seen. But her uncommon beauty had not protected her from a highly unhappy marriage to one of Jeremy’s best friends.
    Jeremy. Color filled Penelope’s cheeks at the thought of him. The thought of what she had done last night while fantasizing about him. No one could ever find out about that shame.
    “Penelope?” Adela repeated. “Do you have no answer for me?”
    Penelope shook off her thoughts with a frown. “The men of the ton will not change until their wives and mothers and sisters stand up and say that they do not condone their behavior.”
    An older woman, Lady Pendergrath, nodded. “Lady Norman is wise beyond her scant years. My experience has told me that men generally want peace in their homes. If we do not give it to them, they will ultimately change their wicked ways.”
    Adela shook her head and tears filled her eyes. Ones she blinked away with a scowl.
    “I have made clear my thoughts on the matter of my husband’s…” She blushed. “His activities outside of our marriage. Do you know what David said to me? He told me he liked me better when I was pliable and uncaring about what he did.” Theother woman clenched her fists. “I was never pliable, nor uncaring. Merely silent.”
    Penelope resisted the urge to touch Adela’s shoulder, offer her comfort. She didn’t think the other lady would appreciate the gesture, especially in front of others. She was far too proud.
    The group began talking at once again, dissolving into arguments between those who thought they would only make things worse by standing up to their wayward husbands and those who felt it could change their world for the better. Penelope lifted her hand to her eyes and rubbed her temples. What good was fighting for something when half those in the war didn’t dare go to battle?
    Before she could make any attempt to silence the group a second time, they did so themselves. An unnatural hush fell over the group, punctuated only by harsh whispers whose muted words Penelope didn’t understand.
    Slowly, she lowered her hand and looked at the door. She staggered back at what she saw. Jeremy Vaughn stood there, leaning in her doorway, a smug smile on his handsome face. A smile that hit Penelope in the gut and forced her to recall her loss of control in the bath the night before. Heat burned her cheeks, and she wanted to run away.
    But she couldn’t. Instead, she strode forward, hands fisted at her sides.
    “Lord Kilgrath,” she said, her voice strained. As she drew nearer to him, she hissed, “What are you doing here?”
    He looked down at her with a completely innocent expression. One that was woefully out of place on such a sinful face. “I heardyou were having a meeting regarding your thoughts on the behavior of the men of the ton . I thought I would come and see if I could offer any insight.”
    Penelope’s nostrils flared and she shoved her hands down straight at her sides. As she kept a withering gaze on Jeremy, she called over her shoulder, “I believe we have covered a great deal of ground today. Why don’t we adjourn to the Rose Terrace for tea?”
    The women in the room got to their feet slowly, still whispering and glaring at Jeremy as they passed by. As the last few filtered from the room, Kilgrath gave Penelope a smile and offered her his arm.
    Penelope reeled back at the idea of touching him. She wanted nothing to do with his heat. It would