The Husband List Read Online Free PDF

at Newport. Why is that?”
    Jack supposed Harriet was trying to showcase her superior assets.
    Caroline grinned. “I guess I’ve never found the right target. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s time to ride.”
    Bull’s-eye, Jack thought.
    He glanced at Harriet. Even her little rosebud mouth had wilted. Because it was the gentlemanly thing to do, and because she deserved some consolation after venturing so far out of her league, Jack held out his elbow to her. “Shall we go?”
    With Charles and Caroline at the front, the group pedaled the park’s trails for more than an hour, finally ending up by the Lake, where a picnic site, complete with canvas spread on the ground to protect the ladies’ skirts, awaited.
    Jack managed to slip away from Harriet while she was being served lemonade. He took advantage of the time by catching up with various acquaintances. All the while, though, he kept an eye on Caroline. Before the food had even been set out, she’d moved on to linger on the path next to her bicycle. She kept glancing around as though looking for something … or someone.
    Harriet caught up with him. Jack listened with half an ear to her description of the pearls her older sister had received when she’d married a French count. He didn’t think Harriet would take well to the news that he had no pearls and didn’t plan to offer marriage.
    Caroline had beckoned her sisters over. Jack tried to catch what she was saying to them, but Harriet was coming through too clearly.
    Caroline mounted her bike and took off.
    Curiosity got the better of Jack.
    “If you’ll excuse me for a moment,” he said to Harriet.
    Jack joined Amelia and Helen, who stood at the path’s edge, watching Caroline pedal away.
    “Where’s your sister off to?” he asked the girls.
    “She’s not feeling well and is going home,” Helen—or was it Amelia?—said.
    “It is a little warm today,” the other twin chimed in.
    “You might consider removing your jackets,” he suggested since their faces had reached a crimson hue.
    “We couldn’t!” said one girl. The other piped in with, “Mama would be appalled.”
    But Mama was home, where Caroline soon would be. Except, Jack suddenly realized, she’d headed off in the wrong direction.
    “Pardon me,” he said to the girls before turning heel and heading to his bicycle.
    It didn’t take long to find Caroline. She had exited the park at West 77th Street. He watched as she walked her bicycle across Central Park West and started toward the Natural History Museum.
    Was she having an assignation there with a secret beau? The idea left a bad taste in Jack’s mouth. Caroline was sheltered and sweet … mostly. Who knew what sort of opportunist might be taking advantage of her?
    Telling himself he was doing this for all the right reasons, Jack crossed the road, dodging carriages, wagons, and a few curses thrown his way. If any man was going to spend the afternoon with Caroline Maxwell, Jack was damned determined it would be he.
    *   *   *
    ANOTHER RIVULET of perspiration worked its way between Caroline’s breasts. As soon as she returned home, she would have money sent to the leaders of the rational dress movement to aid them in their cause. Why should a woman have to perish of heat or tangle in a bicycle chain when engaging in what was supposed to be healthful exercise?
    The museum’s meager bicycle rack was full. Caroline walked her bike to a cluster of shrubbery to the left of the front entrance and leaned it against a fat and tall yew. She still had to deal with the leather straps that were supposed to keep the skirts of her murderous bicycling costume closer to her ankles. She stepped between the bush and the building and bent down to free herself.
    “The picnic is back in the park,” announced a male voice right beside her.
    Caroline yelped and worked hard not to tip over. She’d never give Jack the satisfaction.
    “Yes, but there’s a free lecture in the library