His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl Read Free Book Online Page A

trouble on the Hill, poke your
    nose in the wrong corners, and have all the worst sort
    of friends”—she turned and held a bronze satin corset
    against my front before replacing it in the armoire—”
    but you’re still a decent woman with a business and your
    own home. You’re regarded as such by all who know you.
    Women like you would rather starve, go to prison, jump
    a cliff , or embrace a blade than give it up for money.” An
    odd look came over her face. “No matter how desperate
    you lot become.”
    She was only repeating the words her father had
    hurled at her the one time she had tried to see him. I
    knew because I had taken her. “Rina.”
    Th e side of her mouth curled. “No worries. We’ll need
    a nudie. Be right back.” She hurried out.
    I didn’t know what a nudie was, so I went to refi ll my
    tea and sat down on the window seat. Fingers of icy air
    poked at me from where they crept under the sill, and I
    saw drifts piling up on the street below. Th e temperature
    was still dropping, which would keep trade light tonight.
    It had been a bright and sunny day two years ago when
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    Disench anted & Co., Part 1
    I’d taken Rina on the shopping expedition. She’d hated
    the proper bodice and skirts I’d lent her for the excursion, and had refused to take off her hat and veil, even when we
    stopped for tea and cakes. I hadn’t understood until after
    I made her come with me into the glove shop.
    “You paid for tea, and you need a new pair for church,”
    I’d argued as I dragged her in through the entry. “Besides,
    I can’t aff ord anything grander than kid, so they’ll be
    warm and serviceable.”
    “Aye.” She looked at the proprietor, who was coming
    round from behind the counter to wait on us. “I’m certain
    that you’ll fi nd that here.”
    “Ladies.” Th e shopkeep, a pleasant-faced older man
    with ruddy skin and a suggestion of native round the eyes,
    bowed politely. “May I be of service?”
    “We’d like to see something in thin kid for my friend
    here,” I told him as I ushered Rina over to the counter.
    “I have all colors dyed, bleached, or natural,” he said,
    holding out his hand to Rina. “If the lady would let me
    size her?”
    “You needn’t,” Rina said, taking off her hat and
    veil and gazing at him with big eyes. “I’m a four slim,
    remember?”
    Watching the change that came over the shopkeeper
    was like seeing a man turned to stone. “Carina.”
    “Hello, Da.” She off ered him a beautiful smile.
    “How’s trade?”
    Much bellowing had followed, all from the
    glovemaker, who had called his daughter nine kinds of
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    LYNN VIEHL
    a slut before I’d tried to intervene. Th en he had told me
    exactly why he and his family had washed their hands of
    their strumpet daughter before kicking us out of the shop.
    Once we were in the cab I hailed, I’d turned to Rina.
    “Why didn’t you tell me that was your father’s shop?”
    “You wouldn’t have gone in, and I wanted to see him,”
    she’d said simply. “I haven’t, you know. Not once since
    Medford broke our engagement. Last time I saw Da
    was when he’d tossed me out the house and bolted the
    doors. When I wouldn’t leave the front stoop he had the
    servants summon a beater to drive me off .”
    Th at was the last of our shopping excursions, and
    although I hadn’t known until it was too late, I’d always
    felt guilty over causing the ugly reunion. Now I’d
    reminded her of it again.
    Rina returned with what appeared to be a pair of
    fl esh-colored stockings sewn to the bottom of a thin
    corset-style bodice in matching fabric. “Here, this one
    should fi t you.”
    My gaze went to the open crotch. “I can’t wear that
    contraption.”
    “It’s called a nudie, and it’s to preserve your modesty,
    madam.” She tossed the odd garment at me. “You wear
    it under your negli, and it keeps