Read Online Eloisa James - Duchess by Night by Duchess By Night - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Duchess By Night
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corset pushed up her breasts and made them seem plumper than they were in truth.
But in a simple pair of pantaloons and a velvet jacket, with her hair pul ed back in a ribbon, you could see her face.
Harriet just kept looking at it. Without al those powdered curls towering over her forehead, her face looked both delicate and strong. Her mouth was actual y quite a nice shape, though she shouldnt be the one to say so. The way the valet had colored her eyebrows showed that their arch was a graceful wing that emphasized her eyes. Shed always liked her eye color, but thought they looked faded to the same tired brown as the rest of her. But now they picked up the color of her coat, and her eyes seemed almost purple. Exotic. Utterly unlike her in every way.
The only problem washer rear. Harriet turned around and peered back there again.
She could hardly believe that she was even contemplating walking through the door like this. Her breeches fit her body like a glove. That was one thing from the front, but when she craned her neck to see her behind, she felt palpitations coming on. Her bottomher bottom was exposed. Very exposed.
It was round. She had a very round bottom, as it turned out. Who knew that? With al the petticoats, and panniers, shed never given her bottom a second glance. But there it was.
She tried to think about mens bottoms but couldnt remember that shed ever seen any that were quite asas curvy as hers appeared to be.
Would everyone know the moment she walked into the dining room? If they discovered her secret, shed have to go back to wearing a huge wig and panniers. The very idea struck ice to her backbone. She couldnt do that yet. Not when she felt beautiful and powerful and freefor the first time in her life.
Harriet pul ed back her shoulders. If anyone suggested she was a woman, she would deny it with her last breath. She hesitated for one moment, wondering whether to add a bit more padding down there, in front.
She couldnt bring an image of the front of a mans breeches to mind either. Had she ever real y looked at a mans body?
Apparently not. Likely it was better to be discreet about the size of her pizzle, then, at least until she had a chance to investigate male breeches.
She marched out of her room, hesitating when she reached the top of the stairs and realized that Lord Strange was lounging at the bottom, almost as if he were waiting for her.
Of course he wasnt waiting for her. He probably greeted al his guests there. He had remarkably broad shoulders for a man who was so lean through the hips. What shed real y like to see was his bottom, but he was leaning against the railing, staring intently at a sheet of foolscap.
She walked down the stairs as solidly as she could, squaring her shoulders. At the bottom, she swept an acceptable bow, flourishing a hand before her forward knee, just as Vil iers had taught her.
Good evening, my lord, she said, deepening her voice.
Lord Strange looked up. Mr. Cope. He folded the sheet.
If youl point the direction to your drawing room, Il join your other guests. She could hear a clatter of laughter and voices coming from the other end of the corridor.
Il escort you, he said, looking irritated for some reason. But he didnt look as if he suspected her of being a woman, so Harriet felt a surge of triumph. She automatical y reached out to take his arm, and then quickly dropped her hand. Thankful y, he didnt see her error as he was tucking the paper away in his waistcoat pocket.
What are you studying? she asked, moving to the side so that their shoulders wouldnt touch.
An auction catalogue I just received from London. A man named Bul ock is sel ing off his col ection of hummingbirds.
What a lovely name, hummingbirds, Harriet said, before realizing that men didnt use the word lovely . I mean, the name is enjoyablethe hum and so on. She sounded like a fool.
Hummingbirds are smal birds from the Americas, Lord Strange replied, ignoring her stupid comment about hums.
But in a simple pair of pantaloons and a velvet jacket, with her hair pul ed back in a ribbon, you could see her face.
Harriet just kept looking at it. Without al those powdered curls towering over her forehead, her face looked both delicate and strong. Her mouth was actual y quite a nice shape, though she shouldnt be the one to say so. The way the valet had colored her eyebrows showed that their arch was a graceful wing that emphasized her eyes. Shed always liked her eye color, but thought they looked faded to the same tired brown as the rest of her. But now they picked up the color of her coat, and her eyes seemed almost purple. Exotic. Utterly unlike her in every way.
The only problem washer rear. Harriet turned around and peered back there again.
She could hardly believe that she was even contemplating walking through the door like this. Her breeches fit her body like a glove. That was one thing from the front, but when she craned her neck to see her behind, she felt palpitations coming on. Her bottomher bottom was exposed. Very exposed.
It was round. She had a very round bottom, as it turned out. Who knew that? With al the petticoats, and panniers, shed never given her bottom a second glance. But there it was.
She tried to think about mens bottoms but couldnt remember that shed ever seen any that were quite asas curvy as hers appeared to be.
Would everyone know the moment she walked into the dining room? If they discovered her secret, shed have to go back to wearing a huge wig and panniers. The very idea struck ice to her backbone. She couldnt do that yet. Not when she felt beautiful and powerful and freefor the first time in her life.
Harriet pul ed back her shoulders. If anyone suggested she was a woman, she would deny it with her last breath. She hesitated for one moment, wondering whether to add a bit more padding down there, in front.
She couldnt bring an image of the front of a mans breeches to mind either. Had she ever real y looked at a mans body?
Apparently not. Likely it was better to be discreet about the size of her pizzle, then, at least until she had a chance to investigate male breeches.
She marched out of her room, hesitating when she reached the top of the stairs and realized that Lord Strange was lounging at the bottom, almost as if he were waiting for her.
Of course he wasnt waiting for her. He probably greeted al his guests there. He had remarkably broad shoulders for a man who was so lean through the hips. What shed real y like to see was his bottom, but he was leaning against the railing, staring intently at a sheet of foolscap.
She walked down the stairs as solidly as she could, squaring her shoulders. At the bottom, she swept an acceptable bow, flourishing a hand before her forward knee, just as Vil iers had taught her.
Good evening, my lord, she said, deepening her voice.
Lord Strange looked up. Mr. Cope. He folded the sheet.
If youl point the direction to your drawing room, Il join your other guests. She could hear a clatter of laughter and voices coming from the other end of the corridor.
Il escort you, he said, looking irritated for some reason. But he didnt look as if he suspected her of being a woman, so Harriet felt a surge of triumph. She automatical y reached out to take his arm, and then quickly dropped her hand. Thankful y, he didnt see her error as he was tucking the paper away in his waistcoat pocket.
What are you studying? she asked, moving to the side so that their shoulders wouldnt touch.
An auction catalogue I just received from London. A man named Bul ock is sel ing off his col ection of hummingbirds.
What a lovely name, hummingbirds, Harriet said, before realizing that men didnt use the word lovely . I mean, the name is enjoyablethe hum and so on. She sounded like a fool.
Hummingbirds are smal birds from the Americas, Lord Strange replied, ignoring her stupid comment about hums.
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