Read Andrea Kane for Free Online Page B

improvement. Would you be willing to try?” Sammy swept her hair off her face and looked questioningly at Millie, whose pale skin turned one shade lighter.
    “Are you certain, m’lady? I wouldn’t want to spoil your beautiful hair, especially given how important this caller of yours is.”
    “Nonsense. Just use your judgment.” Sammy sank down at her dressing table. “Only use it quickly. Remington will be here any moment.”
    “Well, if you’re certain …”
    “I’m certain. Between the two of us, how horrid can the results be?”
    Thirty minutes later Samantha wanted to eat her words, and her mortified lady’s maid was in hysterical tears.
    “Forgive me, m’lady, I’ve ruined everything!” Millie wailed into her handkerchief. “Now you’ll lose your suitor and I’ll lose my job. What will I tell my family?”
    Torn between sympathy and dismayed disbelief, Samantha eyed her own tangled disarray, wondering how Millie had managed to transform her from a reasonably attractive young woman into an untrimmed garden vine in so short a time. A garden vine that was now being watered by the maid’s melodramatic tears.
    “It’s all right, Millie. Stop crying,” Sammy heard herself soothe. “You’re not going to lose your job. Nor do I plan to lose my suitor.” Rapidly, she began to pull out the pins that Millie had haphazardly jabbed into her hair. “Under the circumstances, we’ll have to settle for simplicity.”
    “But I thought you said you had to be sophisticated?” Millie sniffled.
    “I did. But even Remington will prefer unadorned tresses to an unchecked weed.” Vigorously, Sammy began to brush out her hair. “Would you help me, Millie?”
    “I obviously can’t.” A new round of sobs.
    “Yes, you can. Now dry your eyes and locate a ribbon that matches this gown.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Blowing her nose loudly, Millie proceeded to scurry about the room, at last producing a pale amber ribbon. “Will this do?”
    “Perfect! See how efficient you are? Now let’s tie my hair back.”
    In between their task and Millie’s hiccups, the sound of an approaching carriage reached their ears.
    Sammy rushed to the window. “He’s here!” she announced, recognizing the Barrett family crest from far down the street. Leaning against the sill, she watched the vehicle draw to a stop, her heart accelerating to a frantic rate as Remington alit.
    With customary impulsiveness, Sammy spun on her heel, gathered her skirts and sprinted toward the door.
    “Where are you going, m’lady?” Millie sounded horrified.
    In a burst of insight, Sammy suddenly understood why.
    Abruptly, she halted.
    You are no longer a reckless child, Samantha, she silently berated herself. For heaven’s sake, act like a lady, not a hoyden.
    Counting slowly to ten, she released her breath, smoothed down her gown and gave Millie a beatific smile. “What would you say is a respectable period of time to wait before greeting a gentleman caller?”
    Millie blinked. “Why, I don’t know, m’lady. A quarter hour perhaps?”
    “I’d never last. Five minutes.” Sammy turned decisively, her gaze fixed on the clock. Four minutes and a flurry of pacing later, she headed back toward the door, this time maintaining the proper pace and gentility. “Wish me luck, Millie.”
    “I do, m’lady.”
    As Sammy descended the stairway, she could make out Remington’s rich baritone as he introduced himself to Hatterly, the Barrett’s Town house butler.
    “It’s an honor, my lord,” Hatterly responded with his customary starched dignity. “Lady Gertrude will be very grateful for your kindness. I’m certain she wishes to thank you herself, but unfortunately, she is currently indisposed.”
    “There is no need to disturb Lady Gertrude,” came Rem’s gallant reply. “I merely wanted to return the carriage and make certain that Lady Samantha and Smithers arrived safely despite last night’s storm.”
    “We did, thanks to you, Lord