Cupid's Mistake (Cupid Regency Romance) by Karen Harbaugh Read Free Book Online Page A

up in the afterglow of a successful violin piece, he'd overestimate the attractions of a woman. He had not done so this time. Indeed, the sun that had finally broken through the clouds shone through the windows and showed all that the dim lights of candles might have hidden—but there was nothing to hide. The soft curve of her cheek, the large and dark- fringed eyes, the pink lips, and the long, smooth column of her throat seemed to glow as she moved gracefully through the sunlight toward him.
    " Your servant, Miss Hathaway," the marquess breathed, and raised her hand to his lips.
    She blushed and glanced at her mother, who raised her brows but smiled nevertheless. Blytheland felt annoyed at himself for going so far as to kiss her hand, and was glad at his annoyance. It gave him a measure of control over his reactions, and he vowed he 'd not give Lady Hathaway reason to raise her brows or smile in that matchmaking way again. He would keep in mind that Miss Hathaway was a bluestocking, perhaps even as extreme in her views as Chloe had been. He'd finish calling upon the Hathaways, and never come near Miss Cassandra Hathaway again.
    Bowing to Lady Hathaway, he said, "I find you and your family well, ma'am?"
    " Quite well, thank you, my lord. I see you have been talking with Psyche. I hope she has not prattled on too long." She gave an inquiring look at her youngest daughter.
    " Oh, no, Mama. I did just as you said. I did not say a word when Lord Blytheland came in until I was spoken to," Psyche said earnestly.
    " Oh, for goodness sakes, child!" Lady Hathaway exclaimed, flustered. "Did you not even greet him? I certainly did not mean—Oh, heavens!"
    The marquess grinned. "She was not to speak until spoken to, eh? So that was what all your silent grimacing was about. You looked as if you were about to burst, Miss Psyche!"
    A choking sound caught his ear, and he looked at Cassandra. Her shoulders were shaking, and she had her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. Her laughing eyes met his, and there was no self-consciousness there, but an invitation to laugh along with her at her sister 's literal interpretation of Lady Hathaway's dictum.
    " Well, I felt I was about to burst, my lord," Psyche replied. "I wished so badly to make you welcome, but Mama said not to speak until—"
    " Yes, yes, I do remember what I said," her mother said hastily. "My word, child, must you take me so literally?"
    " But I—"
    " Perhaps you should go upstairs now. I am sure there are some lessons for which you need to study."
    " But I thought Cassandra was going to play the pianoforte. Could I not stay for that—just for a little while?" Psyche looked hopefully at Lord Blytheland and Cassandra, obviously abandoning any hope of support from her mother.
    " Of course," Lord Blytheland said, earning a grateful smile from Psyche.
    " Oh, do let her stay, Mama," Cassandra entreated. "You know how quiet she is when there is any music. I know she will behave quite properly."
    " Very well, then. But mind, Psyche, no fidgeting or interruptions!" Lady Hathaway settled herself in a chair and bade her guest to choose a comfortable seat.
    " Oh, no, Mama!" Psyche said, all smiles.
    * * * *
    The conversation before the music would normally have been tedious for Psyche, for it was all about people she did not know. She glanced at Harry, glad for his presence, for she would have been hard put to keep her promise not to fidget otherwise.
    " Harry," she murmured almost under her breath, even though she was at quite a distance from her mother, "what do you think of him?"
    Harry looked at her admiringly. "You become better and better at not moving your lips at all when you speak."
    " Do I?" Psyche said, pleased.
    " Yes. I remember a man once who could do that. He could even make his voice seem to come from objects at a distance from him."
    " No, really? I should like to do that someday."
    " What was interesting," Harry continued, "was that he had two heads and traveled