My Lord Hercules by Ava Stone Read Free Book Online Page A

if it’s to be.”
    Pippa blinked at her husband. “Why do
you think it’s a lover’s quarrel?”
    Jason shrugged. “I saw Harrison myself
at Gentleman Jackson’s this afternoon. I’ve never seen him so
furious, not even when we told him of our plans to marry. I’m not
sure whose face he envisioned on that punch bag, but I’m glad it
wasn’t mine.”
    “ Harry was that angry?” None
of this made any sense at all. Something had to have happened. “But
he was so happy when he was here earlier today.”
    “ Besotted or infatuated.”
Her husband agreed with a nod. “Which is why I’m fairly certain it
was a lover’s quarrel. Think about it, sweetheart. If they’d had a
spat, and if she is just as upset as your brother is, she probably
wouldn’t want to say more than a few words to you. You are his
sister, after all.”
    He might be right on that score. Had
Pippa met Jason’s sister after she learned how he’d tricked her
early in their courtship, she wouldn’t have had anything kind to
say to the lady either. But then that begged the question… What had
Harry done? “If you’re right, we’ll have to fix whatever it is,
Jason.”
    He looked at her as though she’d lost
her mind. “We will do no such thing. I offered my council to
Harrison. He rejected that, by the way, which is completely within
his rights. It’s his life, Pippa. He will have to sort it out on
his own.”
    But Harry was her brother, her
favorite brother. Jason wasn’t close to his sister, he didn’t
understand that bond, but Alice did as she was very close to her
siblings. Pippa would see what her friend thought about the
situation and go from there.
    “ I know that look,” her
husband said. “You’re thinking about involving yourself
anyway.”
    She shrugged. “I just want to ask
Alice’s opinion on the matter.”
    He laughed. “At least she has a level
head.”

    “ What is going on with
Harrison Casemore?” Devlin Bartlett, Viscount Marston, demanded
from his desk, his eyes focused on Miranda.
    “ Nothing,” Miranda answered
honestly, standing before her brother like a chastened schoolgirl.
But nothing was going on. Not now. Nor would it ever, with that
particular gentleman.
    Her brother arched one disbelieving
eyebrow. “Louisa says he showed up here today, took you riding, and
that his sister arrived later to ensure your attendance at her ball
tomorrow. Should I be expecting an offer from him?”
    Devlin would love that, wouldn’t he?
One more sister off his hands. Miranda bit back that answer though,
as it would only anger her brother and that was the last thing she
needed at the moment. “I don’t believe so.”
    He sat back in his chair and templed
his hands in front of him as though he was deep in thought. “I just
don’t understand where you could have possibly met him, Miranda. He
hasn’t attended any of the functions we have. It’s all very
odd.”
    She gulped, hoping her brother
wouldn’t notice.
    “ But there was the strangest
tale swirling about him around Town today.”
    Oh? Did he have a penchant for kissing
lots of girls in an attempt to warn them of the dangers of
scurrilous men? Did he break hearts all across Town? Or only
hers?
    “ Seems some dark haired girl
found her way into a gambling establishment last night, dressed as
a young man. But Casemore escorted her out, tossing her over his
shoulder in the process.”
    Heavens! How had Devlin heard that
story? “How strange,” she muttered, hating that her hands had
become moist under her brother’s scrutiny.
    “ Strange, indeed.” Devlin
sighed. “Care to tell me what the devil you were doing
there?”
    Miranda sucked in a breath, and a hand
fluttered to her chest. “Me?”
    He snorted. “I have known you all your
life, Miranda. Feigning innocence won’t work with me. Now tell me
the truth.”
    She hated him when he was haughty. Not
for the first time, she wished Simeon was still here. Simeon who’d
adored her and would have