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

listened the first time she told him
about Tessie. “I just wanted a word with Lord
Woodsworth.”
    “ This again?” Devlin barked,
bringing his fist down on the desk that had once belonged to their
father. “We have discussed this.”
    “ No,” Miranda countered,
holding her head high. “You have discussed this. You haven’t
listened to me, Devlin. All I want to know is what happened to
Tessie, and Woodsworth can tell me.”
    Her brother rose from his desk, his
nose flaring like that of an out-of-sorts bull. “You are not to go
near Woodsworth, Miranda. I don’t know how many times I’ve said
that, but this will be the last,” he growled. “You will not sneak
out of this house in men’s clothes. You will not enter gaming
hells. You will not go to Woodsworth House. You will act like a
lady, and you will encourage Casemore, if he truly is pursuing you.
He may not have his brother’s pristine reputation, but the man does
come from a good family. You could do worse.”
    That was the edge of enough. Miranda
folded her arms across her chest and glared at her brother.
“Harrison Casemore can go to the devil, and you can
too.”
    “ I’ve already been there.” A
muscle twitched in Devlin’s jaw. “You think I want to be Marston?
You think I wouldn’t rather Simeon and Father still be
here?”
    Miranda’s gaze dropped to the floor at
the mention of Simeon and Papa.
    “ But they’re not,” Devlin
continued. “And it’s been left to me to ensure yours, Alessandra’s,
and Penny’s futures.” He inhaled deeply as though to rein in his
temper, then he released that breath and said, “Go to your
chambers. I don’t want to see you until we head for St. Austell
house tomorrow.”
    Miranda turned on her heel
and started for her chambers, irritation rolling off her in waves.
If Devlin would just listen for once! If he would only try to help
her find out what had happened to her friend… Go to your chambers. I don’t want to see you until we head
for St. Austell House tomorrow.
    Hmph. It really was too bad for Devlin
that he’d been so specific in his directives. So she couldn’t sneak
out of the house looking like a man, hmm? Well, then she’d just
have to sneak out of the house disguised as someone else, because
one way or another, Lord Woodsworth was going to answer to her
questions. Besides, refocusing her attention on the dissolute
marquess should keep her mind off of a certain Herculean
gentleman.
     

 
     

    “ Harry,” his old friend
Albie Potsdon complained as he sank against the squabs and looked
at his watch fob, “I wanted to play Hazard some time
tonight.”
    “ You always lose at Hazard,”
Harry replied, peeking out the window of his brother’s coach. “I’m
doing you a favor.”
    “ A favor?” Potsdon
protested. “How exactly are you doing me a favor by spying on
Martston House?”
    Harry kept his eyes trained on the
home in question. “You can’t lose your blunt if you’re here with
me, now, can you?”
    “ What exactly are we doing
here?”
    That was the question, wasn’t it?
Harry had no right, no reason, to keep a vigilant eye on Marston
House. Just a feeling that he should be there. And despite the fact
that she hated him, he was still drawn to her. He still wanted to
make sure she was safe. Although, he’d rather not be alone while he
did it, and Potsdon had always been fairly amusing.
“Waiting.”
    “ For…” Potsdon
prodded.
    For Harry’s destiny? His old friend
would laugh him out of the coach if he said such a ridiculous
thing. “A girl.”
    Potsdon laughed anyway. “A girl?
Harry, if you’re looking for a girl—”
    But whatever his friend meant to say
died on his tongue when Harry grumbled, “There she is,” under his
breath.
    Damn it to hell. He knew it. He knew
she’d do something reckless. What was it with her affinity for
disguises? Last night a fop and now a maid? There was no doubt in
his mind the little maid who’d darted out from the mews