When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B

left to lose." Alexei sank down into the nearest chair. "Roman?"
    "Yes, Your Highness?"
    "Does our frugality extend to the purchase and consumption of spirits?"
    "It would seem to me that is a necessary expenditure," Roman said solemnly. "However, I believe a well-stocked cabinet comes with the house."
    "Good." Alexei breathed a weary sigh. "As it seems rather necessary at the moment."
    Roman crossed the room to a decanter of brandy and glasses conveniently placed by Graham on a table near the fireplace. It struck Alexei, not for the first time, that not so long ago there would have been half a dozen footmen in any room he inhabited, ready to do such mundane tasks as pour brandy at a moment's notice. While the house was considered fully staffed, it simply was not a royal palace. Roman poured two glasses and handed Alexei one. "It has been an interesting day thus far, Your Highness."
    "Interesting? Hah." Alexei took a long drink of the brandy. "I have no money, and my traitorous cousin has come to live with me. I can scarcely wait to see what tomorrow will hold." The familiar noise of a throat being cleared sounded from the doorway.
    "Or possibly yet today," Alexei muttered.
    "It is said many events happen in threes," Roman observed mildly.
    "Begging your pardon, Your Highness." Graham cleared his throat once more, stepped farther into the room, and snapped the door closed behind him.
    "More callers, Graham?" Alexei said with a resigned smile.
    "Ladies?" Roman chuckled. "With baggage no doubt."
    "Indeed, sir. Quite a bit of baggage, as well as a fair number of servants." Alexei raised a brow. "Avalonian exiles perhaps?"
    "I don't believe so, Your Highness." Graham's brow furrowed slightly. Alexei stared. For the first time since their arrival, and he suspected one of the few times ever, the butler seemed distinctly nonplused.
    "These ladies are most definitely English and," the butler paused then straightened his shoulders, "they maintain, well, that is—"
    Alexei's jaw clenched with impatience. "Yes?"
    "The ladies say this is their house." Unease shaded the butler's face. "And they have come to claim it."
    Three
    If I ever see His Highness again, I shall pretend not to know him. I shall be cool and collected andserene. And I absolutely shall not let him so much as suspect that he owns my heart.
    Miss Pamela Effington
    "I daresay. I am at a loss." Aunt Millicent gazed around the foyer as if she had never seen such a grand entry before. "This is all very odd."
    Pamela and Clarissa exchanged worried looks. It was exceedingly curious for Aunt Millicent to be at a loss about anything, but from the moment the three women had stepped foot on British soil a subtle change had come over their confident aunt. Aunt Millicent had. well, softened was the only word for it. Pamela wondered if permanent wasn't the only difficulty her usually self-assured aunt had with returning to London.
    A butler had shown them in, then left them standing in a manner that would be considered quite rude—and indeed unforgivable—were it not for the stunned look on his face at their announcement that they were the new owners of the house.
    Although the servant was well aware of the demise of his late mistress, even if she had rarely resided in this particular house, he was not merely taken aback, he looked as if he had just been hit. Pamela had the distinct impression uncertainty of any kind was an unfamiliar state for him, and he had no idea how to proceed. He had murmured something confusing about awkward situations and leases and financial obligations, then begged their patience, indicated he would return, and fled the foyer.
    "One of us should probably do something," Clarissa murmured although she showed no signs of doing anything whatsoever. Of course, Clarissa had always been rather too reserved, or too polite, to take matters into her own hands. Exactly as her cousin had once been.
    Well, those days had passed.
    "Indeed one of us should." Pamela