My Lord Hercules (7 page)

“
I was sitting in the same
room as you when Lord Harrison mentioned his sister.” Miranda
narrowed her eyes on Penny. Really, did her little sister think she
had the memory of gnat?

“
But now she’s come to call
on you,” Penny gushed as she clapped her hands together. “He must
mean to propose, and she wants to know what sort of girl you
are.”

He most certainly did not
mean to propose. Miranda’s face heated anew at the memory of Lord
Harrison’s kiss then his words a moment later:
If you want to be ruined, Miranda, you need only
ask
. As though she wanted to be ruined. For
a brief moment she’d felt as though she’d floated to the clouds
until he’d said such an awful thing. “She’s come to see Louisa,”
Miranda stressed their sister-in-law’s name. “Did you not hear
Hibbert?”

But Penny paid her no attention, like
always. Her sister leaned closer to Miranda and said, “Where did
you meet him? You never said.”

Heavens. Penny was as bad as Cerberus
with a bone. Miranda rose to her feet. “I’m feeling a bit piqued. I
think I’ll retire until dinner.”

Before she could escape, however, a
pretty girl stepped into the parlor. Her light brown hair trailed
over one shoulder, making her appear both innocent and slightly
regal at the same time. She was young, however. Close to Miranda’s
or Penny’s age to be sure. But then, Lord Harrison had mentioned
that fact last night in the hack, hadn’t he? The lady smiled
sweetly, her green eyes, so much like her brother’s, landed on
Louisa. “Lady Marston, so wonderful to meet you. Your cousin, Emma
Heathfield, is a dear friend of mine.”

Louisa nodded her head in greeting.
“Yes, Emma has spoken highly of you, Lady St. Austell. We’re so
glad you’ve come to call.”

“
Oh, Pippa, please,” the
countess said, touching a hand to her chest as she crossed the
floor. “I do hate to stand on ceremony with friends, which I
sincerely hope you will be.”

“
Then you must call me
Louisa.” Their sister-in-law gestured to Miranda, standing before
the settee and Penny still seated on it. “My new sisters, Miranda
and Penelope Bartlett.”

The countess flashed a winning smile
in the sisters’ direction. “I’m so pleased to make your
acquaintance.”

“
The pleasure is ours,”
Louisa replied. “Do join us, Pippa.”

“
Sit, Miranda,” Penny
hissed. “It’s you she’s really come to see.”

That statement drew Lady St. Austell’s
green eyes from Louisa to focus on Miranda as the countss took a
seat in a chair opposite them.

Perfect. Penny and her big
mouth.

“
I’ve come to see all of
you,” the countess protested, “and to extend an invitation to my
ball tomorrow night.”

“
Miranda,” Louisa said
quietly, though there was an edge to her voice, making it quite
clear that she needed to reclaim her seat.

Defeated, Miranda sank back onto the
settee beside Penny and folded her hands in her lap, wishing she
was anywhere else in the world.

“
Lord Harrison mentioned
your ball before he took Miranda riding,” Penny said, as though she
was incapable of keeping any information to herself. She would make
a terrible spy. Thank heavens, Miranda hadn’t entrusted any of her
secrets to her little sister. All of London would know them if she
had.

A genuine smile lit Lady St. Austell’s
face, and her green eyes twinkled happily. “Did you go riding with
Harry today?”

Harry? Was that was his
family called him? Miranda nodded her answer instead of speaking.
What was she to say to the countess?
Oh,
yes. Your brother took me riding and even let me drive. And then he
kissed me senseless before breaking my heart. How was your
afternoon?
No, it was better just to
nod.

“
We are looking forward to
your ball,” Louisa said, breaking the awkward silence. “I promised
the girls we would all go.”

“
I am delighted to hear it,”
Lady St. Austell replied. “My husband mentioned today what great
friends he was with Mr. Bartlett, and he’s quite anxious to meet
all of you.”

Mr. Bartlett. Miranda swiped at a
silent tear. If only Simeon was still here. The world had gone to
shambles with her brother’s death, and it didn’t seem likely to
change anytime soon. Simeon’s death, then Papa’s death, Tessie’s
disappearance. A year ago, she hadn’t thought of the world as
bleak, but now…

Hibbert strode into the parlor, a
heavy tea tray in his hands. Louisa gestured to nearest table.
“That will do. Thank you, Hibbert.”

As the butler made his escape, Miranda
wished herself away with him. How would she ever get through tea
with Lady St. Austell?

As soon as Pippa St. Austell returned
home, the butler directed her to her husband’s study when she
inquired after his whereabouts. She knocked on the door and then
pushed it open just as Jason called, “Yes?”

Upon seeing her, her husband rose from
his spot, a frown marring his too handsome face. “What’s wrong,
sweetheart?”

Pippa could only shake her head.
Nothing from that afternoon made any sense at all. “I’m not
sure.”

Jason stepped around his desk, and
then crossed the floor to stand before her. “Something is troubling
you.” He caressed her cheek, and his light blue eyes filled with
concern. “Tell me.”

Pippa heaved a sigh, smiling up at
him. No matter what Harry or anyone else thought, Jason truly was a
wonderful, devoted husband. “I just came from Marston
House.”

“
And you met the object of
Harrison’s affections.”

Pippa cringed. “That’s just it, Jason.
The girl is so strange. I can’t imagine what Harry sees in
her.”

Jason’s brow rose slightly, as though
to say he thought Harry was fairly strange himself.

She lightly smacked his chest. “Harry
is wonderful,” she protested.

“
You are his
sister.”

“
Jason!” There was still no
love lost between either of her brothers and her husband, but there
was no reason for him to be insulting.

A roguish grin settled on his face.
“Sorry, sweetheart. You’re right. Harrison is wonderful,” he said,
in an obvious attempt to placate her. “Tell me what’s so strange
about the Bartlett chit.”

Slightly appeased, Pippa explained,
“She’s more peculiar than strange, I suppose. She certainly isn’t
what I expected.” She heaved another sigh. “Jason, she barely met
my eye the entire time I was there. She said less than a dozen
words, and I’m fairly certain she swiped at tears more than once
during my stay.”

“
She cried?” Jason frowned.
“Sweetheart, you have no idea how much I appreciate the fact that
you’re not a crier.”

Pippa felt like crying now. Harry was
wonderful, and he deserved a girl who was equally wonderful. One
whose face lit up when she heard his name. One who would love him
the way he deserved to be loved. One who would gush over him. One
who seemed capable of happiness.

“
What did you
expect?”

Pippa wasn’t quite certain. “A girl
with some spirit, I suppose. An adventurous girl. A girl who is
capable of engendering the look I saw in his eyes today.” She
shrugged. “Jason, I’ve never known him to behave as he did this
morning. He seemed completely besotted.”

“
Infatuated might be a
better word.”

Why was he splitting hairs?
“Infatuated, besotted, what does it matter? I’ve never seem him
like he was this morning.”

“
Certainly not with a proper
girl,” her husband added, almost under his breath.

Pippa narrowed her eyes on him.
“You’re certainly not one to talk on that score, Jason York.” After
all, very few men had reputations as blackened as her husband’s had
been before their marriage.

He chuckled in response. “But I found
my proper girl, and I’m all the happier for it.” Then he tipped her
chin upwards with a crooked finger and he pressed his lips to hers,
soothing her as only he could. “Don’t worry about Harrison, Pippa,”
he said softly. “I’m certain it’s just a lover’s quarrel and they
will work it out, 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.