In the Arms of an Earl Read Online Free

gently over his perfect ears. She’d never seen a more comely gentleman, for as much as she adored her sisters’ husbands. But their presence did not cause butterflies to wobble around inside her stomach.
    “Impossible, indeed,” she replied, although she could not fathom why a man should be more or less impossible than a woman.
    Jeremy tossed the music aside, and Jane slapped her hand on the papers before they scattered to the floor. “Miss Brooke, you have nothing to fear from stodgy old Blakeney. Your playing isn’t half as bad as Lucy’s. Besides, we’ve no other entertainment at home. Edinburgh will be a refreshing change after all the dullness around here.”
    “Jeremy’s going into the law,” Lucinda explained.
    He snorted. “As if I have a choice, Lucy. Father’s ultimatum was either the law or soldiering. We’ve seen how soldiering turned out for Father and Blakeney. No, thank you.” He sauntered out the door, his hands in his pockets and whistling under his breath.
    Jane hid her dismay at Jeremy’s behavior. Her father would have put a stop to such antics, but the widowed Colonel Parker was nothing if not an indulgent father. She turned to Lucinda. “Your father’s guest is a talented musician?”
    “Talent does not apply in this case. Papa always said if Colonel B. had not gone into the regiment, he might have known great success as a musician. It’s very sad, really. He lost his heart to one of the season’s beauties last year, but she spurned him because of his hand.”
    “What’s wrong with his hand?”
    “Why, he lost his hand in the war, and no one will have him. Mind you, if he were the firstborn son, no one should mind if he had three hands. Papa always says…”
    Jane paid no attention to what Papa always said. Her heart pounded as if she’d walked a mile. Colonel Parker’s guest sounded identical to the composer she’d so admired and accidentally insulted. It was not possible. Flustered, she clung to Lucinda’s words. “Who was the lady?”
    “Susanna Olivier. I think Jeremy knows her. He knows everyone in town. We can ask him later.” Lucinda had plainly grown tired of the subject. “I do hope you’ll permit me to plait your hair. It will be wavy tomorrow, when I paint you as Aphrodite. You did promise you’d sit for me again.” Lucinda frowned. “Jane? Are you quite all right? You look as if someone just walked over your grave.”
    Jane forced a wan smile. “I am well. I was only wondering…” She pretended to peruse the sheet music on the pianoforte. “Was your father’s friend—was Colonel Blakeney at the musicale today? There was a composer, F.B.—”
    Lucinda pursed her lips. “I should think not. He hasn’t written a thing in years. Besides, he would have said hello, and I did not see him.”
    Jane wanted to suggest Lucinda had been too busy gossiping with her friends to notice anything else, but pushed her worries aside. After all, the initials F.B. were not so uncommon. “How tragic this Miss Olivier rebuffed the colonel.” Surely, the colonel and the composer were not the same man. Only her lingering embarrassment caused her to worry.
    “I do not see what all the fuss is about. Love is a very curious thing, and I, for one, do not care to look for it.” Lucinda gave a little giggle. “Unless he was as wealthy as Croesus.”
    “I would never marry for wealth.” A memory of the composer’s pained expression resurged. Jane gave herself a little shake. They could be the same person. Only a man suffering from a broken heart could compose such beautiful music. Perhaps he’d written The Symphony of the Sea as a tribute to his lost love.
    “You would marry for love, Jane? I mistook you for a pragmatist.”
    “I shouldn’t marry at all, I suppose.” Lucinda appeared amused by her statement, and Jane hastily reached for her tea. The cup clattered on the saucer, spilling some of its contents.
    “Perhaps we will make it an early night.” Lucinda