My Lord Hercules Read Online Free Page A

he’d seek
her out. Harry’s gaze swept across her form, drinking her in.
Miranda’s dark tresses were piled high on her head, revealing a
graceful neck. How the devil had Harry let her escape last night
without stealing a kiss first? Without tasting her pretty olive
skin?
    Lady Marston cleared her throat.
“Miranda, Lord Harrison tells me we should expect an invitation
from Lord and Lady St. Austell to attend their ball tomorrow
evening. Isn’t that nice?”
    “ My sister,” Harry
clarified, glad to have discovered that his voice had returned to
its usual timbre. What in the world was wrong with him? In all of
his years, he’d never been so flummoxed over a mere girl. Not once.
How quite disconcerting it suddenly was not to be in complete
control of his thoughts.
    “ The one who isn’t
harebrained?” Miranda’s pretty hazel eyes twinkled as they landed
on him.
    Harry smiled back. “I’ve only got the
one.”
    Miranda heaved a sigh. “How generous
of her,” she said. “However, I believe we are busy tomorrow night,
aren’t we, Louisa?”
    Busy gaining entrance to more gaming
hells? Or getting herself into an even worse predicament? The girl
needed a keeper, and clearly Marston was too busy for the
job.
    Before the viscountess could respond,
another dark-haired beauty scrambled into the room as though she’d
been listening in the corridor and was afraid things wouldn’t go
her way. “A ball at St. Austell House?” She nearly danced on her
toes. “Oh, say we can, Louisa.”
    Lady Marston glanced from the sister
and then to Harry. She nodded in agreement. “We’ll look forward to
seeing you there, Lord Harrison.”
    Thank God for the sister. Whichever
one she was, the chit had become Harry’s favorite Bartlett. Well,
other than Miranda, of course. “I am certain Lady St. Austell will
be thrilled to make everyone’s acquaintance.” Then he flashed his
most charming grin at Lady Marston and said, “I had hoped to
convince Miss Miranda to join me in my phaeton in the park
today.”
    The viscountess shot her sister-in-law
a look and replied, “Well, then you should ask her, my
lord.”
    But Miranda would most likely say no,
just as she’d tried to get out of Pippa’s ball. Harry’d had to
outwit her at every turn last night to get any information out of
her. Fortunately, his mind had been functioning properly then,
which was quite surprising, all things considered, as he had been
suitably foxed at the time.
    Harry returned his attention to the
exotic girl who’d captured his interest the very first moment he’d
seen her. Perhaps a bit of bravado would help his cause. After all,
it had never failed him in the past. “What do you say, Miss
Miranda? We have much to discuss, do we not?”
    Panic flashed in her eyes, but it was
gone a moment later. She smiled tightly, then nodded her
acceptance. “A ride in the park sounds lovely.”

 
     

    Good heavens, a ride in the park with
her Hercules! Miranda couldn’t keep her heart from fluttering,
which was more than disloyal of her. She shouldn’t be batting her
eyes at Harrison Casemore. She should be seeking out ways to get
that nefarious Woodsworth to tell her what he’d done with
Tessie.
    “ Smile,” Lord Harrison
ordered as he directed his bays down Curzon Street. “Or you’ll have
all of Mayfair thinking I’ve abducted you.”
    Miranda cast him a sidelong glance. He
truly was a magnificent specimen, as far as the male of the species
went. But she couldn’t let herself get distracted by his impressive
build or his clear green eyes. “Haven’t you?”
    “ You did agree to come along
with me,” he said, his gaze focused on the traffic before
them.
    “ Because you didn’t give me
a choice.” Then she mocked his baritone voice. “We have much to
discuss, do we not?”
    Beside her, the Herculean gentleman
chuckled. “You are a spitfire, Miss Miranda.” Then he chanced a
glance in her direction. “Would you like to drive?”
    Drive?