Free Irish Seduction by Ann B Harrison Page B

then pulled out some trousers and a work shirt and tugged them on. He sat, pulled on his boots, and stormed from his room.
    His mood had not mellowed by the time he had finished his breakfast and headed for the stables. He went from horse to horse, finding complaint in each stable. Mathew cowered in the corner while Jasper vented his anger on the stable hands. The boy’s eyes filled with terror when Jasper approached Windamere’s stall. The sight of the lad cowering from him brought Jasper to his senses.
    “Oh lad, forgive me,” Jasper said roughly and pulled him close. He ruffled the boy’s hair and sighed deeply. “You are not at fault, believe me. I am sorry to take out my anger on you. It is nothing that you have done, Mathew. It is something that I must deal with on my own.”
    Windamere put her head over the gate of her stall. She snuffled and nipped at Jasper’s clothes, looking for her apple. Jasper let go of Mathew and turned to stroke the horse’s soft muzzle. He ran his fingers around her forelock and ears, leaning his head against hers.
    “If only life was so easy and all we had to worry about was where the next treat came from, girl,” he sighed.
    Mathew nudged him and held out his hand, showing Jasper the apple he held in his hand.
    “You give it to her, lad.” Jasper moved out of the way for Mathew to hold the apple up to the mare. She took it from his fingers and rolled it around in her mouth before she crunched it and chewed with delight clearly showing in her eyes.
    Jasper helped Mathew groom the horses and was on his way back to the house when Richard sauntered toward him. He looked tired but immensely pleased with himself. It didn’t take Jasper more than two seconds to work out the reason for his demeanor.
    “Don’t tell me, you scored again,” he said.
    “What can I say,” Richard replied. “The ladies know a good thing when they see it.”
    Jasper laughed, but inside, his heart plummeted. How he wished that his love affair was simple and uncomplicated. How could he possibly rectify what he had started with the gods?
    Richard stopped grinning and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Have you thought of any way that you can help your people and yourself at the same time, Jasper?” he asked.
    “I cannot ask for myself, Richard. Surely you can see that,” Jasper said. “My loyalty lies with our people, not my cock.”
    “There may be a way,” Richard said, his eyes darting away and back to Jasper again.
    “That I doubt, but I do thank you for trying to make me feel better.” Jasper heaved a great sigh and started walking away again.
    “Stop and listen for a moment. Why can’t you ask for a truce of some kind between us and the gods? Make it possible for us to interact with them the way they do with us.”
    Jasper froze. He let Richard’s words race around his brain. The gods lived among them when they chose to, it was true. Most were unaware that the one they loved was not a normal person. The gods loved and mated with the human race, living a seemingly normal life. If he could ask for the same, would it benefit his people in any way or would it bring joy to only himself?
    “What do you see such a request doing to benefit our people?”
    “Well, let me think.” Richard rubbed his hand over his jaw.
    Jasper watched him try to find a benefit that did not include himself in Richard’s latest idea. It had merit to a point, he thought, especially for him. But he would take more convincing before it got to be more than a passing fancy.
    “Nothing coming to mind, Richard?”
    “I’ll think of something,” he said before he walked away.
    Jasper watched him go, disappointment dulling his mood yet again. Maybe his mother had come up with some more ideas. He would speak to her at dinner and see what she thought.
    ***
    “That could work, Jasper,” Lady Ellen said when he discussed Richard’s latest idea to her. She sat beside the fireplace with her sewing on her lap and a