Free My Lord Hercules by Ava Stone Page B

her on a
regular basis. He would have such a delightful time thinking up new
ways to make her blush.
    “ And just what is this
vested interest?” Marston asked, breaking Harry from his
reverie.
    “ Justice,” Miranda squeaked,
placing herself in front of Harry as though to keep her brother
from asking any other questions. She didn’t need to worry that he’d
tell Martson of their deal or of the times he’d encountered Miranda
in disguise. As far as Harry was concerned, all of that was between
the two of them.
    “ Justice?” Alessandra
Bartlett echoed, her face drawn up in confusion.
    “ Yes,” Miranda gushed, “Lord
Harrison has an innate sense of justice. He wants to make certain
London is a safe place for all ladies. Isn’t he
wonderful?”
    What a ridiculous stream of drivel.
Marston must have thought so too because his brow rose in question
as his gaze settled on Harry. “Innate sense of justice,
hmm?”
    Harry shrugged. What else could he do?
“I want to make certain London is a safe place for all ladies.” He
managed to echo Miranda’s words without laughing.
    “ Only certain ladies concern
me,” Marston replied dryly. Then he closed his eyes, pinched the
Wood above his nose, and said, “I assume you plan on setting up an
appointment with me to discuss a certain lady.”
    Harry couldn’t help but smile. “Just
as soon as I get the truth from Woodsworth. You know, making London
safe and all that.”
    Marston shook his head as though
trying to sort Miranda out gave him a headache. “Word of advice,
Casemore.”
    “ Yes?”
    “ If you start off dancing to
her tune, you’ll be done for the rest of your days.”
    Probably. Harry couldn’t wait. “But I
do like the sound of her tune.”
    “ Don’t say I didn’t warn
you.”

 

    Following Devlin, Lousia, Alessandra,
and Lord Puttenham into the St. Austell ballroom, Penny linked her
arm with Miranda’s and whispered in her ear, “You did hear about
Lady St. Austell kissing the earl right in the middle of Rotten Row
for the whole world to see, didn’t you?”
    A footman intoned their names as they
stepped over the threshold.
    Heavens! They were in the man’s
home.
    “ They weren’t even married,”
Penny continued, though not quietly enough, “And you know the sort
of reputation he has.”
    Devil glanced in their direction and
mouthed the word, “Enough.”
    Though Miranda could have
done without Devlin’s notice, at least he put a stop to Penny’s
blathering. Miranda didn’t need to hear one more word about Lord
and Lady St. Austell’s scandalous courtship or anything else about
the pair. They were going to be her in-laws rather soon, after all.
Besides, no one’s courtship could be quite as scandalous as hers
and Harry’s had been, and she hoped no one ever learned all of the
details. Thank heavens Harry had driven her to a less populated
area of Hyde Park to kiss her senseless.
    Unaffected by Miranda’s annoyance,
Penny grinned. “Ah, there’s your Sir Galahad, now.”
    “ Sir Galahad?” Miranda
looked in direction Penny was staring to find Harry crossing the
floor toward her. Just like the first time she saw him in that
hell, her belly flipped. He truly did steal her breath, and soon
he’d be hers for all time. “I’ve always thought he’s much more like
Hercules, don’t you think?”
    “ With his lion skin and
gnarled club?” Penny laughed. “Don’t know how I missed the
resemblance.”
    Before Miranda could give her little
sister a proper set down, Harry stood before her, the picture of
raw masculinity adorned in fashionable, black eveningwear. His
green eyes twinkled as he smiled down at her. “My dear.”
    “ My lord,” she returned,
sounding breathless to her own ears.
    Penny promptly rolled her eyes.
“Hercules, indeed,” she muttered, though everyone heard
her.
    “ Miss Penelope, good to see
you.” Harry’s brow furrowed as though he was trying to sort out why
she’d said such a thing, and Miranda