Free Cupid's Mistake (Cupid Regency Romance) by Karen Harbaugh Page A

"You are very devoted to your cause, I see," he said.
    Cassandra 's expression sobered. "One cannot help being so, after seeing the poverty."
    " I suppose I could speak to my father upon the matter . . ."
    A tiny shriek made him look down at her, and he found his hands seized in hers and squeezed tightly. Cassandra 's face was alight with joy, and she gave a little jump, almost seeming about to dance. But she bit her lip instead, clearly restraining herself, then raised his hand to her cheek. "How good you are!" she exclaimed.
    Blytheland stared at her, feeling the warmth of her cheek against his hand. If she moved her head but a fraction of an inch, he 'd feel her lips against his hand, and he could not help imagining what it would feel like. Warm, of course, but nothing compared to what it would probably feel like if it were his lips instead of his hand. He looked into her eyes and found she was staring at him. A blush rose in her cheeks and she hastily released him, and he was able to look away at last. He sighed. In a way, he wished she would not smile at him. It was her best feature, and it distracted him.
    " I am not as good as you think, Miss Hathaway," he said. "Besides, I cannot guarantee my father will agree to speak on the matter at all."
    " It is enough that you ask him—and I know I was impertinent to ask it of you, so I think you are indeed very good to agree." She gave a happy sigh. "It is more than anyone else has agreed to do."
    Blytheland grinned at her. "Do you always go about impertinently demanding support for your charities?"
    " No, because I have learned that it puts off a great many people when I do. But you looked as if you understood about the—parishes, and then your eyes were smiling in such a way that I thought you would not mind."
    " Do my thoughts show that much, then?" He did not like the idea that they might.
    Cassandra pursed her lips in a thoughtful manner and swung her reticule to and fro as she walked beside him. "No . . . no, not really. I doubt most would be able to discern your state of mind. But I have had to watch people carefully—I suppose you have noticed that I sometimes say things I ought not?"
    Blytheland could not help laughing. "Yes, I am afraid I have."
    " You should not laugh at me, my lord," Cassandra said, her voice solemn, but then she sighed. "Well, I suppose it is something I must become used to, for I forget, you know, and cannot keep from saying what I think, though I do try! And it is certainly better than being angry at me. But one good thing I have learned is to watch people carefully, so that I may discern whether they are angry or not. I think I have become fairly good at reading countenances."
    He nodded, thinking that perhaps it was necessary for someone as defenseless as Miss Hathaway to find some way of dealing with others. He hadn 't thought of it before, but he supposed she was rather defenseless, since she seemed to have very little notion as to how to navigate through the ton . It was an uncomfortable thought and nothing he should be concerned about, certainly.
    The wind picked up and blew against Miss Hathaway 's bonnet, and Lord Blytheland looked up to see that heavier clouds were forming above them. "I think we should return to the carriage," he said.
    They hurried their steps and found Blytheland 's tiger bringing up the carriage. Hastily they ascended and seated themselves.
    " But all of this—your charitable pursuits—should be no barrier to marriage, Miss Hathaway," Blytheland said, taking up the reins again. "You could just as easily do them if you married." The horses moved forward.
    She hesitated, looking oddly . . . bereft, was the closest he could come to a description, then said, "I have no guarantee that my husband would be a good man. Why should I risk possible unhappiness when I can logically, sensibly choose the happy life I already know?"
    " And where did you get such ideas, Miss Hathaway?"
    " Oh, from a book I read by Mrs.