My Lord Hercules by Ava Stone Page A

like
living with me.” His green eyes danced with merriment. “So, my
dear, tell me how I may serve you. Shall I kill a nemean lion or
destroy a hydra for you? What labor might I perform in your name,
my fair maiden?”
    If they weren’t surrounded by society,
she might be tempted to stomp on his toe. No. Arrogant as he might
be in that moment, he did have a habit of flipping her belly, and
she did rather enjoy his kisses. If they weren’t surrounded by
society, she might ask him to kiss her again. But, alas, they were
surrounded by not only society but by her family as well. That
would never do. Besides, she was here for a different purpose
tonight. “All I want is to find out what happened to
Tessie.”
    “ So serious all the time.”
He tucked a loose tendril behind her ear. “I’ll find the truth,
Miranda.” He winked at her, his roguish grin firmly in place. “And
then I’ll fetch you Hesperides’s golden apples. Will that make you
smile?”
    She couldn’t help the laugh that
escaped her. “You are incorrigible.”
    He nodded in agreement. “You can try
the rest of your days to cure me of that.” Then he slid her hand
back onto his arm and proceeded to guide her once more around the
room. “Now tell me everything about your friend’s letters before
Woodsworth arrives.”

    After returning Miranda to her family
for safekeeping, Harry made his way to the far edge of the room
where his brother stood, nursing a glass of brandy. Berks looked
nearly as happy to be there as Marston did.
    “ If you don’t smile,” Harry
began, “people will say our sister is such a terrible hostess that
even her own brothers were bored.”
    Berks scoffed. “I’m certain I won’t be
the brother they’re discussing on the morrow.” Then he shook his
head. “Was that the girl Pippa is worried about? The one she’s
convinced you’re going to marry?”
    “ Pippa’s right. I am going
to marry her.” Still, Harry was going to have to have a
conversation with their sister and alleviate whatever fears she
had. “Just as soon as Marston gives me his permission.”
    “ You haven’t asked him
yet?”
    Harry shook his head. “But I’ll see
him first thing in the morning.”
    Berks looked back across the room
toward Miranda’s small circle. “This has all happened fairly
quickly, hasn’t it?”
    Harry couldn’t help but smile. “When
you meet a girl who knocks you off your feet, you don’t want to let
her get away.”
    At that, Berks laughed. “I’ll keep
that in mind.”
    “ Ah, Harry!” A hand clapped
him on the back. He glanced over his shoulder to find Albie Potsdon
grinning ear to ear. “Up for a little Hazard tonight?”
    Harry shook his head. “I’m fairly
certain I’ll be busy this evening.”
    “ Still spying on Marston
House?” his friend asked, dramatically wiggling his
eyebrows.
    “ Spying on Marston House?”
Berks echoed. “No wonder Pippa’s worried. What is going on with
you?”
    Fortunately, Harry spotted Lord and
Lady Gifford at that moment. They entered the ballroom as the
footman called out, “The Earl and Countess of Gifford. The Marquess
of Woodsworth.” And then behind the couple, there stood the nearly
impossible to locate marquess.
    Harry glanced toward Miranda on the
other side of the ballroom. He nodded in her direction, hoping to
assuage her worries. “Do excuse me,” he said, not waiting for his
brother or his friend to say anything further.

Miranda’s heart lodged in her throat
as Harry crossed the floor, making a direct line for Lord
Woodsworth and the Giffords. She was so very close to finding out
what had happened to Tessie, thanks to her own personal demigod.
Harry smiled amiably, offered his hand and then cocked his head
back toward the entrance.
    Woodsworth smiled in response,
seemingly unaware that Harry meant to interrogate him. In fact, he
looked relieved, which Miranda found slightly odd. What had Harry
said to put the blackguard so at ease?
    “ Why are you