Read Online Gallant Rogue (Reluctant Heroes Book 3) by Lily Silver - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Silver
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that night. Gareth had promised to meet her out in the gazebo and never showed up. I suspect his duties as host prior to the party kept him from their assignation.”
Barnaby placed his untouched brandy on the table. He sighed, a great heavy sigh, and stepped closer. Jack saw the man's regret. “Miss Ramirez was walking in the garden with her plate of magic biscuits, intending to meet Gareth and give them to him as a gift. Other men were wandering about the garden that evening, waiting for the party to start. They kept snatching biscuits off her plate, one by one. I watched Miss Ramirez for some time without making myself known. I found her in the gazebo, crying, alone. She had three of her special confections left. I took charge of them and promised to only give them to the one for whom they were intended.”
“And instead, you gave them to me ?”
“At the time, I believed you were the better man for her.”
“And you fear that because I ate some blasted magical biscuits a decade ago that as soon as she comes aboard I’ll turn into a slavering fool and ravish the woman?”
Barnaby made a face. “No need to be crude, Captain. But, yes. It was I who gave you the enchanted biscuits, three of them, mind you, so the spell is bound by three. Please, Captain, forgive me if I have harmed you, made you miserable and lonely all these years.”
“Don’t give yourself so much credit. I was miserable before that night, and nothing is changed on my end, old man,” Jack said with as much courtesy as he could muster. He wanted to laugh hard, laugh the man right out of his cabin. Instead, he endeavored to contain his amusement. An elderly man should always be treated with dignity and respect.
“Don’t you see? I tampered with the fates at your expense, sir. Please forgive me for dabbling where I had no business. Now it is up to you to decide if the pull you feel toward her is natural or magical, and to act accordingly. I could make you an antidote. I did so with the other men. You were gone by the time I attempted to correct the effects of her spell on the other men, and, well, after all these years . . . I-I simply forgot! And then, when I observed your continued captivation with her at dinner the other night, I was reminded of my misdeed.” The old man pushed his spectacles up on his nose. “Unfortunately, my eyesight is not what it once was. I would need help in the endeavor. I’d not wish to accidently poison you.”
Jack was speechless. He wanted to toss the man out after loudly questioning his sanity. Instead, he stared at the hapless fellow. “That will not be necessary, thank you.”
“I could ask the countess to help me,” Barnaby said, wringing his hands, seeming worried about Jack’s future happiness. “She is always patient and kind. Kieran doesn’t like me to dabble with potions any longer. He’s forbidden it after I blew up the garret room in their London town house two winters past.”
“Don’t bother the countess. A bottle of whiskey usually cures all my woes. But ... why ?” Jack asked, his tongue moving far ahead of his brain. “Why did you feel the need to ‘warn’ me as you say? If we should end up together there is no harm done.”
“Magic is never harmless,” Barnaby countered. “I took her magic charm intended for another and gave it to you. She may never feel anything for you besides friendship. I fear I may have damned you to a life of loneliness, captain. All this time has passed and you could have been happy with another woman.”
“You don’t know me. I might have had any number of mistresses in all those years.”
“Might have, but didn’t,” Barnaby returned, his eyes shimmering with some impish power that could only come from the supernatural. “You’ve been lonely, and it’s ultimately my fault for trifling with your affections ten years ago. Forgive me, please, so I might go to my grave with a clean conscience.”
“Whoa, there.” His hackles rose.
Barnaby placed his untouched brandy on the table. He sighed, a great heavy sigh, and stepped closer. Jack saw the man's regret. “Miss Ramirez was walking in the garden with her plate of magic biscuits, intending to meet Gareth and give them to him as a gift. Other men were wandering about the garden that evening, waiting for the party to start. They kept snatching biscuits off her plate, one by one. I watched Miss Ramirez for some time without making myself known. I found her in the gazebo, crying, alone. She had three of her special confections left. I took charge of them and promised to only give them to the one for whom they were intended.”
“And instead, you gave them to me ?”
“At the time, I believed you were the better man for her.”
“And you fear that because I ate some blasted magical biscuits a decade ago that as soon as she comes aboard I’ll turn into a slavering fool and ravish the woman?”
Barnaby made a face. “No need to be crude, Captain. But, yes. It was I who gave you the enchanted biscuits, three of them, mind you, so the spell is bound by three. Please, Captain, forgive me if I have harmed you, made you miserable and lonely all these years.”
“Don’t give yourself so much credit. I was miserable before that night, and nothing is changed on my end, old man,” Jack said with as much courtesy as he could muster. He wanted to laugh hard, laugh the man right out of his cabin. Instead, he endeavored to contain his amusement. An elderly man should always be treated with dignity and respect.
“Don’t you see? I tampered with the fates at your expense, sir. Please forgive me for dabbling where I had no business. Now it is up to you to decide if the pull you feel toward her is natural or magical, and to act accordingly. I could make you an antidote. I did so with the other men. You were gone by the time I attempted to correct the effects of her spell on the other men, and, well, after all these years . . . I-I simply forgot! And then, when I observed your continued captivation with her at dinner the other night, I was reminded of my misdeed.” The old man pushed his spectacles up on his nose. “Unfortunately, my eyesight is not what it once was. I would need help in the endeavor. I’d not wish to accidently poison you.”
Jack was speechless. He wanted to toss the man out after loudly questioning his sanity. Instead, he stared at the hapless fellow. “That will not be necessary, thank you.”
“I could ask the countess to help me,” Barnaby said, wringing his hands, seeming worried about Jack’s future happiness. “She is always patient and kind. Kieran doesn’t like me to dabble with potions any longer. He’s forbidden it after I blew up the garret room in their London town house two winters past.”
“Don’t bother the countess. A bottle of whiskey usually cures all my woes. But ... why ?” Jack asked, his tongue moving far ahead of his brain. “Why did you feel the need to ‘warn’ me as you say? If we should end up together there is no harm done.”
“Magic is never harmless,” Barnaby countered. “I took her magic charm intended for another and gave it to you. She may never feel anything for you besides friendship. I fear I may have damned you to a life of loneliness, captain. All this time has passed and you could have been happy with another woman.”
“You don’t know me. I might have had any number of mistresses in all those years.”
“Might have, but didn’t,” Barnaby returned, his eyes shimmering with some impish power that could only come from the supernatural. “You’ve been lonely, and it’s ultimately my fault for trifling with your affections ten years ago. Forgive me, please, so I might go to my grave with a clean conscience.”
“Whoa, there.” His hackles rose.
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