Read Online Good Earl Gone Bad by Manda Collins - Free Book Online Page B

she might do something she’d regret, he hurried after her.
    Lord Upperton, when they reached him, was in conversation with one of his cronies, Viscount Lindhurst, whom Jasper knew to be just as devoted to the gaming tables as Upperton. He didn’t notice his daughter was standing behind him until she tapped him on the shoulder.
    The flash of fear in his eyes before he masked it with ennui was almost comical.
    â€œMy dear daughter,” Hermione’s father said languidly, “I didn’t know you’d be here this evening. What a delightful surprise.”
    If the man thought his daughter would give him a reprieve because they were in a public location, he’d underestimated the degree of her annoyance.
    â€œI cannot imagine you are nearly as surprised as I was this morning when Lord Saintcrow informed me that he had won my grays from you at the gaming tables, Papa,” she said with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
    Upperton’s eyes widened and he said with a jovial laugh, “Ah, my dear, you mustn’t bore my friends with our private family matters. I pray you will excuse us, Lindhurst. My daughter is having a fit of the vapors, don’t you know?”
    When Upperton grasped her upper arm in an attempt to pull her from the room, Jasper intervened. “You’d better unhand her, my lord,” he said quietly, his own hand gripped tight on the older man’s forearm. “Why don’t we retire to one of Comerford’s less crowded rooms.”
    At Jasper’s grip, Upperton scowled, but let Hermione go. Wordlessly, he allowed Jasper to lead them into the hallway beyond and into an empty parlor.
    When the door was closed firmly behind them, Hermione glared at him.
    â€œThis is between Papa and me,” she said firmly. “I appreciate your help, but it is not necessary.”
    â€œOh, let the man stay, Hermione,” Lord Upperton said wearily. “If for no other reason than to protect me from you.”
    Hermione’s expression darkened. “Then you admit that I have reason to be angry with you?”
    Lord Upperton moved farther into the room, which was clearly some sort of little-used antechamber—perhaps for keeping unwanted guests in suspense while the butler took their cards to the mistress of the house. With a sigh, he stared into the fire which burned merrily despite the tension in the room.
    â€œI did nothing wrong,” Upperton said, his back still turned, as if facing his daughter while he said it was too much even for his powers of mendacity.
    â€œNothing wrong?” Hermione almost shouted. “You lost my grays at the gaming table! My grays. Which belong to me. Not you. Do you not acknowledge that at the very least it was untoward?”
    Jasper wanted nothing more than to make this right for her, but as a mere bystander he could not. He could see to it that her father faced her with his explanations, but he could hardly force the man to admit his guilt.
    When Upperton turned around, it was with an expression of paternal indulgence that even he found condescending. And the man wasn’t his father.
    â€œMy dear daughter,” Upperton said with a fatuous smile, “I know you are unfamiliar with men’s business, so you will simply have to believe me when I say it could not be helped. I owed a debt to Lord Saintcrow, and he very kindly agreed to take the horses in exchange for it. It really could not be helped. And I must tell you how grateful I am to you for your forbearance in the matter.”
    Jasper had been there, and knew that Upperton was lying through his teeth. But this was one of those cases where the truth of the matter would do no good. Since Saintcrow had the horses in his possession now, it would take nothing short of a legal proceeding or some very strong persuasion to get them back.
    â€œMy forbearance?” Hermione echoed, her voice softer now. As her father had spoken, she had slowly seemed to