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freckled face. The pleasure of indulging her hungry eyes was suspended as he unexpectedly turned in her direction. Her cheeks caught fire as she quickly looked away. Clenching her teeth, she prepared herself to have her curiosity mocked, but his only response was to caress her hand on his arm as they continued their leisurely promenade.
Chapter 9
    As evening settled over London, Hervey’s haunted drawing room flickered with shadows as nine wing back chairs sat in a large half circle around the hearth. There was tension in the positioning of several chairs as all nine brothers sat in their order of birth silently reflecting the uncomfortable situation of being together. Vernon de Vere, the eldest unwanted son of the Baron de Vere cleared his throat, “Hervey are you going to tell us why we’re here or did you want to frighten us again? This place gives me the creeps. You couldn’t pay me to live here.”
    Having temporarily lost his place as the eldest Avery scowled at Vernon’s shadowed face two chairs away, “It’s not Hervey’s fault the ghosts hate you. Perhaps they’ve seen your mistress. Hervey’s wife might be a shrew, but at least she isn’t stupid.”
    “At least I don’t have to pretend to be Hervey to win a woman’s favour.”
    “Doubtless you tell dim Theresa that you’ll marry her and make her the lady of a dilapidated castle. You certainly can’t afford to pay for her services.”
    “She happens to be in love with me. She likes my freckles.”
    Belvedere rolled his eyes, “Spare us your never-ending nursery spat and shut up. You’re going to irritate the ghosts. Hervey wake up...” Hervey’s pleasant reminiscing of his wife’s last kiss burst like a pretty bubble as he was pulled back into the group. “...personally I’d like to know what the devil you’re doing here when your wife, the woman you’re in love with, clearly desires your company. My chamber is above your Aladdin’s cave. I heard every word this morning; the woman was demanding you do your duty. What is the problem? Are you taking the mercury cure?”
    “No, I have a plan to win her heart; hopefully by bed time. I have a special evening planned...” Hervey ignored the eight jealous sighs and continued, “Juliana asked me to bring you all together this evening. There’s something she wants to say to you. She’ll be here in a few minutes.” Eight groans of horror echoed in the room.
    Avery folded his arms and glared at Hervey. “Do we have to face that virago again today? My exposure to her tongue this morning was enough for any sane man. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment. You could have sent Beecher up with the message that you’d brought her back with you.”
    Raven leaned towards his two eldest brothers with a smirk, “Avery was exposed in his unmentionables and found wanting.”
    Avery didn’t join in the laughter. “You wouldn’t think it funny if you’d been the de Vere being eyed by Hervey’s demonic bride. Wellington could hire her to decimate the French with her scream of death.”
    “If you’d accepted her apology instead of sneering at her she wouldn’t have felt wounded and she wouldn’t have nearly decided to annul my marriage. You gave your word to be polite Avery.”
    “I tried. She was insufferable.”
    “She’s highly sensitive. Try harder; I’d do the same for you.”
    “I was only defending you. The shrew thought it perfectly reasonable to be rude to me because she thought I was you. I merely pointed out her faulty reasoning and then she nearly stopped my heart with that evil scream.”
    David sneered at his squirming brother, “Well Avery, I guess you have to be a good boy and do what you’re told. You wouldn’t want to upset the Pawnbroker would you? You might end up in rags. If you had a spine you’d take the King’s coin and go to sea. At least you’d be living off your own wages. Oh wait; you get work-sick. Ah well, at least Hervey won’t have to be polite to