DefeatedbyLove

DefeatedbyLove Read Free

Book: DefeatedbyLove Read Free
Author: Samantha Kane
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live
without her.”
    Simon spread his hands out in a gesture conveying, there
you are . His expression was amused.
    “Matheson!” Daniel yelled.
    The butler, still straightening his jacket, entered the room
a few moments later. He smoothed his dark, graying hair. “Yes sir. He’s gone.”
    “Good, good,” Daniel said dismissively. “Do you think Cook
is spying on me for Sir Barnabas?”
    “Of course, sir,” Matheson said calmly. “He gave her
son-in-law a job at the Home Office, and pays her a nice stipend, too.”
    Daniel was aghast. “Why wasn’t I told?”
    Matheson shrugged. “We assumed you knew. You know
everything.”
    “This is true,” Simon agreed. “You can hardly fault them.
Normally you do know everything, and usually before anyone else, except Sir
Barnabas.”
    “I shall have to think on this,” Daniel said gravely. He
waved his hand at the door. “Matheson.”
    “Yes sir.” The butler left again.
    “I wish I had your luck with servants,” Simon complained.
“Mine always leave me.”
    “That’s because you find them wives or better positions,”
Daniel told him. “You are much nicer than I am.”
    “I am not,” Simon protested. “I am ruthless.”
    “If it helps you to sleep at night, then by all means tell
yourself that.” Daniel wrinkled his nose at the now cold food on his plate. “I
shall have to freshen this.” No sooner were the words out than a discreet knock
on the door preceded the entry of the footman with a trolley of piping-hot
food. Daniel pointed at it in distress. “Do you see? I cannot get rid of Cook.”
    “Then you’ll have to live with a spy in the house,” Simon
said prosaically. “An excellent cook is worth it.”
    They both filled fresh plates and sat back down. Daniel had
just taken a bite when Simon trod on sacred ground.
    “You cannot keep indulging in this maudlin unrequited love
for Harry Ashbury,” he said gravely. “It’s been ten years. It is more than time
to move on.”
    Daniel swallowed his egg with difficulty. “I have no idea
what you’re talking about.” Was he truly that transparent? Harry’s name hadn’t
passed his lips since that day in Portugal when Harry had left to go home to
England and the girl he was to marry.
    “I think you do.” Simon put his knife and fork down, a
testament to the gravity of their discussion. “I have watched you fall deeper
into despair the last few years. Your nightly raids on the unfortunate criminal
class in St. Giles attest to your emotional instability.”
    “My nightly forays into St. Giles to take care of crime and
the criminals who perpetrate it have nothing to do with my emotional state, or
lack thereof.” Daniel very precisely cut a small piece of steak and ate it,
chewing automatically and swallowing, though it tasted like sawdust.
    “It has everything to do with it. You are not qualified to
be judge, jury and executioner, no matter what you did in the war. Let the past
be the past.” Simon crossed his arms and glared at Daniel. “When was the last
time you slept?”
    Daniel waved aside his question, reluctant to admit it had
been days. He’d had another dream of Harry. It had been distorted and odd. They
were on the ocean and Harry was walking determinedly across the turbulent ocean
waves, wind and rain assailing him as he trudged along. But he never seemed to
get any closer and Daniel had run through the rain to get to him, but it made
no difference. He always stayed out of reach, too far away for Daniel to
glimpse his face clearly. And then Daniel had sunk beneath the waves and Harry
had kept walking, deaf to Daniel’s cries. He hadn’t slept since the dream.
    “All these men you bring home,” Simon said wearily, shaking
his head. “It isn’t good for you, you know.”
    “You’re one to talk,” Daniel scoffed. “You’ve always got
some new lover or other, some new lamb to save with your magical cock.”
    “My cock is magical,” Simon agreed seriously. “But I’m

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