Heart of Steel: Book II of the Jonathan Pavel Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

relationship with his sister, and with most of his family. But following almost being blown out of space over New Helsinki, William had made an effort to repair the damage with his siblings, and in doing so got reaquainted with Heather who he had known in his younger days and had remained a close friend of his sister Bethany.
    “If I may Heather, allow me to introduce my old CO Jonathan Pavel.”
    “A pleasure ladies, “ Jonathan said tipping his cap.
    “So glad to make your acquaintance Captain,” Heather replied offering her hand which Jonathan shook.
    “So good to see you again Captain,” said Bethany adding with a sultry tone to her voice.
    “Bethany heel,” Heather said in a flat, ironic tone.
    Jonathan, for his part, kept his handshake with Trendale’s sister as brief as possible. William Trendale had become a close friend of Jonathan's, but it was a fact of life that Bethany Trendale was a complete slut, albeit  a very good looking slut, who was often more effective than a heat-seeking missile once she’d found a target. Jonathan found it best to avoid being that target, and to resist his own temptation by spending as little time in close proximity to her as possible. Having finished the pleasantries, Jonathan excused himself and made a beeline across the room toward the one person he’d spied when he first entered.  Jonathan knew he needed to have words with her especially while he was still sober enough to speak in complete sentences. Standing in the corner of the room looking at a very expensive painting by some long dead Valhallan artist, was an older woman in a fashionable purple dress with a black mourning band on her arm. Taking off his cap, Jonathan came up next to her respectfully, “Ms. Halman?”
    The women turned and looked at him, “Oh, I’m sorry sir. Do I know you?” Her accent was as upper crust as they came, but the malice and smugness one expected from people whose blood was bluer than the sea was absent.
    “I’m Lt. Captain Pavel your son's old CO,” Jonathan said respectfully.
    Glorianna Halman nodded and tears came to her eyes, “Oh, yes. Sorry Captain I should have known.”
    Jonathan put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “I just wanted to let you know Marcus was a good man, and a good officer and he will be missed.” Glorianna nodded and teared up even more.
    Jonathan gave her a reassuring pat. In honesty, Jonathan had no fondness for Marcus Halman in life. He had been a jumped up little shit of a Lieutenant who made a point of walking too close to the line, which separated disrespectful from insubordinate. Still, with three Colonial warships bearing down on Titan, he’d done his duty and died at his station the way any good officer would. Eugene Halman might blame his nephew's death on Titan’s Captain, but as far as Jonathan could tell Glorianna held no such feelings. Jonathan had found out from Will, who’d snaked it out of Heather, that Glorianna was a bit of an innocent with the real world.  She lived in a bubble of society parties, charity events, plays, and operas. Her husband had left when Marcus was a small boy for reasons Heather had never worked out, and left Glorianna alone with a son she doted on. A son who had died under Jonathan's command. Jonathan had a mother, and the least he could do for a grieving woman was speak well of her dead son. It wasn't too onerous of a task either. If the late Lt. Halman had earned a little self discipline, or at least how to be less of an absolute prig,  he might have been a good officer. Being honest with himself, Jonathan knew offering Glorianna Halman his condolences was  also advantageous to him. The Senate lacked any direct power over who the Navy could post where, but Senators, especially senior Senators like Eugene Halman, wielded enormous power through the old boys network. His distaste for the young Lt. Captain Pavel was enough to keep Jonathan's efforts to officially be reassigned in limbo. Of course if Eugene