Incognita (Fairchild Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

comfortable portion, he needed some plan for his future. Even if the war did last forever, he wouldn’t be so lucky.  
    “I couldn’t. And there’s no need,” he said.  
    Uncle William looked at Alistair’s glass. He set it down, annoyed. “I shall be quite all right, I assure you,” he lied. The longer he stayed in England the more he realized his family was in trouble. Despite his mother’s prophecies of disaster, no one had seriously attempted to check his brother. How could they? Their father was ailing and Cyril was nearly at the point of stepping into his shoes. There would be no gainsaying him then, and he knew it.  
    “You know where to find me if you change your mind.” Lord Fairchild stood, reaching for his hat and gloves, still reposing on the sofa cushion. “If you could make time to call on my wife in the next day or two, I’d be grateful. She misses you.” No doubt Aunt Georgiana felt guilty.  
    Well, he might not mind commiserating with her. They’d always been in tune, and unlike Jasper, her loyalties were with him. Alistair promised to make a point of it. His uncle left and a minute later so did he, setting out to find Jasper, more depressed about his errand than before. He cared for Sophy. Truly. He always had, warming to her elusive light and her laughter, not just the comfortable life she promised. But his face didn’t look like her father’s, worn and without hope and weary, which told him a sad thing: he cared, but not nearly enough. Sophy, with all her talk of hearts—filled and lost and breaking—had surely known.  

CHAPTER FOUR

    Of course Jasper could never be found when he was needed. It was true to his nature, Alistair supposed: self-indulgent and thoroughly annoying. Returning home, late and unsuccessful, Alistair committed himself to more aggressive tactics and told Griggs to make sure to wake him before nine.  
    A circuit round the park on his black gelding the next morning also failed to turn up his cousin, so Alistair rode directly to St. James Street. Jasper, the lucky dog, had sufficient means to keep his own rooms there. Dividing his time between London, a hunting box in the country, various jaunts to Newmarket, and—just the once—a walking tour in Scotland, Jasper managed to spend very little time within sight of his parents, a policy he’d pursued since first being sent to school. Alistair sympathized. A career in the army did much the same thing for him, but without setting up his parents’ backs.  
    He found his cousin presiding over a magnificent breakfast, just as a gentleman of leisure should: ale in one hand, the racing form in the other, and a plate piled with sliced beef in between.
    “Look at this,” Jasper said, forgetting yesterday’s quarrel and jabbing a finger at the paper beside him. “Fancy Piece beat Gordon’s Zephyr by a length—a length, I tell you!”
    Alistair paused before taking the proffered chair. “I’m glad to see you. Yesterday—”
    “All forgotten,” Jasper said, with an impatient wave. “But this upset! Wish I had seen it. Williams will be flying high—and Gordon ready to chew nails. We’ll see them both at the club today, if Gordon can stand to watch Williams gloat.”
    “I doubt he has the choler for it,” Alistair said.
    “Pity. ’Twould be amusing.” Jasper glanced up at Alistair and realized he had something on his mind more important than horses. Or horses belonging to other people, at least. He took a fortifying gulp of ale. “It isn’t nice to come so early on serious matters,” he complained.
    “I’m afraid it’s important,” Alistair said. “The woman with the boy who saw us yesterday. I’ve seen her before.”
    “Hmmn.” Jasper was only mildly interested. “Fine looking lady, I admit, but no hope for either of us. Unless she felled you with that disgusted glance, I don’t see any problem—hey, aren’t you still in love with my sister?”
    Sometimes talking to Jasper was like walking