The Betting Season (A Regency Season Book) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Berkswell House on Upper Brook Street, for the marquess to leave for parliament and for his younger brother to leave for his club or wherever else he went during the days. As soon as Jason thought it was safe, he hopped from the conveyance, tossed the driver a few coins, then bounded across the street and up the steps to Pippa’s home.
    A stoic butler hauled open the door and cast a dismissive eye across Jason and his slightly rumpled cravat. Well, he had waited in the hack a rather long time. Of course the thing was slightly rumpled. His lackluster valet never used enough starch as it was.
    Well, Berkswell’s butler could turn his dismissive gaze on someone else. Jason reached into his pocket and withdrew a newly printed calling card, emblazoned with the name Viscount Colebrooke. The damn thing had taken longer to have printed than he’d liked, but what was he to have done? He couldn’t go empty handed and he certainly couldn’t call on her with his St. Austell cards. His ruse would be up in heartbeat.
    Jason handed the heavy vellum to Berkswell’s butler and said, “Is Lady Philippa receiving callers today?”
    The servant glanced at the card in his hand as though it was an asp that might attack him. “Wait here, my lord, and I’ll see if the lady is available.”
    Left cooling his heels in Berkswell’s entryway? Jason almost snorted as the butler disappeared down the corridor. Discriminating servant, indeed. The name Colebrooke wasn’t even a tarnished one. Hmm. Could the man tell, simply by looking at Jason, that he was a black-hearted scoundrel? Probably.
    No matter, as long as Pippa thought highly of him, it didn’t matter what her butler thought. Jason stood his tallest, hoping for a look of innocent serenity, and was relieved when the servant returned a moment later.
    “ Follow me, sir.”
    Jason smothered a triumphant smirk as he fell in behind Berkswell’s butler. The man led him down the corridor and into a sunny parlor. Lady Philippa stood beside a green settee and a rather old woman snored slightly in a high back chair a few feet away.
    The butler cleared his throat. Loudly.
    The old woman bolted upright and blinked her eyes open. Jason resisted the urge to send the man sprawling across the floor for purposefully waking Pippa’s chaperone. Apparently the butler could tell what sort of man Jason truly was. Interfering servant.
    Jason tipped his head in greeting to the old woman, then he turned his smile on Pippa Casemore. God in heaven, she truly was beautiful. He’d nearly forgotten just how pretty she was in the days that had passed since he’d seen her. “My lady,” he said softly.
    “ Lord Colebrooke.” Her face lit with joy as she spoke. “I had worried…that is…I am so pleased you’ve come to call.”
    She’d been worried? About him? Hmm. Interesting, indeed. Jason glanced back over his shoulder where the butler stood, and he raised his brow in victory. “Thank you, my good man.”
    “ Davis,” Pippa said quickly. “Will you please bring tea and some… “ She glanced back at Jason. “Do you like biscuits, my lord?”
    With the way her green eyes twinkled when she looked at him, he was fairly certain he’d like anything she wanted him to. “Yes, of course.”
    “ Wonderful,” she said softly, grinning from ear to ear. “And some biscuits, Davis.”
    “ Of course, my lady,” the butler grumbled before disappearing down the corridor.
    Jason crossed the floor and didn’t even try to hide his grin when she offered him her hand. He brushed his lips across her knuckles, though his gaze never left hers. There was something so pure, so artless in the way she looked at him, not at all like the heated, lustful gazes widows and unhappily married ladies often sent his direction. If he didn’t know better, he’d think his heart lifted a bit. What a ridiculous thought. He shook it from his mind.
    “ I am so happy to see you again,” he said, meaning every last word, strangely