The Cursed Countess (The Daring Drake Sisters 1)

“Mamma says it’s when men drink too much spirits,” Sadie said confidently as the eldest.

Jack couldn’t help but smile at his nieces. “I shall make a deal with you both. Go back to your nurse and let me sleep then I’ll take you both riding.”

“Mamma says Winnie is too young to ride.”

“Nonsense. Your papa and I were riding at three. Besides, your mother is too close to delivering your brother to know what you both are doing. Your papa will be with us.” Now please go away.

“I want to ride with Uncle Jack,” Sadie said with a bounce off the bed that made Jack’s stomach roil in protest.

“I want to ride with Uncle Jack,” Winnie whined.

“We will discuss this later or neither of you will ride with or without me,” he said gruffly.

The girls only giggled at his tone.

“He sounds like papa when he’s grumpy,” Winnie said before jumping off the bed and falling to the floor.

Jack sat up and looked down at the crumpled giggling heap. Before he could ask if she was all right, Winnie jumped up and scampered for the door.

Sadie followed but stopped and said, “Wake up soon, Uncle Jack.”

“Why don’t you go wake up your father as you did me, then we can be off sooner.” Jack smiled knowing Neville’s head must be far worse than his. Even though his head pounded against his skull, Jack’s heart warmed with the girls here to wake him. He wanted what Neville had, not the title, but a loving wife and beautiful children. With his finances in disarray, he wondered if he would ever be able to marry. The last thing he wanted was to be known as a fortune hunter but it might be the only way he had a chance of getting what he desired most. Except, what he desired most was Tessa.

Realizing he would never get back to sleep, he rose and slowly dressed for breakfast. Food and a ride was just thing to rid oneself of the leftovers from a night of debauchery. As he approached, he could hear the girls chatting loudly with their father. Unlike many aristocratic households, Neville and Georgiana ate breakfast with their young children. Only her confinement stopped her now.

“Good morning again, girls,” Jack nodded toward his brother. “Neville. How are you feeling today?”

Neville glared over at him. “You may have lost the right to visit, Jack.”

“You were the one who kept pouring last night.”

“And you told the girls we would go riding? Even Winnie?” Neville shook his head. “Georgiana will have my head.”

Jack pulled out a chair and sat. “We were both on horses by three.”

A footman placed a cup of coffee in front of him. Jack added milk before sipping the hot liquid. The aromatic flavor floated over his tongue and warmed him as it slid down his throat.

“We were boys, not girls, Jack.”

“I can ride, Papa!” Winnie exclaimed. “I can do anything a boy can do.”

Jack’s lips twitched. He hoped if he ever had a girl, that she would be just like Winnie. “If you saw your daughter jump off my bed this morning, I think you would agree.”

“I have seen her jump off things and get stuck five feet up in a tree,” Neville added before stuffing eggs into his mouth. “And why didn’t you mention that our grandmother was on her way.”

“Already?” Jack frowned down at his plate. “Grandmamma is on her way? She told me she had some business to attend to and it would be a few days before she arrived.”

“Based on when this note was sent, she will most likely arrive tomorrow at the latest.”

“Yay!” Sadie exclaimed. “I love it when great-grandmamma visits. She brings us lemon drops.”

“Good morning, everyone,” Jack’s mother made her way around the table with kisses on everyone’s cheeks, including Jack’s. “You should have paid me a visit in my room last night. I had no idea you had arrived until I checked on Georgiana this morning.”

“I arrived later than I expected. I assumed you were asleep, Mother.” Jack patted her hand on his shoulder. “How is Georgiana this morning?”

“She is complaining of back pain, Neville. I think you should call for the physician to check on her.”

“If I do that, she’ll have my head. I will send for the midwife.” Neville rose to write the missive. “Girls, go get your riding habits on.”