Read Cupid's Mistake (Cupid Regency Romance) for Free Online

herself. She'd be willing to wager that the heat of the fire alone did not cause the pink in Cassandra's cheeks.
    " Well, Cassandra, I don't. That's what Harry says."
    " You know very well that your Harry is purely imaginary. And you also know Mama does not like you to speak about him—it! You are all of twelve, Psyche, and should have outgrown your pretend playmate long ago."
    " He isn't pretend. Besides, Papa believes me."
    " Oh, I daresay Papa thinks you are speaking in metaphors." Cassandra walked to the pianoforte and absently toyed with a melody.
    " No he doesn't, and Papa does believe me—he told me so!" Psyche retorted. "Not only that, but Harry is here right this minute, turning the pages of—what is it? Oh, it's Aristophanes."
    Cassandra turned to look at the open book Psyche pointed to across the room. It sat on a table close to the window. As she watched, a page flipped over. She started, but then recovered.
    "Oh, nonsense, Psyche! It is only that this house is dreadfully drafty. It is merely a breeze—and yes, look here—someone's left the window open." Cassandra closed it with a snap.
    " Window or no, Cassandra, you must admit that some things have come about that you couldn't."
    " Such as—?"
    " Our butler and housekeeper. They used to have dreadful rows belowstairs, and now the maids say the Thrimbles act like a new-wed pair. Harry told me he detested their noise and so he shot his arrows at them."
    Cassandra smiled kindly. "I think it was more the books on marriage Vicar Thomason asked me to give them, Psyche, than any of Harry's arrows." She let out an exasperated breath. "Oh, now you have me talking of him—it!—as if Harry were real!" Her eyes settled on the clock upon the mantelpiece. "Oh, heavens! I must change my dress! I think the mar—That is, we will be having callers soon." Gathering up her skirts, Cassandra rushed out the door.
    " I told you."
    Psyche put down the fringe and looked at the boy sitting on the table near the window. She made a face at him. "So you did. But I really wish you would let another one of my family see you, too!"
    Harry leaned back, clasping one knee in his hands, and his wings waved lazily. He grinned. "You needn't talk about me, you know. Then there would be nothing for them to disbelieve."
    " How can I stop when you pinch housemaids, for instance? And Kenneth was unjustly accused of it, too!"
    " I do not pinch housemaids," Harry replied loftily. "It was only one housemaid. Besides, it is not as if your brother hasn't pinched housemaids himself—and got away with it."
    " Well, I think it's beastly of you—whatever did that poor maid do to you?"
    " Oh, nothing—more's the pity," Harry said. He looked up at the ceiling, folded his wings, and looked quite angelic.
    Psyche put her hands on her waist. "Don't come the innocent with me, Harry! I know you must have been up to mischief!"
    " Not I! I was only seeing that justice was done."
    " What, by pinching the maid?"
    " No, by seeing that your brother was accused of it. I find it unfair that any number of housemaids have fallen head- over-tails in love with Kenneth, and all he does is steal a kiss and pinch them."
    " I should hope that is all he does with them! Mama and Papa would be quite angry if he fell in love and ran off with one of them!"
    Harry smiled in a superior manner. "You are such an innocent, Psyche. But never fear. I will make sure he will do nothing scandalous."
    She looked at him suspiciously, and then sighed. "Well, at least Papa likes to hear of you."
    " He likes to hear stories of me, you mean."
    " Do you think, then, that he does not believe me, either?" Psyche felt a little bereft at that. It was a lonesome sort of thing to have a dear friend and not be able to introduce him to anyone else.
    " Oh, he would like to, but he believes you have a fine imagination and would make a good writer of improving tales for children someday." Harry grinned mischievously. Psyche looked reprovingly at him. He had