“Has Dominic ever told you about the first time he rode a horse?”
“You swore you would never tell anyone about that!” Dominic looked horrified.
“Cousin, needs must, and I do not want to spend another hour feeling like the village idiot. Not when there is hope at hand.” Cecily turned to Charlotte. “I will trade you the story for how to play the game.”
“And you, Sweetkin?” Charlotte teased.
Dominic rolled his eyes. “Is my company and charm not enough?”
“Hardly.” Charlotte gave him a frank look.
“Fine. I will give you a box of the finest chocolates and for ten minutes, do anything you ask of me.” Dominic met her gaze, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
“Anything?” Charlotte canted her head, her heart speeding up.
“Within reason,” Dominic amended. “Nothing scandalous.”
“Do you really think I would ask you to do anything scandalous?”
“Power can be a very corrupting thing, my Precious Plum.”
Oh, I will show him just how corrupting power can be.Charlotte shook her head at him but could not keep the smile from her face. She loved solving puzzles, especially when they were as interesting as the Dowager Duchess had created.
“Very well. Then you have a deal. So, this is how you play.”
And Charlotte launched into the explanation of the game, stopping every now and then to demonstrate through playing and to re-explain a particularly obscure rule.
“So you see, a six beats a three, unless it is the six of diamonds and it has been played after the eight of clubs.” Charlotte gestured to the cards on the table while Dominic and Cecily stared at her.
“And of course, an eight reverses everything, and so, whatever card you play, it must be lower than the eight.” Charlotte gestured to the eight that she had just played.
Lady Andrea made a disgusted noise and threw out three sixes. “I still cannot believe you are explaining this to them.”
“So, I could play this?” Cecily asked, throwing out a two and making Charlotte wince.
Before she could reply, Dominic picked up the two and put it back in his cousin’s hand. “No, twos are high.”
“Twos are high?” Cecily asked in disbelief.
“Yes. Threes are the lowest card.” Dominic explained, looking at Charlotte for confirmation.
She nodded. She had not expected the Duke to pay such close attention to her explanation and was quite taken aback by how quiet he had been as she explained.
“And sevens are wild cards.” Charlotte added, throwing out her seven.
“Lady Charlotte, might I perhaps have your notes? There is no way I will be able to keep all of this straight.” Cecily looked at her with desperation in her eyes.
“Let me write it out for you; my notes will be rather chaotic for you to read.” Charlotte gave her hand a gentle squeeze and hastily began writing Cecily an easy reference for the game.
“Thank you.” Cecily beamed at her. “Cousin, you are marrying an absolute treasure.”
“Sixty-nine points to Lady Charlotte,” Dowager Duchess Caverton declared, making everyone jump.
“What? But she lost the hand!” Lady Andrea exclaimed, gesturing to the card she had just played and the hand she had just won.
“I like her sporting spirit.” The Dowager Duchess shrugged. “And I will dock you thirty-five points for questioning my judgement, Lady Andrea.”
Lady Andrea shook her head, and though Charlotte saw a flash of irritation cross her face, she thought that perhaps there was something else there. Though she could not work out what it was.
