Aiden’s eyes were twinkling when he returned his attention to Beast. Of all his siblings, Aiden was the one who laughed the most and saw life as a grand jest. Except when it came to his wife and son. Then he was as serious as a mute who accompanied a funeral procession. He cocked his head in the direction Beast should look. “At the table set halfway along that wall. The fair-haired chap whose face is most visible to us.”
The man was of a slight build, smaller than he’d expected. Standing, he couldn’t have been taller than five feet eight, if that. His clothing was exceptionally well tailored. His hair looked as though his valet had a few minutes earlier taken a brush to it and styled it. His movements were refined and elegant. She’d chosen a peacock to love, to marry. Now she stood beside a proper bear.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her straining forward slightly, no doubt striving to determine who thehemight be. Beast knew the moment she saw the scapegrace because she gave a little audible gasp, released her hold on him, and pressed both hands to her mouth.
“It’s Chadbourne.” She jerked her gaze up to him, betrayal written clearly across her features. “You knew he would be here?”
He nodded. “The missive informed me.” It had merely said,He’s here. It was all he’d needed.
She swiveled her head back toward the card room, then back to him. “He’s the matter you needed to attend to?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Ensure that he loses every farthing he brought with him tonight.”
It was subtle, but he saw the lessening of the alarm in her eyes as though she’d feared he’d intended to kill him. That realization hurt, and he knew the hurt to be irrational. Yes,he was a beast, had killed once, had no desire to repeat the experience.
“How many pounds in chips do you want to start?” Aiden asked.
Beast didn’t look away from those beautiful blue eyes that he feared might be damning him. “A thousand.”
Aiden left to retrieve the wooden disks.
“You’re going to wager and risk losing a thousand pounds?” she asked, clearly horrified.
“No. You are.”
The air left her lungs as though he’d punched her. “Have you gone mad?”
“I don’t think so. Why do you think I taught you the rules of the game in the carriage?”
“Because you’re a braggart.” She would have been so much happier if that was the reason.
“Thea.” Firmly, he held her gaze. “I had originally planned to play him, but as I was leaving the library, I realized it’s not my fight to win. I’m not the one he publicly mortified. I’m not the one he turned his back on. I’m not the one he abandoned.”
“Taking the money he brought with him tonight will not change any of that.”
“No. His humiliation at losing will not compare to what you suffered, but it issomething. And sometimes that’s all we get. Once you return to Aiden the thousand quid he’s loaning you, the remainder of what you win will be yours. A little nest egg to do with as you please.”
She didn’t like at all the hope that filled her with that possibility. A little more to squirrel away, perhaps enough so she could immediately pay Beth for the trousseau. “And if I lose?”
“You won’t. I’ll sit beside you and if you need help determining which card to toss away, you can ask me.”
She would indeed experience some satisfaction in besting Chadbourne. “He very well might leave when he sees me. As you saw with Lady Jocelyn, I’d be more welcomed if I had the plague.”
“I doubt he’s going to leave. But I don’t want you to feel as though you have no choice here. If you don’t wish to play him, I will. But make no mistake. He is my purpose in coming here tonight, and I shall see to that purpose. Aiden can have one of his men accompany you back to the residence. You can stay and watch. Or you can play and deliver the drubbing he deserves.”
At that moment she realized she wasn’t a very nice person. She not only wanted to see Chadbourne lose but also wanted to be the one responsible for his losing. Making up her mind, she nodded quickly, decisively. “No, I’ll play him.”
“Good. When all is said and done, I think you’ll be ever so glad you did.”
“Here you are,” Aiden said, handing a small tray filled with wooden disks to Benedict, not showing any surprise at all when the tray was passed off to her. “Each of those is worth ten quid. Good luck.”
“I’ll try not to lose them.”
He shrugged as though it was no large matter. “I’m not worried.” He touched Benedict’s arm. “The bloke in the red shirt sitting opposite Chadbourne—just tap his shoulder and he’ll move to another table.”
