“It’s all stuff and nonsense,” Lord Manderbey said. “The prize will not be of any significance. But on the other hand, I do like to win when I can.”
Winsome suppressed a sigh. He liked to win when he could. There was the ugly head of gambling raised again.
“The competitive spirit of a young gentleman, eh, Duke?” the dowager said.
The duke nodded. To the dowager, he said, “Might I predict that you and I will satisfy ourselves with sipping the glasses we bring out with us for this absurd entertainment?”
The dowager laughed. “Yes, indeed. Let us get started!”
The duke led the lady to the sideboard so they could “get started” as the dowager termed it.
“I hope my grandmother’s attempts to keep pace with your father do not end embarrassing,” Lord Manderbey said.
“I suppose for one to be embarrassed they must agree to it,” Winsome said. “My father says it is caused by caring too much what other people might think.”
“I suppose so,” Lord Manderbey said. “Perhaps people pick and choose what it is they will find embarrassing.”
“I’ve often wondered about gambling,” Winsome said boldly. “There are such stories that go round of gentlemen getting in so deep they flee to the continent.”
“Or blow their brains out, which seems faster,” Lord Manderbey said. “After all, living penniless in a foreign land, dependent on whatever friends can be dug up, must be a slow kind of death. Everyone will soon tire of propping the fellow up and then he’s got nowhere to turn.”
Winsome felt frozen where she stood. What was he saying? Was he in any danger of getting in that deep? Did he mean that if he did, he would do a violence to himself? “But I must suppose that a gentleman heading in such a serious direction might pull back. They might give it up before an unrepairable disaster.”
Lord Manderbey laughed. “That would be very sensible, but they rarely do. They chase the losses, always believing they can right the ship until the ship positively sinks.”
“They could give it up before the ship sinks, though,” Winsome said. What was wrong with him? It sounded as if he had no notion of how to save himself. It sounded as if he was powerless against the lure of gambling.
“Lady Winsome.”
She turned and found Lord St. John. Why did he have to interruptat such a moment? “Lord St. John,” she said. She’d tried to keep the sullenness out of her tone but was not entirely certain that she had.
The two lords stared at each other in a not very friendly manner and did not even bother to exchange greetings.
“I hope we might travel through the garden together for the scavenger hunt,” Lord St. John said.
“I am afraid that will not be possible,” Lord Manderbey said. “The duke has already made arrangements for myself and my dowager to accompany Lady Winsome.”
Lord St. John looked at Winsome for confirmation or denial of this claim.
“Indeed, my father did say so,” she said.
“More than four would just be a crowd,” Lord Manderbey said.
Their host for the evening entered the ballroom at that moment, to the great acclaim of his guests. Sir Jonathan strode to the top of the ballroom and called for everyone’s attention.
“Ladies, gentlemen, thank you for attending my little charity event. This year will be different, as I imagine you have already guessed. In the garden, you will find six clues. When you know the answer to a clue, write down the first letter on the slates you will be provided. Once you have all six letters, rearrange them into the word that will solve the puzzle. The first that does so is the victor.”
The duke and the dowager returned to Winsome’s side. She noticed that they carried glasses filled to the brim. She imagined Lord Manderbey was right about supposing the dowager ought not attempt to keep pace with her father. He was a hearty individual and she was a little sparrow of a lady.
“St. John, what do you do here?” the dowager asked. “I hadn’t marked you as a man supporting charities.”
“You are mistaken, Your Grace,” Lord St. John said, “I often support a worthy cause. I am to be an ambassador, after all.”
“Ah, when do you sail?”
This threw Lord St. John on the back foot. “Uh, as to that, I have not been given official notice of the post. At this moment in time.”
“Well, fingers crossed, eh?” the duke said. “You’d best go and find your party St. John, this nonsense is set to begin.”
