Page 48 of A Stranger’s Gamble

Henry’s gaze sharpened. “I have won a hand or two. Small stakes, though, I assure you. Lady Seafield does not allow anyone to leave her party more than a thousand pounds poorer than when they arrived.”

“Surely, even you can afford to lose a hundred pounds,” Balfour said to Adam.

“I never gamble with my money,” Adam replied.

Balfour’s brows shot up. “Not many men learn such valuable lessons from their fathers.”

If not for the money Adam would make by catching the bastard red-handed with the King’s money, Adam would ram his fist into Balfour’s mouth. Instead, he gave Balfour a cool smile, “I believe it is best you and I stay on good terms, Balfour.”

Satisfaction flickered in Balfour’s eyes, and Adam knew Balfour believed he had him.

Good.

“Gentlemen.” Adam angled his head, then said to Henry, “Perhaps we could meet tomorrow?”

Henry nodded. “I rise early, as you know. You may call at eight.”

Adam winced inwardly but nodded, then turned. He got halfway to the door when he caught sight of Beatrice. He mentally cursed. He had to quit thinking of her as Beatrice. She was Sophie Shaw—and she sat at a table, cards in front of her.

What the devil was she doing playing cards? Had she followed him into the room? Nae, that didn’t seem likely. She appeared to be well into a game of Vingt-et-Un. Adam veered toward the table but stopped five feet away and leaned a shoulder against the wall. If her attention wavered from the game and she looked up, she would see him, but her focus remained locked on her opponent.

Lord Vance Emerson turned over the second of his cards to reveal a jack. With his king, that made twenty. Miss Shaw’s two face-up cards were an ace and a four. A hush fell over the onlookers gathered around the table. The dealer asked if she wanted another card. Miss Shaw acknowledged with a gracious nod, and Adam marveled that she gave away nothing of her face-down card. She had seemed far too innocent to be such a good player. But wasn’t that how she had deceived him? She grasped the card and turned it face up. A six of spades. Cries of delight from the ladies mingled with the gentlemen’s muttered curses.

Emerson angled his head in assent. She reached for the bills piled in the middle of the table—no more than two hundred pounds—but Vance covered her hand with his. She shifted her eyes to his in question.

“One last game?” he asked.

She laughed the same laugh Adam had heard in the oyster cellars, sending a message to his cock that reminded him yet again of their kiss.

She shook her head. “The hour grows late. I am afraid not.”

“High card takes all.” Emerson slid the remainder of his bills in the middle of the table. Another thousand pounds, if Adam didn’t miss the mark.

She frowned. “There is only two hundred pounds in the pot. I will not wager another”—she looked at the pot—“eight hundred pounds.”

“Closer to a thousand pounds, Miss Shaw.” Emerson held her gaze. “I understand your will not be on Town much longer.”

A shadow flickered across her face and Adam suspected she was wondering if she would be leaving Edinburgh as the Marchioness of Monthemer.

A murmur rippled through the small crowd, and a man near Adam whispered to another man, “She married at sixteen and poisoned her husband to be rid of him. They call her Belladonna.”

“I thought he died of natural causes,” the other man replied.

The original man laughed. “Do you believe everything you read in the newspaper? I hear she has half a dozen lovers.”

“Perhaps Lord Emerson is counted among that fortunate list?” The other man replied with obvious envy in his voice.

“I do plan to return home soon, sir,” Miss Shaw said to Lord Emerson.

“The pot against me escorting you home tonight,” Emerson said.

“I am to wager the pot against your company on the trip home?” She frowned. “I think not, my lord.” She started to scoop up the bills into her reticule.

“I see,” he said.

She paused and looked at him through dark lashes. By God, this woman was far more a vixen than the Beatrice he’d escorted to the oyster cellars.

“Luck may still be on your side,” he said.