Page 44 of Watching the Earl

His wife pulled at her earlobe as she digested that information. “And these are the topics that make betting exciting?”

He held back a chuckle, because she was right to question it. Only men who were bored with life, or—like himself—being ridiculously selfish found amusement in such frivolity. “Let me see if I can help you understand. Yesterday, you said the wren was a new mother and if she had more than five eggs, they probably wouldn’t all survive.”

“Yes, that’s true, unfortunately.”

“What if I were to bet you that however many eggs she has, only two would hatch and live long enough to fledge?”

“Oh, no. She would be a much better mother than that. I’d say that all but one would survive to fly the nest.”

“Then if I were to say that if you’re correct, I shall have the cook serve you marzipan every day, would you accept my bet?”

“Of course, because I love marzipan and I know I’m right.”

He raised his brows to see if she would see the allure. As he expected, she did. He could tell the moment she understood, because her face made everything clear.

“Ah, I think I see. And it is this excitement that you gave up as part of the betrothal contract?”

“It is.”

“Then you could not bet upon the new mother wren.”

Surprised by the sound of disappointment in her voice, he paused to think about his agreement. “There may be a reason I could.”

She immediately sat straighter and set down the fourth scone she’d been about to bite into. “How?”

“If I remember correctly, the agreement was that I not bet with any other man on anything.”

“That sounds quite conclusive.”

He gave her a sly smile. “It said nothing about any woman.”

Her eyes lit with excitement. “That means you could bet with me!”

“According to the actual wording, I can. I could even argue further, if needed, that upon marrying, we became one.”

She turned her head slightly as she pulled on her earlobe once again. “If we are one, then it would be as if you were betting against yourself.”

He nodded, pleased at how quick her mind moved, like everything else about her.

“Then because the contract states any man, as I’m a woman, you can bet with me. Also, since we are one, to bet with me would be betting with yourself. Is that what you’re thinking?”

“Exactly. And since it’s between the two of us, it could be considered just a marital game, not actually gambling, especially if we leave money out of it.”

“I do like that reasoning. That would mean we could wager on the mother wren.” She smiled, obviously delighted with the prospect.

“We could. What about her would you like to bet on, and what would be your wager?”

As if the decision was too much to sit down for, Georgina rose and stepped behind her chair, holding the back of it. “I believe the new mother wren will have at least four babies who will fly on their own.”

He held back a smile at her obvious pleasure. However, he knew her to be an expert on birds, so the odds were not in his favor. “Very well, then I say she will have five fly the nest.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, but then I’d have to hope one doesn’t fly. I just couldn’t.”

He wiped his mouth with his napkin before lifting his coffee cup. “Then perhaps a bird’s future isn’t the best event to wager upon.”

She nodded before she started to pace back and forth behind her chair. “It can be anything?”

“Yes.” He sat back, enjoying the briskness of her movements and the thorough thought she was putting into such a minor pastime.