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Sitting at the faro table, Georgina had tried watching the other players, hoping to grasp the strategy of the game. She had failed miserably. Perhaps she could try hazard. How hard was it to throw a pair of dice?
“Perhaps I can be of assistance.” The ugliest waistcoat she’d ever seen on a gentleman flashed before her eyes as a large, male form took the seat next to her. Refusing to look in his direction, Georgina focused on her cards. Sandalwood and leather surrounded her, along with the scent of a cheroot.
Georgina did appreciate a good cheroot on occasion. Another bad habit of hers.
“I sincerely doubt that,” she replied without turning to look at him. The last thing Georgina required this evening was yet another lord offering her assistance. Thus far, two earls and a viscount had offered to teach her faro, mostly so they could peer down her bodice. The only thing different aboutthislord was his incredibly poor taste in clothing.
“Are you sure? I’m rather good at cards.”
“Hmm. So claims every other lord in here,” she said, finally turning to look at him. “They say such things,” she said, “so that under the guise of looking at my cards to assist me, they might admire my bosom.”
Good Lord, he’s beautiful.
Georgina struggled to force the air in and out of her lungs, struck dumb by his looks.And those eyes.Sapphire with bits of gold floating in the depths and a distinctive ring of deeper blue. His hair was the rich shade of old, burnished leather, a bit long, the ends curling around his ears. A wide mouth with sensual lips lifted in a half-smile at her brief perusal.
Her insides twisted in the strangest manner.
Goodness.
She was not a young lady who was easily rattled or struck speechless by a handsome face. Stubborn to the core, Georgina refused to allow this arrogant, albeit stunning, gentleman to see the effect he had on her. A man like him likely already knew what he did to women with that seductive smile and charming manner.
Always stand your ground, Georgie.
Grandmother had been full of wisdom.
She turned back to her cards, heart beating wildly in her chest, forcing herself not to stare at his hideous waistcoat. Was the pattern supposed to resemble the petals of a flower? Even with his eccentric clothing choices, Georgina decided few women were likely to dismiss him.
But she would. Perhaps it would teach him humility. Every gentleman with a title, she’d found, thought very highly of themselves. His arrogance, however, was probably deserved.
“You’re American,” he finally said.
“How astute you are, my lord.”
His brows lifted in surprise. Had she addressed him improperly? She couldn’t quite keep all the titles straight. Masterson had told her that with the exception of a duke, everyone else could be addressed as ‘my lord’.
“I’m Leo Murphy. Not a lord. IownElysium.”
“How lovely for you.” Masterson had mentioned Leo Murphy a handful of times, mainly bemoaning the fact that he owed London’s most infamous gambling hell owner a large sum. Murphy was the bastard son of a duke; she knew that much. And he had terrible taste in waistcoats.
“Are you intentionally being rude? Or is this the way all Americans behave?”
Murphy wasn’t the least put off by her response; in fact, he seemed amused. The man possessed a great deal of charm. Combined with his looks, she doubted he was ever lonely. She wasn’t entirely sure why he’d chosen to speak to her. Georgina was well aware of her own appeal, but she was hardly the most beautiful woman floating about Elysium tonight.
When Murphy began speaking of probability and odds, all of which Georgina found fascinating, she couldn’t look away from him. Mathematics had always been her favorite subject. Numbers were a sort of language to her. Georgina could calculate the profit on a shipload of goods her father imported, including the taxes which must be paid, in her head. She’d been so proud, waiting for her father to heap praise upon her.
If only you’d been a boy, Georgina. Pity the only use you’ll have is in who you wed.
Her final rebellion against her father had been short-lived, backfiring in the most spectacular fashion.
Murphy seemed genuinely surprised Georgina not only found, but could also follow, what was obviously his favorite topic. Dazzling her with his presence, Murphy explained probability and how it applied to gaming while sipping a glass of scotch. He spoke to her as if she were an equal. As if she possessed some intelligence instead of treating her as if she were only capable of designing a dinner menu.
She found herself leaning into him when he spoke, the skin of her arms and chest humming with his words. Her eyes kept falling to his mouth, knowing he would taste of scotch and a great deal of sin. Georgina was already half in love with him by the time they were interrupted.
“There you are.”
A gentleman stopped at the faro table, took one look at Georgina, and patiently waited for her to swoon in his presence. She did no such thing, of course, though hewasdazzling. There was curiosity as he looked at her from a pair of eyes identical to Murphy’s.
“I’ve been looking all over for you, Leo. And here I find you at the faro table. You don’t even like faro.” The man’s sapphire gaze ran over her once more.
