AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He bet against you? He really is an idiot.”
“He wouldn’t cease yammering about some wedding and distracting the fighters so it was close,” his brother grumbled. “The man’s a distraction.”
“A wedding?”
Giles shrugged. “Something to do with putting a stop to one. Who knows? The man’s a fool. He’ll be poor again by the end of the day.”
Scowling, Oliver rose to his feet. Lady Mary had wed and there was only one wedding happening anytime soon. He put a hand to his brother’s shoulder. “I’m going to see if I can’t win some of that coin he’s so freely giving away.”
His brother frowned. “Why do you want his coin? You have enough of your own.”
Oliver didn’t answer. Betting had never appealed to him and when he did gamble, he wagered small amounts. However, his gut panged. He needed to find out about this wedding.
He circled the room casually, listening to the snippets of conversation. Something about a secret and more talk of a wedding.
“I’m going to give Society something to talk about,” Hampton boasted to a friend.
Oliver approached Hampton. “Sounds like you have big plans, Hampton. Fancy sharing?”
Hampton grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Ashford. But, alas, I cannot tell you.”
“Not even for a wager?”
Hampton jerked his head toward the empty ring. “Nothing to wager on now.”
Oliver loosened his cravat, then shucked off his jacket. “You and me. If I win, you’ll tell me your secret.”
“I’m not fighting, Ashford.”
“Not even for one hundred pounds?”
Hampton inhaled deeply. His lips pressed together. “You don’t usually fight. Are you certain you wish to do this?”
“Most certainly.” He worked on the buttons of his shirt with one hand and handed over his jacket to Giles with the other.
His brother leaned in. “He’s an idiot but he can fight,” he warned.
“I know.”
“He also favors his left,” Giles murmured.
Oliver gave his brother a grateful look. “Noted.”
Hampton gestured widely. “Looks like we have a fight.”
Oliver waited for Hampton to strip to his waist then took up his position behind the ropes. Smaller but wider than him, Hampton moved slow but aggressively. Oliver allowed him to get the first hit in—a blow to the ribs that had him gasping for breath. It was worth it, though. Hampton’s posture grew relaxed, and he concentrated on putting on a show for his friends. The arrogance of his own sex amused Oliver sometimes.
With a tilted grin, Oliver ducked a hit, allowed one more to slip through and graze him, then returned with a blow to Hampton’s jaw. The man staggered back a few steps but recovered quickly. Blows were exchanged, leaving Oliver panting and soaked in sweat.
Hampton put up a good fight, but his need to show off distracted him, allowing Oliver to gain the upper hand and deliver another hit to the jaw followed by one powerful one to Hampton’s gut. He raised his fist again and Hampton threw up his hands.
“I yield, I yield,” he rasped, bent double.
“You’ll tell me everything?” Oliver demanded.
“Yes, yes. I’ll tell you everything,” Hampton agreed with a sigh. “Whatever you need to know, I’ll tell you.”
Chapter Eighteen
