Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager(5)

She looked at him sharply, but could read nothing from his smile. His manners were perfectly polite, but she had the distinct feeling he was on his guard, that he was assessing her. Susannah gave an inward shrug. What did it matter? He was not staying in Bath.

She accompanied him to the supper room, where a selection of cold meats, fruits and sweets was laid out on the table. Susannah chose sparingly from the selection before her, but she was surprised when her escort showed no interest in the food.

‘I am sorry I cannot offer you soup or ramekins, Lord Markham. Our guests make do with a cold collation, even in winter, although there is warm wine for anyone who wishes it.’

‘I require nothing, thank you.’

They found an empty table and sat down. Susannah took a little minced chicken, but found she had no appetite with the viscount sitting opposite her.

‘You work very hard at your...entertainments, Miss Prentess.’

‘I help my aunt as best I can, sir.’

‘And how often do you hold these little parties?’

‘Every Tuesday.’

‘Indeed? You must be prodigious fond of cards, ma’am.’

‘My aunt enjoys them, yes.’

‘I stand corrected.’

She looked up at him, understanding dawning.

‘Ah, I see what it is,’ she said, smiling. ‘You are concerned for your cousin.’

‘Should I not be?’

‘Mr Barnabus will come to no harm here.’

‘But you have already taken two hundred guineas from him in one night.’

She stared at him. ‘How do you know that? Did Mr Barnabus tell you?’

‘He did not need to. Such deep play excites comment.’

‘Deep play?’ She laughed. ‘I am sure in your London club such a sum would be considered insignificant.’

He leaned forwards.

‘But we are not in my London club, Miss Prentess.’

The unease she had been feeling all evening intensified. She put down her fork.

‘It was unfortunate. I have not allowed it to happen again.’ She met his eyes, returning his gaze steadily. ‘I am not trying to entrap your cousin.’

‘No?’

‘Of course not.’ She hesitated. ‘You may not know it, but he made me an offer of marriage and I refused him. Does that not tell you I have no designs upon him?’

‘Perhaps you are hoping to catch a bigger prize.’

Some of the tension eased and she laughed at the absurdity of his claim.

‘My lord, you have seen the guests my aunt invites. Couples, mainly, like General Sanstead and his wife, intent upon an evening’s sport. And as for the single gentlemen, they are either too old to be looking for a wife or they have yet to make their way in the world.’

‘And such men are very susceptible to the, ah, blandishments of a pretty woman.’

Susannah’s brows snapped together.

‘I find the implication insulting, sir.’ She pushed her plate away. ‘I must go back upstairs.’

‘As you wish.’

What she wished was to order him from the house, but she could hardly eject a viscount from her aunt’s card party without good reason, and it would not do to stir up gossip. Instead she contented herself with returning to the drawing room and quitting his company with no more than a nod of her head.

* * *

A rubber of whist with Kate as her partner did much to restore her spirits and later she took her turn at playing vingt-et-un, drawing a crowd of gentlemen, as usual. She concentrated hard on the game. This was her aunt’s party, after all, so it was not for her to keep an eye on who was leaving. However, the game was over and the players dispersing when Gerald approached her, so she could not avoid him.

‘Are you leaving us, Mr Barnabus?’ She put aside her cards and rose to meet him.

‘Aye, my cousin has invited me to take my brandy with him tonight, if you will give me leave?’

From the corner of her eye Susannah saw Lord Markham standing a little way behind his cousin. It would have given her great pleasure to tell Gerald that she would not release him. He would stay, she was sure of it from his look and the warm note in his voice. But that might raise his hopes that she felt something stronger for him than friendship, and she would not serve him such a trick. Instead she contented herself with giving him her warmest smile as he bowed over her fingers, and a murmur—loud enough for the viscount to hear—that she hoped to see him again very soon.

* * *

‘I saw the viscount take you off to supper.’ Mrs Logan came up as Susannah watched the two men leave the room. ‘Another conquest, do you think?’

‘Hardly.’ She chuckled. ‘The viscount is more inclined to think me a gold-digger. I have no doubt that he will warn his cousin off.’

‘Pity. He would have been a rich pigeon for the

plucking.’

‘I wish you wouldn’t use such cant terms, Kate.’

‘I am a soldier’s widow, love. I know a lot worse than that.’

‘I am sure you do, and I am pleased you have left that life behind.’

‘Aye, and with it the need for a husband.’

‘Come, Kate. You are still young, and I have seen how the men flock to you—are you sure you do not wish to marry again?’

‘Put myself in the power of one man, when as a widow I can flirt and enjoy myself with anyone I wish?’ Kate shook her head. ‘Never. Never again. You know as well as I what monsters men can be, if one allows them dominance.’

Susannah shivered.

‘Let us not think of that, Kate. It is all in the past.’ She gave her friend a quick hug. ‘Now, let us see what we can do to hurry these few remaining guests on their way. I need to get to bed since I have to be up early in the morning.’ She lowered her voice. ‘Odesse sent me a note. We have another client.’

Kate’s eyes widened. ‘Word is spreading,’ she murmured.

Susannah nodded. ‘As we knew it would. I shall drive out tomorrow to make sure she is settled in.’

‘That is not necessary,’ said Kate. ‘Mrs Gifford—’

‘Is a dear soul, but I like to talk to each of our—er—clients myself, it reassures them.’ She laughed. ‘Pray do not look so disapproving, Kate. This was as much your idea as mine.’

‘I know, but it was never my intention that you should be so personally involved.’

Susannah’s laughter deserted her.

‘Why not? It is my reason for living, Kate.’

* * *

The walk back to George Street was not a long one, but the icy blast that hit them as they stepped out on to the Crescent prompted Gerald to ask Jasper if they would not be better to go back indoors and send a servant for a cab.

‘By no means,’ he replied. ‘The fresh air will do us good. Unless you mean to imply I am too old for such a journey...’

Gerald laughed.

‘I would not dare. Let us walk, by all means.’ He tucked his hand into Jasper’s arm as they set off at a good pace towards the Circus. ‘Tell me what you thought of Susannah.’

‘Miss Prentess? At first glance, a beauty.’

‘She is beautiful, isn’t she? A golden goddess! But it is not just her looks, Jasper, it is her spirit, too. She is so good, so charitable.’

‘Not so charitable that she won’t take your money at the card table.’

‘No, no, a mere trifle. She will not countenance anyone losing more than fifty guineas at a sitting.’

‘That is not what I have heard.’

‘Ah.’ Gerald gave a self-conscious laugh. ‘You said you had called upon my mother. I suppose she told you I had lost more, and asked you to come and rescue me.’

‘Not in so many words.’

Gerald swore under his breath.

‘Damn the Bath tabbies that report my every move! That was a single occurrence, and entirely my own doing. Susannah did not wish to take my money, I assure you—I had to almost beg her to do so. And I had thought hard beforehand. It was money I could afford to lose.’

‘That is what all gamesters will tell you.’

Gerald stopped and pulled away.

‘I am no gambler, Jasper. If I was I would be sporting my blunt in some hell, rather than in Mrs Wilby’s drawing room!’

The flare of a nearby street lamp showed the boy’s face to be serious. Jasper put a hand on his shoulder.

‘No, I had not thought it of you, until now. I take it that Miss Prentess is the attraction, rather than the cards?’

‘Of course. You must have noticed how many young bucks were there tonight.’

‘And old roués,’ added Jasper.

‘It is all the rage to be in love with her.’ Gerald began to walk on, his good humour quite restored. ‘She is beautiful, and an heiress.’