Then Came You (The Gamblers #1)(33)

The idea was unorthodox. On the other hand, the responsibility might be good for Henry. He supposed there would be no harm in trying it. “I’ll consider it,” Alex said gruffly. “But the ultimate approval will be mine.”

“Well,” Lily said in satisfaction. “It appears you can be reasonable at times.” She took the cards from the boy, shuffled them deftly, and placed the deck on the floor. “Would you care to cut, my lord?”

Alex stared at her intently. He wondered if this was how she looked in Craven’s club, her brown eyes gleaming with a mischievous invitation, her slim hand pushing back the curls that dangled on her forehead. She would never be a demure, proper wife to anyone. She would be an engaging playmate with the wiles of a courtesan, a combination of gambling sharp and hellcat…she was a hundred different things, none of which he needed. “What’s the game?” he asked.

“I’m instructing Henry on the finer points of vingt-etun.” A challenging grin appeared on her lovely face. “Do you consider yourself competent at the game, Raiford?”

Slowly he reached for the deck and cut it. “Deal.”

Chapter 5

Lily discovered with consternation that Raiford was adept at cards. More than adept. In order to beat him, it was necessary for her to cheat. She used the pretext of giving further instructions to Henry in order to peek surreptitiously at the top card of the deck. Occasionally she dealt seconds, or from the bottom. Once or twice she used special shuffling to stack the deck, something she had learned from Derek after hours of practice in front of a mirror. If Raiford was suspicious he kept his silence…that was, until the game was nearly over.

“Now this,” Lily said to Henry during the last hand, “is a two-way hand, in which the ace could either be valued at one or eleven. Your best strategy is to try for a high count. If that doesn’t work, value the ace at one.”

Following her directions, Henry flipped a card and grinned in satisfaction. “Twenty,” he said. “No one can beat that.”

“Unless,” Alex remarked dryly, “Miss Lawson somehow produces a natural.”

Warily Lily glanced at him, wondering if he had caught on to her cheating. He must have. There could be no other explanation for his resigned expression. With a few flicks of her fingers, the last card was dealt and the game concluded. “Henry wins that hand,” she said cheerfully. “Next time we’ll play for money, Henry.”

“Not a chance in hell,” Alex said.

Lily laughed. “Don’t get in a foam about it, Raiford. I only intended to wager a shilling or two, not bilk the poor boy out of his inheritance.”

Henry stood up and stretched with a faint groan. “Next time let’s play at a table, sitting on chairs,” he suggested. “This floor is bloody hard!”

Alex looked at him with immediate concern. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Henry smiled as he understood Alex’s worry. “It’s fine, Alex. Really.”

Alex nodded, but Lily noticed the same troubled expression in his pale eyes that had been there the night before. It remained even after Henry left with a rather stiff gait. “What is it?” Lily asked. “Why did you ask Henry—”

“Miss Lawson,” Alex interrupted, rising to his feet and reaching down for her. “I’ve never seen a woman cheat with such skill.”

She was momentarily diverted. “Years of practice,” she admitted modestly.

Suddenly Alex grinned, amused by her complete lack of shame. His white teeth flashed in his golden face. Taking her small hand in his, he pulled her to her feet. He slid a quick glance down her slim body. “I suppose it was necessary for you to win against a twelve-year-old boy?”

“That wasn’t my purpose. You were the one I wanted to beat.”

“Why?”

That was a good question. It shouldn’t have mattered whether she won or lost a game with him. Uncomfortably Lily returned his silvery stare, heartily wishing she could stay indifferent to him. “It just seemed the thing to do.”

“It might be interesting to try an honest game someday,” he remarked. “If you’re capable of it.”

“Let’s play at honesty right now, my lord. The loser must answer any question the winner poses.” Deftly she cast two cards on the floor, one coming to rest faceup at his feet. A seven. The other card settled in front of her. A queen.

Alex surveyed Lily’s down-bent head as she glanced at the cards. She was standing close to him. Suddenly he imagined clasping her head in his hands, dipping his face down to crush his mouth and nose into her sable curls, breathing in her perfume, her skin…he imagined sinking to his knees, pulling her h*ps forward until he was lost in the warmth of her body. Feeling himself begin to flush and tauten, he tried to banish the forbidden image from his mind. He struggled for self-discipline. When she looked up at him, he was certain she would be able to recognize the shameful turn of his thoughts. Strangely, she seemed to notice nothing.

“Another?” Lily asked. He nodded. She took the top card from the deck with exaggerated care and dropped it to the floor. A ten.

“Stay,” he said.

With a flourish Lily drew the next card for herself, and grinned as she saw it was a nine. “I win, Raiford. Now tell me why you looked so worried for Henry just now—no, tell me why you brought him home from school. Was it his marks? Is he having—”