skill at the tables on behalf of her family, she heartily approved even if it meant lightening the purses of her neighbors. Unlike Roland, Philana didn’t believe there was anything eerie or unfair about Cassie’s ability.
“Why should you stay, Eliza, when the room teems with folk?” Roland seconded. The hopeful look he sent Cassie suggested he still depended on her to solve the problem he’d created.
“Ah,” Eliza said, her memory jogged by their reactions. “But of course you should stay, Cassie. However, if you change your mind later you must come into the garden and join us.”
“I will,” Cassie promised.
After waving them out the garden door she meandered toward the card players. Lord Ryecroft played with the duchess and Barbara at the nearest table. Her Grace shot Cassie a scathing glance.
“Impudent riffraff,” Lady Eleanor sniffed as Barbara laid down a card. The duchess straightened in her chair to glare at her daughter. “Why did you play that card? You know better than to lead with trump!”
At the table to their right was a squire, a baronet and a mere gentleman. The men played their game in complete silence, their concentration so complete that Cassie read them with ease. The others might be confident in what they held, but the squire had this round. That she could tell what they held so easily was reassuring. Her ability hadn’t failed her.
Lucien and Colonel Egremont sat at the farthest table, the one closest to the wall, Lucien’s back to the room. Cassie stopped behind him to take a bracing breath only to have her senses fill with his scent, the heat of his body, his very presence. For an instant she lost herself in appreciation of Lucien the man. She liked the way candlelight made his hair glow more golden than brown. The perfect fit of his coat told her that he had no need of the padding some men used to look masculine.
Colonel Egremont glanced up from the cards in front of him, his face radiating confused triumph. The triumph no doubt sprang from the mound of counters stacked near his hand, but Cassie had no ready explanation for his confusion. He came to his feet and bowed. “Mrs. Marston.”
Lucien glanced over his shoulder. Their gazes met. Heat flared in his gray eyes. A slow, sensuous smile played across his lips.
He also rose. “Mrs. Marston.”
“Where did everyone go?” Colonel Egremont asked, looking over Cassie’s shoulder at the rest of the room.
Considering that the drawing room was still occupied, Cassie assumed that by everyone he meant Eliza. “A group of young people went into the garden, planning to stroll and perhaps play a game of hoodman blind,” she offered.
Lucien shifted impatiently. “We play Speculation tonight, Mrs. Marston. Would you care to join us.”
“Actually, my lord, I think I’ve taken enough of your wealth for one night,” the colonel said. “If you’ll excuse me?”
Lucien’s deep warm laugh sent a shiver rushing through Cassie. “Absolutely. Kind of you to leave me with a coin or two for the morrow. If you like I’ll hold your winnings for you to collect later.”
“Many thanks, my lord.” Bowing, Colonel Egremont trotted toward the garden door.
Lucien watched him go. “Well, well. I think we’ve been snubbed in favor of true love.”
His words stabbed through Cassie. Precious little good the colonel’s affection would do Eliza. Cassie dropped into the chair he’d vacated.
Still smiling, Lucien sat, collected the cards and began to shuffle. Pleasure filled his eyes. “Will you have something to drink?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, thank you, my lord. I must be at my sharpest if I’m to keep the coins you give me.”
That made Lucien laugh again. “A wise decision.”
He separated four pounds in notes and a pound’s worth of coins from the stack near his hand and pushed them across the table to her. Cassie pulled the precious bits of paper and metal close, hoarding them like the treasure they
“Why should you stay, Eliza, when the room teems with folk?” Roland seconded. The hopeful look he sent Cassie suggested he still depended on her to solve the problem he’d created.
“Ah,” Eliza said, her memory jogged by their reactions. “But of course you should stay, Cassie. However, if you change your mind later you must come into the garden and join us.”
“I will,” Cassie promised.
After waving them out the garden door she meandered toward the card players. Lord Ryecroft played with the duchess and Barbara at the nearest table. Her Grace shot Cassie a scathing glance.
“Impudent riffraff,” Lady Eleanor sniffed as Barbara laid down a card. The duchess straightened in her chair to glare at her daughter. “Why did you play that card? You know better than to lead with trump!”
At the table to their right was a squire, a baronet and a mere gentleman. The men played their game in complete silence, their concentration so complete that Cassie read them with ease. The others might be confident in what they held, but the squire had this round. That she could tell what they held so easily was reassuring. Her ability hadn’t failed her.
Lucien and Colonel Egremont sat at the farthest table, the one closest to the wall, Lucien’s back to the room. Cassie stopped behind him to take a bracing breath only to have her senses fill with his scent, the heat of his body, his very presence. For an instant she lost herself in appreciation of Lucien the man. She liked the way candlelight made his hair glow more golden than brown. The perfect fit of his coat told her that he had no need of the padding some men used to look masculine.
Colonel Egremont glanced up from the cards in front of him, his face radiating confused triumph. The triumph no doubt sprang from the mound of counters stacked near his hand, but Cassie had no ready explanation for his confusion. He came to his feet and bowed. “Mrs. Marston.”
Lucien glanced over his shoulder. Their gazes met. Heat flared in his gray eyes. A slow, sensuous smile played across his lips.
He also rose. “Mrs. Marston.”
“Where did everyone go?” Colonel Egremont asked, looking over Cassie’s shoulder at the rest of the room.
Considering that the drawing room was still occupied, Cassie assumed that by everyone he meant Eliza. “A group of young people went into the garden, planning to stroll and perhaps play a game of hoodman blind,” she offered.
Lucien shifted impatiently. “We play Speculation tonight, Mrs. Marston. Would you care to join us.”
“Actually, my lord, I think I’ve taken enough of your wealth for one night,” the colonel said. “If you’ll excuse me?”
Lucien’s deep warm laugh sent a shiver rushing through Cassie. “Absolutely. Kind of you to leave me with a coin or two for the morrow. If you like I’ll hold your winnings for you to collect later.”
“Many thanks, my lord.” Bowing, Colonel Egremont trotted toward the garden door.
Lucien watched him go. “Well, well. I think we’ve been snubbed in favor of true love.”
His words stabbed through Cassie. Precious little good the colonel’s affection would do Eliza. Cassie dropped into the chair he’d vacated.
Still smiling, Lucien sat, collected the cards and began to shuffle. Pleasure filled his eyes. “Will you have something to drink?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, thank you, my lord. I must be at my sharpest if I’m to keep the coins you give me.”
That made Lucien laugh again. “A wise decision.”
He separated four pounds in notes and a pound’s worth of coins from the stack near his hand and pushed them across the table to her. Cassie pulled the precious bits of paper and metal close, hoarding them like the treasure they
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