The Nude (full-length historical romance) by Dorothy McFalls Page B

ponder her unsettling reaction to either Dionysus’s painting or the way the dark lord made her heart race. Instead, she was persuaded, rather doggedly, to partner Edgeware in a game of Whist, a game she was, luckily, able to play with a great deal of skill and confidence. After a while, she found that the evening promised to be a bit better than the utter disaster she’d initially imagined. And much to her surprise, many of her giggles were even genuine.
    * * * * *
    Did she realize the effect she had on men when she let her eyes sparkle so?
    Nigel supposed not, since no accompanying coy smile tugged on her artfully shaped lips. Nor did she sneak glances with the other men at the table to read their reactions. Her behavior was as straightforward and honest as a sunrise. The only fleeting glances she’d sneak were toward that damned painting on the wall.
    He cursed his decision to hang that dratted painting in his drawing room. She was clearly repulsed—frightened even—by it, though her gaze seemed drawn to it.
    George and Severin, the whist team Nigel and Elsbeth were pitting their wits against, were playing a sharp hand while talking incessantly about the most nonsensical topics. Elsbeth laughed prettily at a jest George made before laying down the queen of hearts—exactly the card Nigel had been waiting for.
    “I’m tempted to smuggle you into the worst of London’s gaming rooms,” he leaned forward and said as he played his turn, winning the fifth consecutive game point. “I’d say your skills would win me a fortune several times over.”
    “Then you simply must let me have her,” Severin said. “I could make better use of the lady’s skills than you ever could, Edgeware.”
    Severin made the comment in such a lilting manner that no one would have taken him seriously. They were joking, having a bit of fun with the compliments. From the way the color drained from Elsbeth’s face, one would have thought they’d been contemplating selling her into slavery.
    “I say,” Severin said, mirroring her distress. “’Tis a little jest, that’s all. Truly, nothing to get the vapors over.”
    Elsbeth murmured something unintelligible. Since it was her turn again, she drew a card from her stack and dropped it on the pile without even looking at it. Her play stunned Nigel. The card she’d tossed down hadn’t followed the suit of the trick being played nor did it trump the highest card on the table. In fact, she’d revoked. A move only a novice player would make. According to the rules, they’d be penalized three points. Not that he cared about the points. It was her reaction that had him worried.
    He tried to get her attention, to ask her what was wrong, but she refused to look up from the tabletop.
    “Lady Mercer?” he asked softly. “Are you unwell?”
    She blinked up at him for a silent moment before flicking a glance toward the drawing room door. At least she wasn’t sneaking another look at that accursed painting. Her slender hand reached up and clutched the locket hanging around her neck. The color in her cheeks faded further and her lips tightened when her gaze returned again to the drawing room door.
    Something was terribly wrong.
    Nigel rose as he followed her gaze. Charlie, followed by three of his friends, was strolling into the room like a group of well-groomed roosters.
    “Nigel!” his cousin called out. “Surprise!”
    * * * * *
    Devils and demons , Elsbeth cursed. She should have suspected a handsome demon like Lord Edgeware would be mixed up with a devil like Charlie.
    “Lady Mercer.” Edgeware had somehow slipped from his chair and made his way to her side without her notice. He placed a steadying hand around her arm and urged her to her feet. “Lady Mercer, allow me to present my cousin, Mr. Charles Purbeck.”
    She stared into Charlie’s dead eyes. A chill direct from hell sailed through her. Charlie and her husband had been two parts of a very close trio. The third, a Captain