parlor, where she cautiously peered inside. Sure enough, Arthur and his friends had already gathered for cards. They were laughing, sipping port and smoking cheroots.
At first, she was going to follow her brother's advice. She thought about changing into a proper lady's attire, but she couldn't resist the temptation to subject him to horror. After his afternoon scolding, it was the least he deserved! Willow strutted into the parlor, breeches and shirtsleeves and all.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen!” Willow greeted them as she sashayed into the room. In an instant, all eyes were on her. She slid a glance in the direction of Arthur, who looked as if he was seconds away from throttling her. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all!” One of the gentlemen exclaimed. He pulled out a chair at one of the tables and motioned for her to sit. When she was seated, Willow's eyes swiveled around the room. There were a few card tables, at which nine or ten gentlemen were seated, and she only recognized half of them. When she caught the gaze of one man in particular, she winked at him.
“This must be your lovely sister!” said one of the unfamiliar men, an older man with a bushy white beard.
“It is, Sir Hector,” Arthur said with a groan. “Although, at the moment, I am not quite certain I want to claim her as kin.”
“How unkind!” Willow protested. She exchanged another secret wink with the Adonis across the way. He was tall, blonde, broad-shouldered, and looked as if he had been chiseled from marble. Then she turned her attention to the three men sitting at her table. “Gentlemen, would you mind if I joined you for a game of cards?”
“Be my guest!” shouted the middle-aged baronet sitting across from her. Willow did not recognize him either, but he looked more than willing to deal her in.
Willow leaned forward. She laid her elbows against the table and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “And could someone pour me a glass of port?” She knew she was acting brazen, to say the least, but she wasn't afraid of scandal. It wasn't as if she was some unspoilt young miss who needed to be mindful of her reputation.
Two men leapt at the opportunity to pour her a drink. As soon as she had her port, the baronet asked, “Would you like a smoke?”
“Don't mind if I do!” she exclaimed, and he helped her light one of his cigars. In the corner of her eye, she could see her brother's head hanging between his shoulders, and she knew she would be in for the tongue-lashing of her life.
Willow sipped her drink, smoked—even though she hated the taste—and played whist with the boys. At the end of the day, she had even won a few guineas, which had her feeling quite pleased with herself. Willow played several games, but it seemed the gentlemen had more stamina than her. When she had her fill of cards, it seemed they had just gotten started.
Willow handed her cigar to the baronet and rose from the table. When they saw her leaving, one of the men exclaimed, “Leaving so soon?”
“Aww,” Willow cooed. “Will you miss my company, Mr. Wells?”
“Indeed,” Mr. Wells admitted, “it isn't every day you see a woman in breeches, playing cards and acting like one of us. I think it's fascinating!”
When she saw her brother's scowl, she said, “I do not think my brother finds it fascinating. I should really excuse myself before h e works himself into a state of high dudgeon.”
“Well then... farewell, Miss Worthington!” the baronet called to her. “Farewell, my queen of hearts!”
Willow bowed to him before exiting the room.
Under his breath, her Adonis whispered, “ And I will make her the queen of diamonds ...”
Thinking no one would notice his absence, her Adonis rose from the table and followed her into the hallway. She was waiting by the door, the little minx, as if she was waiting for him.
Her Adonis grabbed her by the waist and shoved her against the wall. As he kissed her on the forehead, he said, “Good
At first, she was going to follow her brother's advice. She thought about changing into a proper lady's attire, but she couldn't resist the temptation to subject him to horror. After his afternoon scolding, it was the least he deserved! Willow strutted into the parlor, breeches and shirtsleeves and all.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen!” Willow greeted them as she sashayed into the room. In an instant, all eyes were on her. She slid a glance in the direction of Arthur, who looked as if he was seconds away from throttling her. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all!” One of the gentlemen exclaimed. He pulled out a chair at one of the tables and motioned for her to sit. When she was seated, Willow's eyes swiveled around the room. There were a few card tables, at which nine or ten gentlemen were seated, and she only recognized half of them. When she caught the gaze of one man in particular, she winked at him.
“This must be your lovely sister!” said one of the unfamiliar men, an older man with a bushy white beard.
“It is, Sir Hector,” Arthur said with a groan. “Although, at the moment, I am not quite certain I want to claim her as kin.”
“How unkind!” Willow protested. She exchanged another secret wink with the Adonis across the way. He was tall, blonde, broad-shouldered, and looked as if he had been chiseled from marble. Then she turned her attention to the three men sitting at her table. “Gentlemen, would you mind if I joined you for a game of cards?”
“Be my guest!” shouted the middle-aged baronet sitting across from her. Willow did not recognize him either, but he looked more than willing to deal her in.
Willow leaned forward. She laid her elbows against the table and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “And could someone pour me a glass of port?” She knew she was acting brazen, to say the least, but she wasn't afraid of scandal. It wasn't as if she was some unspoilt young miss who needed to be mindful of her reputation.
Two men leapt at the opportunity to pour her a drink. As soon as she had her port, the baronet asked, “Would you like a smoke?”
“Don't mind if I do!” she exclaimed, and he helped her light one of his cigars. In the corner of her eye, she could see her brother's head hanging between his shoulders, and she knew she would be in for the tongue-lashing of her life.
Willow sipped her drink, smoked—even though she hated the taste—and played whist with the boys. At the end of the day, she had even won a few guineas, which had her feeling quite pleased with herself. Willow played several games, but it seemed the gentlemen had more stamina than her. When she had her fill of cards, it seemed they had just gotten started.
Willow handed her cigar to the baronet and rose from the table. When they saw her leaving, one of the men exclaimed, “Leaving so soon?”
“Aww,” Willow cooed. “Will you miss my company, Mr. Wells?”
“Indeed,” Mr. Wells admitted, “it isn't every day you see a woman in breeches, playing cards and acting like one of us. I think it's fascinating!”
When she saw her brother's scowl, she said, “I do not think my brother finds it fascinating. I should really excuse myself before h e works himself into a state of high dudgeon.”
“Well then... farewell, Miss Worthington!” the baronet called to her. “Farewell, my queen of hearts!”
Willow bowed to him before exiting the room.
Under his breath, her Adonis whispered, “ And I will make her the queen of diamonds ...”
Thinking no one would notice his absence, her Adonis rose from the table and followed her into the hallway. She was waiting by the door, the little minx, as if she was waiting for him.
Her Adonis grabbed her by the waist and shoved her against the wall. As he kissed her on the forehead, he said, “Good
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