Page 39 of Every Rake Has A Silver Lining

“Very well. If you promise I shall have my own room there as well.”

He placed his hand on his heart and adopted the most solemn expression he could muster. “I promise. It will take time to prepare. I’ll advise my parents this evening when we reemerge for supper. We can leave in a few days.”

“Not tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “Allow my parents to return before us and have servants sent to ready the house. But having them out from underfoot will help here as well. Drake and Honoria are aware of our situation.”

“Speaking of, how long do you intend to remain here in my room?”

“At least a few hours. I wouldn’t want to chance anyone seeing me slip into my room alone.” Oh, it was an excuse, for certain, and it pleased him that it vexed her—just a little.

She exhaled a sigh. “Well, then. What shall we do to pass the time?”

He grinned. “I have some ideas.”

CHAPTER 12

Cards. Charlotte sighed, half in relief, half in exasperation. Simon wanted to play cards. After checking to confirm no servants roamed the hallway, Simon sneaked into his room for a deck of cards and some markers, telling her he’d anticipated things in advance and had pilfered some from the duke’s billiard room.

Thirteen hands later, why he had chosen such a pastime became clear.

He turned over a six of spades, a five of diamonds, a seven of spades, and lastly a three of hearts. “Vingt-et-un. My goodness, I win again.”

“You’re cheating!” Charlotte threw her cards at Simon. The king of hearts and a ten of clubs fluttered against his waistcoat.

He grinned and scooped up the markers in front of him.

She rewarded him with a scowl.

In mock horror, he slapped a hand to his cheek. “Oh dear, it would appear you’re out of betting chips.”

“You cheat.”

“I assure you, my dear wife, I do not need to cheat. I’m simply that lucky.”

“Does this mean you’ll finally leave me alone?”

He pulled out his pocket watch. “Only quarter past three. I suppose I could emerge requesting sustenance. A new husband must keep up his strength.”

Rising, he stretched, emitted a languorous yawn, and tugged off his coat.

Pressure squeezed her chest, and she gasped. “What are you doing?”

“We’ve been in here alone nigh on two hours. They won’t expect me to come out as I went in.” With that, he yanked at the knot in his neckcloth and tossed it aside by his coat. He locked his gaze with hers as, one by one, he unfastened each button on his waistcoat.

Warmth raced up her neck to her face, and she swallowed. “How far are you going to take this—deception?”

He laughed, his blue eyes still tangled with hers. “Only this far.” Unfastened, the waistcoat hung loosely but remained on his body. “But why so shy? You’ve seen me in nothing.”

“It’s not me I’m concerned about.” A lie, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how he affected her.

Of course, one glance at his face told her that her deception failed.

He leaned down and touched her chin with his fingertip. “And it is precisely the others this act is for.” Stooping in front of her dressing table, he looked in the mirror and mussed his hair.

She imagined he appeared exactly like a man who had been recently bedded. A different tightness attacked her stomach, knowing that, unlike her, he was intimately familiar with the look.

Perhaps intimately was a poor choice of words. The heat that had confined itself to her neck and face traveled to the rest of her body.

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