Page 91 of The Baron Takes a Bet
Holly turned to her brother.
“You thinkIhave ever had a choice? Jasper, I’ve only ever done what was expected of me. Never did I even dream about my own life.”
“No one asked you to give your life up.”
“No, because it was never a question as to whether I would or not,” she said. “Mama and Papa only asked that I watch over you and Katrina. I tried my best, Jasper, I have, but if you are set on ruining your life, then so be it. All I ask is that you have a care for Katrina. When you go about insulting dukes and running up debts, you give us nothing but heartache. I’m not asking you to be a saint, Jasper. Only that you be considerate. Katrina is a good girl and deserves to have a chance at a life without hardships and drama. Your reputation is ruining that.”
Jasper bowed his head, seemingly unsure what to say in response. Holly turned her attention back to the brick building. It seemed the house had nearly emptied when two shadowyforms raced out. Feeling it in her soul that Gavin was one of the two men, Holly opened to door to the carriage and shouted.
“Here!”
Both figures stopped and turned in her direction. Then they came running. Within seconds Gavin and Derek were in the carriage. Derek fell into the seat next to Jasper while Gavin sat down next to Holly just as the carriage took off. Her husband was breathing heavily as he rested his head against the padded backboard while they charged forward, full speed ahead.
“My goodness, I didn’t know…What?” Holly’s hand reached for Gavin’s arm, but he winced. Peering down at her fingers, she saw a dark, sticky liquid shining beneath the carriage lamps. Her stomach dropped. “Gavin?”
“It’s only a scratch,” he said, but Holly did not believe him.
“Take off your coat.”
“No—”
“Take it off at once. I demand to see what’s going on,” she said before hitting the wall with her fist. “We need a doctor!”
“We don’t need a doctor; the housekeeper can stitch this up.”
“Gavin, I swear—”
“And don’t you dare turn this carriage around. I refuse to go back in the direction of that hell hole. And also, I’m furious with you.”
“With me?” she snapped, barely caring that Derek and her brother were in the coach with them, witnessing this spousal spat. “What did I do?”
“You practically crawled into the murder’s lap for one.”
“I did not—”
“Um, pardon,” Derek said, causing Holly and Gavin to turn on him.
“What?” they said in unison.
“If you aren’t going to die, might I suggest dropping me off. I’ve never had a stomach for marital fights.”
Chapter Twenty
Gavin could notkeep the shakes out of his body as he watched Holly enter the house. He had known anger before, but never known genuine fear until that night, which had unnerved him greatly. First, the fact that she had even come to Clemet Club had made him livid. She could have been hurt or killed. Then, to see his wife fawn over another man, even though he’d known full well that she was pretending, had nearly been enough to make him lose his mind.
It had taken every last bit of strength to pin himself to where he sat, which was perhaps why it had taken him so long to realize that Kilmann had stacked the deck and was cheating. Knowing an outright accusation would have had him tossed from the property, Gavin did the only thing he could do to retaliate.
Cheatback. Cheat better.
It was easy enough. Gavin knew how to count a deck. He and Silas had learned all the tricks to faro and wist and a dozen other card games from Derek. He had taught Gavin every way to cheat, so that he might be able to spot cheats at his own tables when he hosted his games. Derek was an honest player, but believed that the best way to spot a dishonest one was to know how they worked, and he had taught Gavin long ago how to count cards, or paint cards, or change bets beneath a dealer’s nose. Gavin hadn’t done so in a long time, but he still had a talent for it. Kilmann’s reaction hadn’t been what Gavin had hoped for, but then thefight had been distracting enough to get Holly and Jasper out, and as soon as they were out of sight, Gavin had unleashed his pent-up frustration on the man responsible.
But the fight hadn’t quelled any part of his fury at the situation, which had continued to stew until he, Holly, and Jasper returned to Bairnsdale Terrace. Following his wife up the staircase, he let her order the servants to bring clean water, bandages, and whatnot to be stitched up.
His forearm had caught Kilmann’s knife, but he hadn’t even realized it until Holly had touched it in the carriage. The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins.
“And we need a doctor,” Holly said firmly to Mr. Spieth.
“Very good, my lady.”
