“May I suggest the kitchen to remedy that issue?” he snarled, yanking the door open.
“And my lack of company?” Roxburghe wiggled his eyebrows.
Levi rubbed his hand over his face. “Is there truly no one else you could think of?”
“Not with your delightful personality.” Grinning, Roxburghe strode around Levi, entering the chamber. “We will need to rouse the others. We shouldn’t impose on Miss Rowe’s kindness for too long.”
If she even joined them for the meal…
His pounding head circled around a fuzzy memory from last night—he’d accused Miss Rowe of attempting to trap him into marriage, then said he had absolutely no interest in pursuing anything other than conversation with her.
Except he did. Very much so.
And if it weren’t for the infernal wager between him and his friends, he would have done more than dream about kissing Miss Rowe last night.
Roxburghe flung open the drapes, and the bright mid-morning sun struck Levi in the face. He winced, ducking his head and retrieving his trousers.
“You seem quite buoyant this morning,” Levi grumbled.
“You would be too if you gave into Cupid.” Roxburghe picked up Levi’s waistcoat and tossed the stylish article toward him.
“And who am I supposed to love?” Levi snapped, leaning over the bed and dragging the gray waistcoat toward him.
An evil grin flitted across the chamber. “I’ve heard Miss Rowe is unattached.”
“Miss Rowe is…” Levi’s voice trailed off, his gaze sliding over the gleaming watch on a small mahogany table.
“Miss Rowe is what?”
“Missing.”
“Miss Rowe is missing?”
“Pardon?” Levi shifted his attention to Roxburghe. “What did you say?”
“You said, ‘Miss Rowe was missing’.”
“No, my father’s ring is missing.” Levi swiped his hand at the table. “As well as the gold fob I wore last night.”
“Perhaps you knocked them off,” Roxburghe said, moving around the corner of the bed.
Levi dropped to his knees, as did Roxburghe, and they scoured the carpet, searching for the jewelry.
“Are you certain you brought them into the room?” Roxburghe asked, lifting the edge of a pale green coverlet. “None of us possessed our complete faculties last night.”
“I think I did?” Levi’s forehead wrinkled, his mind sifting through dim images. “I offered the fob to Miss Rowe, but she refused me.”
And he’d severely offended her.
Roxburghe paused, his head halfway under the bed, and glanced at Levi. “Why would you do that?”
Sighing, Levi sat back on his legs. “I didn’t win last night’s game.”
“Our current lodgings suggest otherwise,” Roxburghe said, dropping the coverlet.
“Miss Rowe purposefully drew a card to lose.” Levi rubbed the dull headache growing in his forehead. “When I confronted her?—”
“Confronted is a bit harsh,” Roxburghe said as he sat up.
