Page 30 of Escaping the Earl
“Now, now, we’re going to make it interesting. First, there will be random pairings. I will put all of our names upon slips of paper and draw them out of a bowl. The winners will be awarded a new colt from Viscount Sheridan’s stables. A thoroughbred born by one of his Arabian mares. She had twins, and he was gracious enough to offer one of them to the winners. I will send word to him in London naming the lucky pair. The winning pair can work out the ownership of the foal between them.”
At this announcement, every man at the table suddenly sat up, including Rafe.
Lonsdale grinned. “Well now, this changes things. I’ve only been trying for years to get Cedric to sell me a horse, and here he is justgiftingone away.” Lonsdale pushed his empty plate away and stood. “Well, on with it. Pair us up and let’s get started!”
Lawrence chuckled as Zehra handed him a bit of paper. He scrawled down the names of everyone at the table, then tore the paper into strips. He folded up each name and put them in a white-and-blue china bowl. He swirled the names about with his fingers in an overly dramatic fashion. Both Lonsdale and Rafe looked ready to knock Lawrence down and pull the names out themselves. Peregrine tried not to laugh. When Lawrence finally began to speak, the entire room went silent.
“Zehra, you are with”—Lawrence dug for a second name—“Alexandra.”
Zehra smiled at her partner, the wife of Ambrose Worthing, a man Peregrine had only met yesterday but had immediately liked.
“Next, Rafe, you’ll be with... Darlington.”
Rafe exchanged a cunning grin with Vaughn Darlington, who sat at the end of the table next to his wife, Perdita. The viscount had once been quite a wicked man, if one believed the gossip, but his marriage of convenience to Perdita had ended up a romantic love match.
Rafe and Darlington would be a dangerous pair. Peregrine knew they were both clever men.
“Let’s see... Next up, me.” Lawrence set his name down on the table. “And I’m with Gareth.” He nodded at Gareth Fairfax, a quiet but respectful man in his midthirties who was absolutely mad for his sweet and vibrant wife, Helen. Peregrine had been enjoying meeting these new sets of couples. There was not one among them he wouldn’t be proud to call his friends.
“Helen, you are with Ambrose.” Lawrence sloshed the remaining names around in the bowl. “And Linus, you will be with Perdita.”
Linus, Lawrence’s youngest brother, smiled shyly at Vaughan’s dark-haired wife.
“Who’s left?” Lawrence asked as he glanced around the table.
“Me, damn you,” Lonsdale said.
Lawrence laughed again. “Charles, you are with... oh... Lysandra.”
Lonsdale grinned wickedly at Rafe. “Well, well, Rafe. I got the smartest person in the room as my partner. Isn’t that right, Lysa?” Lonsdale shot a charming smile at Lysandra. The young woman blushed.
“She may be the smartest, but she still has you to deal with,” Rafe shot back. “Call it a handicap.”
“So that puts Miss Talleyrand with Rutland,” Lawrence finished, ignoring Rafe and Lonsdale’s verbal sparring.
Peregrine couldn’t believe his luck. He’d been paired with Sabrina. He schooled his features so as to hide his excitement, though thankfully Rafe was preoccupied with his quarrel with Lonsdale.
“Let’s make this interesting,” Rafe said to Lonsdale. “Hundred pounds to the winning pair.”
“Done.” Lonsdale shook hands with Rafe.
Lawrence spoke up. “All right, Zehra has clues for each pair. They’ve been prepared by our butler, who has a knack for this sort of thing. You have two hours. Whoever finds the final clue will be declared the winners.”
Peregrine’s heart raced as he and Sabrina exchanged glances. He had a sanctioned two hours to spend with her, and Rafe could say nothing about it.
Everyone paired up, and Zehra passed out the first clue. The rest of the clues were located at hidden spots, leading up to the final clue. When they discovered one, they were to read it and then place the clue back where they had found it.
Sabrina received the paper with their copy of the first clue. She and Peregrine, along with little Isla, went over to the window to read it in better light. Peregrine lifted Isla up on a chair near them so she could see the paper, even though she was still learning to read.
“Clue number one,” Sabrina read softly.
Do not frown at me, I made it clear.
It won’t make a difference if you’re near.
Stand in front of me beneath the starlight,
And I’ll show you exactly how the world will know you.
