Page 56 of An Affair with a Notorious Heiress
“My sister and I appreciate the offer of the membership and the accompaniment if needed. Although you may come to regret it, Mr. Darling. It seems Gina has considerable luck when it comes to games of chance.”
Unlike Tillie who was very close to losing today’s wager.
Darling smiled confidently, the grin of a man who knew he wasn’t going to lose, not in the end. “I’ll take the risk.”
They spoke for a few more minutes, nothing of any importance. When they went on their way, Rexton held up four fingers.
“Don’t gloat,” she ordered.
“Don’t be a sore loser.”
“You might not get the six.”
He got eight. The Duke and Duchess of Avendale, traveling in a cabriolet, visited with them for a while. They were followed by two lords the marquess had not arranged beforehand to approach them. Apparently, Gina was being noticed whether or not she realized it. Perhaps Tillie hadn’t needed to seek Rexton’s assistance after all, although she was hard-pressed to regret the decision.
As she watched the exchange, the ease with which her sister flirted, she felt an ache in her chest because Gina didn’t have a dozen swains swarming around her.
“There’ll be more.”
She glanced over at Rexton. Why was it he seemed to always know what was on her mind? Because he had a sister, because she had shared her hopes and dreams with him? She didn’t want him to be sensitive, understanding, kind. “You cheated.”
“I’d already confessed to doing so at cards when it was to my benefit. So you knew going in to this arrangement that I have no morals when it comes to gaining what I want.”
And he wanted her. That thought should not have pleased her so much. “You’re also impatient. I don’t see that one more night would have made such a difference. It would have simply increased the anticipation.”
“Any more anticipation and I’m likely to explode the first time you touch me.”
She was likely to do the same. Not that she was going to admit it. The man’s self-esteem was great enough as it was. “Are these gents viable candidates?”
“They’ll both inherit earldoms. Will that make your sister happy?”
She shook her head. “She’s too young to understand exactly what she needs. Unfortunately we don’t always realize what we need until we’ve gained what we don’t.”
“You’re speaking from experience.”
Not a question. A statement, filled with sadness. “I was a silly girl indeed.”
“Was he the only one who courted you?”
“The only one I cared about. My mother and I fought. She wanted me to marry a duke, to be higher up on the social ladder. But Downie was so dashing and so gentlemanly. I was quite swept away.”
“Did he make you laugh?”
It pleased her that he’d paid attention to her comments regarding what one should look for in a man. Because of that, she decided to be honest. “Not once. Our courting rituals don’t really allow us to get to know someone before we marry. A shame, really. I think the Nightingale Club exists because a lot of couples are unhappy.”
“But you got out of your unhappy arrangement.”
She nodded. “It cost me. It’s cost Gina. That I regret. I should have waited.”
“If you had, you wouldn’t need me now.”
She wasn’t quite certain that was true. She had the horrifying thought she’d always needed him, always would.
He leaned toward her, his voice low, seductive. “To be quite honest, while it makes me a cad, I’m rather glad you do. I spent a week striving to determine how best to apologize to you so I could have you back in my life. The need is mutual, Countess.”
He straightened, turned his attention back to Gina and her admirers, as though he hadn’t just delivered words that held the power to devastate her. As the air backed up in her lungs, Tillie didn’t know what to say, how to respond. Downie had needed her money, but she couldn’t claim he had ever neededher.
She was not going to fall under his spell. She was not going to read things into his words that were not meant. He needed her in his bed, but he didn’t needher. Yet she couldn’t quite dismiss the absolute gratefulness that had woven itself through his voice and actions when he’d removed the mask and confirmed it was indeed she in the bedchamber with him. His obvious joy had thrilled her, elevated her self-esteem that had been beaten down for far too long.
