Page 19 of Gentlemen Prefer Heiresses
Three queens. Thank God.
He revealed his hand. When she gave him a smile so bright that it nearly blinded him, he was glad he hadn’t folded. He was willing to lose every round to her for that smile.
Antes were made. As the next set of cards were dealt, Minerva said, “I suppose we should have invited Somerdale.”
“Why the devil would we do that?” Andrew asked, waiting to peer at his cards because he believed it was bad luck to look too early. Gina, on the other hand, picked each one up as it landed in front of her, her smile growing with each card added.
“Because I saw him at the park with Gina. He’s courting you, isn’t he?” she asked with a pointed look. “Quite seriously it appears.”
“Quite determinedly,” Gina admitted, briefly looking away from her cards, her smile softening as though she had fond memories of the bloke and his courtship skills.
“Do you fancy him, then?” the Duchess of Avendale asked.
“I do. When everyone else was giving me a wide berth, he took me rowing.”
Rowing? How boring. He could think of a dozen ways to entertain her that would prove more exciting than sitting in a boat. Might as well be sitting in a parlor.
“He didn’t seem at all embarrassed to be seen with me,” she continued. “His previous kindness does give him a leg up over the others.”
“The others?” Andrew bit back a curse at the tone of his voice. The words had come out accusingly.
She angled her head, studying him thoughtfully, and he felt rather like a dog that had been caught chewing the master’s shoe. “Yes, four other gentlemen called on me this afternoon.”
Before he could demand to know who they were, Grace said, “You should have seen all the flowers in the residence when we arrived to invite Gina to join us. I daresay, at least half a dozen gents are keen to let it be known they, too, will be calling. And to think: we were all so busy assisting with the arrangements for Rex’s hasty marriage that we’ve barely begun our campaign to see her betrothed by Season’s end.”
“Why set deadlines on something that should come about naturally?” he asked.
“Fifty,” Ashebury announced.
“Call,” Minerva responded.
“Well, because having a goal helps one to stay focused,” Grace said. “Surely during all your travels you find you make better use of your time if you have a list of the places you wish to tour.”
He was rather certain she didn’t mean to make it sound as though he had no worthwhile goals to speak of, that he was more concerned with play, but he couldn’t help but feel a measure of judgment in her words. He was the second son. He was given an allowance. His life was one of carefree ease.
“Call or fold, Andrew,” Drake said.
“Call. A list of the brothels and taverns I wish to visit is helpful.”
“Don’t take offense because I worry you may do nothing useful with your life.”
“I intend to do something very useful: I’m going to take every chip stacked before you.” Then, because he knew she wasn’t the only one at the table who saw him as a wastrel, he tossed back his scotch and signaled for more.
“Don’t you start cheating,” Grace commanded.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” But he would do it if Gina weren’t there.
He didn’t take Grace’s chips that hand, Minerva did. The next two hands everyone folded because Gina’s smile was so sunny.
The next round saw him with three aces. In spite of Gina’s pleased expression, he doubted she could best him. He had a moment of doubt when she exchanged only one card—until her face fell when she saw what she’d been given. He wagered a hundred. She folded.
“Show me what you had,” he said.
She tilted up that pert little nose of hers. “Show me what you had.”
“I don’t have to. You folded.”
“Since I did, I don’t have to show you anything.”
