For the Love of Clover (Breaking the Rules of the Beau Monde Book 4) by Shannon Gilmore

Author:Shannon Gilmore [Gilmore, Shannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BurlapLlama Publishing
Published: 2025-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

Clover could not be more shocked if she had jumped onto her husband’s lap and smothered him with kisses.

But then, of course, she’d just done such a thing. It was equal to pinching herself.

When they pulled to an alley entrance to Strong’s, Hugo slipped her hood over her head and hid her face behind the shadow of her cloak. She did not get a look at the room at large but was taken up a flight of stairs and down a narrow corridor where a door was opened for her.

When Hugo stepped into the room, he shut the door. “You can take that off now.”

Her heart pounded with the scandal of it all. It felt forbidden and made her feel reckless. The room was tastefully decorated but overly furnished. It wasn’t gaudy like she’d imagined. It did not look like a brothel or a place where ladies of the night would come. It looked like a room in a proper home. A settee. A table with four chairs and a platter of fruit and biscuits. A bar with several decanters and tumblers beside them. There were shelves of boxes that she assumed held tokens and cards for private games. Hugo had explained how all the rooms were a little different. Some even large enough for a billiard table. All were private, and a half dozen had a balcony overlooking the floor below.

The balcony rooms were on one side so the occupants could keep their privacy, and no one could see inside them. The bottom floor was shadow and light, with several boxing rings and one specific to the center. One could enjoy watching a bout from the balcony, but it was still too far to see faces saved to memory or to identify with any absolute certainty who might be watching from above or fighting below. You would have to know the person well enough to recognize them from a distance. It was all very well-done.

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s wonderful. I never dreamed it was this civilized.”

“Mr. Strong is a man of good taste.”

“You know him personally?”

“I’ve met him and spoken with him enough to secure your visit. That’s all I can say.”

“I don’t need to know anything else because I am in awe and so excited I’m not sure what to do with myself.”

“Well, you came to watch a bout. Did you not?”

She nodded with fervor. “And we’ll watch from here?” She pointed to the balcony ledge.

“You, my little garden sprite, will watch from here, hidden safely away. But I will be on the floor.”

She frowned, disappointed at his suggestion. “You aren’t going to stay with me?”

He gave her a cocksure smile. “I, my pet, will be in the ring.”

Her hands covered her mouth. “You’re fighting tonight?”

“I’m fighting in twenty minutes. So, I need to get down there to prepare.” He kissed her forehead. “The gentleman who showed us to the room is in charge of keeping this room safely closed off. There is a women’s

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