Medley of Souls by Renee Peters & Rae Stilwell

Author:Renee Peters & Rae Stilwell [Peters, Renee & Stilwell, Rae]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781734644135
Published: 2020-07-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

The card room of Anowen Castle, like its counterparts in most residences of the ton, was named after its primary use as a place of entertainment. It bore little by ways of furniture or decor beyond the circular game tables and padded chairs. Wood paneled walls and white paint made for a plainer room than the rest of the castle, with a few landscapes hanging to give some life to the room.

A polished cupboard contained the various decks of cards and dice and a myriad of other entertainments as the mortals came up with them. Opposite of the cupboard was a sideboard that held glassware and decanters for those inclined to drink while they played.

Unlike its society counterparts however, Anowen’s card room welcomed women, and Dorian had found over the centuries that they made for quite formidable opponents — especially when their brothers were distracted.

“Are you certain you wish to stay, marido?” Ayla’s question, evenly spoken, reached Dorian’s ears through the haze of Matthias’ pipe cloud.

“Course he wants to stay Ayla —” Eden’s voice interjected on a snort. “A twelve is as good a number to lose coin on as any number, innit Dori?”

Dorian glanced down at the green top of the card table where his series of cards for their game of Blackjack had been spread out. He’d not even realized that he had given the signal to stay. That, and the significantly diminished number of markers at his side was all the proof he needed to know that he had not been fully present.

“My kona is as always, looking after my interests,” he said dryly, and tapped an index finger to the surface of his card to indicate that Eden should deal him another.

She dealt him a queen of hearts and crowed.

“Busted! An’ the House wins again.” Her milk white hand reached out to claim his bet and Dorian’s lips twisted slightly. He deserved the loss for his lack of attention.

It had only been four days since Joanna had taken leave of his estate to take on her reversal of roles in serving as a chaperone to Delilah Flowers, and he had found his residence almost unlivable in her absence.

Despite his direction to William to throw the windows open to the sunshine that the mansion had been denied, light had done little to replace the living energy and presence with which the French queen had filled his home. The clocks ticked too loudly, William’s presence was a constant reminder of the duties he was no longer performing for his Mistress, and Dorian’s afternoons had stretched before him vacant of the familiar routine of her voice reading to him.

None of that even spoke to the emptiness of his bed.

It was no wonder he had grasped hold of the invitation Mathias had extended to join the family for an evening at the card tables. Any conversation was better than the silence that echoed around his home like a catacomb.

Marido, Ayla had called him — husband in his native tongue.

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