The Lord's Desperate Pledge (The Duke's Pact Book 3) by Kate Archer

Author:Kate Archer [Archer, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Romance, Historical, Fiction
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2020-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Lily and Mr. Gentry had, for the most part, been left to their game. Lady Carradine came by from time to time, but she appeared to deem the gentleman not a particular threat to any young lady’s virtue. Lily thought that wise—it was not likely his conversation or his person would conquer anybody, nor did he have the daring of a rake.

Most others in the room had drifted over to Lord Ashworth and Mr. Shine’s game.

Mr. Gentry had long since given up recounting his various wins at various tables. Lily could not be certain if that was because he’d run out of them, or whether he was cognizant that he was on the verge of losing another fifty pounds.

Whether or not he knew it, Lily knew it. She’d sunk a triplet of kings and was just playing them as her last cards, well aware that Mr. Gentry could not beat them.

As she took one trick, then two, then the final, the sink seemed to dawn on Mr. Gentry. He laid down his last card, the ten of spades, and sighed deeply. “That’s it, then,” he said quietly.

“That is it, Mr. Gentry.” In a kinder tone, she said, “I wonder if I might advise you.”

Mr. Gentry seemed to perk. “You will give me some trick to winning? he asked.

“No,” Lily said firmly. “I will give you a trick to avoid losing. Do not play—I imagine you are skilled at a great many things, but piquet is not your game.”

Mr. Gentry hung his head. “I was foolish, I suppose. I told my friends I could beat both you and Lord Ashworth if I had a mind and they laughed at me. So then, I was determined, you see.”

“I do see,” Lily said. “Though, if they are really your friends, they will not mind you being foolish on occasion. We have all been guilty of it.”

Mr. Gentry nodded sadly and said, “I will settle the debt promptly.”

Lily smiled, hoping she had convinced Mr. Gentry to cease throwing away his money. Her attention was drawn to an audible gasp coming from Lord Ashworth’s table. Lily presumed the lord was trouncing Mr. Shine.

“Let us remove and watch the play,” she said, rising. Lily held out a high hope that Lord Ashworth might dispatch Mr. Shine speedily and there would be time for her to play him. That was, if Mr. Shine had the stomach for it, which he might not after playing the lord and noting how little his scholarship of the game had actually advanced his prospects.

Mr. Gentry nodded resignedly, and they moved to Lord Ashworth and Mr. Shine’s table.

As Lily gazed down at the scene, she at first could not quite discern what she was seeing. What she had expected to see on the two men’s faces were confidence from Lord Ashworth and chagrin from Mr. Shine. The picture was a deal more muddled than that. Lord Ashworth appeared some combination of irritated and confused. Mr. Shine seemed nervous and elated.

Mr. Medham,

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