A Talent for Trouble: A Spirited Spinsters Sweet Regency Romance by Robyn Chalmers

Author:Robyn Chalmers [Chalmers, Robyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-10T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

WHERE THE ANSWER TO BEAU’S PROBLEM IS OBVIOUS FOR ANYONE WITH HALF A BRAIN

A gentlemen’s club was supposed to be a refuge from the world, but White’s was failing dismally today. Even ensconced in his favorite wingback chair in front of the fireplace, Beau flipped between his newspaper, a book, and staring blankly out the window.

Knowing his employees had been stealing from him didn’t lessen the guilt when putting together their final wage envelopes and handing them over one by one. Indeed, he had to stop himself from thanking each and every one of them for their service. It was only when the second to final one had said “I told them it wasn’t right” that he started to feel any vindication at all.

Now he had a real problem. No dealers, and when he did replace them, no one to manage them. Uncle Horace and his son, Thomas, had always taken care of the staff. And although he had all their paperwork on the administration of it, he needed help to source new staff. Mother would know where to get household staff, but not croupiers.

What about Harriet? If she could spot dishonest players, surely she could just as accurately spot the honest ones for him to employ? He needed her help once again, and it seemed she had been right. It wasn’t goodbye when they parted.

He really shouldn’t feel so excited.

There was movement near him, and Beau looked up. A solid man, with brown curly hair that flopped in his face, stood next to the twin chair across from the fire.

Beau stood immediately and stretched out his hand. “Scanlan, good to see you.”

His hand was clasped warmly, and they both sat down again.

Sir Charles crossed one leg over the other and picked up the newspaper Beau had put down. “Looking for calm? You won’t find it here. Hot bed of intrigue, this place.” He caught the eye of a server and ordered a bottle of Burgundy. “And I hear you’ve just ousted your entire floor staff.”

Damnation, was the news of it out already? “Where did you hear that?”

Scanlan shrugged. “Mariah, who heard it from her mother. Harriet looked jubilant, can’t think why.”

“She guessed they were cheating me.” He leaned forward to speak privately. “Profits have been falling, and it turns out the entire lot of them have been stealing.”

Scanlan inhaled sharply, his gaze widening. “Thieves.”

“Precisely. So they’re all out. But now, of course, I have nobody to run the dratted thing except Mother and I.” He laughed, because what a joke it all was. “And I was sitting here thinking I don’t have the connections to restaff.”

Scanlan glanced down at the newspaper. “Harri could help you. She can spot a dishonest cove at twenty paces. She’s writing a book about it! Ten chapters in now, apparently.”

“So you know she writes?” He liked the thought that she had confided in Scanlan and her sister.

“Couldn’t be prouder. But we only just found out. Mariah almost fainted.”

The server arrived with a drink tray and put the bottle and two glasses on the table.

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