Page 66 of A Lady's Wager
“What is this wager?” How quickly she had been distracted from her previous difficult topic of worry.
He hesitated. That did not seem a good omen. “I must emphasize that I was surprised to hear of the wager and had nothing to do with it being made.”
Decidedlynota good omen.
“A wager was recorded in the books at my club,” he spoke quickly and quietly, all the while watching her with uncertainty,” which I discovered quite by accident and have not ever heard spoken about. An anonymous wagerer has staked £1000 on …” He took a breath, then pushed forward. “That you would be married by your twenty-first birthday.”
It was decidedly unexpected. “That I would be married?”
Lord Wesley nodded.
“I suppose that is better than a wager being made that I would not be or wouldneverbe.”
“You aren’t offended that you were the subject of a wager?” Lord Wesley asked.
“Not offended, no. There is some annoyance mingled with my amusement, but I know perfectly well that gentlemen make odd wagers quite regularly.” She found she could even smile a little. “And for someone to be so confident in my matrimonial prospects to place so large a wager, is—”Oh.“That is why you wondered if the wagerer was my father, because he would have that confidence because, heavens, he would be the one arranging that marriage.”
“But that is also why I have dismissed him as the wagerer. I don’t think he would make his own daughter the subject of so potentially embarrassing a wager, nor one he could force to play out in one way or another. He seems a man of greater integrity than that.”
She also couldn’t imagine her father doing something so questionable. “If you know who would be paid the forfeit, that would at least give you one half of the wagering duo.”
“It usually would, but not in this instance.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the one declared to be the recipient of the forfeit was not involved in the wager. Indeed, he was utterly shocked to discover his name in the betting books.”
In a flash as sudden as the pop of an untrimmed candle wick, she understood what he was struggling to say. “You will receive £1000 if I am not married by my birthday?”
He looked embarrassed. “I didn’t place the wager. I only learned of it by chance.” He held his hands up in a show of frustration. “I haven’t told anyone. Franklin knows, but he was there when we saw the wager in the book. I would never embarrass you that way. And I wouldn’t wish to prevent you from being courted or treated with kindness or warmly accepted by thetonout of a wish to see the wager play out.”
Another flash of understanding. “This is why you quite suddenly showed an interest in knowing me better. You were intrigued by the wager.”
“Yes.” But it emerged as a dangling sentence rather than a complete one.
“I would kindly request that you finish your confession, Lord Wesley.”
With a look of utter misery, he said, “We were able to discover that your birthday was not terribly far distant, and neither of us had seen any announcements regarding an engagement. We thought that likely meant you were not on the very cusp of marriage. I am embarrassed to say we hatched a plan to discover if any gentlemen had made progress in capturing your interest or were at all positioned to make an engagement probable. If we did, I … I thought I might prove myself a bit of a thorn in the side of romance and delay things a little.”
“Until my twenty-first birthday, you hoped.”
He sighed even as he nodded. “Not enough to cause you embarrassment or prevent an engagement if one wereimminent, but perhaps manage to secure that £1000, if doing so without being a complete blackguard was possible.”
“Are you in particular need of £1000?” she asked.
“I am, unfortunately. Your father’s assessment of my family was not entirely without merit. I inherited more of a mess than I wish I had.” A look of determination entered his eyes. “I never intended to hurt you, and I hope that I haven’t. And I have long since abandoned the effort at being an unmitigated annoyance. But it was badly done of me, and I will understand if you find it unforgivable.”
She swore he was holding his breath. Seldom had she seen a man look more miserably contrite.
“Do you think you could resume those efforts?”
His misery turned to shock. “Resumethem?”
She nodded. “You found a means of delaying an engagement, and I would very much like to not find myself engaged any time soon. And if you are in a position to receive a much-needed windfall while doing me such a welcome favor, that would be a fine thing. Seems we would do well to combine our efforts.”
“Then you aren’t—You don’t—You don’t despise me for my interference?”
“Despise you?” She grinned. “Heavens, I am all but begging to join forces with you. I am in need of your unique skills.”
