Page 20 of An Earl Unmasked
Drake chuckled. “Better fence repairs than ditch maintenance.”
Kent eyed Randal. “We should play for that next.”
He hadn’t played idle card games in years. All eyes were on him.
Kent leaned over and whispered, “Eldest is to act first.”
Arranging and rearranging his cards, he recalled the aim was to form a hand with the highest combination. Three of a kind was the goal. With two tens, a mid-range pair, he was not likely to win, however the window contained a knave. Mathematically calculating the odds, Randal traded his two of hearts for the knave of spades, giving him the possibility of making a sequence.
Next to act was Drake. He glanced at his cards and knocked, indicating he was already happy with his hand. Drake looked over at Kent and said, “Next season, you’ll not stop me from finishing Mansville and his set off.”
Isadora and Greg joined them at the card table flanking their brother, Kent. Footmen produced chairs for them both, and Kent shifted his own seat to allow his siblings to join in the conversation.
Isadora turned to face Drake on her right. “Mansville’s luck will run out in due time. No need to place Minerva in further peril.”
“Your sister is in danger?” Randal directed his question to Kent.
Kent sighed, “In Minerva’s first Season, she declared she would marry the first gentleman who could defeat her in a game of chess. Upon hearing the challenge, Mansville, the blasted peacock, placed a wager at Brooks’s, claiming that he’d not only win Minerva’s hand in marriage, but he would do so in less than twenty moves.”
Greg glanced at Drake and then added, “Minerva learned of the wager and set out to defeat Mansville in as few possible moves. When she trounced the man in twenty-two moves, Mansville was outraged, claimed she was a cheat. However, the game had been played out under Lady Humbolt’s watchful gaze. Humbolt has since banned Mansville from attending a number of social events, which has only increased the man’s ire.”
No one was paying any attention to the game, and Isadora gave each of the men a scolding stare. “It wasn’t Lady Humbolt’s support of Minverva these past three Seasons that has spurred Mansville’s attempts to foil Minerva’s future, it is the actions of each of you.” Her gaze moved from one gentleman to the next and ultimately landed on her eldest brother, Kent. “Because of you fools, not one gentleman dared to even hint at entertaining the idea of playing Minerva for her hand this past Season.” Pinning her brother Kent with a look that would have sent his troops scurrying to the hills, Isadora added, “You shall end up responsible for the three of us. Diana nor I shall marry before Minerva.”
Everyone jumped in their seats as Minerva’s voice wafted across the room. “Nonsense. Diana and you shall marry as soon as you have found a man worthy of your love. I shall see to it.”
Gregory jumped up from his seat and offered it to Minerva.
Minerva took her seat and held out her hand. Without a word, Kent and the others handed over their cards to her. She waited for him to do the same.
Curious as what she would do if he refused, he studied her features. The slight arch of her brow had him handing over his cards, but before she could take them, he asked, “What about the fence repairs?”
She looked at him directly and said, “I’m quite certain Lord Drake shall volunteer as he does every year.”
“Volunteer?”
Cunningham answered, “It is the only round Drake consistently loses every year.”
Drake’s cheeks flooded red, his gaze flickering over to Minerva, but she ignored him entirely.
Minerva handed the cards to her sister, and Isadora shuffled the deck in an artful display, fanning the cards and intermingling them effortlessly. Isadora asked, “What shall we play for today, sister?”
None of the gentleman uttered a sound. Randal noted the look of trepidation on each of their faces as they waited for Minerva to answer.
Diana’s eldest sister was in full command. Minerva tapped her finger over her lips. Drake’s gaze focused on the woman, which drew a frown from Kent. The undercurrents were strong, but he didn’t know them well enough to fully understand all the intricacies and implications of their body language.
Minerva’s gaze fell upon him. “The honor of choosing the rest of the afternoon’s entertainment.”
Drake spoke, “Grand. With Chestwick, we have a four-to-one advantage.”
Isadora passed the deck back to Minerva, who dealt the cards. Once again, all eyes fell upon him. “Should you win, Lady Minerva, what would your choice of entertainment be?”
Drake mumbled, “Not chess.”
In a clear voice, she asked, “If circumstances were different, I would not hesitate to partake in a game of chess. However, should I win at Commerce, I believe an afternoon of charades would be highly entertaining.”
Kent groaned, “Not charades.”
Drake straightened in his chair and flickered his gaze between Minerva and Randal. “Let’s get on with the game.”
