Page 36 of The Heiress in Disguise
“Shall we have another round?” Antoine asked.
“Indeed,” the earl agreed.
The cards were dealt again. This time, the earl folded his hand early, and Antoine saw no reason to allow anyone else to beat him. His hand was even better than it had been the last time. He watched the other players at the table as they continued to raise the bet, until finally one of them called it.
Antoine turned his cards over to reveal the winning hand. Several people groaned in disappointment. But the gentleman across the table let his face fall into an ugly scowl. “He’s a cheat,” he complained.
“It was a lucky hand,” Antoine said.
“He has cards up his sleeves. He must.”
“Do you always accuse people of having cheated you when you lose?” Antoine asked mildly. “It’s not very gentlemanly conduct.”
The man rose to his feet, and for a moment Antoine wondered whether he had gone too far.
“Sit down, Benjamin,” the earl said. “For heaven’s sake, you’re always so difficult when you lose a hand. I just beat this fellow. Do you think that would have happened if he was cheating?”
“It might have,” the aggressive gentleman said mulishly.
“Don’t be so silly. I bested him once, and I’m sure I will again. Keep playing and you’ll eventually have your money back in hand. Our friend here is right—he had a lucky hand, but he’s new to our table. You can’t believe his luck will hold for long.” He took a long drink. Antoine could see that he wasn’t entirely sober.
“I want to know who he is,” the gentleman said. “He should remove his mask if he’s truly an honest man.”
“I won’t do that,” Antoine said.
“Ah! Then you admit you’re a cheat!”
“Not at all. But this is a masquerade. The purpose of a party such as this is to hide behind anonymity, and I have every right to do so. No matter how many accusations you might throw at me, the truth remains the same—I’ve done nothing to you, and there is no reason for me to forfeit my disguise.”
“He’s right again,” the earl said. “If you don’t wish to play any longer, Benjamin, you’ve every right to move on, but you can’t force anyone to unmask before midnight.” He took another drink.
“If this is the sort of man you have at your table, I think I will leave,” Benjamin said sourly. “I hope you’re pleased with yourself, Lord Leicester.”
The earl waited until Benjamin had gone, then turned to Antoine. “I’m sorry for my friend’s behavior,” he said. “Can I help you to a drink?”
“I’ve just had one.” It wasn’t true, but Antoine wanted to remain clear-headed. “You have nothing to apologize for. He believed he had been cheated, and I can see how that belief upset him. It must have been difficult to accept that he’d simply lost fairly.”
“You’re very understanding. There are those for whom that situation would have become a fight.”
“I didn’t come here to fight. I came to enjoy myself.”
“I hope you have been,” the earl said.”
“Very much, yes. I can’t remember the last time I attended such a beautiful party—you ought to be very proud.”
The earl beamed at Antoine’s insincere flattery. “It is going rather well, isn’t it?”
“It’s very impressive. The food has been delightful, the decorations are lovely, and may I add, your staff is among the most helpful I’ve ever encountered.”
He held his breath, hoping that the mention of the staff would lead to possible discussion of Angelique.
But the earl didn’t take the bait. “I just hope my family is enjoying the festivities as much as you seem to be,” he said.
“Indeed,” Antoine said. “Your daughters are lovely.”
“Ah, have you met my Gwyneth, then?”
Antoine noticed the way he spoke as if he had only one daughter worth mentioning. It seemed in keeping with the way he had so clearly diminished his niece’s role in his household. Lord Leicester wasn’t a particularly sentimental or affectionate man, that much was obvious.
