Page 54 of The Duchess in His Bed
Swallowing hard, Camberley placed the tip of a finger on a card—
No, not that one. He touched another, then another. Twelve thousand pounds at stake. If he lost, he had no means with which to see his debt cleared. Ah, but if he won...
Using only his fingertip, he snagged a card and dragged it toward him. Slowly, he lifted the edge of the card. Eight of clubs. Damn.
Trewlove didn’t hesitate. He simply snatched up the very last card, the one that had been on the bottom of the stack. He nodded toward Camberley.
Striving to look as haughty as possible, to give the impression he wasn’t afraid his world was about to crumble around him, he tossed down his card, faceup.
Trewlove flicked his card in such a way that it did a little somersault in the air before landing on the earl’s card. Two of hearts.
Camberley laughed. “I won! I owe you nothing.”
“You’re a fortunate man, Lord Camberley. You leave here free of debt. Make the most of it. Don’t come back.”
“How is it that you have the means to visit gaming hells?”
Camberley had always known Selena was a formidable force to be reckoned with when the situation warranted the rising of her temper, but he’d always thought himself immune to her anger. He was the only boy among a sea of girls. He was the heir, now the earl.
But he’d returned to his residence at nearly four in the morning only to be informed by his butler that Selena had arrived two hours earlier and was awaiting him in the library. Apparently, she’d spent the time stewing. He’d never known her to be so agitated. “I managed to get my credit extended.”
She folded her arms across her stomach, and he wondered if it was to stop herself from yanking out his hair. “Do you not think any extended credit would be better served being applied to bringing your estate up to snuff?”
“A man needs his distractions.”
She took a menacing step forward, and he leaped back, not much liking the mutinous fire burning in her eyes. “I’d like distractions as well, Winslow, but they are not to be had at present. I thought we were of a like mind, in agreement that we needed to get matters put to right as quickly as possible—for the girls’ sakes.”
“You’re going to get yourself with child—”
“And if it doesn’t happen?”
“If you apply yourself fervently—”
Her eyes narrowing to the point they could slice open a man stilled his words. “You will cease your gambling. You will divest yourself of your mistress. You will no longer be viewed as a wastrel but will dedicate yourself to bringing honor and respect back to the title and estates. Not only for the girls’ sakes but for your own. As things stand now, what sort of wife do you think you would procure?”
He didn’t want a wife. He wanted his mistress. He loved her. But he held his tongue because he doubted Selena would welcome the news. “I am too young to wed.”
“No, Winslow, you are not. Nor are you too young to prove yourself worthy of your place in Society. You will pull back your shoulders and march forward as I’ve been required to do. Or you shall find yourself in a very unpleasant spot, indeed.”
He jerked up his chin. “Are you threatening me?”
“I am saying I will no longer carry you. I will help where I can, naturally, but only if I see you are making an equal effort. Represent yourself as any respectable lord who found himself to be a pauper would and marry yourself a wealthy heiress. And make no further visits to the Cerberus Club.”
He flung himself into a chair. “I have no choice in that particular matter. Aiden Trewlove, the bastard—”
“Don’t call him that.”
He stared at her. “Why should you care what I call him?”
“Aiden has worked extremely hard to better himself, has earned his success—”
“Aiden?” Suspicions, unwanted and chilling, dawned. “How did you even know I frequented the Cerberus?”
If her hair had been unbound, it would have swirled around her with the force with which she jerked up her chin. “I’ve heard rumors.”
“No, you haven’t.” Slowly he came to his feet. “Pray tell me that you are not consorting with Aiden Trewlove, that he is not the one who will be getting you with child.”
“What difference does it make?”
