Part 32 (2/2)
He drank some wa.s.sail, enjoying the flavor of the warm brandy, hard cider, oranges, cinnamon and cloves. ”There is someone who isn't here today. Someone I miss.”
”A lady?”
”Yes. And do not bother asking her name.”
”I wasn't going to.”
A brief silence fell.
He drank more wa.s.sail.
”Did you not invite her?” Esme asked. ”Or is it that she could not come?”
”A bit of both actually. It's . . . complicated.”
”Why?”
”Why is it complicated? Because it is,” he added at her nod.
”Maybe it doesn't need to be. Do you love her, this woman you miss?”
His frown returned. ”I don't know.”
”Does she love you?”
His chest tightened, a slightly queasy sensation in his stomach. He set his cup aside. ”I don't know that either.”
”Then maybe you should find out. Once you do, all the complications may not seem so complex.”
”Then again, they still may.”
”You are just having a fit of the blue devils today. Come on,” she said, reaching for his hand, ”come join me for a game of cards. I'm determined to beat Jack and I need a crack hand for a partner.”
”Impossible. You know Jack's unbeatable.”
”No one wins all the time, not even him. And nothing is impossible, not if you want it badly enough.”
”So speaks the naive schoolroom miss.”
”Not so naive,” she said with a serene smile. ”I just prefer to be optimistic, that's all.”
”I won't ask what you mean by that first remark for fear of finding myself unduly shocked.”
”I doubt there's anything that could shock you.”
”You might be surprised. You haven't met our neighbor, have you?”
”No. Is he shocking? In what way?”
”Forget I mentioned him.” He allowed her to pull him to his feet. ”Let's go get slaughtered at the card table by Jack.”
”Yes, let's.”
”Another round?” Jack asked nearly two hours later, a gleeful grin on his face as he sc.r.a.ped a huge pile of winnings toward himself across the table.
”No.” Leo groaned and tossed down his cards.
”Me either. I've been fleeced enough for one day.” Lawrence threw his discards after his twin's.
Edward and Claire did the same, exchanging looks of commiseration.
Leo saw Sebastianne's eighteen-year-old brother, Julien, follow their lead. He'd been so excited to be included in the adult play, but looked a bit stunned now by his losses.
”Well, don't look at me. I was out ages ago,” Mallory said.
She was settled sideways on the nearby sofa with pillows plumped at her back and her feet propped up, a plate of sweet biscuits balanced on her very pregnant stomach so she wouldn't have to reach.
During the game, Adam had gotten up between hands to check on her, even though she was less than six feet away. He looked ready to do the same now, but she waved for him to stay in his chair with a soft smile she reserved just for him.
At her feet, on the same sofa, sat Drake. With the table so full of players, he'd been happy to sit out. He was lost in silent reverie, the game clearly the last thing on his mind.
”Told you it would be pure butchery,” Leo said, shooting a meaningful look across the table at Esme.
”Of course it was,” Grace said from where she stood behind Jack's chair. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his temple. ”That's what you all get for playing cards with a sharp.”
”If I really were a sharp”-Jack stroked a hand over his wife's forearm-”I would have played for more than pennies.”
”You used to play for very high stakes, remember, darling?” Grace said.
He smiled and looked up into her eyes. ”The highest. It's what brought us together, after all.”
”Well, thank heavens you've reformed,” Esme said. ”Otherwise my entire quarter's allowance would be gone.”
”Half my fortune would be written on vowels if we'd been playing for real stakes,” Cade said as he gazed down at what was left of his obviously dismal hand.
He sighed and rubbed an absent fist over the old war wound in his thigh. It still caused him to limp even now after nearly a decade.
Meg reached over from where she sat next to Cade. He smiled and raised her hand to his lips.
”I'd have to consider a mortgage on the estate again,” Adam remarked with a rueful shake of his dark head. ”Although you seemed to hold your own rather well, Sebastianne.”
He nodded toward her small pile of coins.
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