“If the ladies wish to play, I would be most happy to oblige with a game,” Lord Briston agreed.
“Splendid. I shall leave the four of you to it; after all, five is rather an awkward number.” Lady Cotswalts gestured to the mallets and then left, casting Olivia a look that clearly said, ‘Stop glowering at Nigel when you are supposed to be getting to know his cousin.’
Olivia turned to Lord Briston. “Do you play with the standard rules or is there some variant you prefer?”
Lord Briston opened his mouth to reply, but Nigel answered, “My cousin is rather a stickler for the standard game though I feel the variants are far more entertaining.”
Olivia felt the same way, but she was not going to admit that to Nigel. Thankfully, Jane saved her from having to say anything.
“I love pall mall variants. Ol — Lady Olivia and I were talking about our different family variants and how we might combine them.” Jane glanced at Olivia. “I believe there were five rules we agreed in the end. Though if Lord Briston does not care for variants, I am sure we could take the traditional approach.”
“No, I feel the gentlemanly thing to do would be to give the ladies the choice.” Lord Briston smiled as he offered Olivia a mallet.
“Thank you, Lord Briston.” Olivia smiled and took the mallet from him. “Though I feel it only fair to warn you both, that our variant does not involve particularly sportsman-like behaviour. And though your gallantry is appreciated, I shall not give you any preferential treatment.”
“And do not expect it from us, for I play to win.” Nigel met Olivia’s gaze fleetingly before turning his attention to Jane.
“Oh, so do I, good sir. So do I.” Olivia grinned, feeling the competitive spirit flare to life. “Shall we go over the rules?”
Nigel and Lord Briston nodded. Jane smiled and glanced at Olivia before saying. “There are six main rules. Rule one is to keep the game short — first to seven wins.”
“Rule two is that we give no concessions. Be you child, adult, man, or woman, we will not give special treatment.” Olivia held up two fingers.
“Rule three is that you must play the ball where it lies from the very start.” Jane gestured to the balls scattered across the alley.
“Which brings us nicely to rule four, interference and distraction are all part of the game.” Olivia strode towards the alley with her mallet in hand. “And of course, rule five, interference can include a direct strike of your opponent’s though not in succession. You can hit their ball but then must return to your own.”
“That is rather unusual,” Lord Briston murmured.
“And what is the final rule?” Nigel followed Olivia and stood in front of one of the balls she was moving towards.
Olivia grinned, looked down at the gap between his legs and raised her mallet. Nigel’s eyes widened as she swung. Her aim was true, and she struck the pall mall ball, sending it sailing between his legs and through the iron hoop at the end of the alley.
She let out a triumphant laugh as she met Nigel’s gaze. “Rule five is win by any means necessary.”
Grinning at the look of astonishment on Nigel’s face, she saw Jane claim one of the better placed balls and smack it towards the hoop. It sailed through.
“I believe that is one point a piece for us both.” Olivia said to Nigel. “If you stand there and gawp much longer, then you’ll have no chance of winning.”
And with that, she turned her back on him and set about finding her ball.
Chapter Eight
By Any Means Necessary
Nigel wasn’t entirely sure what he had expected when they began the game, but it definitely was not this. Olivia played more ruthlessly and with more skill than he would have imagined.Even Rokesby is not this competitive, and until this moment, he was the most competitive man I knew!
Nigel stood between Jane and the iron hoop, doing his best to be as in the way as possible. “I am afraid I cannot let you pass, Miss Jane.”
Jane frowned and looked to either side of Nigel. “I really would rather not hit you with the ball, Your Grace. It might make a terrible mark upon your trousers.”
Nigel laughed. “Well then, it seems we are at an impasse.”
“Come now, cousin, this is most ungentlemanly behaviour,” Lord Briston chided.
Nigel’s cousin, thus far, had been rather restrained in his efforts at distraction and interference, and his score had suffered accordingly. While Olivia and Nigel each stood at five points apiece, and Jane close behind at four, Lord Briston had only one to his name.
“The ladies set the terms, cousin, and I would not disappoint them,” Nigel called back.
