“Do you have any friends in town who were stationed in Greece around that time?” Jane persisted. She must know a number of naval officers. Surely someone could provide more information. “The lieutenant is far too modest to recount the tale properly himself, but I’m sure we would all love to hear more about his heroism.”
“An excellent idea.” Mrs. Muller smiled as she presented her hand, a natural, and won the round. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
Finally, she might regain the upper hand. And prove to Della and the others that Eli didn’t deserve their admiration.
As the evening wore on, the champagne flutes emptied, the conversation grew boisterous, and the bets grew larger. The ladies were in such high spirits that it was nearing three in the morning when Jane finally called for an end to play, her purse seven pounds heavier. It was the most she’d made in a single night, though only a fraction of what she could do in time if they were to expand and set up more profitable games.
Her future premises would be large enough to hold tables for faro and baccarat, certainly. A room devoted to dice games such as hazard, if she had the space.
Even once Della’s footmen began clearing away the cards and refreshments, their guests were slow to peel off from the group, lingering breathlessly over Eli before they went.
“Next Monday is canceled for Ascot,” Della reminded everyone as they donned their cloaks and gloves. “We reconvene as usual the following week.”
Without our unwelcome visitor.
He was lurking about, clearly hoping for a private word, but Jane slid into her cloak as soon as the entrance cleared out. Far safer to let Della deal with him.
“I’ll see you to your carriage,” he offered.
“There’s no need.” Free of their audience, she wasn’t going to mince words.
But therewasstill an audience, for Della came rushing to his aid.
“I’m sure Jane only refused your kind offer because she’s embarrassed to tell you she didn’t bring a carriage. She’s in the habit of walking home.”
Traitor.
“You intend to walk?” He seemed unable to believe it. “It’s three in the morning!”
“Thank you, Lieutenant, I can read the clock,” Jane replied, struggling to rein in her exasperation.
“I’m sure she’d be grateful if you saw her back safely.” Della pressed Eli’s hat into his open hands, practically shoving them out the door. “Good night!”
“Please don’t accompany me,” Jane repeated as the door slammed shut. “There’s really no need. I walk this path a dozen times a week.”
“At three in the morning,” he said again. “You can’t possibly think I’ll agree.”
“You know it’s only at the end of the street. You can already see our shrubbery from here, and no robbers appear to be hiding in it.” She wouldn’t have gone out alone at this hour if it were anywhere else, but the distance was so scant that it took more time to harness the horses than it did to arrive.
Eli sighed. Loudly. “You’re being contrary for no reason again.”
“I will own only the first half of that statement.”
That silenced Eli for a long moment, though he still followed her, his footfalls far louder than her own in the still night. Jane tried not tonotice anything about him, but it proved impossible. Even obscured in shadows, his tall, athletic frame took up all the space in her mind. Where she refused to look, her memory and imagination conspired against her to sketch his profile—the strong lines of his brow and nose softened by those rich, coffee-brown eyes. She caught glimpses of the stubble that roughened his jaw this long after his morning shave. It was no wonder her entire club had swooned over him.
In spite of herself, Janedidfeel safer with Eli beside her.
“What do you do with your winnings?” he asked as they passed the third house on their path. Already halfway there. “Do they go toward your pin money, or are you saving up for something?”
“Who’s to say we win much of anything?” It was too late to close Pandora’s box, but she wouldn’t grant Eli any more information than he already possessed. The less he knew about her club, the less influence he held over her. He had too much already. “Luck is fickle.”
“Please give me some credit. You were never a gambler, and I doubt you’d have put so much time and effort into a card club if you weren’t sure it would turn a profit.”
It wasn’t fair that he could read her so easily. Nor that he should remember such details about her life years after he’d walked out of it. Jane would far rather be a mystery. When he behaved as though he still knew her well, it made her long for the easy companionship that once linked them.
This was silly. She wasn’t lonely when she had Della and her uncle and brother around. Why should she miss Eli’s attention?
But there was something different about his company, and it wasn’t only that he was so easy to look at. He listened in a way that no one else did, with a sympathy that said her triumphs and hardships were his own. He shared his light without even thinking of it. When Jane basked in the glow of his full attention, she felt as though she were the most interesting person in the room.
