Tristan watched him. Not even an eyelash twitched as he reviewed his cards.
Tristan had to say something to shake him. His gaze moved to Lady Amelia and then Blakewood. Who was the weak link? A lesser man would think Lady Amelia, being a woman, but her tactics weredifferent from her brother. She used her amusement and humor to hide.
“Lady Amelia and Blakewood will have much better chairs,” he said. He had to keep Alston talking.
“Do you want a new chair?” Alston asked blankly. “I can have one brought to you.”
Tristan shook his head. He could attack his pride, his vanity, his virility, but those things were too easy. He could hit low with something about his deceased parents, but he abhorred the idea.
Tristan cleared his throat. “How well do you plait hair?” he asked.
Alston blinked once and frowned. “What?”
“You’ve a sister. Presumably, you know how to plait hair.”
Lady Amelia set one card face down. “I bid,” she said, since she didn’t have anything to add to their imaginary pot. Alston took her card and slid it under the deck and dealt her a new one. Tristan watched her for a reaction. She smiled, appearing delighted with her new card, and Tristan knew she was lying. Now it was his turn.
“Trade?” he asked Blakewood, who sat on his left.
Blakewood nodded and they slid each other cards face down.
Alston knocked on the table and they lay out their cards. Blakewood won.
“I’m at a loss for how there is skill in this game,” Tristan admitted.
“You aren’t paying attention,” Alston said.
“I am. I’m watching all of you very carefully.”
“But not the cards. You have to consider what cards we might have,” Alston said.
“With only knowing the three that I have? That’s ridiculous.”
Alston shrugged and dealt again. “Too difficult? I’m surprised you’d give up so easily.”
“I’m not giving up,” Tristan retorted. “But I reserve the right to complain.”
Alston smiled. At his cards or at Tristan? Either way. It was a reaction.
“How am I supposed to guess what you have?”
“Think of the suits,” Lady Amelia said. “There are only so many combinations. Trade?” she said as she raised an eyebrow at him.
He narrowed his gaze at her. “No.”
She pouted, but then grinned.
“I bid,” he said. He sent his weakest card back to the deck and accepted a new one. A king? Now that he could work with, along with his queen and ace.
“You’ve got a good hand,” Alston said.
Tristan winced. “What did I do?”
“You looked at your cards for too long.”
“You do nothing but stare at yours,” Tristan returned.
Alston smirked. “Do I? Then how did I see you?”
