Until John had proposed a game of hazards.
And Sudworth had been beating the odds all night. John was almost afraid to propose his wager for fear of losing.
He squeezed the nob of his walking stick. Almost. Precautions had been taken.
Sudworth shoved Elsbeth off his lap, ignoring her glare. He tossed up the die and snatched it from the air. “Well, amusing as this has been, I have places to be, people to do.” He scooped up the blunt John had lost.
“And here I thought you were a real gambler.” John smoothed his cravat down his chest. “I still have money to waste. Why not be the fortunate beneficiary of it?”
“Do you?” Sudworth placed the dice in a wooden cup and knocked them about. “Until you earn back your deed, your finances aren’t in the best of shape.”
“Breaking into the Dutch embassy wasn’t an end to my service?” John faked a yawn. “What a surprise.”
Sudworth barked a laugh. “You do amuse me, Summerset. One more job, I think.”
There was never just one more job. “And this one? Am I to steal the king’s crown?”
“Nothing so dramatic.” He jerked his head at one of his men. The ruffian pushed off the wall and escorted Elsbeth from the room. “All I want is for you to blow up the Dutch ambassador’s residence.”
John stilled. “Your definition of dramatic seems to differ from mine. What has the man done to you?”
“Nothing at all.”
“And yet you want him dead.” Thank heavens this charade ended tonight. There was no way to fake destroying a building.
Sudworth shrugged. “The man doesn’t have to be at home.”
John’s mind flew. First an attempt to malign Sir Raffles’s reputation. Second, a stolen document and map of apparent trading routes from the Dutch embassy. Now, an outright attack on Holland’s interests.
Trading routes….“Everything is money to you. All of this will somehow increase your profits.”
Sudworth picked up his glass of Scotch whisky and took a sip. “You wound me. You don’t believe I want justice against Raffles?”
John didn’t even bother to respond to that absurdity. “Raffles is working on a treaty with the Dutch. Trying to stabilize the region of the West Indies. If the ambassador is attacked, relations between the two countries will be strained. The treaty might fail.”
“And the British Empire might lose some of the territory it’s stolen,” Sudworth said.
John snorted. “Don’t play that game with me. I know you care nothing about the morality of our politics.” He tapped his thumb on the walking stick. “But you do care about freedom for your trade routes. And if you’re worried a stronger government presence in the area will stop what you’re shipping, it must not be legal.”
Sudworth narrowed his eyes. “As I said, I have to leave. I don’t have time for your guessing games.”
“Not even for the chance to win fifty thousand pounds?” John swallowed past the lump in his throat. He would have to sell off many of his properties if he lost. He would have next to nothing. But he needed a number high enough to pique the man’s interest. “I propose one more game. Winner take all.”
Sudworth’s eyebrows shot up. “Fifty thousand for my deed?”
“My brother’s estate, while large, is in need of many repairs. It is a fair bet.” He forced his shoulders to relax. “But if you are afraid of losing, I understand.”
Sutton slipped through the door and gave John a nod. He shuffled to the side table and poured himself a drink. A large one. The nod told John their mission had been successful; the whisky said it hadn’t been easy.
“Besides, soon that fifty thousand will be all you have to live upon.” John leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think you can afford not to play.”
One of his ruffians pushed off the wall, not liking John’s tone, but Sudworth held up a hand. “Explain.”
John pretended to examine his ring. “Your scheme has been thwarted. Your associates have been taken in for questioning. Liverpool is aware of everything.”
Sudworth’s shoulders inched towards his ears. “I doubt he knowseverything. Even you don’t understand my motives.”
“Slaves.” Sutton’s knuckles whitened around his glass. “The English have been trying to eliminate slavery around the world, and the effort is cutting into his profits.”
