When had his life become so unfulfilling?
Decorated in the deep rich colors of green and burgundy, the room was opulent with gilt mirrors and gold trimmings.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Mr. Thompkins.” Zach nodded.
Short with small, round, wire-rimmed spectacles, Thompkins had not a stitch of hair on his head. Always immaculately presented, he looked like a solicitor and in fact was a shrewd businessman who’d started this establishment some ten years ago.
“How is Mrs. Thompkins?”
“Very well, sir. She is to have our first child any day now.”
“I shall look forward to hearing about the arrival.”
Zach’s eyes scanned the tables for one that he wanted to sit at, with the faint hope that idiots were not seated there. He recognized most of the men. He stopped searching when he saw the lady at a table with six men, one of which was Lord Plunge. He’d never seen the man at a gambling establishment before.
“Who is that woman, Mr. Thompkins?”
Not overly tall, she wore a black turban, and her face was covered with a veil. If it was not unusual enough to see a woman gambling here, the veil only added to that. Interest stirred inside Zach.
“Madame Lucienne. This is her second visit. She’s French and has created quite the stir, as our clientele are mostly gentlemen. But she was insistent she play, and after some discussion, I agreed for now. It is not something we nurture, you understand. A woman should not be in such a place, but then she is French, and Lord Plunge vouched for her,” Mr. Thompkins said, sounding like it was a crime she should be tried and hung for.
“Is there a rule concerning women gambling here?” Zach asked.
Thompkins frowned. “We’ve never needed one before, sir.”
“I’m sure her money is as good as the next man’s,” Zach said.
“She certainly has a great deal of it to throw around,” Thompkins said. “I heard she is a widow. Her husband died recently and left her a great deal. There was also the rumor that she is a famous courtesan, hence the veil, as she has no wish for any of her wealthy clients to recognize her.”
People sometimes forgot just how much Thompkins saw and heard. He could be a very dangerous man if crossed.
“I’m sure it is a fleeting thing, and soon she will leave and the memory of a woman inside these hallowed walls will fade.”
Thompkins frowned. “I’ve had a few complaints, but as Madame Lucienne has lost a great deal of money, the men are willing to tolerate her for now.”
“Excellent, now if you will excuse me, I shall find a seat,” Zach said.
He wasn’t sure why she intrigued him, but just looking at her had something stirring inside him that he labeled anticipation.Odd. Not much excited Zach like that these days.
His eyes went to the others at her table and watched Plunge laugh like a braying donkey.
“Mr. Robertson is leaving, sir, if you would like a seat?” a waiter said as he approached the table the Frenchwoman sat at.
“Thank you. I will.” Zach moved to place a hand on the back of the now-empty seat as Sir Giles North stepped up to claim it. “Sorry,” he said with a lack of sincerity. North glared and then walked away.
He was now across from Madame Lucienne and on a slight angle from Plunge. Both looked up at him. He couldn’t tell what the woman was thinking through the veil, but Plunge frowned briefly. It was such an odd expression from the man who the majority of the time walked about smiling like a fool and spouting ridiculous sentences that made Zach want to punch him. He was, to Zach’s mind, a nobleman with too much money and too few brains.
“Plunge,” Zach grunted.
“Mr. Zachariel Deville!” Plunge got off his seat and stumbled in the ridiculous heels he insisted on wearing. He only just managed not to go down by grabbing the back of the chair of a man behind him.
“I say, Plunge, have a care!” the man said as his chair rocked.
“Oh, do forgive me, Lord Cavalier.” Plunge righted himself and bowed. He then straightened the lapels of his pink satin jacket and tweaked the lace that hung from his cuffs.
“Effeminate fool,” Zach muttered.
