Not so dense after all, apparently. “Well, of course.” However, why did he have that sparkle in his eyes?
He pushed aside his dessert plate. “Before I accept this challenge, I would like to know what the prize is.”
“The winner’s choice.”
Her Grump glared at her. “More specifically, what would be your prize? In the off chance that you win, of course.”
Off chance! “WhenI win, you will allow the girls to have a puppy. One from the same litter as the one Mr. Ford brought Burwood.” With no intention of losing, she dearly hoped there would be at least one puppy left.
Eyes narrowed, he studied her. “That’s all? A puppy? No hidden agenda or condition?”
She shook her head, although her mind began to wander and turned again to the supposed secret passageway at the wordhidden.“What would you like on the off chance thatyouwin?”
Pursing his lips, he closed his eyes and stroked his chin. “Let me see. What would I like?”
“Don’t strain yourself, especially considering you won’t win.”
“Confident, aren’t you? Very well. I would like to see this book of Alice’s you spoke of, and from it I get to choose”—he glancedaround him to where footmen stood silently against the wall—“how we shall spend our evening.”
With a wicked grin, Colin rose and held out his hand to escort her to their match.
In an instant, her desire to win waned at the same moment her cheeks flamed.
Yet, she refused to allow Colin to sway her with promises of pleasure. For the girls, she vowed to do all in her power to secure them a puppy.
Granted, she didn’t know Colin’s skill at billiards, but he clearly underestimated hers. She would offer him a worthy challenge.
With two older brothers and an indulgent father when she was growing up, Anne had pestered them relentlessly to teach her to play.
Something about hitting those little balls around the table was so satisfying. Thecrackof ivory against ivory, theplunkas they fell into the pocket, determining spin and angles that resulted in the most amazing shots. Especially on those days when either Andrew or Arthur teased her mercilessly, and she yearned to put them in their place.
And although it hadn’t been long ago that she’d wished to do the same with Colin, something in the last few days had changed her view of him.
In the game room, Colin called servants to light the oil lamps hanging over the table and requested one of them to remain. “Keep score, Alan. I wouldn’t want my wife to accuse me of cheating.”
Anne wanted to wipe that smug grin off her husband’s face.
Colin selected a cue stick and twirled it between his palms. “What are the rules? I suppose there will be a handicap?”
Picking out a cue stick, she turned and delivered her own wicked grin. “Only if you require one.”
He scoffed, no doubt believing she was all bluster with nothing to back it up. Oh, how she would relish proving him wrong.
“I was referring to a handicap for you, Nymph. But if you truly don’t wish to win that puppy for the girls...”
“Generous of you, but no. However, if youchange your mind after we begin, I’m willing to allow you five additional points on a game of twenty.”
His eyebrows hitched. “Most generous of you as well. Shall we see if we’re evenly matched?” He placed the balls on the table. “And since you don’t wish me to condescend and allow you, as a woman, to go first, shall we lag to determine order?”
She wanted to examine the table prior to the lag instead of guessing blindly how much force she needed to get her ball closest to the baulk line.
Since it was his home, he would have a better feel of the slope of the table. No matter how well made, or how richly appointed the room in which it stood, Anne found there was always a bit of a slope. Her advantage was that he most likely didn’t realize sheknewthat.
“Give me a moment.”
First, she walked around the table, assessing not only it, but the floorboards and thick Aubusson carpet. Barely perceptible, the floorboards gave a creak and dipped ever so slightly toward the windows on the far wall. She catalogued that as well as how the carpet bunched just a little under the right leg of the table away from the windows.
Amusement sparkled in his eyes when she returned to join him. “Enjoy your stroll around the table?”
