“Go with you,” she repeated. “Ride with you in a carriage from London to South Yorkshire. Do you know how long that would take? Do you wish to see me ruined?”
He frowned. “I shall bring Blythe along to act as chaperone.”
“I have no desire to return to South Yorkshire even if it is near my brother’s estate.”
“I still wish you would attend with me.”
“To what purpose? To watch horses race around a track and fools lose their money?”
“I assume you do not approve of wagering on the horses,” he said.
“Do you intend to do so?” she countered.
“Why, yes.”
“Then you, too, are a fool.”
Seth frowned at her. “Why do you say so?”
“Are you familiar with each horse racing? Are you associated with the training each horse received? What of the jockeys? Do you know them all? The same for the owners, and trainers.”
“Statistics are kept on each horse at The Jockey Club. I have made myself familiar,” he argued.
“Yet, anything could happen,” Frances insisted. “Betting on the outcome of a horse race is as risky as wagering on the role of dice.”
“With dice, it is all luck.”
“And unless you have the skill to predict the outcome of a horse race—control as one does over the cards being held in a hand—then winning is pure luck.”
“Ah, but there is no determining how a die will fall, but statistics, and times, and bloodlines of a horse allows a gentleman to make a reasonable prediction of who will likely win.”
“Perhaps,” she admitted. There was far more risk with the role of dice. However, without the proper knowledge or training, she would never wager on a horse race, yet it was a favorite pastime for gentlemen.
“I hope you enjoy the St. Leger Stakes and do not return with empty pockets,” she finally said.
“It would be far more fun if you would join me.”
“I cannot be away from Athena’s Salon,” Frances reminded him. “I have only just begun working there and do not wish to be sacked before the year is out.”
“Neither my cousin nor Lady Bethany would do so,” Seth promised.
“That is only because I suspect them of still attempting to play at matchmaker,” Frances begrudgingly admitted. No doubt they would happily send her on her way. Instead, she would likely lose her position when she finally exacted her revenge on Seth and no doubt her leaving Athena’s Salon would not be so pleasant.
When they turned the corner and were once again nearing her home, Seth paused. “What shall we do tomorrow afternoon?”
She cocked her head and looked up at him. “You are assuming that I have no other plans and that I will be at home to you.”
He placed a hand over his heart. “I truly hope that you are free and will welcome me into your parlor.”
She ducked her chin and smiled. “Perhaps. We shall see what tomorrow brings.”
“Minx,” he muttered under his breath, then leaned closer. “We could attempt playing billiards again.”
Her face heated at the very idea. “I believe I understand the rules and am no longer in need of lessons.”
“You claimed not to understand them last evening.”
“I will borrow a book from the lending library,” Frances dismissed because she did not want Seth to know how vulnerable she was around him.
