“It was because he needed an heiress,” she stated. “They are miserable. He needed her money and someone to guide us. She had been an unhappy spinster, happy to dictate. Unfortunately, what she brought to the family was not near enough to get us out of debt, which made it impossible for me to ever have a Season,” Frances explained. “As for my new aunt, well, she complained to her father that she was not living in the style that she had been accustomed to and was denied the most current fashions and jewels for the Season. Her father, in turn, provided his daughter with everything she requested, happy that she had finally wed, despite the reasons, but could not assist the rest of us.”
“I am sorry for that.”
“I was a poor relation until I gained access to the gaming tables at entertainments,” she explained as she took the cards from him. Whenever they had played in the past, both shuffled the cards before beginning play. “I can now afford not only to purchase what I wish, but outfit my sisters and cousin, and support my brother. I do not rely on my uncle and I do not want my aunt anywhere near my funds or making decisions. So yes, Seth, I learned much from you. I learned the importance of financial security over friendship and love.”
“You sought your own fortune,” he acknowledged.
“That first Season I was allowed enough pin money to purchase gloves and shoes and those items that I was unable to use from previous generations.” The corner of her mouth twitched. “Or that is what I explained to my uncle. I did use my mother’s gloves, fans and even slippers, but he was none the wiser. My goal had been to have funds of my own if they became necessary. I believe my total purchases that first Season were three ribbons. I kept the remainder of the pin money with me always because one never knows what opportunities may arise, nor did I want my uncle to discover that I had not spent what he provided.” Frances could not help her smile at the memory. “Then one evening I wandered into the card room, quite by mistake, and noted that women also played, not just gentlemen.”
“You risked your few funds in a game of chance?” he asked in surprise. “Was that not reckless?”
“Perhaps,” she answered. “But I remembered your lessons from those long-ago rainy afternoons at the cottage and decided to see how I fared. If I lost, I would never gamble again.”
She returned the cards to Seth as it was his turn to deal. “I did quite well that night. I would have done better had my partner been more attentive to her cards.” She shrugged. “After that evening, I would visit the card room at whatever ball or entertainment that I was attending. If women were playing, I would remain. I studied and learned and once I determined who played well and who played poorly, I took a seat at the table when a partner was required but chose very carefully.”
“You could not have won a fortune playing cards at balls,” he argued.
“I did very well that first year, and the following. When it was determined that I was either skilled or very lucky, more and more gentlemen wished to sit at the same table as I because they were certain a mere woman would not win against them.”
“Gentlemen do not like being bested by a woman.” He chuckled. “Did you ever lose?”
“Of course,” she answered. “If the night was going poorly, I would leave and return to the ball or entertainment because I never sit down at a table with more than I am willing to lose.” She looked up, meeting his eyes. “Not even tonight, Seth.”
He studied her as he picked up his brandy and took a sip. It was the first time either of them had drunk since their game began. Frances never drank while playing cards because she needed a clear head and rational mind.
“I did have better luck playing against gentlemen.” She folded her arms before her on the table and leaned forward, knowing that such a position revealed the swell of her breasts pressed against her bodice to nearly overflowing, then played with the small emerald that dangled from her neck and usually lay nestled at top of her cleavage.
For a moment Seth stared at what she revealed, then looked up, meeting her eyes. They had grown darker.
“However, I am certain that you are not so easily distracted as they were.” With those words, Frances straightened.
Chapter Twenty-Three
In that moment, Seth was torn between admiration for the woman Frances had become and missing the girl she had been and took full blame for the transition.
His mouth had grown dry when she intentionally leaned forward in a manner that forced her breasts higher and wondered how many times she had used such a ploy while gambling against other men. No wonder she successfully won hands.
However, as the game progressed, Seth could not help but note the cold determination in her eyes and chill in her voice. She was not the woman he had left five years ago, or the woman he had been coming to know these past weeks. That woman had been loving, a friend, kind—not the cold mercenary who sat across from him now.
Play continued and Frances won some hands but lost more and with each turn of a card, her funds dwindled further. They had gone through two-thirds of the deck, but the game would be over before they played all the cards.
Had she intended on winning and became bitter because it was likely she would lose everything to him?
He could intentionally lose just to prolong the game, but it went against everything within him to do so, therefore, it was time to bring the game to an end, assuming he would win.
On her deal, the bet he placed was the exact amount that Frances had left.
She raised an eyebrow then nodded before dealing the cards.
Seth held his breath as he looked at his two cards. It was the same as the first hand that had been dealt to him—a ten and an ace, or twenty-one. He flipped them over. Frances simply nodded and turned her own cards over. A ten and an eight then slid what remained of her funds to him.
In any other circumstance, Seth would be thrilled to have had such a successful night at the tables. Except, tonight he had won everything from Frances that she was willing to lose.
Blast!
He should never have played her. It had only put distance between them and he had hoped to soon propose. She would never want to see him again after tonight.
He should have thought this through and lost, intentionally if necessary, then she would have ended the night with twice as much as he began with.
