Monroe narrowed his eyes on him. “I don’t like the sound of this, Upton. Not at all.”
“I don’t blame you. Believe me. Your promise?”
“Very well. I’ll hear you out, but depending on what you say, that’s all I’m willing to allow.”
“Fair enough.” Garrett gestured to a chair. “You may want to take a seat.”
“I think I’ll stand.”
“Very well.” Garrett paced in front of the door to the room, his hands behind his back, frantically searching his mind for the best way to explain all of this. If Monroe knew his cousin better, he might explain it all in one word: Lucy. But Monroe didn’t know Lucy very well and that was the problem. This entire escapade would take more than a bit of explanation.
Deciding expediency was the best policy, he began with, “Cassandra is here.”
Monroe’s eyes widened and he turned to face him. “What? Where?”
“She’s been here the entire time. But—”
“Why did Swift say she wasn’t?” A look of suspicion crossed Monroe’s face.
“Because there’s something quite unusual about this house party. Something Swift doesn’t know about.”
“With all due respect, Upton, what the devil are you talking about?”
Garrett sighed and scrubbed his hand through his hair. This wasn’t going to be easy, not easy at all. He spent the better part of the next ten minutes explaining as much about the charade as he thought Monroe needed to know. Understandably, Monroe asked a barrage of questions, and Garrett answered them one by one.
By the time it was over, Owen looked like a shell-shocked soldier on a battlefield, and Garrett was mentally exhausted. Lucy could certainly weave a complicated web when she wanted to. He’d give her that.
“I have just one more question,” Monroe said, staring at Garrett as if he’d completely lost his mind.
“Yes?”
“What in God’s name makes you think I’ll play along with all of this even for a minute?”
Garrett took a deep breath. He knew gamblers. Gamblers couldn’t say no to a bet, at least that was the wager he was willing to lay all his chips on at the moment.
He gestured to the cards scattered across the nearby table.
“I’ll bet you one hand of piquet. If I win, you play along. If you win, you don’t.”
Monroe narrowed his gaze on Garrett and then looked at the cards. He settled his hands on his hips and expelled his breath. “This is ludicrous, Upton, you know that? We’re talking about my sister here.”
Garrett nodded. “I’m certainly not about to argue that point. Ludicrous is an apt word for it.”
Monroe turned to look at the cards. Garrett could see the internal war he was waging reflected on his face. “Damn it, Upton. Deal.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
After rushing from the gold drawing room, Cass had been unable to find Julian. Instead, she’d hurried upstairs to see Pen, who was busily packing her bags, her maid and chaperone at her side.
“I daresay this is the quickest trip to the country I’ve ever made,” Pen said with a laugh.
“You’re leaving?” Cass asked, her mouth a wide O.
Pen waved a hand in the air. “Yes. The coachman says if we get back on the road right away, we should make it home before supper. It won’t be dark for a while yet.”
“How was your talk with Captain Swift?” Cass asked cautiously. Oh, she hated herself for having to pretend as if she didn’t know what had happened.
“It went much better than even I expected,” Pen said with a smile. “We both let each other down quite easily and pleasantly.”
