Wait. Were they still talking about chess? Because there was a curious gleam in her blue eyes he’d never seen before, and taken together with that smile… oh, Miss Templeton wanted to beat him at chess as badly as he did her, and he was morecurious than he should be to find out which of them would emerge the victor.
He was more curious aboutherthan he ought to be. When had that happened?
“White, or black, my lord?” She paused beside the table, her long, delicate fingers hovering over the pieces.
“Since I’m quite sure you’ve cast me as the villain, Miss Templeton, I’ll take black.” He gestured to the left side of the table, where the ebony pieces sat in a neat row on the board, ready for their first attack.
“Villain?” She took her seat, glancing up at him, eyebrows aloft. “I’ve no idea what you mean, my lord. This is merely a friendly game of chess.”
“That remains to be seen.” He seated himself across from her, waving a hand at the board. “I await your first move, Miss Templeton.”
She didn’t hesitate but slid her pawn to E4 with the confidence of a lady who’d practiced her opening gambit.
He followed, predictably, by moving his pawn to E5. They shifted their pawns about for a bit, both of them avoiding any risky or unexpected moves, neither of them speaking as they took each other’s measure.
It was promising to be the dullest game of chess imaginable, until at last she said, “I’m afraid Harriett was made quite unhappy by Lord Farthingale’s presence at dinner this evening, my lord.” As she spoke, she moved her knight across the board, threatening his pawn.
“Are you trying to distract me from the game, Miss Templeton? It won’t work.”
“I don’t need such paltry tricks as that, I assure you, Lord Fairmont.”
“As for Harriett, we agreed your, er… matchmaking services weren’t required this season.” He slid his knight forward tocontest the center of the board, then raised his head to meet her eyes. “Harriett’s matrimonial prospects are not your concern.”
“I beg your pardon, my lord. We didn’tagreeon anything. You stated your opinion on the matter, and I said nothing at all.” Without pausing to consider her move, she picked up her knight and dropped it directly behind her pawn.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Sacrificing your knight for a measly pawn, Miss Templeton? Rather reckless, don’t you think?”
“I prefer to play an aggressive game, my lord.” She waited, hands folded primly in her lap as he moved his pawn, and took her knight. “It’s curious that you took my silence the other afternoon for agreement. I wonder if you often make that same mistake with Harriett.”
“My position regarding Harriett’s marriage prospects isn’t anopinion, Miss Templeton. It is, quite simply, what I expect to happen.”
“I see. It occurs to me, Lord Fairmont, that you’re in a position to do Lord Gilbert a good turn.”
“Why in the world would I want to do that? I hardly know the man.” He’d just as soon keep it that way, too. He didn’t have any use for fools like Gilbert.
“Because he’s a friend of Harriett’s, Lord Fairmont, and because he’d benefit from the tutelage of a more experienced gentleman. One such as yourself.”
“I’m not a nursemaid, Miss Templeton. Now, attend the game, if you please. You’ve just lost your knight.”
“Have I? Dear me.” She didn’t hesitate, but moved her queen into position three spaces to the right of his pawn, as if she’d envisioned the move three turns ago. “Check.”
“Wait.” What the devil had just happened? He stared at the board and saw his mistake at once. When he’d moved to take her knight, he’d exposed his king and left his rooks, bishops, and queen no way out. How had he not seen it?
“Your mistake was in not risking your queen earlier, my lord. Right here.” She tapped the empty square at E7. “If you’d done that, you’d have skewered my knight and pawn, and been in a position to threaten my king.”
Patronizing bit of baggage. “Yes, thank you, Miss Templeton. I see it now.”
“Alas, it’s rather too late, I’m afraid. Chess isn’t a game for the faint of heart, my lord. It’s rather like the marriage mart that way. Don’t you think so?”
“I do not. The marriage mart isn’t a game, Miss Templeton, though I shouldn’t be surprised that you find it so, playing at matchmaking as you do.”
Oh, she didn’t like that at all. She showed little outward reaction, but he could see her anger in the infinitesimal narrowing of her dark blue eyes as clearly as if she’d let out a shriek of rage, and upended the chess board onto the carpet, scattering the pieces everywhere.
He’d quite like to see that, now he thought of it, but first…
He seized his king, sliding it to E7, and taking it out of check. “Indeed, I’m surprised you’ve decided to remain in London, Miss Templeton. I hope it isn’t because you intend to interfere with Harriett’s season, despite my wishes. Unless I didn’t make myself clear?”
“You made yourself perfectly clear, Lord Fairmont.” She met his gaze directly now, that mysterious little smile flirting with the corners of her lips. “I promise you, I have no intention of attempting to matchmake Harriett this season.”
