A Little Bit Scandalous (4 page)

“I’ve prepared everything for us,” he said. “If you have no objections, we can simply play the two of us, taking turns dealing.”

She shook her head. “I have no objections.”

“Excellent. Grimm, that will be all.” The butler bowed, then closed the door behind him.

Roe stepped over to the table and took a seat. There was no need to wait for her to sit first as he would a lady, after all.

“Thank you for the invitation,” the boy said quietly, and Roe could clearly hear the soft lilt of a woman’s voice. He shouldn’t have missed it the other night.

“You are quite welcome. You have impressive skills with the cards. It is nice to find a worthy opponent. And I don’t have any prostitutes hiding in the hall to distract you tonight.”

She nodded and said nothing else, but he caught sight of a small smile. She took her seat but did not look up at him.

The lighting was much better in his study than in Rodale’s and whilst Roe shuffled the cards, he took another moment to study the “boy’s” features. He was fascinated, and a bit annoyed with himself, that he hadn’t recognized it before. But he’d been focused on Cabot. And, well, he had to admit her disguise was quite good.

She had a pert nose that tilted up slightly at the tip, defined cheekbones, and a bow-shaped mouth. It appeared she’d gone to great lengths with her clothes to hide any curves she might possess, and it seemed she’d done something to dull what Roe suspected would be a natural glow to her cheeks and lips. Perhaps it was the soot that marred her complexion. The flat cap she wore covered her eyes so he couldn’t determine their color.

He dealt the cards and watched her as she studied her hand.

Her hands were small, with fingers that were long and delicate. Her nails were blunt and covered in soot. No doubt she was trying to pass for a chimney sweep.

She had taken great care with her disguise and it had obviously worked, since she’d been successfully playing at Rodale’s for nearly two months. It was on Roe’s mind to inquire as to how much money she’d acquired in that amount of time, but he kept the question to himself. Perhaps it was best asked later, once her identity had been revealed.

“Now then, shall we play?”

Again she inclined her head, obviously taking great care not to speak overly much. He’d noticed this about her the other times they’d played. Perhaps her voice was too feminine. That was how he could get her to reveal herself. Get her talking and open the door for him to call her out.

She asked for a card, then decided to stay with her hand. He looked at his own cards, took one, then another. Eighteen. She flipped hers over, revealing a twenty. She won. He handed her the deck for her deal.

“How long have you been playing?”

She dealt them each a hand. “Since I was young.”

He listened for signs of a French accent, but found none. That didn’t mean her family couldn’t be French. “Did your father teach you?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“My father didn’t teach me, either. It was a mate from school. He was originally from France, but he ended up at Eton. I’ve been playing ever since.” She was quite crafty at avoiding lengthy conversations. Perhaps she was shy, but he suspected it was more to hide her identity. He wasn’t deterred by her short answers. “Have you been in London long?”

Briefly, her eyes—lovely brown eyes—flickered to his, then she looked back down at the table. There was something about those eyes, something oddly familiar. “Your Grace, I’d prefer to focus my attention on my cards.”

“Very well.” So, conversation was not going to work. He’d need another tactic. They played in silence for several hands, her winning some, him winning the others. She truly was a worthy opponent. He almost hated to unveil her identity since doing so would most certainly mean the end of their rivalry.

Caroline did her very best to focus on her cards and the ones coming out of the deck. She felt certain she had an accurate count, but damnation if Roe wouldn’t stop talking. And damnation also that the lighting in his study was so much clearer and brighter than it had been at Rodale’s. She could see his features all the more, which meant he could see her features as well. He was still as bloody handsome as she remembered him being, if not more so. And just as cavalier.

She should never have accepted this invitation. Should never have come here. Her foolish pride and arrogance is what brought her here. She was determined to beat him, to walk out of his house with a fatter purse. Winning money from him somehow would mean more. But that was asinine. His money was no different than any other man’s.

Only two more days until she could see the state of her family home, and then she’d truly know what kind of funds she needed. Until then, she’d keep playing and winning. But for tonight, she could play only a few more hands. His scrutiny was making her nervous, and she was far more likely to make a mathematical error when she was addled.

She checked her hand—a six and a four. He’d stayed with his, not asking for any additional cards, so she knew he had a good hand.

“How many women have you bedded?”

Her breath caught in her throat. Good heavens. Was that truly what men discussed? Was it a common question, common information shared? What should she say? She thought she could easily pass for a boy of twenty. How many women should a man of twenty have bedded? She had no notion of the appropriate range. One? Four? Four seemed an awful lot for a boy of twenty.

She looked back at her cards, still a six and a four. She dealt herself another card, a ten. “I don’t believe that’s necessary,” she said in hopes he’d drop the subject.

Roe nodded knowingly. “Ah, I see, you are still a virgin.” He gave her a smirk.

“That is not what I said.” Arguing with him made no sense. There was no need to defend Mr. Grey, he did not exist, so it mattered not how many women he would have bedded.

“But your refusal to answer the question is answer enough.”

“Faulty logic,” Caroline said, careful to lower the tone of her voice. She should make an excuse and get the hell out of there before her disguise was destroyed.

“You’re being evasive,” he said, looking up at her face, but she refused to meet his gaze. “And you’re blushing.”

She pushed back her chair and stood. “I should be going now.”

He stood also. He was between her and the door in seconds, moving faster than she would have thought possible for a man of his size. “But we’ve barely begun playing.”

There was a double meaning in his voice. Panic pulsed through her veins, but she pushed it aside. Had he seen through her disguise? He couldn’t know who she was, because that would most certainly mean the end of her charade and she still had money to earn.

“I was …” God, had she forgotten to drop her voice? She edged back a step. “I have to leave.”

He followed her back one step, then another. He grasped her chin in his hand and for one heart-wrenching moment
, she had the absurd impression he was going to kiss her. But then he stopped. “Even if you clean chimneys, you could wash your face.” His gaze narrowed as he searched her face. “First, we need to settle up. I believe after this last hand, you owe me something.”

She jerked her head up and looked at him square in the face. “I owe you nothing.” Damnation, she’d forgotten to disguise her voice.

His eyes widened, then narrowed in on her face. He took a step away from her, scrubbing his hand down his face. She knew in that moment that he recognized her.

“Son of a bitch!” he said. “Caroline Jellico!”

The game was up and she had no one to blame but herself. She blew out a breath. “Hello, Monroe,” she said, allowing her voice to return to normal. “So, you didn’t know it was me until just this moment?”

“No. I knew
you
were a woman, but I had no notion it was you.”

“My voice?”

“I suppose. All of it together. Standing this close to you, your eyes. Damnation! What the hell are you doing in London?” He turned and pointed at her. “And what are you doing playing at Rodale’s?”

“Playing cards, the same as you,” she said with an indifferent shrug.

“But you’re a woman.”

“Precisely the reason I’m in disguise.” She tore the hat off her head and scratched at the back of her neck. Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders and she gave her head a little shake, relieved to have her hair released. Then she realized he was staring and she stilled, unsettled beneath the weight of his gaze. She wasn’t used to being looked at, not like that.

“No one else has noticed I’m not a man,” she said quietly.

“You don’t know that.”

She frowned. “Of course I do. Otherwise someone would have called me on it. Had me removed.” Or worse, but she didn’t allow herself to think about that. “If you knew I was a woman, why did you invite me here tonight to play cards?”

“I wanted to expose you, frighten you. A gaming hell is no place for a woman. Men there will treat you no differently than they would Reggie.”

He was right, of course, she knew that.

“Does Justin know?”

“No, of course not.”

“What made you think this would even work?”

“It
is
working. It has been working for the past two months.
You
are the only one who could possibly recognize me,” she said. “Were it not for your blasted pride, you wouldn’t have had to go in the back room to see the boy who always won. Then you never would have known it was me.”

“I could say the same for your pride as evidenced by your presence here tonight.”

“Touché.”

“In any case, you weren’t the only reason I went into the back room that night. Merely a convenient excuse.”

“Cabot?”

He nodded. “I’ve tried to hire him and he refuses me. I thought if I met him in person, under different circumstances…” He waved his hand dismissively. “It matters not.” He shook his head and was quiet a moment before he spoke again.

“I knew you were a woman when we played last.” He rubbed his face again, then the back of his neck. “I didn’t realize what woman, but I knew you were
a
woman. It’s only a matter of time before others realize the truth.”

“That’s ridiculous. If you had simply stayed out in the front room where you belong, then none of this would have happened. Now you’ve drawn attention to me. Unnecessary attention, I might add.”

“Where have you been staying?”

“Your Aunt Aggie’s.”

His jaw clenched and he released a seething breath through his teeth. “Does my mother know what you’re doing in London?”

She paused a moment before answering. “It was her idea.”

He shook his head. “
That
I should have seen coming. This game is over and we’re going over there right now. I have much to discuss with my dear mother.”

…

They rode over to his aunt’s townhome in silence. Roe had more he wanted to say to Caroline, but he needed to speak with his mother first. He’d expected it to be a woman dressed as a boy, but he’d never expected to see his own ward standing in his study. He’d been her legal guardian since she was fifteen, but it had been several years since he’d seen her last. She lived full-time with his mother at his country estate in Dorset, and in truth, he hadn’t been there in far too long. He’d simply allowed his mother to oversee anything that needed doing.

Caroline had come to London when she’d turned eighteen, and his mother had introduced her to polite Society. At the time, Roe had not expected it to take her long to attract several suitors and marriage proposals. But she hadn’t even stayed the entire Season.

The night before they’d come to London Caroline had offered herself to him—proposed marriage, if a woman could do such a thing. By then she’d grown into a beauty, tall, lithe, and every bit woman. She’d said she wanted only him, that she’d make him a good wife.

He’d been so surprised, so entranced by her words and the heartfelt expression in her eyes, he’d been tempted, but not tempted to marry her. He’d been so close to saying yes simply so he could scandalize her in every way imaginable. Then the irony of it all had hit him. She spoke of tenderness, and he thought only of the carnal things he could do to her. The disparity of her innocence and his lust stopped the words in his throat.

He’d told her he couldn’t, that it was because he was her guardian. And that was the truth. Her brother had entrusted him to care for Caroline, to see that she had the best in the world. Roe knew that he was not the best the world could offer, so he’d sent her away.

The carriage jolted to a stop in front of his aunt’s townhome. He escorted Caroline into the blue parlor where he knew his aunt would be. It was her favorite room and when he had occasion to visit her, usually the third Sunday of the month, he always found her there. As he and Caroline stepped into the room, her hat removed, hair unbound, it was no doubt quite evident what had happened.

“Oh dear,” Aggie said.

His mother stood and glided over to him, always the picture of composure and grace. “Monroe, love, it’s so good to see you.” She embraced him.

It was good to see her, too, but damnation, he was furious at the moment. “I’m angry with you, Mother,” he said, though he allowed her to hug him.

“Yes, that sort of thing happens time and again,” she said, seemingly not bothered by his anger. She patted his cheek and smiled warmly at him. “Caroline, why don’t you go change your clothes?”

Relief washed over Caroline’s features and she quickly fled the room.

“Aunt Aggie, you’re looking well.” Roe gave her a slight bow. “Mother, do we need to go to another room to speak privately?”

The duchess rolled her eyes heavenward. “Aggie, be a dear and see if Caroline needs any assistance.”

His aunt stood. She stopped by Roe, put her hand on his arm. “I told them it was a bad idea.”

“Of that, I have no doubt.” He waited until they were alone, then turned to face his mother. She was still such a pretty woman, poised and unflappable, and she faced him head on, her green eyes set, that stubborn chin of hers tilted ever so much.

“Say what you must,” she said.

“What the devil were you thinking? She could have been attacked, beaten, or raped.” He shook his head. He made an effort to soften his tone. He refused to speak to her the way his father had, since she’d dealt with enough of that when the man had been alive, and she didn’t need it from her son, too. “Did none of that occur to either of you when you concocted this foolish plan?”

“Don’t be daft, boy. I’m not an idiot.” Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. “Of course we considered all of those things. She was not in Rodale’s alone.” She walked back to where she’d been sitting and resumed her seat.

“Does Justin know?” The thought occurred to Roe quickly, and at once, he was furious with his brother.

“Of course not. I doubt Justin would have allowed such a thing.”

Roe paced the length of the room twice
before sitting across from his mother. He leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees.

“I meant only that we were prepared.” She crossed her legs at the ankles. “Please realize I would never have put her in danger. Caroline was not in there alone. Aggie’s most trusted servant accompanied her, kept an eye on things, and was prepared to remove her if things became questionable.”

“A servant. Splendid.” He rubbed at the stubble on his jaw. “Mother, I cannot imagine why you thought this was such a grand idea, sending her in there with those men.”

“
You
are one of those men.”

He pointed at her. “Precisely. And it only took me playing her twice to realize
he
was actually a
she
.”

She held up one finger. “Ah, but you have always been more observant than most. You and your brother.” She frowned. “I suppose that means the trait came from your father. Must be the only good thing he gave either one of you.” She waved her hand. “In any case, her disguise was quite good. Even you must admit that.”

“But why a disguise to begin with?”

“Well, she certainly couldn’t go into Rodale’s as a woman,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Caroline would never have been admitted. Or at least she wouldn’t be allowed to play. And she wanted to play.”

“By all means then, we must cater to her every whim.” It was an unfair statement; he knew it as soon as the words left his mouth. There had been no catering when it came to Caroline. She had lost everything.

“Monroe, honestly, the girl has lived such a dull life, trapped in the country with only me to keep her company. She loves to play, which if you remember correctly, is your doing.
You
taught her the game.” She was quiet for a moment. “She’s quite good, isn’t she?” She smiled broadly.

“That isn’t the point!” His anger was subsiding. It was his mother’s way. She was such a pleasant creature that it was difficult to remain surly in her presence, though his father had managed to do precisely that for more than twenty years.

“You can’t deny it, though I suppose you don’t have to acknowledge it aloud. I suspect you are going to insist we leave for the country.”

“On the contrary. I am going to insist you come back home with me. I should like to keep an eye on you two for a while, lest I discover you’ve gone to Brighten and are playing in the hells there.” He shook his head.

She reached forward and touched his hand. “I love her, Monroe, as I would my own daughter. I would never have put her in harm’s way.”

He exhaled slowly. “I know you wouldn’t, but honestly, Mother, a gaming hell is no place for a lady.”

“Neither is hiding in the countryside.” He said nothing in response, so she nodded. “I shall go and have our belongings packed. We will be ready to return to your townhome within the hour.”