“She must have me mistaken for someone else,” Montrose grumbled, folding his hand when the betting came around to him.
“I know a similar story to that,” Lord Cecil said, smiling placidly at his cards and placing a bet on the table. “It is a story of my daughter and how a certain someone served as a liaison between her and a particular industrialist, then turned around and blackmailed both of them.” He lowered his cards and smiled viciously at Montrose. “Poor Jenny has been living in Italy ever since.”
Montrose paled and pushed his chair back slightly. He moved as if to stand, but the tough behind him stepped forward and plunked a hand on his shoulder.
“Game’s not over yet, guv’nor,” the man said.
Joseph rather thought the game was over, at least for Montrose. It took all of his effort not to grin. Whether it was Westminster’s doing or Long’s, the entire table where they sat and played now was stacked with men whom Montrose had wronged. Montrose had to know he wasn’t leaving the room in one piece.
The game continued at what felt like a slow pace to Joseph, now that he knew victory was so close. He truly didn’t know how to play poker well, and even though he had a few lucky hands, his money dwindled quickly. He was the first one out of the game.
“Bad luck, Joe,” Long called to him from across the table. “Maybe cards aren’t your game.” He grinned as if he knew what Joseph’s true game was—bringing Montrose to his knees.
“I shall have to practice next time, I suppose,” Joseph said, rising from the table.
He rested his hand on Ellen’s shoulder for a moment. Ellen made a show of hiding her cards, then grinning sweetly up at him. Joseph could barely resist kissing her before moving away from the table to stand by Francis’s side.
Francis had been suspiciously quiet throughout the game, and he remained so as that particular hand finished. Only when Long raked in his winnings and another hand was dealt did he speak.
“I never would have guessed this mad game was a good idea, but I am beginning to see the value in it,” he whispered against Joseph’s ear. “I’ve never seen Montrose so terrified.”
“He can play as long as he likes, but he knows the game is over,” Joseph murmured back.
Francis smiled at him. There was a new, impressed light in his brother’s eyes. For perhaps the first time in his adult life, Joseph felt as though Francis admired him. “Well done, little brother,” he said, then shifted so that he could pat Joseph’s shoulder.
The simple gesture filled Joseph with a pride that was desperately needed. After everything he’d done, everything he’d struggled through, it appeared as though his brother saw him as a man after all. Whatever happened to Montrose now was irrelevant. In that tiny room, under those intense circumstances, Joseph knew that the way forward with his brother would be bright and prosperous for them both.
The game continued, and as the hour grew late, it seemed to pick up pace. Mr. Foley went out next, and shortly after him, Prince Petrus went out as well. The prince came to stand with Joseph and Francis.
“I’m terribly sorry that we have not had the chance to meet properly and discuss our…connection earlier,” Petrus told Joseph with a kind smile. “I have wanted to get to know you better for quite some time.”
“I would like to become better acquainted with you as well,” Joseph said warmly.
He would have said more, but there was a commotion at the table as Westminster lost his last hand after going all in—not just with the amount he had at the table, but with a large sum he’d taken from the wallet in his jacket pocket. It seemed the game was reaching the stage where bets were so high the players had to call on other resources. It was exactly where they’d all planned for the game to go.
Two hands after that, Lord Cecil was driven out under similar circumstances. That left Long with a huge pile of cash in front of him, Montrose with a pile that was almost as large, and Ellen with what seemed like a dangerously small amount in front of her.
Joseph was alarmed when Long grinned across the table at Ellen and said, “What do you think, Miss Garrett? If you wish to be excused from the game before your losses add up, I’m certain Montrose would allow it.”
“Yes, yes, I don’t care,” Montrose said, shuffling through the hand he’d just been dealt with a red face and somewhat glazed eyes. The man must have felt as though he might have a chance to win after all.
“I don’t think so,” Ellen said, sounding hesitant. “I’m just beginning to understand this game, I think.”
“If you say so,” Long said with a shrug.
The tough standing behind Montrose chuckled again, looking as though he were watching an excessively exciting circus attraction.
Another hand was played, which Ellen won, though the betting hadn’t been particularly high. It left her with a reasonable amount of money in front of her. All the same, Joseph was nervous as the next hand was dealt. Montrose seemed pleased with his cards, but so did Long and Ellen.
It was extraordinarily subtle, but after Montrose asked for three cards, while he was arranging the new cards in his hand, Ellen glanced over at Long and smiled. It was an innocent look, but it had Joseph’s heart pumping. Particularly when Long winked back at her.
Joseph was then surprised as play went on and Ellen folded. The gesture sent prickles down Joseph’s back. Even more so when Danny proceeded to go all in…and lose everything to Montrose.
“Bad luck for me, eh?” Long said, slapping the table, then standing. “It’s all up to you, Miss Garrett,” he said as he backed away from the table.
Montrose let out a breath of such relief that Joseph was certain the man believed that was it; he’d won the game. “I will allow you to leave with your winnings now, Miss Garrett,” he said, gathering his money into a pile.
“Oh, I couldn’t,” Ellen said, putting her ante for the next hand into the middle of the table. “Things are just getting interesting now.”