“I have no idea.”
Lucretia glared at Gregory, but he was such a vain ass, he couldn’t be shamed. He’d gambled all night, but she hadn’t stayed to watch. It was too nerve-wracking.
He and his friends loved to hover over the table, eager to see which card would appear or which dice would land. That level of frantic energy didn’t appeal to her in the slightest.
Gregory was an awful gambler too, and he was perfectly capable of disgracing himself without her as a witness. And was it really any of her business how much money he frittered away? So long as they were able to maintain their affluent style of living, why should she be concerned?
It was just that he constantly complained about being short of funds, and then, he’d have to beg his father for a quarterly disbursement from the trust fund. The request would precipitate a huge quarrel and threats by his father to cut off Gregory’s allowance. Lucretia wound up having to expend enormous effort calming Gregory and pushing him back to an acceptable condition.
It was exhausting, and on occasion, she thought—if she could meet someone richer—she’d leave him in a quick minute. Then again, every man in her social circle was addicted to wagering. Who would be any better?
“How does Caleb Ralston always beat you?” she asked, climbing out onto a ledge she shouldn’t have pursued. Gregory never liked to have his chums denigrated, although why he viewed Ralston as a chum was a mystery.
“He’s simply lucky, and I’m not.”
“You don’t suppose he cheats, do you?”
Gregory blanched and glanced around, anxious to ensure the perilous comment hadn’t been overheard. A man accused of cheating would take it very personally. The insult would be settled with pistols at dawn.
There were no eavesdroppers though. They were out on the verandah by themselves, the noon hour fast approaching, so few guests had risen to face the day. Their London friends had gambled all night too.
Gregory hadn’t had the luxury of dawdling in bed with the rest of them. The vicar was visiting to chat about the wedding service, and Gregory was expected to sit through it—and to look like a devoted fiancé. To him, the wedding was a necessary evil, and if he could have managed it, he’d have arrived as the ceremony was starting, spoken the vows, then headed back to town.
He was that disinterested in what was occurring.
The entire debacle was a tedious bore, and he’d been so grouchy that Lucretia had dragged him outside to adjust his attitude.
“Ralston doesn’t cheat!” he insisted, exhibiting great umbrage at the notion. “He’s a navy veteran. He wouldn’t stoop that low.”
“Why did he resign his commission in the navy? There was that rumor about how he got caught in a swindle, and he had to quit or be court marshalled. A fellow who would jeopardize his position like that might do anything to you. A little cheating at cards is probably the least of his crimes.”
“I’m not about to salivate over old gossip with you.”
“Why is he so wealthy anyway? He went from being a simple sailor to being a rich cretin in a matter of years. It seems terribly fishy to me.”
“He owns a gambling club, Lucretia. It’s a lucrative business.”
“Why must you play with him? Can’t he find another victim to fleece?”
“I ask him to continue playing. You’re aware of that fact. I owe him a bloody fortune, and I have to win some of it back before my father discovers the depth of my situation.”
She thought he should tell his father to sod off. The man was a blowhard and busybody who treated Gregory like a child, but that was an argument for a different morning.
He groaned and rubbed his temples. “Ooh, my head is pounding. Would you stop nagging at me?”
If they’d been at home, she might have voiced a vicious reply to his whiny remark. As it was, she could only cluck and coo and pretend to be worried about him.
“You poor dear,” she murmured. “I keep forgetting you’re hungover. Has your stomach calmed down? Let’s go have some breakfast. We’ll see if the housekeeper has a remedy that can ease your suffering.”
Without thinking, she rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the mouth. They were a firmly established couple after all, and they were alone on the patio. For her, it was the most normal conduct in the world. Except as she drew away, she peered toward the manor, and to her consternation, Caroline was watching them out a window.
Gregory didn’t notice her. He was facing the garden, but Lucretia’s mind was awhirl as she tried to figure out the best path. Should she notify Gregory? Should she remain silent? Should she do something? Should she do nothing?
On the spur of the moment, she couldn’t decide, but she hated Caroline Grey, and she grinned a smug, contemptuous grin. Then she laid a possessive palm on Gregory’s chest and stroked it in a slow circle.
Caroline yanked away and fled like a frightened rabbit, with Gregory none the wiser as to what had happened.
Caroline had no idea what made her look outside. She was at loose ends and conflicted about numerous issues.
She had a meeting with the vicar and his wife to talk about the church service, but how would she endure it? Through the whole charade, she’d be on the edge of her seat, ready to jump up and say, This marriage is a grotesque mistake. I’m calling it off.
She couldn’t imagine doing it though. Nor could she imagine the ramifications once she spoke up. Her uncle would likely think she’d gone mad, and she couldn’t predict how he’d react.
Another problem involved Caleb Ralston. She was gravely sinning with him, and if she could misbehave in such an egregious way, what did it indicate about her moral character? She viewed herself as an honorable person. Evidently, she wasn’t. Evidently, when push came to shove, she was no better than she had to be.
She was
