Page 4 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

L ucius stared at his losing hand and made every attempt not to frown. He was on one hell of a losing streak and if he were to guess, his cards had once again been stacked against him. No matter. He could afford the loss or else he wouldn’t be placing a bet in the first place.

Still… he wasn’t one to lose this often and he could only wonder if there were other shenanigans being played in the house’s favor tonight.

It wouldn’t be the first time that a player was manipulated into marriage by the elusive Black Widow of Whitehall.

He had avoided her matchmaking clutches for months.

In all honesty, he admitted that the widow’s game of catch or escape provided the thrill of risk that all gamblers sought to achieve with each wager, himself included.

But the stakes were higher than what he was willing to pay.

Perhaps it was time he stopped coming here for a while and return to instead placing his wagers at White’s.

It would be safer to his state of bachelorhood.

Next time, he told himself. For tonight, he’d stay.

Lucius tapped his cards closed before stealing a glance at the dealer who went by the unfortunate name of Mustardseed.

It was common enough knowledge that all the dealers went by names from the widow’s favorite play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream , and he’d apparently drawn the short straw when it came to the character for whom he’d been named.

Now the man’s face was a blank mask of cool irrelevance as though he himself hadn’t dealt the mess Lucius now held.

“Will you place your bet, Lord Blackthorn?” Mustardseed asked in an almost bored tone.

Lucius once more took a quick glance at his cards before he placed them on the green felt table. “I fold,” he muttered as his gaze went to the others at the table.

Simon, Earl Rockliffe, was the brother of the Marquis of Wickes’s wife, Josephine.

Captain Gideon Tyler was Asher’s younger brother, although why he wore a patch over his right eye when Lucius knew he could see perfectly well was anyone’s guess.

The bit of cloth certainly didn’t hide the fact that a scar ran from the middle of his forehead down his right cheek.

Valentine Pierce, Earl of Carrington, was another friend of Asher’s and Lucius had found him pleasant enough company.

What sounded like an amused snort left the only other man at the table causing Lucius to hide his own opinion to himself.

He could do without the company of Forbes, Viscount Hollingsworth.

The man was a complete arse and always full of himself.

It was hard to believe that he considered this man his friend in his youth.

Lucius’s opinion of him had fallen even further when it was rumored Forbes was rough with his mistresses.

Even a lady fallen on hard times didn’t deserve to be mistreated.

“Won’t take a chance on your hand, eh Blackthorn?” Hollingsworth sneered before tossing a stack of coins into the center of the table.

Lucius took up his drink. Not bothering to answer the viscount since he wasn’t worth the effort, he instead turned his attention to Valentine sitting to his right. “Care to find other entertainments once you collect your winnings?” he asked the earl with what he knew to be a sly grin.

Val laughed. “Most definitely,” he declared, before tossing in his bet. “What did you have in mind?”

Lucius nodded toward the stairs leading to the women on the third floor.

He had an appetite to fill and had no desire to return to Virtue tonight.

He needed something to get Cassandra Vaughn out of his head or else he’d be giving Virtue a substantial settlement and seeing if Mrs. Vaughn might be amicable to an arrangement with him.

Hollingsworth waved his hand in the air. “Are we playing cards or not?”

Gideon also folded his cards. “I’m out. I can’t afford to lose much more, or I’ll never hear the end of it from my brother.”

Mustardseed’s gaze went around the table. “Anyone else care to place a bet, gentlemen?”

Simon chuckled before he also threw his cards on the table. “I believe I’ll let Val finish Hollingsworth off.”

Mustardseed nodded to the remaining men in the game. “Show your cards, gentlemen.”

Hollingsworth quickly fanned his cards out and grinned, thinking he had the winning hand.

But as Val slowly flipped one card over after the other, the viscount’s smile evaporated.

He slammed his fists on the table with a howl of disappointment.

Standing quickly, he overturned his chair, yelling for a brandy as he left.

Lucius chuckled. “Well… that was most satisfying. I cannot stand that fool and am happy we no longer have to deal with his presence.”

Val began to gather his winnings. “I’m not sure how Hollingsworth even made it through the front door. Are the standards slipping here at the Lyon’s Den?” he inquired with a frown.

Simon chuckled. “I doubt it, but if Hollingsworth can gain entrance, maybe they’ll just let anyone in these days.”

Val nodded toward the disgruntled viscount. “Didn’t you know him back in your days at Oxford?”

Lucius scowled as his past came back to the forefront of his mind.

“Unfortunately, yes. We were good friends when we first met. Had the same interests, or so I thought at the time. Forbes tried to convince me to invest in something I had a hunch was a scam. I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen.

He lost almost everything and then blamed me, for some absurd reason.

There were other things about him that ended our friendship but I won’t go into details here. ”

Val nodded and Lucius was thankful he didn’t push the matter. “I think we can find someone upstairs to turn the evening around for the better.”

Simon stood, pulling on the fob in his waistcoat and then flicked open his watch. “Since you gentlemen appear to be heading to the third floor to avail yourself to the pleasures found there, I’ll leave you to it. My mistress is expecting me, and I’d hate to keep the lady waiting any longer.”

Lucius waved his hand in the direction of the stairs. “Plenty of choices upstairs to… satisfy you.”

Simon smirked. “Maybe another time.”

Lucius shrugged turning toward Gideon. “Care to join us in the fun?”

The younger man glanced in the direction of the stairwell but quickly shook his head. “I’ll beg off… this time.”

Val laughed. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Blackthorn.”

“Let’s find my brother Leopold. He’s always up for an adventure,” Lucius proclaimed as he began making his way through the crowded room in search of his brother.

He finally spotted him and frowned, knowing this particular table tended to have unusual bets.

Just then a round of glasses brimming with a green liquid was set before the players by a servant.

Before Lucius could reach his brother, all the men had downed their drinks, then began coughing at whatever the concoction was that they had swallowed.

“Egads!” Leopold bellowed when he could finally breath. “What the bloody hell did you just serve us?”

Lucius reached his brother and bent over to whisper in his ear. “This is one table you shouldn’t be placing your bets at, Leo.”

Leopold waved his hand and Lucius realized his brother was far into his cups. The green drink had probably helped in that matter. “I can drink any of these fools under the table. Come join us,” he slurred.

“I think not, and I can see that my evening is coming to an end,” Lucius said as he grabbed his brother under one arm before motioning to Valentine. “Help me get him into my carriage, will you?”

“Why is our fun always ruined by drunken relatives or friends?” Val complained bitterly, reminding Lucius when he had been sent to find Asher on the third floor.

“I suppose that is the way of things when we are older and having to look after fools who should know better here at the Lyon’s Den,” Lucius replied as they lifted Leopold and asked a passing servant to have his carriage brought around.

They began to usher—or rather, drag—Leopold from the room, when a woman’s voice halted their progress.

“Leaving so soon, Lord Blackthorn? Why the evening has barely begun,” the lady purred sweetly.

He turned back and noticed it was none other than Mrs. Dove-Lyon herself, standing there with a glass of champagne bubbling in the crystal glass she held.

“I thought it best to remove my brother from your club, madam, before he made a spectacle of himself. I’d hate to have him banned from returning to the Den,” Lucius answered, peering into the black veil to try and see if he could make out this woman’s features.

She hid herself well. No one would ever know who she was in the outside world.

“Any friend or relative of yours is always welcome here, my lord,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon said. “Hopefully, the young man will recover in no time, and we’ll see his return soon.”

Leopold groaned as though something ailed him, causing Lucius to only manage a nod. He had no desire to become indebted to the Black Widow of Whitehall if only because his brother cast up his accounts and ruined an expensive rug.

They quickly maneuvered Leopold out the front door and barely made it outside before the contents of his stomach left him. His brother leaned over the bushes while Lucius and Val held onto him so he didn’t topple over.

When Lucius’s carriage rolled up, they managed to get Leopold inside before Lucius joined him. Val rested an elbow on the doorframe. “Same time tomorrow?” he said with a grin.

Lucius nodded. “Yes… same time tomorrow. I’ll ensure my brother stays home.”

“Good luck with that,” Val said, chuckling before he shut the door and called to the driver to move on.

The carriage began to head in the direction of home as Lucius stared out the window into the blackness of the night.

The vision of a blond-haired temptress filled his head, and he could only wonder why Cassandra Vaughn was occupying space inside his mind.

He would be pondering that mystery for the rest of the night.