Page 16 of King of Clubs (The Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society #9)

“I am so sorry, Joshua!” Jamie said with true feeling.

“Not nearly as sorry as I am.” He looked at the scattering of men around the room. It was merely three in the afternoon, but as soon as word got out that he would soon have no more rum, he imagined it would be like this even in the evenings as well. “Gentlemen, I must ask that you keep this information to yourself until I make it public. The moment I do, I’m certain my members will decamp for better offerings elsewhere.”

“What? No! How could you even think such a thing?” Warwick argued.

Joshua just gave him a sad smile. “It is not at all unreasonable, Your Grace. I lured the gentlemen here with promises of the finest rum in London, but I will no longer have that.”

“Of course we’ll keep silent…” Warwick began.

“When do you think you can get another shipment?” Jamie asked, interrupting him.

Joshua just shrugged. “First, I have to get word to my plantation in Jamaica—that will take four to six weeks. Perhaps they’ll have more in stock that can be shipped—to be honest, I do not know. And then it has to make its way here, assuming there is a ship available to take it, so another six weeks.”

“So it will be autumn before you can expect to see any,” Wickford said with a sad shake of his head.

“If I am lucky, I will have it in time for next Season,” Joshua agreed.

“That’s a bloody shame!” Jamie said with some vehemence.

“It is, but the rum is not the only reason people come here,” Wickford pointed out. “There is your excellent chef, the gaming room, and the excellent society one finds here.”

“It is mostly the rum, but I do thank you for your kind words. Yes, I have a brilliant chef—”

“Renowned throughout London,” Jamie added.

Joshua nodded. “Known far and wide for his superb cooking. And hopefully, enough members will continue coming to provide that excellent society.”

“I’m sure they will.”

“And if they don’t… well, I can only hope they’ll return next Season when I am once again stocked with rum,” Joshua said, before finishing off what was in his glass.

He refilled it and those of his friends. “To rum.”

They lifted their glasses.

~April 27~

Joshua entered Lady Blaney’s soirée the following evening, feeling only a little guilty at having left his mother at home alone. She’d insisted she would enjoy coming with him to a party as soon as she had evening clothes, but she refused to go far until she was properly dressed. The two gowns Tina had provided her were perfect for short trips out to Bond Street to purchase other necessities as they had done earlier that day, but they truly were not appropriate evening wear.

Joshua rather wondered as he sauntered past acquaintances, nodding in their direction, whether his mother was actually happier staying at home for a few days as she acclimated herself to London. She had looked slightly terrified going out as they had that afternoon. Her eyes had darted this way and that, and she’d avoided nearly all contact with people. He’d asked her whether she was all right, and she claimed she was—merely looking around and getting used to new surroundings. He imagined it had to be hard for her. She hadn’t been away from their home for probably thirty years.

“Lord Wickford, how lovely to see you this evening,” Lady Ayres said as he was about to pass her by in his meandering.

He stopped to bow to her. “My lady, it is lovely to see you.”

“I was so sorry you were unable to attend my little gathering last week,” she said.

“Yes, where were you, Wickford? We were all expecting to see you,” Colburne asked from the lady’s other side. “I do hope you were feeling all right?”

“Yes, I am terribly sorry not to have been able to join you. And thank you, Lord Colburne, I am feeling quite well. My mother had just arrived that day from the West Indies after a harrowing journey. I stayed close to home should she need anything.”

“Your mother is here? How wonderful!” the lady looked around as if his mother would simply appear from behind him.

“Yes, did Warwick not tell you? The ship she was on sank just off the coast of Ireland. Thankfully, she and much of the crew were picked up by a fishing boat.”

“My God! How awful!” Lady Ayres gasped.

“I am relieved to hear that she was rescued,” Colburne said, frowning.

“As am I, as you can imagine. The Duchess of Warwick came to bring her a few gowns and arrange for more to be made. I took her out shopping for other necessary items this afternoon, but she is still a bit shaken up,” he told them.

“I’m surprised that you are here tonight, my lord,” Lady Ayres commented.

“It was entirely at her insistence. She told me she has great plans to go to bed early and saw no reason why I shouldn’t go out.” He gave the lady a smile and a shrug. “So, here I am. Although, I probably won’t be staying long, but I have determined to find a wife this Season so….”

“You are to find a wife? How wonderful!” Lady Ayres said, a gleam lighting her eyes.

“Would you, perhaps, know of anyone eligible?” he asked.

“As a matter of fact, I recently met the sweetest girl. Come, I will introduce you,” Lady Ayres immediately took his arm and led him off toward the corner of the room where there was an array of large potted ferns.

“You are going to introduce me to the plants, my lady?” he asked with a laugh.

“No, you silly man. I am so sorry to say this is where I last saw the young lady in question. Now, do be kind. Yes, there she is.” She peered off to the side of the plants as did he.

Indeed, there was a young lady standing there, looking for all the world as if she wished to disappear. She was quite fetching with blonde hair and pretty green eyes.

“Miss Reis,” Lady Ayres said, approaching her.

The young lady’s eyes grew wide as she took in Joshua. “Good, good evening once again, Lady Ayres,” she said in heavily accented English.

“Viscount Wickford, may I present Miss Natalina Reis? She has recently come to visit her aunt and uncle here in London.”

Joshua bowed over the hand that was reluctantly put forward toward him. “How do you do, Miss Reis? I am so pleased to make your acquaintance. From where have you come?”

“From Portugal, my lord,” the girl said, rolling her r’s ever so slightly.

“Ah, I am so sorry to say that I have never been there,” he commented with a smile.

“Where are you from?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “You are not English.”

“I was born in the West Indies, but my father was English,” he told her.

Lady Ayres gave a little laugh. “Of course he is English, he is a viscount.”

“Oh! Of course. My apologies,” the girl said quickly, her cheeks flushing a bright pink.

“It is quite all right. How do you find London, Miss Reis? Are you enjoying yourself here?” he asked politely.

“Yes, thank you. It is quite a nice city.”

“Are you taking in the sights?”

“Ah, no. My aunt, she is very busy,” the girl said with a little shrug. “I like to read.”

“An excellent pastime,” he agreed. “You know I was reading the most amusing novel. Someone left it at the club,” he said in an aside to Lady Ayres. “It was by a fellow named Nathan Rice—all about magical men who can breathe under water,” he said with a laugh.

The girl’s eyes grew wide, and her face seemed to drain of all color. “I… I do beg your pardon, my lord, my lady. I, er, I believe my aunt is calling for me.” She dropped them a quick curtsey and practically ran off.

Joshua could only watch her for a moment before turning to Lady Ayres. “I do hope I didn’t scare her off by mentioning this silly book.”

“I can’t imagine…”

“Lord Wickford, how lovely to see you this evening,” Miss Hanslow said, coming up to join them.

“Good evening. Lady Ayres, you are acquainted with Miss Felicity Hanslow, are you not?” he asked, making the introduction.

“Of course, how do you do?” Lady Ayres nodded to the girl.

Miss Hanslow curtsied to the viscountess before turning to him. “I haven’t seen you in so long, my lord.”

He tilted his head, wondering how five days could be so long . “I do apologize, Miss Hanslow, I have been remiss. Perhaps I should have come to pay you a visit,” he guessed.

“That would have been very nice. I do hope you will do so soon,” she said with a flutter of her fan.

He nodded, pleased with himself for having guessed correctly. He had no idea why the girl wanted him to visit, considering she’d hardly said a word to him when he took her driving in the park, but he would play along. But he didn’t think he couldn’t meet other girls as well. Happily, she seemed content with this exchange and went off to find some other young man to cajole into visiting her.

“Miss Hanslow is an excellent choice for a bride,” Lady Ayres said in the most unconvincing manner.

“You wouldn’t know of any other young ladies, would you? And I promise not to scare them off with odd tales from fantastic novels.”

~*~

Gwendolyn was proud of herself. After a full day of working with Mr. Jamieson, she still managed to get up the energy to go out to Lady Blaney’s soirée. Mostly she did so because she had promised her father she would not allow the club to interfere with her social schedule and her attempts at finding a husband.

Dutifully following the duchess into the party, Gwendolyn looked around and wondered how many of these ladies she could entice to join her club. Oh, she didn’t for one minute think that anyone would forgo a party in order to sit and chat at the club, but perhaps there’d be a few ladies who would prefer a quiet game of cards to a party. And certainly in the afternoons, she saw no reason why plenty of women wouldn’t come to take tea and socialize. She just needed to get the word out somehow.

“Oh, Gwendolyn, you are looking so pretty this evening,” Lydia said, greeting her and the duchess.

Gwendolyn gave her a smile. That girl always had only the nicest things to say. “Thank you, Lydia. I still haven’t been able to get our wonderful ride through the park out of my mind.”

Lydia laughed. “It was a shame there were so many of us. Perhaps it would have made more sense to just sit in my drawing room and chat.”

“Or perhaps go to a tea room? Something like that would be a fun outing,” Gwendolyn said lightly.

“A tea room? What a novel idea! I don’t think I know any, aside from Gunter’s, but mostly one just goes there for their ices,” Lydia said, looking intrigued.

“Do you mean there isn’t one that ladies frequent?” Gwendolyn asked innocently, knowing full well that there wasn’t.

“No!”

“Well, isn’t that a shame?” Gwendolyn smiled and turned to greet Cassie and Lady Sorrell.

She managed to plant the idea into the minds of a few other women and appreciated their surprised response each and every time. Perhaps her club would work out after all.

After nearly an hour of idle chatter, Gwendolyn was ready for a break. She placed a hand on the duchess’s arm. “I’m going to get myself a refreshment. May I get something for you, Your Grace?”

The lady smiled at her. “No, thank you, my dear. Don’t be gone long.”

“I won’t.” She sauntered away idly, looking at who was speaking with whom—not that she really knew who anyone was. More, she noticed if ladies were speaking with other ladies or with gentlemen or both. It was interesting that groups were mostly made up of just people of one gender or the other. The gentlemen spoke with each other, the ladies amongst themselves. It was mainly younger people who socialized with those of the opposite gender.

A cool breeze tickled her cheek. She immediately turned toward the open French doors leading out onto the balcony. There was only one lone man outside, leaning over the balustrade and looking off into the garden. He looked so lonely standing there. As she drew closer, she was surprised to see that the gentleman was Lord Wickford. What in the world was he doing out here all by himself?

“The air is so refreshing,” she commented, coming up alongside him.

He stood up and faced her. “Yes, it is. How do you do, Miss Sherman?”

“I am well, thank you. I think more to the point is how are you , my lord?”

He cocked his head. “Why do you ask?”

“You were looking very sad and forlorn,” she told him.

He gave a little laugh that held no humor. “Oh. No, I’m fine.”

“Then perhaps you were not sad but deep in contemplation?”

“Yes, that is more accurate,” he agreed.

“And would you care to share your thoughts?” she asked. Seeing him this way made him so… human. Vulnerable. And most intriguing of all, less-than-perfect.

He sighed heavily. “It is nothing you would understand, I’m certain. Just a business problem.”

“Well, considering my father is a business man, and I have been assisting him and listening to his problems just about my entire life, perhaps you might try me?” she asked with a smile.