the evening wore on and the crowd in the room thinned, Susannah noticed the familiar, subtle change in the card party. The chatter and laughter died away as those who were left concentrated on their game. Two young gentlemen challenged her to take them on at ombre and she was busily engaged with them until the supper gong sounded at midnight.
‘Sacardo again, Miss Prentess,’ laughed one of the young men, throwing down his cards in mock disgust. ‘You are unbeatable tonight.’
‘Aye, she has won almost every trick,’ declared the other, watching as Susannah swept the small pile of coins from the table into her reticule. ‘I hope you will allow Warwick and me the chance to take our revenge later?’
‘More to the point, Farthing, I hope Miss Prentess will allow me to escort her down to supper,’ added Mr Warwick, looking hopefully across at Susannah.
‘Nay, as to that, surely the honour should fall to me?’ said Mr Farthing. ‘I at least won codille, sir, so it can be said I bested you!’
Susannah threw up her hands, laughing.
‘Gentlemen, pray, do not fight over such a trifle.’
‘Especially when the trick is already won,’ said a deep, amused voice. ‘I have come to escort you down to supper, Miss Prentess.’
Susannah looked round to find Lord Markham standing behind her, his hand on the back of her chair.
‘Indeed, my lord?’ His self-assurance rattled her. ‘I rather think these gentlemen might oppose you.’
A glance back showed Susannah that the two young men might have been prepared to fight each other for the pleasure of taking her to supper, but they were far too in awe of a viscount to raise an objection. She was disappointed when they scrambled to their feet, uttering disjointed phrases.
‘L-Lord Markham! N-no, no objections at all, my lord.’
‘Only too happy …’
‘There, you see? No opposition at all.’ The humour glinting in Lord Markham’s eyes did nothing to appease Susannah, but it would not do to show her displeasure, so with a smile of acquiescence she took his hand and allowed him to lead her off. As they moved through the room she looked around her.
‘Ah, my aunt is setting up another game of loo. Perhaps she would like me to help her—’
‘No, it was she who suggested I should take you downstairs.’ When Susannah hesitated he added, ‘You can see, Miss Prentess, that everyone is perfectly content. You may take a little time now to enjoy yourself. These parties are designed to be enjoyed. After all, it is not as if you are running a gaming hell here.’
She looked at him sharply, but could read nothing from his smile. His manners were perfectly polite, but she had the distinct feeling he was on his guard, that he was assessing her. Susannah gave an inward shrug. What did it matter? He was not staying in Bath.
She accompanied him to the supper room, where a selection of cold meats, fruits and sweets was laid out on the table. Susannah chose sparingly from the selection before her, but she was surprised when her escort showed no interest in the food.
‘I am sorry I cannot offer you soup or ramekins, Lord Markham. Our guests make do with a cold collation, even in winter, although there is warm wine for anyone who wishes it.’
‘I require nothing, thank you.’
They found an empty table and sat down. Susannah took a little minced chicken, but found she had no appetite with the viscount sitting opposite her.
‘You work very hard at your … entertainments, Miss Prentess.’
‘I help my aunt as best I can, sir.’
‘And how often do you hold these little parties?’
‘Every Tuesday.’
‘Indeed? You must be prodigious fond of cards, ma’am.’
‘My aunt enjoys them, yes.’
‘I stand corrected.’
She looked up at him, understanding dawning.
‘Ah, I see what it is,’ she said, smiling. ‘You are concerned for your cousin.’
‘Should I not be?’
‘Mr Barnabus will come to no harm here.’ ‘But you have already taken two hundred guineas from him in one night.’
She stared at him. ‘How do you know that? Did Mr Barnabus tell you?’
‘He did not need to. Such deep play excites comment.’
‘Deep play?’ She laughed. ‘I am sure in your London club such a sum would be considered insignificant.’
He leaned forwards.
‘But we are not in my London club, Miss Prentess.’
The unease she had been feeling all evening intensified. She put down her fork.
‘It was unfortunate. I have not allowed it to happen again.’ She met his eyes, returning his gaze steadily. ‘I am not trying to entrap your cousin.’
‘No?’
‘Of course not.’ She hesitated. ‘You may not know it, but he made me an offer of marriage and I refused him. Does that not tell you I have no designs upon him?’
‘Perhaps you are hoping to catch a bigger prize.’
Some of the tension eased and she laughed at the absurdity of his claim.
‘My lord, you have seen the guests my aunt invites. Couples, mainly, like General Sanstead and his wife, intent upon an evening’s sport. And as for the single gentlemen, they are either too old to be looking for a wife or they have yet to make their way in the world.’
‘And such men are very susceptible to the, ah, blandishments of a pretty woman.’
Susannah’s brows snapped together.
‘I find the implication insulting, sir.’ She pushed her plate away. ‘I must go back upstairs.’
‘As you wish.’
What she wished was to order him from the house, but she could hardly eject a viscount from her aunt’s card party without good reason, and it would not do to stir up gossip. Instead she contented herself with returning to the drawing room and quitting his company with no more than a nod of her head.
A rubber of whist with Kate as her partner did much to restore her spirits and later she took her turn at playing vingt-et-un, drawing a crowd of gentlemen, as usual. She concentrated hard on the game. This was her aunt’s party, after all, so it was not for her to keep an eye on who was leaving. However, the game was over and the players dispersing when Gerald approached her, so she could not avoid him.
‘Are you leaving us, Mr Barnabus?’ She put aside her cards and rose to meet him.
‘Aye,
