Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

“Gentlemen, gentlemen … come sit on either side of me, and I shall contrive to take as much as you are willing to lose … oui?” She was saucy, she was beautiful, and she thrilled them.

Her table was full, and her gentlemen were entranced. Her accent was perfection. It was some time before Jewelene looked up from her table and her flirting to find her heart flutter uncontrollably. She should have been prepared. She knew he would be here. How long had he been watching? He couldn’t know; indeed, from the manner in which he looked at her, he did not know. Ryker. After she had escaped his all-thrilling touch and hid in her room, she heard him go first to his chamber before he left the house. He must have forgotten something, and she had nearly been caught!

Ben, of course, brought her back to the present and saved the moment. He saw Ryker looking at Babette and called out as he went to block his view, and hopefully steer him to another gaming room, “Ryker … how good of you to stop by …”

Ryker turned his attention away from the raven-haired lovely and smiled amiably. “If I had known you had such a creature dealing your faro table, I assure you, sir, I would have come long ago. However, I see it won’t be easy to get a chair at her table!”

“Oh? Is faro your game?” Ben asked, trying to steer the conversation and hopefully the gentleman away from the object of his attention.

“As to that, ’tis écarté that holds my interest.”

“Hmm, écarté, is it? Well then, my friend, you are in luck. We have a game in the chamber across the hall. I believe there is already a spectator bet going on but plenty of room for another … shall I take you in?”

Ryker glanced towards the masked lovely. “Perhaps later … for the moment, I think I’ll try and work my way onto the faro table …”

“Very well, sir … but I give you fair warning—Babette is a wonder with the cards. Most of those poor fellows are already fairly done up …”

“I’ll bet they are!” Ryker chuckled. “The wonder is that they are losing and yet looking as pleased as punch.” He left Ben on that note and made his way towards the black-haired beauty to find her glancing up at him with a hesitant smile.

Audaciously, she thought, he inclined his head towards her, nearly touching her shoulder as he brought his eyes to meet her own through her mask.

She glanced away hurriedly. “Place your bets, messieurs …”

“I see there is no sitting room, mamselle … would you mind if I took up position here?”

“Mais non, eet eez imposseeble, m’sieur. You leave me … so tight.” She glanced at one of her worshippers. “Ah, Filey … make room, chéri …” She turned her eyes to Ryker. “There, m’sieur … you may squeeze in, oui?” Inwardly, Jewels was seething. Here he was, the man of the hour! Here he was, the man of her dreams … fresh from her kiss … her lips … from touching her, and what was he doing? He was flirting with a French naughty girl!

She could feel his eyes traveling over her, resting on the swells of her breasts at her tight, uplifting bodice, and she wanted to slap him hard. However, she chose instead to ignore him

“La, Filey …” The lady coquettishly laughed. “Do not fight with your good friend. You and Hill may both take me to zee suppair … oui?”

“No, I want you to myself …” declared the persistent Filey.

Jewels chuckled, but she was not given the opportunity to respond to this, for suddenly, and with an expertise that certainly deserved applause, she found herself taken up by the dashing, dark blonde-haired blade at her side. He scarcely gave the indignant youth a second glance as he said, “My trump, lads,” and led the masked beauty away.

Jewelene was unable to speak, did not in fact trust herself to do so. She had to be careful; she had to maintain her accent and her ‘Babette’ style. If she were to lose her temper she would have to do it in French. She got control and kept silent.

Ryker said after a moment, “You know your game well, mamselle. Have you been dealing faro at the Silver Heart long?”

“No, m’sieur … tonig

ht, she is my first …” Jewelene answered truthfully.

“My compliments to you on your first success, mamselle. Not only have you won for the house, but you have I am certain won a great many hearts tonight as well.”

“Moi, I have no interest in the hearts …”

“Only then in the game?”

“Have you a meaning?” She eyed him doubtfully. There was something in his tone that made her glance sharply at him. What was he hinting at?

“The mask … intrigues me—leaves me to wonder why?”

“It intrigues many … draws them to my table …” Jewelene breathed a sigh of relief. She had prepared an answer for this question.

“Ah of course,” he said dryly.

“And you …” she said, eyeing him saucily. “You are, ’ow do they say … oui, up to every rig. So eet eez posseeble under theez mask to capture zee interest because moi no longer ordinaire … n’est-ce pas?”