Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

“No, you certainly are not ordinary in any fashion at all,” he answered on a chuckle. He bent his head and then said something low and darkly flirtatious. “And, my sweet, you haven’t covered up quite enough to make anyone believe that you are anything but what I see.” He paused and then added, “Ravishing …”

She found herself studying him, worrying about what he was suggesting, and then she realized it was just another flirtatious remark. Nothing else behind it. She laughed outwardly, but Jewelene felt a sure irritation race through her. She studied his face. He looked at her as though she were but a woman to be won, a woman he did not know. And her mind chastised him as a rogue and a rake. How had she allowed him to kiss her earlier? What a fool she had been to think he could … care for her.

“You … think I am ravishing because of zee mask,” she said. “The mask … it gives me the center stage … and the faro … it brings in zee money …” She shrugged. “One must live.”

“There are other ways of making a living …”

He took her breath out of her lungs, held it between them. Damn him for making her want him, want him to kiss her still over and over again. He was about to proposition Babette. She could hear it behind the words. How dare he? Oh, she wanted to kick him.

The anger she felt must have made its way to her eyes, for he said as she tried to control her temper, “Your green eyes glitter like emeralds and, beauty, you cannot hide behind a mask. Such green sparkles … no other has eyes like yours,” he whispered.

Oooh, she felt a hand itch to strike his face, but there was something odd in his tone, something more than flirtatious. What? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had kissed her only a short while ago, and now he wanted to kiss Babette!

“Non? My eyes are of course, my own.” Jewels wanted to steal his thunder and put him in his place. She eyed him coldly. Perhaps she could trip and step hard on his toes?

“And the freshness of your lovely skin …” he continued as though she had not aloofly dismissed his flirtation. His finger audaciously ran over her arm. “Makes me want to remove your mask in the privacy of my room—take off your clothes … and lay you back against dark, silken sheets …”

“And zee privacy … where would thiz be?” Her eyebrow was up in spite of herself, and what was that in his bright gray eyes—a twinkle? He was enjoying himself. Why? Because he enjoyed the chase, as did most rogues.

“Privacy can be at the inn—the White Stag. There I will wine you and dine you …”

She waved this away, and her hand made a gesture that forbade him from continuing this line.

She wanted to smack herself alongside her head for having dreamt of having this libertine. She wanted to tell herself over and over that he was not for her, that he was trying to seduce Babette after having only just …

She said coldly, “I think, m’sieur, that the lobster salad is reported to be quite delicious …” With that she slipped away from him and went directly to Ben. When next she turned around, it was to find Ryker was no longer there. She said furiously, “He is an odious … awful … libertine …”

Ben laughed. “Who, Ryker? Do you think so? He didn’t strike me as such, but you know, Jewels, if he propositioned you—well … let’s be fair … look at you … and where you are …”

“Yes, but, but, Ben … if a man … such as yourself … were interested in … in a young woman—and kissed her, and then he came to a place such as this … would he … would you … seduce a woman because she appeared pretty in a mask?”

Ben frowned. “What is this, Jewels? Just what is this?”

“Naught … I am not hungry … I think I will return to my table …”

Eight

IT WAS PAST three in the morning when Jewels was finally able to close down the faro table. Hurriedly she changed in Ben’s office, and then together they slipped away. Their movements they believed went unnoticed, and they were able to get their horses without hindrance.

The excitement of it all as they cantered across the fields engendered a wild laugh in them both, and they stopped for a moment to regain their poise.

“Dash it, girl!” Ben said amiably, “you are an incorrigible hoyden … that will never grow up!” He sighed as his chuckles were replaced with quiet. “You put me much in mind of your father.”

“Yes, I am every bit his child, but admit it, you horrid man, you have enjoyed this night’s work … and there is enough of my mother in me to save my soul.” Jewels laughed.

He looked at her for a long moment and sighed. “You enjoyed outwitting everyone, but I should be careful if I were you …”

“What do you mean?”

“That Ryker fellow is a knowing one—he had an odd look on his face when he was watching you …”

“Yes, he wanted to take me off and bed me!” She snorted.

Ben shook his head. “I suppose … but there was something else there …” He shrugged. “I suppose I am jittery because I see through the disguise and cannot understand how no one else does …”

“Lud, Ben—enough of the sour face. We did take in quite a sum tonight—much more than I had expected, so I shan’t have to do this more than two more times.”

“One more time will do it, and whether it does or not … one more time will do it. We will make up the difference if I have to start selling the paintings off the wall …”