“Merci,” she said softly as he left the office. How could he be so lovingly devoted to Babette and have taken her so ferociously only that day?
“Ramshackle, tumbledown chit!” Ben sighed as he touched her shoulder. “Your brother is out there right now listening to tales of the masked faro beauty.” However, the words were no sooner out before he immediately said, “Forgive me … it is all my fault. You are but a child … with too much on your shoulders … and I should never have allowed you to enter into this scheme.”
Jewelene looked at him, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “I have made a devastating mess of everything …”
“No—this is not on you, Jewels. You are a woman—you should have been planning your wedding … instead, you have been trying to hold things together for two families. And Ryker … did you hear him? It was as though he knew …”
“No … he calls me Babette … he doesn’t know.” She sniffed.
“Yes, but … there was something …” He shook his head. “At any rate, we must get you out of here at once.”
Twelve
“JIMMY! WHERE HAVE you been, you young pup?” Filey cried, jumping to his feet and slapping Sir James soundly on the back. They were only a few years apart in age, Filey being the elder, and they had on several occ
asions enjoyed one another’s company at a local spot or two. “And, Art, old boy … good to see you. But this isn’t one of your haunts … is it? What’s to do?”
Sir James smiled good-naturedly. “Art and I are off in the morning for the mainland, and he had this ‘feeling’ that he might win against that nasty little ball over there—” He nodded towards the E.O. table. “—thereby adding to his already plump pockets.”
“Well then, go to it, my friend, and better stick to the table, for you don’t stand a chance at faro.”
“No, that I don’t … that’s why I never play the game,” agreed young Arthur. He was tall and lean with a shock of unruly brown hair and uncoordinated clothing, but he came from good stock, and his disposition made him in general a favorite among the local ton.
Jimmy looked towards the faro table where a young boy dealt. “What’s towards there …”
“Oh not him, Jimmy,” Filey said contemptuously. “He deals well enough, but there ain’t nothing to match Babette!”
“Babette? Who the deuce is she?”
“French beauty with raven hair and green eyes … at least, I think they are green—hard to tell with that devilish mask she wears …”
“Mask?” Jimmy laughed. “If that don’t beat all. Damned bunch of twiddle-poops, each and every one bothering your heads about a woman in a mask! Ha!” He looked up and saw Ryker coming towards them and said, “Arthur … come along, want you to meet m’houseguest … nice chap—you’ll like him.”
*
Ryker looked up as he moved away from Ben Clay’s office. He was deep in thought, but as he saw Jimmy coming towards him, he smiled. He had been pleasantly surprised to find that Jimmy was not only a stranger to the Silver Heart but to Jewelene’s mad scheme. However, things were moving out of the game and into serious business. He could not allow this to go on. Tomorrow morning he was pulling the plug on little Babette!
“Ryker!” Jimmy called jovially. “Want you to meet my good friend …”
Introductions were made, and Ryker inclined his head. “Didn’t think you had the heart for gaming, Jimmy?”
Sir James snorted. “Not the heart, nor the blunt, not here for that. Art thought he would have a go at the E.O. table before we hurry back to his place. Leaving from the harbor in the morning … going to the mainland—Portsmouth.”
“Are you?” Ryker inquired casually. A slight worry tickled his brain. Why would Jimmy leave his sister with houseguests unless he was about to embroil himself in something portentous and probably ill-advised?
“Ay, have a bit of business to conclude … hmm … upcoming race n’all, private matter, sticky too—although nothing havey-cavey, mind … but …” Arthur said gravely.
“Mummer it, Art!” snapped Sir James, glaring at his friend. He smiled apologetically at Ryker. “Good fellow, Arthur, but a sad rattle.” Again he eyed his friend as though daring him to object to this. Arthur smiled blankly, and Sir James shook his head. “Well, that’s it then. Couldn’t leave without … well, there you are, Ben!”
Ben grinned, but his voice when he spoke held a note of disapproval that was not lost on Ryker. “Jimmy, good to see you, though I ain’t pleased to see you here!”
“Eh? Oh, worried about m’losing m’ready to your house?” Jimmy said with a chuckle, obviously not at all affronted. “Don’t fratch over it, Ben. Have no mind or hand for chancy ways. And besides not the sort to put you into the suds with Jewelene, who would have m’head …”
“And mine,” agreed Ben, laughing. “Then what are you doing here? And don’t be putting the blame on poor Arthur.” He reached out and patted Art’s shoulder. “How are you, lad?”
Arthur advised him that he was pretty stout, and Ben turned once again to Jimmy. “Well then, Jimmy—so what are you doing here?”
“Bid thee fare thee well …” Jimmy grinned.