Her words were met with silence. Bash had dropped Menace’s hand, but he still held her hip.

Finally, Menace spoke. “How did you win, then?”

Isabella drew in a deep breath. Little else but the truth would get them out of this mess. “There’s no trick, no untruth. I just remember the cards. That’s all.”

Bash squeezed her hip again. He knew he needed to let go, but she fit his hand so nicely. Like her body had been made to be in his hands.

But her words surprised him. Remember the cards? “You mean the ones in your hand? What’s to remember?”

Isabella shook her head. “No. I mean, I remember what cards I’ve played but also what cards other players have played from that hand and from the one before it and the one before that.”

“Makes her terribly boring to play with,” Eliza said, crossing her arms over her chest.

No one said a word.

The silence stretched on and on.

Finally, Infamy cleared his throats. “I don’t mean to imply that you’re lying but that’s impossible.”

Eliza smiled. “It isn’t.” Then she turned to Bash. “You patted her down. I know you did. Did you find any evidence she was cheating?”

Menace pointed at Eliza. “You could have been looking over the other player’s shoulders.”

“I never moved.”

“Do you have a pocket mirror?” Menace asked. “Perhaps I should check. If you searched one lady, I’ll force myself to search the other.”

Eliza pointed right back at him. “You’ll not lay a single finger on me, cad.”

Menace chuckled. “You want me to search with my teeth?”

Isabella drew in a quick breath as she noted the color rising in her sister’s cheeks. Eliza had a bit of a temper. “No searching is necessary.” She quickly stepped in front of her sister. Bash’s hand dropped from her hip and cold air hit the flesh, making her shiver. “I’ll show you.”

“Show us?” Bash asked behind her.

She looked over her shoulder, meeting his dark glittering eyes. “Yes. Do you have a deck of cards?”

He turned and grabbed a set from the shelf. She gestured for the men to take a seat.

Then she did the same, Eliza sitting on her right. Isabella noted that Menace took the seat on Eliza’s other side, his green eyes appraising Eliza with startling intensity.

“Deal out fifteen cards,” Isabella requested. “Just lay them down face up. Then quickly pick them up again.”

Bash did as she asked. He laid down fifteen cards then picked them up. She looked at each for less than a second. Her mind cleared as she noted them.

Then he picked them up.

“Set them aside and deal ten more.”

He did. Then picked them up.

Taking a slow steadying breath, she noted them. “Five more.”

“What are we doing?” Menace asked.

“Hush,” Eliza chastised. “She’s concentrating.”

“Five more.” Isabella gestured toward the table.

Tags: Tammy Andresen Lords of Scandal Historical
Source: readsnovelonline.net