at the west side of Hyde Park at dawn.”
She smiled fully. “I shall do my best to get there and watch then.”
He glanced at the clock and rose. “I must take my leave now, Miss Drake. Thank you for an enjoyable conversation.”
“You are most welcome, my lord.”
And now that she knew when the carriage races would start, she needed to devise a way of racing with them. It would be a most challenging plan since it appeared to be only a few select gentlemen. Unless she commandeered one of their curricles, she wouldn’t be able to race. Considering she only knew two of the men who competed, it would have to be one of theirs. She assumed Ainsley would be an easier mark than Kingsley. Thankfully, she had over a few weeks to contemplate and formulate a suitable strategy.
Chapter 4
A loud rapped interrupted Simon’s concentration as he added the winnings from last night. It was his third attempt, and each time he calculated a different number.
“What is it?” he asked roughly.
“King, I think we have a problem on the floor.”
Simon rose from his large oak desk and opened the door to his second in command. “What now, Riley?”
Riley walked to the window overlooking the gaming room. “Watch the man in the brown jacket at the faro table.”
Simon watched as the man played the card game. He already seemed to have won a substantial amount of blunt, which wasn’t unusual since Simon refused to let the dealers cheat. Another reason he had only one faro table since the odds were not the best for the house.
“Watch the dealer box.”
Simon stared down at the table, but for several moments noticed nothing amiss until a commotion at another table turned everyone’s attention, except the man in the brown jacket. In a swift movement, the man’s copper moved to another card.
“Dammit, he cheated,” Simon said harshly.
“Yes, and I’m quite certain the man in black at the other table is working with him.”
“I agree. Take them out, discover their names, and put them on the list.” Simon despised cheaters, and the moment he caught one, they were on the record at the entrance. No one on that list was ever allowed in again.
“Yes, sir.”
“What is this about, Riley? That is the second one this week.”
Riley shrugged. “I’ve never seen it this bad, King. The man with that dreadful cocked hat two nights ago was almost blatant about it.”
“Toss those two out before I lose any more money.” The man cheating two nights ago had caused Simon to create a new policy that all men remove their hats and leave them on a table as they enter the gaming room. Most gentlemen removed their hats anyway, so the rule was for the few lower-class men that didn’t always abide by gentlemen’s rules.
Simon returned to his frustrating figures and finally added the numbers correctly, but not to his satisfaction. All week his numbers had been down from his regular profits. Hell’s usual clientele tended toward the bored upper crust due to the subscription and guest fees. Lately, a few had entered the gaming room dressed in lower quality clothing, far from the dandies he was used to seeing.
He would alert his men to watch the men dressed less fashionably for the next week. A part of him wondered if Hardy might be involved in an attempt to get Simon to sell. But it had been Hardy who encouraged Simon to open Hell ten years ago after winning a substantial sum at Hardy’s gaming hell. His friend had always embraced the competition even if their clientele differed.
Closing his books with a sigh, he rose and stared down at the gaming room again. He wished a certain petite blonde would take a risk and come to his establishment to gamble. He almost laughed with the idea of Miss Drake entering Hell. While ladies did join their husbands or lovers here, never would she endanger what was left of her reputation just to have a bit of fun.
What was wrong with him? He’d never thought of Emma in such a manner. Well, perhaps a passing thought, but any man would. She had the face of an angel with her light blond hair, pert little nose, and pale blue eyes. If a man could get past her visage, there was her body, which would keep any man up all night. Generous breasts and curves in all the right places. He shook his head.
He couldn’t think of Louisa’s sister in such a