The Postilion (The Masqueraders #2) - S.M. LaViolette Page 0,38

said.

“I have not changed my mind.”

Geoffrey flung down the towel in a rare display of anger. “Goddammit, Ben. You are my servant; that means you serve me. How the hell can you serve me if you refuse to join me tonight?”

“You can always give me the sack if you don’t like my service, sir.”

Geoffrey’s blue eyes glittered dangerously. “I should bloody fire you—just to watch you flounder about and expose yourself. Just as you were about to do the night I saved you.”

Geoff knew as well as Benna that she was no longer the same ignorant, scared girl that he’d encountered that night all those months ago; she would survive just fine without him. Geoff also knew that he’d never be able to find somebody who served him so well—and so cheaply—as groom, footman, secretary, valet, and occasional card sharp partner.

Benna wasn’t budging on this issue. He could bloody well fire her. With the skills she’d picked up working for him she could write her own recommendation and get another job.

Besides, he’d been sharping others at cards for years before she came along; he could do without her help for one day.

“What is it about Ascot and Epsom that you dislike so much?” Geoff demanded, his gorgeous blue eyes narrowed. “Was your family connected to racing—is that why you know so much about horses and are so good with them? Just who or what are you afraid of, Ben?”

Never before had Geoffrey asked her such a personal—and frightening—question.

The reason she’d put her foot down was because she’d seen that Viscount Fenwick owned a share in one of the horses that would be running later today. The last thing she wanted was to run into her cousin’s bosom friend at Lord Philpot’s card party, not that Benna thought the young drunk would recognize her looking so different and after so much time.

“What makes you think I’m afraid of anybody?” she retorted when she saw Geoff was still glaring.

“I don’t think you masquerade as a man for the sheer joy of it.”

“It just so happens that working as a man—even working for a clutch-fist like you—is a lot more lucrative than any job I could get as a woman, Geoff.”

“What other employer would allow you to speak to me the way you do?” he demanded.

“I promise to keep my mouth shut if you pay me a more substantial salary.”

“Don’t bother; I find your carping and moralizing amusing.”

Benna briefly wished that she had let the razor slip a little when she was shaving his throat.

Instead, she cleaned off the blade and gave it a few strops before sliding it back into its case.

She took her penny knife from her pocket and Geoff held out his left hand.

Benna inspected his already immaculate nails, waiting for him to resume his nagging.

“With your help we could really clean up tonight. You know that one of the men coming to play is the Earl of Selwin; the man bets more recklessly than anyone since Charles Fox.”

Benna took his right hand, frowned, and then trimmed back a nail that was a hair longer than the others.

“Did you ever play cards with Fox?” she asked, genuinely interested.

She could tell that her rare personal question startled—and pleased—him. If there was one thing Geoffrey liked—aside from money, women, and cards—it was talking about himself.

“I did,” he said, smiling fondly. “I won a packet that night, too. Unfortunately, it was not long before his death and I was stuck with a fistful of vowels.” He paused, smirking. “However, I was later able to sell them to a silly gudgeon who wanted them for their historical value.” Geoff barked a laugh.

“What was he like?” Benna asked. If she could keep him talking long enough maybe he’d stop badgering her about tonight.

“He was too concerned about his gallstones to be particularly amusing,” Geoffrey said. “And he was quite the ugliest man I’ve ever met.”

Benna lowered his hand and folded her knife before dropping it in her pocket.

“If you’ll excuse me, sir, the water will be ready by now. I’d better fetch it up quickly.” She gave him a sour smile. “We wouldn’t want it to get tepid.”

Geoff nodded his dismissal, but the way his gaze burnt into her told Benna that he’d not forgotten his questions from earlier—the one about Benna’s background.

As Benna left the room she felt his gaze on her back and shivered.

In the future she’d have to do better about quelling Geoff’s interest in her past. Because if there was one