far more comfortable. In the corner was a table housing various decanters. She could use a splash of something from one of those at that very minute.
She turned to find him with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall near the open door. “I thought this was an establishment that prided itself on closing doors for privacy.”
“Not when a lady needs to maintain her reputation. Why did you come here?”
She began wandering through the room, even though there was very little else to see. A few provocative paintings of women lounging about hung on the walls. They did nothing to ease her temper. “Why no men lounging about?”
“I beg your pardon?”
She faced him. “The paintings. Why the scantily clad women? Do you think ladies wouldn’t like to see an exposed male buttock here and there?”
He squeezed his eyes shut, pressed his lips together tightly, and she thought perhaps he was striving not to laugh at her ludicrous observation, but it was warranted.
Clearing his throat, he opened his eyes, his irritation obvious. “What do you want?”
“I thought I deserved to see the fruits of your betrayal.”
“How is it a betrayal when I ensured you gained what you wanted?”
“You gained as well. I thought—” She shook her head, not willing to give voice to her naivete. She thought he’d done it because he cared for her, fancied her, wanted to see her happy. But his actions had very little, if anything, to do with her. “You wrote that letter to ensure you won.”
“I did.”
“I only know bits of it. What exactly did you say?”
He lifted a shoulder, dropped it. “I can’t see that it matters. It served its purpose.”
“Made you a fortune.”
“Not until recently. Those who owed me refused to pay. They didn’t think it necessary to honor a debt made to the son of a traitor. I imagine you agree.”
She didn’t. As upset as she was about the wager, it should have been honored. “You terrified Lord Lawrence into paying you.”
Another shrug, as though he could hardly be bothered to care about another’s worries. “He had nothing to fear as long as he paid what was owed. He did. They all did.”
“Why collect now and not before?” If he’d let it go, if he’d felt guilty for taking advantage, it might have eased her hurt and anger somewhat. Although better still, if he’d never made the wager at all.
“I thought my father’s shame was mine as well. It wasn’t. And I didn’t have the . . . temerity to threaten harm.”
She considered the journey they’d taken to this room, how no one spoke to him, barely acknowledged him, seemed intent on avoiding him. Plastering themselves against walls, moving quickly out of his way. “And now you do?”
“Do you know what it’s like, Lady Kathryn, to be without? Without anything? Without friends, family, or refuge? When we left Mayfair, we had a few quid between us. We went hungry. Althea and I shared a hovel. Winter came, and there was no warmth to be found. If these blighters had paid what they owed when they owed, our situation might have been very different, more tolerable. When I was cold, bleeding, aching, and hungry, I grew to hate them. So, yes, I was willing to threaten harm to gain what I was owed.”
Balling up her hands, she took three steps toward him. “Should I not be equally angry? You took advantage of what you knew about me for gain. It’s the reason you were helping me.”
“And you were mucking it up. Whist, for God’s sake. What gentleman in his right mind would care about whist? I don’t understand your upset. You got what you wanted. Why shouldn’t I?”
“I felt ill-used. I told you things I’d never shared with another. You left me feeling . . . vulnerable, revealed for all the world to see.” How did she explain how she had come to trust him—only to be tossed aside like so much rubbish? “You needed money, and you gained it through me. You should have at least sent me an invitation to this place. You wouldn’t have it without me.”
“As I mentioned earlier, you do not qualify for membership. Even if he hasn’t asked for your hand, it is known you are his.”
“You could have given me a private viewing. Just as you did before.” When he’d taken her hand and shared his dream, his vision, his plans. When he’d made her feel privileged because he’d confided in her. When she’d seen a