Surrender (19 page)

a care. The Pig is notorious for the strength

of its ale."

 
Do not fret, Lucas. I shall not get so

foxed that you will be obliged to carry me

out of here," Victoria assured him.

Good God, I should hope not."

Victoria took in the scene around her

as she stood sipping at the contents of the

tankard. Her eye was caught by a rather

depressed-looking man being led upstairs

by a sympathetic serving girl. When he

returned a short time later, the game ster

appeared eager to return to the fray, all

signs of depression vanquished.

Victoria was fascinated.
 
This is amazing,

Lucas. Quite unique. Totally different from

anything I have ever witnessed before."

Lucas eyed the crowd.
 
I am not

so certain of that. It bears a certain

striking resemblance to that crush at the

Bannerbrooks the other night, don't you

think?"

Victoria nearly choked on her laughter

and a sip of ale.
 
If Lady Bannerbrook

overheard that remark, I swear it would

be weeks before you received another

invitation from her."

 
If Lady Bannerbrook knew where you

were tonight, you would wait until the

crack of doom for another invitation from

her. What's more, you wouldn't get one

from anyone else in Society, either."

 
Now, do not try to terrorize me or

depress me, Lucas, I am having a

wonderful time. This is much better than

the restaurant and a thousand times better

than Vauxhall. Tell me, why on earth do

those men keep trotting upstairs with the

barmaids?"

Lucas glanced briefly toward the narrow

staircase at the far end of the room.
 
Those

are losers who are being consoled and

encouraged to try their luck again."

 
Consoled?"

 
There are several small bedrooms up

stairs, Vicky."

She blinked, aware of the heat rising in

her cheeks.
 
I see." She turned to peer

more closely at the newest couple on the

stairs. The man was staggering drunkenly

and had to be supported by his companion.

Victoria frowned.
 
I do hope you have

never had occasion to climb those stairs,

Lucas."

His teeth flashed in a rare, quick grin

around the rim of his tankard.
 
Never,

I give you my word. I told you once I

have always been extremely discriminating

in certain matters. In any event, the stairs

are primarily for losers."

 
And you always win," Victoria concluded

with a sense of satisfaction.
 
Really, Lucas,

I cannot wait to throw the dice. My aunt

and I taught ourselves how to play hazard

when we were investigating a certain area of

mathematics that relates to chance. Quite

a fascinating game. Did you know that it

is far easier to throw some numbers than

others?"

I am aware of that." Lucas's tone was

exceedingly dry.

 
Oh, yes, of course you would be aware

of such things, wouldn't you? Well, then,

let us find ourselves a table."

 
Control your enthusiasm, my dear, You

do not want to throw the dice here. There

isn't an honest pair in the house."

 
Nonsense. You are merely saying that

to put me off. I came here to have fun

and I intend to play. I am quite a skilled

game ster, if you will recall."

 
Victoria, you are not quite as skilled in

such matters as you believe."

Her eyes widened innocently.
 
But I

must be very good at gaming because I

won the night we played cards."

 
Victoria
 
."

 
The only other possible explanation for

your losses that evening is that you did not

play fair. But I hesitate to insult you by

 
making such an odious accusation."

 
Wise girl," Lucas said coolly.

 
If I did insult you, would you call me

out?" Victoria asked.

 
Hardly. I have a great dislike for pistols

at dawn or any other time."

 
An odd thing for an ex-soldier to say."

 
The only reasonable thing for an ex

soldier to say if you ask me."

 
You carry a pistol," Victoria pointed out

softly.

He shrugged.
 
This is London and you

will insist on dragging me out into the

streets at night. I don't have much choice."

Victoria took another sip of ale and then,

feeling deliciously bold, she leaned closer.

 
Did you cheat that night we played cards,

Lucas? I have been dying of curiosity ever

since."

 
It does not signify."

 
Hah. If you are going to be that way,

I shall find another fashion in which to

amuse myself." Victoria started toward the

nearest table.

 
Victoria, wait
 
."

But Victoria was already making a place

for herself near the action. Half-crushed by

the press of hot, sweaty masculine bodies,

she leaned forward to peer at the play. She

was aware of Lucas moving into a position

behind her but she paid no heed. The dice

were already being handed to her. They

clicked in her palm as she shook them

and then hurled them lightly down onto

the green baize.

 
The young nob's got
 
imself a main o'

seven," someone called. Instantly bets were

placed on Victoria's next roll.

Victoria felt a thrill go through her.

Seven was an excellent number for a main,

she recalled. She could almost ignore the

smell of the male bodies that crushed her

now. Knowing Lucas was at her back gave

her a heady sense of invulnerability. She

was quite safe and having a wonderful

time. She rolled the dice again.

 
Eleven, by God," a man yelled gleefully.

 
The cull's nicked it." Shouts of triumph

went up around the table.

Under cover of the din, Victoria turned

to whisper to Lucas.
 
Nicked it? What's

that mean? I thought I'd won."

 
You did win. That's what
 
nicked it"

means. Collect your stakes, Vicky. You've

had enough play," Lucas announced.

 
But I am winning. I cannot possibly

leave now."

A swaying, red-faced man in a threadbare

coat and a dirty cravat overheard Victoria's

remark. He rounded on Lucas, eyes glaring.

 
Here now, the boy's got a right to play.

You can't be draggin" him off."

 
The man is perfectly correct, Lucas. I

have a right to play."

 
Lucas ignored the man and leaned closer

to Victoria. He was clearly annoyed now.

 
Vicky, the management will let you win

for a while until you're hooked and then

you'll start losing. Heavily. Trust me, I

know what I'm talking about."

 
Well, I shall just play as long as I am

winning," she assured him cheerfully, and

turned back to the table. She thought she

heard Lucas swear softly and succinctly as

she returned to the fray, but the shouts of

her enthusiastic fellow players drowned out

the words.

Ten minutes later her excellent luck

turned with a vengeance, just as Lucas

had predicted. Victoria watched in shock

as she lost all her accumulated winnings in

one throw of the dice. Angrily she turned

to whisper again to Lucas.

 
Did you see that? How could that

happen? I was winning, Lucas. I cannot

believe my luck would suddenly alter in

such a fashion."

Lucas led her away from the table.

 
That's the thing about luck, especially

in a place such as this. I did warn

you."

 
You needn't look so smug, you know.

I was winning. Furthermore, I
 
."

But Lucas was no longer paying any

attention to her. His gaze, which had been

unobtrusively scanning the room, stopped

abruptly on a group of card players in the

corner.
 
Damn it to hell."

 
What's wrong?" Victoria glanced at the

card table.

 
I chose this place because I was fairly

certain we would not run into any of your

acquaintances here, but it appears I was

wrong. We must leave at once."

 
Lucas, do stop fretting so. No one will

recognize me. One sees only what one

expects to see and no one I know will

expect to see me here dressed as a man,"

Victoria argued.

 
I am taking no chances. Come along,

Vicky." Lucas started toward the door.

Reluctantly she followed, casting one

last, annoyed glance at the card table.

 
Good grief, that's Ferdie Merivale, isn't

it?"

 
None other."

 
He appears quite drunk, Lucas. Look

at him, he's barely able to sit in his chair

and yet he is trying to play cards," Victoria

noted, concerned.

 
So he is. With Duddingstone, no less.

Which means that Merivale will no doubt

part with a large portion of the fortune he

recently inherited. Stop dawdling, Vicky."

 
What do you know of this Dudding

stone?"

 
He's an excellent player, a brilliant

cheat, and completely without conscience.

He's not above taking advantage of a

young fool like Merivale. Does it quite

regularly, in fact."

Victoria halted abruptly.
 
Then we must

do something."

 
I am trying to do something. I am

trying to get you out of here before Ferdie

Merivale recognizes you."

 
He is in no shape to recognize me or

anyone else. Lucas, we cannot leave him in

Duddingstone's clutches. I am friends with

Ferdie's sister, Lucinda. I simply cannot

stand by and let poor Ferdie be fleeced

by a notorious player. He's a nice boy."

 
We are not going to stand by and

watch. We are going to leave at once."

 
No, Lucas. I must insist we do

something."

Lucas turned around and glowered at

her.
 
What, exactly, do you suggest we

do?"

Victoria considered the problem.
 
You

will simply have to interrupt the play and

persuade Ferdie to leave."

 
My God. You don't ask much, do you?

What if Ferdie doesn't wish to leave?"

 
You must make him do so."

 
Impossible. That will cause a scene and

that is the last thing we can afford."

 
Do not worry about me, Lucas. I shall

wait here near the door. Ferdie will never

see me. All you have to do is fetch him

out of here and put him in a carriage and

send him home."

 
You are the one I intend to put into

a carriage and send home," Lucas said

through gritted teeth.
 
I knew this was

going to be a mistake. I should never

have allowed you to talk me into bringing

you here."

 
Hurry, Lucas. They are about to begin

another round of play. You must rescue

Ferdie."

Now listen to me, Victoria
 
."

 
I am not leaving here until you have

rescued poor Ferdie. He's a very sweet boy

and he does not deserve to get chewed to

pieces by this Duddingstone person. Go

on. Save him." She gave Lucas a slight

push in the direction of the card table.
 
I

promise to stay out of sight."

Lucas swore softly, but like any good

soldier, he appeared to recognize defeat

when he saw it. Without a word he

turned on his heel and started back into

the crowd.

Victoria could see very little of what

was happening, but a few minutes later

Ferdie Merivale emerged from the throng,

Lucas directly behind him. Victoria noticed

that one of Ferdie's arms appeared to be

twisted at an odd angle behind his back.

The young man did not look happy as he

preceded Lucas out into the street.

Victoria caught Lucas's commanding

glance and followed the two men at a

discreet distance. Outside she could clearly

hear Ferdie Merivale complaining loudly in

a slurred voice.

 
Damme, stone vale, you can't do this.

My luck was about to turn. Just a few

more hands and I'd have had the man."

 
A few more hands and you would be

obliged to leave town tomorrow to rusticate

indefinitely in the country. You would not

care for that, Merivale. You are a city

creature. How much had you already lost

to Duddingstone?"

Ferdie muttered something indistinct

and Lucas shook his head grimly.
 
I

know you don't much appreciate this

at the moment, Merivale, and I am not

particularly enjoying myself, either, but

neither of us has much choice. Perhaps

tomorrow you will be grateful." Lucas

signaled a passing coach.

 
Bloody damn, stone vale, I don't want

rescuing. I can handle the play," Ferdie

wailed drunkenly.

 
Do us both a favor. Next time you

decide to throw away your inheritance,

do it someplace where I am not likely

to witness it. You have been a greater

nuisance than you know tonight." Lucas

tossed the young man into the coach and

gave instructions to the driver.

The coach rattled off down the street

and Lucas stepped back. He turned to

look at Victoria.

 
Satisfied?"

 
That was very well done of you, my

lord." Laughing with relief and pride in

his rescue efforts, Victoria stepped off the

sidewalk to join him.
 
I swear, you have

my undying gratitude even if you do not

have Ferdie's."

She
 
saw him
 
open his
 
mouth to
 
say

something in response, saw the startling

change in his expression as his eyes went

to a point behind her, and then she heard

the clatter of horses" hooves on stone and

the rattle of carriage wheels.

The wheels sounded much too close.

Victoria turned around to see just how

close and saw a black carriage drawn by

two black horses bearing down upon her.

At that moment the safety of the walkway

seemed miles away, and the scream that

began in her throat disappeared into the

pounding hooves and the screeching wheels

of a carriage.

Then something heavy struck her, carry

ing her back out of the path of the hurtling

carriage. She sprawled under Lucas's full

weight as hooves and wheels went past

scant inches from her booted foot.

 
Some drunken idiot showing off his

lamentable driving skills, no doubt," Vic

toria said from the opposite side of the

carriage.

 
No doubt."

She tried to see Lucas's expression in the

shadows. She was still somewhat shaken

from the near miss, but mostly she was