Forty Four Part Five

Whirling Betsy about the ballroom floor, deftly avoiding the other animatedly disguised couples with a swoop here and a sidestep there, Violet deferred to a conversation that had begun much earlier, "I believe that brings the total to five, kitten."

"It does not, Violet, it brings it to six, and you well know it." Betsy leaned back to scold him better, giving him a most reproving look, her nose doing that cute thing that he adored, she went on, "I won the wager fair and square, you are simply obstinate."

"I am not," Violet stated childishly, a twinkle lighting his eyes. "T'was five, Uncle Damien and Lord Ravenwood, myself, Marlborough, and Trent."

"You conveniently forget the King, Violet." Betsy imparted dryly. "She started with the King, so I win." She stated matter of factly.

"Hmm, aye, she did start with the King, did she not?" Violet ceded, knowing all along his wife had won the wager. "Smugness is not becoming, you know." Violet feigned injury, wincing, as Betsy loosed a hand and took a swat at his leather-clad chest. Taking her swatting hand into his own, Violet held it fast so she could swat at him no longer. "He looks as uncomfortable as a sheep being sheared."

Sharing a laugh, Betsy and Violet then smiled innocently as they whirled past Gabriel and Eleanor. Violet was correct; the duke did look quite uncomfortable as he held his upper arms tightly to his sides, apparently in a bid to assure the sheet remained upon his body.

"Does he not wear anything beneath?" Violet queried, causing Betsy to snicker at his quip.

Betsy admitted jovially, "I did not think to ask." Her eyes shone with merriment as she pressed her original point. "I would like to collect on the wager now if you would not mind." Betsy's eyes sparkled up at Violet mischievously as she prodded him to pay her her due.

"Since you won fairly I can only accede, my love." Violet sighed heavily in mock frustration, before leading Betsy from the ballroom floor towards the hallway that would take them to the gaming room. "I assume you will be looking for a game of noddy." He pulled a small purse of coins from its tie at his waist and began to count out coins as Betsy considered her options.

"I'm not sure." Betsy's brow furrowed slightly in consternation. "I believe I would like to watch a bit first to see what games are to be had." Betsy looked up at him for confirmation, knowing she had won only a small amount, she wanted to seek out the best odds before gambling her coins on any one game.

Violet nodded at her wisdom. "Highly commendable, lovey, a wise man always surveys the battlefield before committing to any one strategy."

"Or a wise woman?" Betsy stopped and queried before they entered the room.

"Aye, or a wise woman." Violet tugged on one of Betsy's plaited braids as she held her hand out for her winnings. "Go get 'em, kitten." He turned her in an about-face towards the open door before spinning her back to face him again. He lifted her chin with a crooked finger and kissed her, "For luck." Returning his smile, Betsy took hold of his hand, dragging him slightly into the room before coming up short.

Violet almost ran into the back of her; she stopped so abruptly. He believed he saw the reason why. Three small tables were to the left side of the room, men of all ages sat at them, sipping brandies and smoking cigars while playing cards. Violet correctly assumed that Betsy had become intimidated as there were only males present. Two larger tables sat front and right of them, here also, only men plied the trade, these men, however, were younger and a bit more boisterous than the men to their left.

"Mayhap, this isn't such a good idea," Betsy whispered over her shoulder, trying to back up, attempting to back Violet up with her.

"Nonsense, kitten," Violet attempted to bolster her confidence, pushing her forward slowly as he whispered in her ear. "You can do this, Elizabeth. Have you never heard of beginner's luck?"

Betsy turned to quietly beg Violet to leave with her, convinced she did not want to go through with this any longer, she whispered harshly "I have changed my mind, Violet, perhaps if Arianna would come also, or the duchess—" Betsy argued, "Yes, the duchess. She may want to come and..."

"Coward." Violet quietly chided her. "Do you not remember stripping me to my skivvies?" Violet whispered back, willing to sacrifice his manhood to see her confidence boosted.

"But that was different." Betsy quietly whined. Changing her mind, she simply wanted to leave and, mayhap, procure reinforcements.

Will stood from the table to their right, taking the few steps necessary to approach Betsy, "Are you thinking of joining in?" He rasped, as she and Violet had been doing.

"No." Betsy replied, shaking her head, setting her braids to swinging. She had not realised Will was in the room as his back had been turned to the doorway, overlooking him in her fright of the men with whom she was not acquainted.

Will did not like his position in the room as it was, accustomed to sitting where he could see who entered. However, when he had come in his current seat had been the only one available. Desiring a better vantage point, Betsy entering the game seemed a plausible excuse to wait for a more advantageous seat.

"She is frightened by your cronies," Violet informed him.

"Come now, Bitsy, we do not bite." Will teased, "You have coins to wager?" He asked encouragingly as if she be a small, frightened child.

Betsy nodded dumbly, opening her fist to reveal her coins.

"I will be glad to back you should you need more. Surely your husband will compensate me if need be." Though Will was only acting mischievously, Violet nodded hesitantly, seeming not so sure of his wife's joining in of a sudden.

Will saw Violet's uncertainty, "A small stakes game, I assure you, Petals. I would not allow her to make a pauper of you."

Now Betsy was terrified, in that Will may need to stake her play."Truly Will, I do not need to; I will wait until..." Begging him to let her off the hook.

"Nonsense, I have every confidence you will do just fine." Will interrupted her and all but dragged her to his vacated seat, as Violet took stock of the other men at the gaming table. One man, squinting through the smoke drifting up from his smouldering cigar, paused in his actions of shuffling the cards. Removing the burning stub from his mouth, the young, pock faced man asked if he should deal Will out.

"By no means, Sheffield, deal me in," Will replied. "However, I shall relinquish my seat to Alex Hasting's daughter, Elizabeth, if no one minds."

Violet chuckled to himself as the men's faces showed keen interest in the new arrival. Nice introduction, Violet thought.

Will walked back to Violet, smiling confidently, "I have her, go, find my mother and Arianna, ask if they would care to play. I shall get them in the game also, if so." Reaching for a chair sitting against the wall next to the doorway, Will lifted it and moved to set it at an angle a little behind Betsy. "I shall simply get her started, gentlemen, then she shall be on her own, any objections?" None were given. The men shrugged or smiled in welcome as they accepted Betsy into their midst. Betsy sat in the chair, and the table came up nearly to her breasts. Feeling a bit small, she lifted one moccasin, then the other to fold her legs underneath her bum, lifting her a good degree, thus enabling her to fold her arms in front of her and rest them on the edge of the table. Watching the men around her, while the man dealing shuffled the cards, Betsy sat up a bit, opening her fist to then stack the coins she'd been holding onto so tightly in front of her.

Violet saw the men's acceptance of, and interest in their new quarry. While leaving the gaming room, he recalled the time he'd been convinced that he could lay her bare. Vi chuckled to himself, wondering if the results would be the same for these men as when Elizabeth had fleeced him of all he had to wager. Setting out to find Betsy's friends, Violet thought this also an excellent opportunity to abide by the King's wishes.

Violet returned to the ballroom, keeping to the wall on his left, he approached the dais, stepping two steps up, which enabled him to see over the heads of the promenading couples. Standing next to a large, potted plant, he hoped to remain inconspicuous, taking note first of the duchess, as she danced with her husband, he then found Lady Arianna in her father in law's arms, while Drake danced with his mother. Violet's gaze scanned the room carefully, seeing nothing out of the ordinary to concern him, Violet relaxed against the wall to watch the space and await the upcoming break between sets.

Nodding to several young ladies who thought an advantage might be had in that he was not with his wife, Violet did not encourage them in the least, choosing instead to wait for the current dance to end and approach those certain ladies he had come to find.

Violet smirked his amusement, seeing the King raising and lowering his tail, showing it off to Lord Ashton, while Lady Christine attempted to appear bored with his company. Now, that one should run him a merry chase, Violet thought, chuckling at the lady's game. Violet did not doubt the man would win, yet, for one such as the King, a hard-won prize would be valued all the more in the end. Violet's interest was piqued when the King spoke directly to Lady Christine, that fine lady shook her head in the negative while fanning her flushed face with a hand and speaking, it seemed to Violet, tersely at the monarch. The King frowned and clapped his paws, a servant immediately appearing at his side to receive instructions. Violet wondered what that was all about until the liveried man began going about the room throwing the large doors that led to the garden wide open to allow the cooler night air to start wafting through the room. The King again addressed Christine, this time she nodded agreeably, allowing the royal man to walk her out one set of the tall doors to enjoy the coolness of the lamp-lit evening outside.

Returning his amused gaze to the whirling couples, Violet hoped Betsy was not overly intimidated while she learned the game the men played, hoping beginner's luck would indeed be with her. As the dance appeared to be coming to an end, Violet stood from his relaxed position, his shoulder coming off the wall. At the same time, a servant approached, a tray of fluted glasses held on his flattened palm. Violet shook his head, thanking the man; however, a brandy sounded more to his taste than the fruity wine, yet the servant insisted. "I was told to give you this, Sir, 'tis from the lady up on the balcony. I was told not to take no for an answer." The man lifted one glass in particular and held it up for Violet to take.

Violet shrugged, taking the sparkling wine from the servant, he expressed his thanks before the man moved off. Violet immediately scanned the balcony that ran the circumference of the room, seeking a clue as to the mysterious woman's identity. His heart stopped nigh dead in his chest when he spied a scarlet vixen with amethyst eyes watching him most intently. Violet could only stare as the bonny lass lifted her glass. She raised delicate fingertips to her mouth, blowing him a kiss before draining the fruity wine in one drought. Violet felt a cold wash of current run throughout his body, knowing it to be shock, he raised his glass without even thinking, seeming to hope a swallow of the cold, golden liquid would break the spell she had woven, the one that had his feet rooted to the spot where he stood. His eyes shifted quickly from staring at her, as a glimmer of the purest gold caught his eye, it was then he saw Elizabeth's ring in the bottom of the glass he held in his hand. His eyes flew back to the balcony. However, as he had suddenly feared, the sly fox was already gone.

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Forgive me, loveys, and I meant to give you it all to the end; however, the Duke's Daughter is going to a publisher, and I promised to run through it with the daughter before submitting to the editor. We've almost got it ready to go, we appreciate your patience, as we never imagined a rough draft would be picked up immediately!!! So proud of her, and all she's accomplished, thanks to all of you she kept at it and has a complete work to call her own, you all are the BEST!  Hopefully, I will get the rest out to you quickly and mark this complete.    His blessings to each and every one of you, hope you liked it!  ;)