“No, treacle!” he exclaimed, horrified by the idea. “I would never … never …”
“Well, then,” she said, as she made a show of fumbling for her handkerchief, finally accepting Ben’s as he handed his over, though in truth, tears really were springing to her eyes now. “How do you think it makes me feel when I ask you to come and visit me and you don’t come? I’ll tell you, Joe, it makes me f-feel unloved. That’s what!” she said, before burying her face in Ben’s hanky and enjoying a good cry.
“Dinah!” Joe said, sounding appalled. She heard his chair scraping back as he pushed to his feet and almost smiled as she discovered him dithering beside her, quite at a loss at what to say. “Ah, don’t cry, little D, I … I can’t bear it when you cry, you know that.”
“Well, you made me,” she sobbed into the hanky as Ben tutted, shaking his head sadly at Joe with a reproving manner that Dinah thought quite perfect. “And I shan’t stop until you stop being s-so … so heartless and promise to come and visit me!”
“All right! All right!” Joe cried, sounding desperate enough to agree to anything so long as she stopped crying. “I promise, luv, word of honour. I’ll come regular-like, cross me ‘eart an’ ‘ope to die.”
Dinah put the hanky down, shaking it out and folding it into a perfect little square. “Well, then,” she said, perfectly calm now. “That’s all right, then.”
“Why, you little …” Joe exclaimed with a huff as he realised she had played him like a fiddle.
“Ah, ah!” Dinah cautioned him, holding up one hand. “Language. You can’t be a sore loser, Joe. I was taught to scam by a master.”
Joe made a rude noise instead before sitting down, glaring a little at Dinah, who just burst out laughing.
“Oh, Joe, your face.”
Joe snorted and rubbed the back of his neck, looking more rueful than cross now. “Aye, well,” he muttered before turning to Ben. “Don’t you trust ‘er, lad. Scheming little devil, she is.”
“Oh, I know it,” Ben murmured, winking at Dinah as she sniffed and looked away with dignity. She turned back to Joe now, the humour falling from her eyes as she took his hand. “I was a bit dramatic perhaps, Joe,” she said, serious now as she wanted him to know the truth. “But everything I said was true. I love you. You’re my father, as far as I’m concerned, and to lose you from my life … I just can’t bear it.”
Her eyes glittered for real as tears gathered and Joe cursed, snatching up Ben’s carefully folded hanky and blowing his nose with vigour.
“Jus’ pack it in, will you,” he said, the words muffled and rather thick. “I said I promised, there’s no need to turn a fellow’s heart inside out, now is there?”
Dinah laughed and got to her feet, blinking away tears as she bent and kissed his whiskery cheek. “All right, Joe, I’m done.”
“I’m not, though,” Ben piped up, sitting up straight all at once. There was a rather intense look in his eyes and Dinah wondered if he would finally tell her what was on his mind. She’d felt he was on the edge of saying something several times over the past days. There was an air of nervous excitement about him as though he had news and was bursting to tell it. “There’s something I want to say,” he said, the glittering in his eyes confirming her suspicions. He sat forward, leaning across the table with a smile, a confiding tone to his voice. “I have a proposition for you both.”
***
“A gaming club?” both Joe and Dinah echoed each other’s words, looking at him in astonishment.
Ben gave a rather sheepish grin as he nodded at them. “Yes, what do you think?”
“What the bleedin’ ‘ell do you know about running a gaming club?” Joe demanded, clearly incredulous.
Ben bristled a little but held his temper, he needed Joe on side for this. “Nothing,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “But I can learn. I’ve always been good with numbers and I think I can manage people. But as for the practical side of it, well, that’s where you come in, Joe. I’ll need your help, your expertise to make sure we don’t get taken by sharks and the like.”
“You expect me to turn game keeper?” Joe said, his eyes growing ever wider.
“Why not?” Ben asked, sitting back in his chair now and holding the man’s gaze. “You don’t need to use your skills to earn your keep anymore, so what will you do? Are you going to sit around twiddling your thumbs? Or would you prefer to put your hard-earned talents to good use?”
Joe just gaped and then let out a breath, shaking his head. “Bleeding ‘ell,” he said, quite obviously speechless. “’Ere,” he added, folding his arms. “You don’t expect Dinah to get mixed up in this? T’aint no place for a lady, a gamin’ club, an’ she’s a lady now.”
“She was always a lady,” Ben snapped, earning himself a warm look from Dinah and a glare of fury from Joe.
“That weren’t what I meant, you young varmint, and well you knows it,” Joe threw back at him.
“Oh, Joe,” Dinah said, laughing now. “I’m sure Ben doesn’t mean to begin a gaming hell, he means something classy, respectable. Don’t you?” she asked, looking up at him and making him feel about ten-foot-tall as he saw the confidence and encouragement in her eyes.
“Yes, love,” he agreed, reaching across to take her hand. “I mean a glamorous, sophisticated place where people can play for high stakes in beautiful surroundings. With the best wine, entertainments … the ton will fall over themselves to be members if we make it exclusive enough. I was thinking about limiting the membership to a set number, so that if you don’t get in quick, you simply can’t.”
“Oh, Ben,” Dinah replied, her voice full of excitement. “I think it sounds wonderful.”
“Dinah,” Joe said, his voice a little terse. “I ain’t done everythin’ I did so you’d go back to fuzzing the cards.”
“I’m suggesting no such thing,” Ben replied, his voice even as he tried to keep his temper in check. This was harder than he’d imagined. “Listen, Joe, I’ve never been the height of respectability, and now that Dreighton has disowned me … well, I will never be again. I know a gaming club is not what you imagined Dinah would do when she married me, but … but I think we would do a good job, and I think you’d both love it, too.” He took a breath, choosing his words with care. He wanted to make them understand how he felt about this, and about them.
“Dinah, did you enjoy your time as Miss Diamond?” He reached out and took her hand, squeezing the fingers. “Tell me honestly, love, I won’t be offended.”
She smiled at him, her expression full of warmth. “Ben, darling, that was the most miserable period of my entire life, as you must know by now, but …” She tilted her head, looking up at him from under her lashes, her expression glinting with mischief. “But if you are asking if I enjoyed being Miss Diamond and winning large sums of money from those would might otherwise look down at me … damn right I did,” she retorted.
Ben gave a bark laughter, delighted by her. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I knew it,” he said, letting out a breath. “You love the game, the exhilaration.”
She nodded as Joe threw up his hands, shaking his head in despair. “I did,” she admitted, before pursing her lips. “I didn’t cheat often either, I might add. I actually am a superb player.” Ben laughed harder as Joe put his head in his hands.
“Well, there will be no more cheating,” Ben said, amusement in his tone. “We must be beyond reproach in that regard.”
“Oh, Ben, of course!” Dinah retorted, looking a little indignant. “As if I would do such a thing.” She folded her arms, pursing her lips before adding, “Unless I catch someone trying to cheat me. Then all bets are off and they’ll get what they deserve.”
Ben roared with laughter as Joe groaned.
“Oh, come on, Joe,” he said, reaching over to pat the man on his massive shoulder. “You could work side by side with us. Oversee things and make all goes smoothly, and help me knock heads together when it doesn’t,” he
added with a grin.
Joe let out a long-suffering sigh, glowering a little at Ben before shaking his head.
“Well, bugger me, this weren’t what I expected from you, lad, but …” He hesitated, staring at Ben and then glancing at Dinah. “You reckon this is a good idea?”
Dinah nodded, smiling with warmth. “I do,” she said, and with such feeling that Ben felt sure they could make it work. “Ben is right, we will never be quite respectable, though he’s too sweet to say it’s my fault,” she added with a wry smile.
“Dinah,” Ben began, his voice stern, but Dinah held up her hand, silencing him. “It’s true, there is no point in protesting, but this … this would be something we could succeed at, something we could excel at, and …” Ben noticed the rather mischievous glitter in her eyes with amusement. “We might not be good ton, but when people owe you large sums of money, they have a tendency to be rather more polite.”
Ben chuckled, and Joe made a sound of amusement and reached over the table, pinching her cheek. “God ‘elp the fella what don’t pay ‘is bill on time, but you’re right enough, little D.” He looked over at Ben and held out his hand. “Right you are, then, lad. You’re on,” he said, grinning as Ben shook his hand with enthusiasm. “Let’s see what we can make of this club of yourn.”
Epilogue
“Wherein … everything is just as it should be.”
Ben looked over the ornate railing of the second-floor gallery to the busy main floor beneath and could not suppress his smile of satisfaction. It had taken almost a year of blood, sweat, tears … and more money than he cared to contemplate, but they’d done it. The décor was sumptuous, tasteful, and luxurious with swathes of heavy velvet and thick carpets, and just a hint of decadence.
He watched the croupiers at work, their sharply tailored suits telling those who gambled here that even the staff were of a quality not to be found elsewhere. He’d found the best staff possible, luring some away from other more established clubs and raising others up from the hells, all with the promise of good wages and a raft of incentives for those who went the extra mile to do a good job. The general supervisor, a stern-looking man by the name of Jarvey, looked up and caught his eye, giving him a satisfied nod before returning his attention to overseeing the tables. The hazard tables were particularly busy tonight and the buzz of noise and excitement grew ever louder as a win had one client whooping and demanding that champagne be brought to the table.
Everyone who was anyone was here.
Drifting down the stairs to the card rooms, Ben noted the Duke of Sherringham at the faro table, surrounded by his illustrious friends and a smattering of wealthy sycophants. He was playing deep tonight, and drinking, too. From the satisfied look on Joe’s face, he wasn’t winning either.
Joe had taken to his role of factotum like the proverbial duck to water as Ben had suspected he might. He walked the line between deference to those who considered themselves his betters, and his natural air of hard-nosed villain who would throw you on the street face-first in a heartbeat, no matter if you were a duke. It worked well.
Joe had also had a hand in hiring some of the staff. There was never any trouble at The Diamond, not unless you were foolish in the extreme.
The dining room was busy, too, but happily not so much as the gambling rooms. Those that needed to catch their breath could come down here and find the most exquisite delicacies on offer. The Diamond had become renowned in a short space of time for the best food, the best wine, and the deepest play to be found anywhere in London. Enticing as these things might be; however, they were not the only attractions.
Ben caught his breath as he saw her and wondered when this sense of awe would leave him. Every time he saw Dinah here, dressed in the height of fashion and presiding over her table like a duchess, he could not understand how he’d captured her heart. His wife was astonishing, and he knew damn well he wasn’t the only one to see it. She looked up then as though feeling his gaze on her and the smile she returned reinforced the knowledge that he had nothing to worry about. She loved him. As extraordinary as that might seem … it was true.
She rarely came to play, in fact, but that in itself had become a draw. The cream of the ton would brag about having had the honour of playing The Diamond herself. Losing to her was almost a badge of honour. She had become one of the most glamorous and fashionable women in London, and yet he knew that part of it mattered little to her. She enjoyed it, enjoyed the thrill of playing … and winning, but he knew it was not the most important part of her life.
He heard the cries of disappointment as she rose from the table, and her quiet but firm reply that she would play no more tonight. With a swell of pride, Ben noted the envious glances of half the men in the room as Dinah made her way to his side and took his arm.
“Well, my lovely diamond, and how do you fare this evening?” he asked, guiding her away from the floor and to their private rooms. They did not spend all their nights here, but it was good to relax after a busy evening without having to take a carriage ride home.
“I fare very well, my lord,” Dinah replied, a rather smug tone to her voice.
“How much did you win?” he asked, amusement and pride tugging his mouth into a smile.
He closed the door behind them, the noise of the club dimming to a murmur.
“A lot,” she said, winking at him.
Ben laughed and pulled her close to him, leaning in for a kiss. “You win so often, we’ll be accused of stacking the cards in your favour.”
Dinah gave him a look of disgust. “I never cheat,” she replied with a dignified little sniff. Ben raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. “Well, I may have ensured that Lord Cullen lost rather more than he ought to,” she admitted, not looking the least bit repentant. “But he was cheating in such a shocking manner and he’s such an odious man. He put his hand on my knee,” she added as Ben felt a rush of fury.
“He did what?” he exploded, letting her go and turning to head back to the club to seek the man out.
“Ben! Ben!” Dinah said, catching his arm and laughing. “Leave it, I assure you, I’ve hurt him far more than you could.”
Ben glowered but turned back to her, intrigued. “How?” he demanded.
“Well, you know those lovely matched greys and the beautiful new carriage he was showing off so obnoxiously, and that you quietly drooled over, when we saw him on Bond Street the other day?”
“Yes,” Ben replied, frowning at her as he remembered. The horses had been glorious, the most perfectly matched he’d ever seen, and the carriage must have cost a pretty penny, too, the workmanship had been second to none. He was rarely envious of another man’s possessions, but to see the beautiful creatures in the hands of such a fool as Lord Cullen, who was known as a brute with horses, well, it had stuck in his throat rather.
“They’re yours.”
Ben blinked at her, a slow smile curving over his mouth as he sucked in a breath. “You little devil, you played him just to win those for me.”
Dinah returned a coy smile, before moving closer and placing her hands on his chest, smoothing her palms over the heavy silk of his waistcoat.
“Perhaps,” she admitted, her voice rather softer now. “But … I thought I would like to go out on a victory.”
“What do you mean?” Ben asked, worried all at once. She had been spending less time at the club of recent weeks, as had he, it was true. The place was running smoothly, the staff were excellent, and the money coming in far exceeded anything they had expected at this stage. They did not need to be there the entire time though he’d had the impression that Dinah enjoyed herself when she did. “Are you unhappy, darling?” he asked, pulling her close to him once more and staring down at her. “You need only say, you know. If this life isn’t what you’d hoped it would be …”
Dinah put a finger to his lips, laughing at him. “Oh, Ben, how can you even think it?” she asked, her lovely eyes glittering with affection and happiness. “I love it an
d I’m so proud of it, and of you, but …” Her face grew a little guarded now, a secretive glint in her eyes as she looked up at him from under her lashes. “But,” she continued. “I don’t think it is entirely appropriate for a … a lady in my condition.”
“Your …” Ben stared at her, uncomprehending her meaning for a long moment before he realised. “Your condition?” he repeated, catching his breath. “Oh, Dinah!” He hugged her tightly, terror and joy and pride flooding him all at once until he could hardly breathe.
Dinah blinked back tears as she fought to push him away a little. “Ben, I can’t breathe,” she said, laughing at him as he stared at her in wonder. “And before you ask, yes, I have seen a doctor, yes, I am sure, and yes … we are both perfectly well.”
“I don’t know what to say,” he said, meaning it. He had no words that could express what was in his heart. It overwhelmed him.
“Are you happy?” she asked, a little anxiety in her eyes now as she looked up at him.
“Happy?” Ben repeated, still feeling somewhat dazed. A grin covered his mouth as he lowered his lips to her. “Happy comes nowhere close to what I’m feeling now, Dinah. I love you, so much. Both of you,” he added, covering her perfectly flat stomach with his hand.
“I love you, too, Ben,” she said, laying her head on his chest. “I feel like I could burst from it.”
Ben chuckled, only relieved that she’d said it first for once, as he felt exactly the same.
They both groaned as they heard a knock on the door, and Ben went to open it with reluctance, fully intending to tell whoever it was to go to the devil. He was rather startled then to find his brother facing him.
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