Betting it All on the Earl

by Emma Brady

  “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

  “I want to tell you the truth. You deserve that.”

  He moved aside so she could enter the bedroom. It was smaller than her own room, with only the fire burning in the fireplace. He had none of the gas lamps on, so everything was cast in dancing shadows, including the bed. That one piece of furniture seemed to dominate the room. It drew her eyes and made her hands fidget with her skirt.

  “Appearing in a man’s bedroom is quite unexpected.” Henry said. “We had best keep it short, so you can get back to your own room unnoticed.”

  “No one cares much about my reputation.”

  “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.”

  Kitty pulled her gaze away from the bed, turning to look at the man. That wasn’t any less inappropriate, considering the amount of skin the man showed. Heat built in her stomach as she let her eyes roam over his figure, taking in every delicious detail. She should show modesty and look away, but it was impossible for her to do.

  “That’s what I came here to talk to you about.” She struggled to stay focused on what she needed to discuss with him.

  “Your reputation? Perhaps you don’t understand how one’s reputation works. A man’s room, in the middle of the night, is not going to help it.”

  “I’m not trying to help it. I’m trying to keep it a secret.”

  There was only one chair in the room, so Kitty took that seat and Henry sat on the edge of the bed. There wasn’t more than a couple of feet between the two and Kitty felt like the distance was even less. Her body had become aware of him the moment the door opened. She could feel all the signs of desire, even if she was not as familiar with the feeling as one would expect. She sat rigidly in the chair, watching him carefully.

  “Are you worried about what Christopher said tonight? I have no intention of repeating that.”

  “You don’t believe what he said?” she asked.

  “Of course not.”

  “Why?”

  “I know you are a lady, not an actress.”

  Kitty took a deep breath. “I am both.”

  For a moment he was silent, his blue eyes focused on her. She refused to squirm under the attention and faced him boldly.

  “You are an actress?” he finally spoke slowly.

  “No, but I was. When my husband met me, I was part of a traveling theater group performing in Bath. I was the lead in a Shakespeare play.”

  “Not Romeo and Juliet I hope?”

  “No, one of his tragedies.”

  He hesitated. “Were you any good?”

  “I was told my performance was enchanting, but that mostly came from men so I don’t put much stock in it.” Kitty had no idea from his expression if Henry was upset. “Patrick told me I was good, but I can’t trust that either.”

  “Patrick was also an actor?”

  “Yes. He was my mentor.”

  “Was he your lover?”

  Kitty gasped. “Of course not! He is like a father to me.”

  Henry shrugged. “Christopher implied that you had lovers in your past.”

  “I did, but not Patrick.” Kitty swallowed the lump in her throat. “Christopher was my only lover. He met me when I was

  young and naïve. He seduced me and then left me stranded with no money and no dignity.”

  Kitty felt the surge of tears but fought them back. She wouldn’t be able to continue telling him the sad story of her life if she burst into tears.

  “Patrick and his troupe were passing through the inn at the same time. He heard me crying in my room and was able to guess what happened. He paid my bill with the innkeeper and offered to take me with them.”

  “He saved you.”

  “Yes, although some people might argue he ruined me as well. Becoming an actress meant I could never be decent again.”

  Henry was silent, sitting there and staring at her. After a few moments it became unbearable.

  “Will you please say something?”

  “I should have thrashed Christopher while I had the chance. It will be much harder to get ahold of him now.”

  Kitty felt a rush of relief that Henry wasn’t riling at her and condemning her for her past behavior.

  “Everything he said tonight was true. I did give away my virtue before I was married and I did spend my youth walking the stage. I wasn’t raised properly and I have never been a real lady.”

  Now the tears were slipping down her cheeks without her control. If he had been angry with her she might have been able to stay rock hard, but under the tenderness she saw in his eyes she crumbled. Quickly, Henry had opened his arms and she went to him, her body enveloped by his.

  “You are the most wonderful lady I have ever met.” He whispered in her ear, “I will never let anyone accuse you of anything different.”

  She wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to do that. That once she won the tournament she and Patrick were going to disappear. They would leave London and society, so the rumors wouldn’t matter. She opened her mouth to speak, but he swooped in and kissed her fiercely. That made all thoughts vanish from her mind. She became soft and pliable in his arms.

  “Stay with me, Kitty.” Henry mumbled against her lips as he pulled her into the bed with him. “Stay tonight with me.”

  He could have asked her to stay forever and she would have said yes. The passion she felt for him built inside her until she could barely breathe. The clothes on her skin felt restrictive, so she clawed at them. He helped her remove them much more skillfully than she could have done alone. Then they both worked to make him as bare as she was. Skin to skin, the two of them were ravished with need.

  The weight of his body on top of her wasn’t unpleasant. Looking up, she saw a wide grin on his face before he kissed her senseless. There was no time to think about what was happening, only to feel the sensations of his hands touching her body all over. Then the sweet pressure of him entering her and the way he body stretched to accommodate him. It made her gasp and that caused him to still.

  “Did I hurt you?” Henry looked confused and concerned.

  “No. It’s just been a long time.” She leaned up to nibble on his ear and heard him groan. “Don’t stop. Please don’t.”

  His arms moved beneath her, grabbing her shoulders from beneath, locking her in under him. His thrusts were hard and fast, but satisfying. Each one touched her in the right spot, making her moan into his ear. She didn’t remember making love being like this, bringing her such tension. It felt good, but she knew there was something better within reach.

  “Are you close?” Henry asked, his voice raw against her neck.

  “Close to what?”

  He chuckled, then slipped a hand between their bodies and touching her where she ached the most. He matched his hand to the strokes of his body and suddenly she broke apart in the most delicious way. This was not part of what she remembered. It left her dazed and panting but tingling in every inch.

  “Was that your first release?” Henry asked, pulling her close to him as he rolled over.

  She couldn’t find the words to speak, so she nodded against his chest.

  “Your husband must not have been an attentive lover.”

  Kitty sighed. “He was a wonderful husband, but had no interest in sharing my bed. There was no reason for us to have children and he knew about my unpleasant past.”

  “It was his loss. I don’t think old age would keep me from a wife as beautiful as you.”

  “His interests were elsewhere.”

  “Another woman.”

  “Not exactly.”

  Henry pulled away enough to look down at her with concern.

  “What kind of interests were they?”

  Kitty realized she had said too much and tried to leave the bed, but he held her tightly.

  “Kitty, you can tell me.”

  It wasn’t her secret to share, but it still weighed on her. It would be a relief to share it with someone she trusted.


  “Woolard and Patrick were close.”

  Kitty couldn’t bring herself to give more details, but the look on Henry’s face showed she didn’t need to. His eyes softened and he pulled her in tightly. He didn’t say anything else about it, but placed gentle kisses on the top of her head while continuing to hold her. The relief washed over her and for the first time she truly relaxed.

  Chapter 10

  Henry was disappointed that he woke up alone but understood that Kitty might not want to be seen leaving his room in the morning. He was eager to find her and to talk to her about their future. He felt privileged and honored that she had shared her past with him the night before. She didn’t need to worry about winning the tournament, because he could provide for her.

  The morning was spent looking for her, but Henry was told by Patrick that she wasn’t feeling good. Luckily that evening she decided to make an appearance at the social party they were having. Participants were strongly encouraged to attend, and no one wanted to get on the bad side of the host.

  When she and Patrick were alone Henry made his way to her.

  “Lady Woolard.” He came up from behind her. “You are looking well this evening.”

  She spun around, her eyes wide open and her lips in the perfect shape of an “O”. She couldn’t find the words to speak, so Patrick did.

  “Nothing a bit of rest couldn’t cure. It was all the stress of the tournament. You know how women have such delicate nerves.” Patrick gave a chuckle.

  “No, I’m afraid I don’t.”

  Kitty hiding in her bedroom had nothing to do with the games.

  “Perhaps we can find a place to talk?” Henry asked her.

  “I’m certain we have nothing to talk about.”

  “Do you want me to discuss matters with you here?”

  Kitty’s eyes darted at Patrick. Clearly she had told him about the two of them. The older man shrugged.

  “If he’s determined to talk, it might be best to find some privacy for it.” Patrick suggested.

  “Fine.”

  Kitty grabbed Henry by the hand and dragged him out of the main salon and down the hall to the library. He thought of it as their library.

  “I don’t know what you want to say, but you shouldn’t. There is no reason we need to discuss what happened last night.” The words tumbled out in a nervous jumble.

  “There is much to discuss; including what we are going to do going forward.” Henry argued.

  “I’m going to play tonight and hopefully win the purse. Then Patrick and I are going to leave London.”

  “Leave?” Henry was shocked.

  “Yes. It has become impossible for me to continue living there when the risk of being exposed is so close.”

  “Last night-“

  “Last night was a mistake. A beautiful but tragic mistake.” Kitty said.

  “Why? I know about your past and I don’t care. I want you still.”

  There was silence for a moment, and he wanted to reach for her, but he could sense she would pull away. He continued trying to persuade her to accept him.

  “You would no longer have to worry about finances. I could provide for both you and Patrick. I know how difficult it would be for you to part with him.”

  “Provide for me?” the questions was spoken softly.

  “Yes. I could put you in a nice townhome in London if you like; or find something away from the city if you want more privacy. There would be a monthly allowance for clothes and a household staff. Everything would be taken care of.”

  He watched as her back straitened and her eyes turned to glass. Any softness for him was gone. She looked as if she were ready to flay him. That was not the reaction he expected.

  “You mean to keep me as a mistress?” The words came out as a hiss.

  “Well...” Henry hadn’t expected such a direct question. It would be impolite to say yes. “I would take fine care of you.”

  “My husband gave me his name, but you would have me disgrace that?”

  “If your past is revealed, it would be disgraced anyway. At least with me you have a future.”

  “Only a man would see that as a future worth having.”

  “A future with me is worth it.”

  “I wouldn’t be with you, I would belong to you. You are no better than Christopher. That is not a future I desire.”

  She turned to leave, letting her long hair sway behind her. Henry reached out, taking her arm and forcing her to face him again.

  “You can’t expect another man will offer you marriage.”

  “I don’t expect much from men in general. You are all the same. Now unhand me.”

  Henry loosened his grip and she stormed back towards the parlor. He was too stunned to move. Then there was the sound of a woman’s scream. Henry bolted towards the social room and found people had gathered in a circle. Pushing into the center of it, Patrick had collapsed on the floor and Kitty knelt beside him, his head in her lap. She shouted his name and shaking him but with no success of waking him.

  “What happened?” Henry asked one of the other guests.

  “He laughed at something funny, and then he grabbed at his chest and fell over.”

  That meant it was mostly likely his heart. Typical of men Patrick’s age. Henry knelt beside Kitty and bent his head over the man’s chest. He could see it rise and fall with shallow breaths, which meant he was still alive.

  “We need to get him upstairs and into bed.” Said Henry. “We can send for a doctor once we have him settled in.”

  Kitty refused to leave her friend’s side, even as the doctor examined him. The expression the doctor had was not good and he sighed a lot.

  “I’m afraid he has had an episode with his heart. It seems to have passed and thankfully he survived, but he is weak. He is going to need to rest a long time before he gets his strength back.” The doctor told Henry and Kitty.

  The rest of the party had remained in the parlor.

  “But he will be fine?” Kitty’s voice was brittle with concern.

  “Yes. As long as he relaxes and avoids stress, he should recover fully within a week.”

  Her face relaxed and her eyes became teary. Taking the doctor by surprise, Kitty wrapped him up in a hug. Then he took his exit from the room.

  “Poor Patrick.” Kitty was at his bedside, holding the man’s hand. “He didn’t let me know anything was wrong. I didn’t even think he was worried about the tournament. He let me believe he was enjoying the house party and nothing more.”

  “He didn’t want you to be anxious.”

  Henry remained in the room, to offer her comfort.

  “Now I’m even more worried. He won’t be able to play and we will have to forfeit the prize.”

  Her face had gone snowy white and her eyes were glazed over with panic.

  “Then Christopher will expect me to accept his offer.”

  “You could accept mine instead.”

  “I would rather take his. At least I already despise him.”

  Henry felt a little relief that she didn’t despise him, but he couldn’t handle the thought of her being with that man.

  “What if you found another player?” Henry suggested.

  “Christopher is playing with Viscount Andrews, who would be equal to a player such as him?”

  “Me. I could be your partner. I have played the Viscount before.”

  “Did you win?”

  “No, but neither did he. It was a draw.”

  “That hardly fills me with confidence. Patrick and I beat you when we played.”

  “That was because I was distracted by you. It would be a benefit to us now.”

  Kitty bit her lower lip and looked at Patrick, who was still sleeping deeply. She was afraid to trust him, and he couldn’t blame her for it. They barely knew each other, outside of one night together. After which he had propositioned her in a callous manner.

  “I promise I will do my best to help you win that prize money. At least this way you
will have a chance.”

  “What about your sister?”

  Rory would not be happy to find out he was going to help the person who had beat them but he knew she would forgive him. She always did.

  “Rory will understand. She’s not as bad as she seems.”

  “If I win, I’m still going to leave. I won’t be your mistress.”

  “I know.”

  Henry let her think about it in silence, watching her expression carefully. If she said no she would be in a terrible position, one he felt partially responsible for. He had only made Christopher more angry and vengeful.

  “Looks like we will be partners then.”

  Chapter 11

  Kitty felt as if she was going to faint as she sat down at the table. Christopher was to her left; Viscount Andrews was to the right and Henry stared at her from across the table. That was a lot of masculine energy to be surrounded by. This was not going to be an easy game, so she tried to prepare herself mentally for it. Still, her hands shook as she took her cards.

  “I’m sorry to hear that Patrick is in poor health.” Said Viscount Andrews. “I don’t know him well but always found him to be friendly and amusing. How is he doing?”

  Kitty couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or trying to distract her.

  “He is doing better. The doctor says he simply needs to rest. It was the excitement of the party and the games that caused the episode.”

  “Not everyone has the stamina for something like this. The weak have to be removed from the other players.”

  Christopher sneered at her over his cards. She felt her cheeks warming rapidly.

  “Patrick is not weak. You should be grateful not to be playing him.”

  “The players wouldn’t change the outcome.”

  The look her gave her made her skin crawl.

  “Let’s be gentlemen here.”

  Andrew’s eyes narrowed on Christopher.

  Christopher grunted but didn’t argue. It was never a good idea to anger your partner in the middle of a game.

  Henry was remarkably easy to read, even though the two of them had never played together before. He seemed to know her thoughts and movement before she did, allowing him to play his hand in perfect time with hers. They were quickly taking the lead and scowled deeper with each hand. Andrews smiled easily and kept looking at her over his cards.