Page 11 of A Game of Scandal

“No, thank you,” I replied coolly despite the prickling, tingling feeling that was running all over my skin. “I would simply like, as I’ve already stated, to collect my winnings and go home.”

“The lady has been gaming?” Joe asked neutrally.

I straightened my spine. “The lady has been winning.”

“Yes.” Izzy sighed. “And the lady has been flirting with Edward Laing.”

Ash’s lazy gaze sharpened. “Has she indeed?”

I glanced between them. “I certainly have not. I don’t even know an Edward Laing.”

“I had a report that the two of you were laughing over the vingt-et-un table,” Izzy said.

“A report?” I said sweetly. “Why would you be receiving reports, Izzy?”

Some colour crept into Izzy’s cheeks. “I mean, a friend saw you … and told me.”

“Mmm,” I murmured. “I can’t help but notice that’s also an interesting outfit you’re wearing,” I said, and she glanced down at her trousers with a worried frown. It seemed she had realized I might have questions too. “I think there was a man who spoke to me at the table,” I added. “But I didn’t catch his name. I was busy concentrating on the cards.”

“Apparently, Mr Laing was especially struck by you,” Izzy continued doggedly.

“I should imagine so,” I replied, looking down at the gently dipping neckline of my dress. “My gown is becoming, and I do think the masks are dashing. Also, I was winning an awful lot of money.”

“An irresistible combination,” Ash agreed helpfully.

Izzy frowned. “Well, I’m glad to hear you don’t know the man.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Oh,” Izzy floundered. “I only meant it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to be talking to a man so intimately,” she said, regaining some of her poise.

“Really, Izzy, I had no idea before tonight that you were so obsessed with propriety,” I said, letting my gaze move again slowly and deliberately over her costume. “Perhaps now would be a good time to explain what, exactly, you are doing here.”

“Yes,” Izzy said, coughing into her hand. “I suppose it does seem strange, but there is a very – er – simple explanation. Teresa and I made a small wager that I could pass for a boy, you see.”

“Mmm.” I tilted my head. “And that wager brought you to a gambling den in the middle of the night?”

“Well, you know how convincing Teresa can be,” Izzy murmured vaguely.

I met my sister-in-law’s eyes. “As much fun as this is, let’s cut through to the meat of the matter, shall we? I assume that the agency that you work for has an interest in this Edward Laing character and that’s why you’re here tonight?”

I had the distinct pleasure of rendering Izzy utterly speechless.

“I-I—”

I waited patiently for her to find her words.

“I suppose I should stop being surprised by you, Felicity Vane,” she said finally, on an exhale.

I let a pointed silence do the talking here, deciding it was unnecessary for me to agree aloud.

“In answer to your question, yes,” she continued reluctantly. “My … organization is looking into Edward Laing. We believe him to be a dangerous man.”

“And we believe him to be a cheat,” Ash said, moving back to sit behind his desk and shuffling through a sheaf of papers. “A clever one.”

“You called me a cheat not half an hour ago,” I pointed out. “Perhaps this Laing fellow is simply using the same mathematical principles that I was?”

“You accused Felicity of cheating?” Izzy’s outrage at this outstripped any she’d shown over finding Ash and myself in a compromising situation. It warmed my heart, and made it at least thirty per cent easier to forgive her for the overbearing routine that she’d clearly learned from my brother.