Page 51 of A Single Obsession

Eliza nodded, and a smile crept onto her lips. That was a game she could play well.

“Excellent.” He turned to Miss Whitlow and her brother. “I’ll pit my skill against anyone who thinks they can beat me.”

Harriet sniggered. “You cannot be serious. Spillikins is a children’s game.”

Mr Whitlow’s face, however, grew animated. “I used to be rather good at that. I’m happy to accept your challenge, Beaumont.”

“So am I,” said Eliza.

Ignoring Harriet’s lack of enthusiasm, Beau sent a servant to fetch the spillikins from the schoolroom. They were soon seated around the card table with a tangled pile of wooden sticks in front of them.

Beau insisted Eliza should go first. She leaned forward, examining the pile before successfully capturing a stick without jogging any others. With a gleeful smile, she removed a second and a third, before causing a slight movement when she sought to capture a fourth.

“Your turn,” she said, looking at Harriet, who had reluctantly agreed to join in the game.

After spending a long time examining the pile before settling on the stick she was going to remove, Harriet knocked another spillikin on her first attempt.

Eliza glanced at Beau and, by the smallest rise of her eyebrows, she communicated what she thought of her clumsiness. Only by the slightest twitch of his nose did Beau show he had seen and understood.

Mr Whitlow proved to be a skilled player. More dexterous than his sister, he won two sticks before making a mistake.

Then it was Beau’s turn. He lifted the first stick easily, causing him to flash a triumphant look in her direction, but it made him over confident, and Eliza bit back a smile when he failed to extract a second without nudging the stick next to it.

He let out a groan as play passed once again to Eliza, but on his second turn, he fared much better. Eliza’s pile of sticks grew fast, but Beau’s grew even faster. Mr Whitlow played a creditable third, but Harriet captured only two sticks and became increasingly impatient for the game to finish.

Her competitive instincts aroused, Eliza played close attention to Beau’s moves and as the game progressed, she gained on him. At the last count, she was the winner by a single stick.

“Beaten at the last fence,” Beau said. “I’ll get you next time. See if I don’t!”

“Not if I can help it,” Eliza retorted.

“You are to be congratulated on your excellence in this children’s game, Miss Merry,” said Harriet, failing to keep the sneer out of her voice. “Your dexterity is admirable. I believe I am better suited to whist, where winning depends on playing a skilful hand rather than having a steady one. More thinking and less deftness required.”

“Yes, indeed,” said Eliza, not knowing what else to say.

Her rival gave her a long, disdainful look and moved away.

Eliza glanced up at Beau, who still stood by the card table. His eyes were alight with laughter, and she grinned in response.

Miss Whitlow had embarrassed her earlier, but the tables had turned, and Harriet’s spitefulness had sent him to her rescue.

And to be rescued by Beau made all the embarrassment worth it.

Chapter 23

Eliza woke early again the next morning, looking forward to her ride with Beau. The corners of her mouth curled up in a satisfied smile as she thought about how he’d come to her rescue the evening before.

Her maid was already laying out her riding dress.

“No, Sarah,” Eliza said, dismissing the outfit she was preparing. “My new habit today, please. The scarlet one that was finished just before we left London.”

“Yes, miss. I’m certain Lady Frances will appreciate it.”

“I doubt it, but you must know she won’t be going out with me this morning in her condition.”

“You don’t fool me,” Sarah said, shaking her head and tutting as she helped her mistress into the red habit.

Eliza acted as though she had not heard, but a traitorous warmth spread over her cheeks.