Read Online To Catch a Countess by Patricia Grasso - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Grasso
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two of spades. Alexander followed her with the four of spades, giving the first trick to Rudolf and Samantha.
Next, Rudolf played a red eight. Hoping to choose the correct suit, Victoria picked a nine and tossed it down. Samantha threw a red three and Alexander the red two.
Rudolf reached to gather the cards. “I won that trick,” Victoria said.
“Eight beats six,” Rudolf told her.
“I played the nine.”
“You played a six,” Alexander told her, sounding more irritated than before. “Let me see your cards.”
With her frustration growing, Victoria passed him her cards. Again, she knew from his expression that she’d made an error.
“Why did you play the six when you are holding the ten?”
“I thought it was a nine.”
“How could you possibly think that?” Alexander asked. “Sixes and nines are completely different numbers.”
“I’m sorry,” Victoria apologized, her voice no louder than a whisper, her complexion a vibrant scarlet. “I must have been holding the card upside down.”
Rudolf started the third round with a red ten. Victoria knew she needed a red picture card to beat it. Was the knave the correct suit?
“Play your card,” the earl said.
Victoria worried her bottom lip with her small white teeth. Then she tossed the knave on the table.
“Good God, Victoria,” Alexander said. “You can’t play a trump unless you have nothing in the suit thrown. Are you trying to lose the game, or are you just stupid?”
The word stupid echoed in her mind. The earl had no idea how difficult life was for stupid people. Like her.
“Don’t call me that,” Victoria cried, fighting back tears. “Find yourself another partner.” And then she swept the cards off the table.
Everyone in the drawing room turned to watch the scene unfolding. Victoria wanted to bolt out the door. Her uncle would certainly give her a dressing-down now.
Alexander relaxed back in his chair and studied her. “Pick the cards up.”
“No.” The word fell like a gauntlet between them.
Samantha leaned down to get the cards, but the earl’s voice stopped her, “Leave the cards on the floor.” When she looked at her husband, Rudolf nodded at her to do as the earl said.
Victoria felt her anger growing. The earl had upset her to the point of losing control, and now he sat there looking as if he had not a care in the world.
“Pick the cards up,” Alexander ordered, a sterner edge to his voice.
“You are not my lord or my guardian,” Victoria informed him. Unable to keep her bitter disappointment from surfacing, she added, “If you want to be obeyed, give your betrothed orders, whoever the unfortunate lady is.”
Victoria knew she sounded like a scorned lover and wished she could recall the words. She flicked a glance at their audience. Their smiles surprised her.
“Apologize to the earl,” Aunt Roxie said.
“Let Alex handle her,” Duke Magnus said. “He will be dealing with her fits for a long time and should start now.”
Victoria stared at the duke, his words confusing her. And then she knew—her uncle was giving her to the earl for his mistress.
Victoria began to tremble. She turned a troubled expression on the earl.
“I should give my betrothed orders?” Alexander said, amusement lighting his gaze on her.
“That is your business.”
“When I give these orders, should my betrothed obey them without question?”
Victoria shrugged.
“Does that mean yes or no?”
“That means I don’t give a fig.” Victoria lifted her nose into the air and turned to leave.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Alexander rose from his chair and walked around the card table to tower over her. “Pick up the cards, my sweet betrothed.”
Victoria couldn’t credit what she had heard. The earl was already engaged. He couldn’t marry two women.
“Are you implying that I am your betrothed?” Victoria stared into his hazel eyes.
“I am saying it, not implying,” Alexander told her. “Pick the damn cards
Next, Rudolf played a red eight. Hoping to choose the correct suit, Victoria picked a nine and tossed it down. Samantha threw a red three and Alexander the red two.
Rudolf reached to gather the cards. “I won that trick,” Victoria said.
“Eight beats six,” Rudolf told her.
“I played the nine.”
“You played a six,” Alexander told her, sounding more irritated than before. “Let me see your cards.”
With her frustration growing, Victoria passed him her cards. Again, she knew from his expression that she’d made an error.
“Why did you play the six when you are holding the ten?”
“I thought it was a nine.”
“How could you possibly think that?” Alexander asked. “Sixes and nines are completely different numbers.”
“I’m sorry,” Victoria apologized, her voice no louder than a whisper, her complexion a vibrant scarlet. “I must have been holding the card upside down.”
Rudolf started the third round with a red ten. Victoria knew she needed a red picture card to beat it. Was the knave the correct suit?
“Play your card,” the earl said.
Victoria worried her bottom lip with her small white teeth. Then she tossed the knave on the table.
“Good God, Victoria,” Alexander said. “You can’t play a trump unless you have nothing in the suit thrown. Are you trying to lose the game, or are you just stupid?”
The word stupid echoed in her mind. The earl had no idea how difficult life was for stupid people. Like her.
“Don’t call me that,” Victoria cried, fighting back tears. “Find yourself another partner.” And then she swept the cards off the table.
Everyone in the drawing room turned to watch the scene unfolding. Victoria wanted to bolt out the door. Her uncle would certainly give her a dressing-down now.
Alexander relaxed back in his chair and studied her. “Pick the cards up.”
“No.” The word fell like a gauntlet between them.
Samantha leaned down to get the cards, but the earl’s voice stopped her, “Leave the cards on the floor.” When she looked at her husband, Rudolf nodded at her to do as the earl said.
Victoria felt her anger growing. The earl had upset her to the point of losing control, and now he sat there looking as if he had not a care in the world.
“Pick the cards up,” Alexander ordered, a sterner edge to his voice.
“You are not my lord or my guardian,” Victoria informed him. Unable to keep her bitter disappointment from surfacing, she added, “If you want to be obeyed, give your betrothed orders, whoever the unfortunate lady is.”
Victoria knew she sounded like a scorned lover and wished she could recall the words. She flicked a glance at their audience. Their smiles surprised her.
“Apologize to the earl,” Aunt Roxie said.
“Let Alex handle her,” Duke Magnus said. “He will be dealing with her fits for a long time and should start now.”
Victoria stared at the duke, his words confusing her. And then she knew—her uncle was giving her to the earl for his mistress.
Victoria began to tremble. She turned a troubled expression on the earl.
“I should give my betrothed orders?” Alexander said, amusement lighting his gaze on her.
“That is your business.”
“When I give these orders, should my betrothed obey them without question?”
Victoria shrugged.
“Does that mean yes or no?”
“That means I don’t give a fig.” Victoria lifted her nose into the air and turned to leave.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Alexander rose from his chair and walked around the card table to tower over her. “Pick up the cards, my sweet betrothed.”
Victoria couldn’t credit what she had heard. The earl was already engaged. He couldn’t marry two women.
“Are you implying that I am your betrothed?” Victoria stared into his hazel eyes.
“I am saying it, not implying,” Alexander told her. “Pick the damn cards
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