A Bewildered Bachelor (The Gentlemen’s Gamble #1)

Prologue

Being caught in a storm on the English Channel was not part of Ambrose Hartley’s plan, though it was completely predictable.

He had told his friends that such storms were more likely in December and encouraged patience.

However, Sweden’s declaration of war with England was a powerful incentive to rush home from their Grand Tour.

His friends had not listened and would likely not listen now if he told them how rare it was for a packet ship to sink. If they feared sinking, it served them right for ignoring him.

The ship pitched, water thudded heavily on the hull, and Andrew Langford nearly fell.

All seven of them were crammed into a cabin hardly fit for three.

The air was thick with salt and fear. Instead of sitting on a nailed-down stool or in one of the bunks, Langford had opted to stand and looked worse for the decision.

His black hair stood up and his blue eyes darted about in panic.

He was not alone in his alarm. The others were looking about and talking too loudly.

Charles and Tristan, the twins, laughed madly each time they were thrown from their stools.

A stranger might be fooled into thinking them carefree young men, but they had been friends since they were lads at Westminster, and Ambrose knew them better than his own brother. Distress, both physical and mental, hid behind their laughter and boasts.

Thomas, ever keen to distract, was talking his usual nonsense, practically yelling over the rain and pounding of the waves. “When we dock”—Thomas brushed his red hair from his eyes—“I will be the first of any of you louts to marry.”

Ambrose and Leonard scoffed in unison from their opposite bunks.

What nonsense.

They all knew that Rowan would be the first to marry—he had been promised as a child.

What made Thomas say such a thing? Was he secretly betrothed to some lady?

Two years ago, before his own secret arrangement, Ambrose would never have suspected such a thing.

But his friends had been completely ignorant of his promises to Miss Popjoy and equally clueless when she broke it off to marry another.

Ambrose stayed silent, knowing that was the best way to deter Thomas.

His silence was in vain, for Leonard spoke and all the men joined in. The boat pitched, provoking more wild eyes and laughter. Even Ambrose’s strong stomach rolled.

Suddenly Thomas was presenting a wager. “I shall pay forfeit! One hundred pounds to each of you. And you can pay me one hundred pounds when you are last.”

“Ridiculous,” Andrew shouted.

At least Langford was thinking clearly. The rest seemed addled by the storm.

Before Ambrose could protest, his friends were pledging themselves to uphold the wager.

It might have been in jest—Ambrose could not always tell, especially with Tristan—but if his friends were in earnest, there was much to be gained by throwing in his pledge.

To win one hundred pounds, all he need do was beat one of them to the altar.

As the world tilted around him, he closed his eyes and considered his current timeline.

The plan for his future was first conceived with Miss Popjoy’s recommendations, but since her faithlessness he had made some modifications.

For example, going on a Grand Tour with his friends would have been unthinkable when he was trying to position himself for a quick marriage.

The trip was one of the only good things to come out of his heartbreak.

At present, he calculated that in seven years he would be in a position to take on a wife.

If he married an heiress, the time reduced to four years.

Given both Charles and Leonard were disinclined to marry, it seemed a reasonable risk.

He was not a gambling man, but the odds were extremely favorable.

“Very well, I pledge that if I marry last, I will pay the required sum,” Ambrose said, clinging to the bunk.

As the boat bucked and water leaked from the deck above, the cabin filled with thuds and curses. They might not perish in this storm but it was going to be a terrible couple of hours. He wiped sweat from his brow and attempted to distract himself by reviewing his plans.

The wager did not change his goals or timeline. It was unlikely any of his young friends would marry in the next year. Indeed, Ambrose thought it highly probable they would forget all about the wager once the seas calmed.

His first step was proving to the earl that he was worthy of his sponsorship.

Then Ambrose would attempt to obtain one of the highly coveted government positions that paid well but required little work, though he would not rely on that as his only source of revenue.

He also had many options for investing the money Father had gifted him.

In any case, through hard work and making the right connections, he hoped to become financially secure enough to become a member of Parliament.

A wife would then be necessary to advance his political career.

She would need to be an excellent hostess and come from the right family.

Ambrose often imagined entering a ballroom as an MP with his perfect wife on his arm.

Miss Popjoy, or rather Mrs. Winters, would see them and know what a mistake she had made in spurning him.

If she had been patient, he would have proven himself.

When Ambrose Hartley made a plan, nothing could keep him from executing it.