Never Gamble Your Heart (The Secret Society of Governess Spies #2)

Chapter 21

T he surprise on Frankie’s face mirrored his own. He hadn’t quite known what he was going to ask of her, but the moment the words were out they felt exactly right. He’d been considering marriage to protect himself from scheming nieces and mamas anyway—so why not Frankie? He did not want to marry a woman of the ton , so Frankie’s position was not a barrier. She was rapaciously intelligent in a way that would keep him on his toes for years to come, and that appealed to him far more than he would have ever thought. Frankie as his wife, and Cecelia as his ward, would guarantee trouble and chaos and reckless schemes—and for the life of him he could not understand why the thought satisfied him to the very core.

Jasper had always thrived on challenge, and life had begun to bore him. With Frankie in it, he thought it likely he would never be bored again.

There was also the not-so-insignificant fact that he desperately wanted to strip her out of her governess gown, throw her spectacles across the room, and kiss her again—everywhere. He’d already had a taste of what passion was like with her, and it was explosive. He’d been craving more of her with every breath since. He wanted to make love to her, and the only way he could do that was to marry her. It had nearly killed him to walk away moments ago when his hand had been on her waist and she’d been looking up at him with molten eyes, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips. But she was not a widow free to engage in a brief affair. She was unmarried. She was Frankie , and he would not put her in that position.

Whoever had told the woman she was plain and unmarriageable had either been blind or an ass, or perhaps both. Frankie still did not believe him when he said she was beautiful, but the truth was he had never met anyone who intrigued him on every level the way she did—intellectually and physically.

Jasper decided right then he would not rest until Frankie saw herself the way he did.

Tread carefully , his instincts warned. Frankie was open and honest and heartfelt, and somewhere deep inside he suspected that if he were not cautious, she would disarm him and lay open his heart.

“ Marry you?” she howled. “Have you gone mad? Why on earth would you want to marry me?”

Jasper fanned the cards in his hands. “Why not?”

Her mouth opened and closed, then opened and closed. She fisted her hands on her hips. “I am a governess.”

“I am a fishmonger’s son.”

“I would not lift your standing in the ton .”

Jasper shuffled the cards with an expert flex of his hands. “That is a relief, as I have no interest in raising my standing in the ton. I see enough of them in my hell and I should not care to have to deal with them in my leisure time as well.”

“I would not listen to you,” she said plainly. She shoved at her spectacles. Jasper really needed to find her a doctor who could fit her with proper frames. “I would wish to open a mathematics journal, and if my gender were discovered it would be a scandal for the ages.”

Jasper pointed with his chin toward the settee, and she followed him over. He pulled the side table in between them and grinned. “I love a good scandal.”

“I am serious, Jasper. All jesting aside, this is my life and I do not wish to bet it on a game without a satisfactory reason.”

Jasper laid the cards on the table and thought figuratively he might as well do the same. “Then let me be plain: I am looking for a wife. Cecelia’s scheme to marry me to that viper was enough to make me reconsider my stance as an eternal bachelor. I think you and I would get along splendidly, even if you are bossy.”

Frankie interlaced her fingers primly on her lap. “I am not bossy.”

“You are very bossy, and heaven knows why I like it.”

“Do you love me?” she asked curiously.

Jasper almost choked. Good lord! At least if they were married he would never have to wonder what she was thinking. “This is more of a business proposition,” he said, hoping he would not wound her feelings. Jasper did not want to give her any illusions about what he was proposing. He had never been on the receiving end of love, had never deserved love; the things he’d done on his rise to the top were unforgivable. Neither had he ever loved anybody—the closest he’d come was what he felt for his brother and Cecelia, and that was too complicated to define. “A marriage of convenience, if you will. You would have access to my fortune and you could open ten mathematics journals if you pleased. I would have respite from my niece and the rest of the ton ’s scheming.”

“Would we have marital relations?”

“Frankie.” Jasper groaned. “Would you want marital relations?”

His heart lurched at the shy smile on her lips. “Yes, I think I would.”

At her admission lust roared through Jasper’s veins. He leaned forward, his pulse beating heavily in his throat. “Say you’ll accept the terms.”

“Can I use math during the game?”

“Give it your best. But no other forms of cheating such as hiding cards up your sleeve.”

“Do people do that in your hell?”

“If they try it once they do not try a second time.”

She shivered. “All right, Jasper Jones. I accept your terms.”

Frankie held out her hand and Jasper clasped it in his own. He tugged her forward, breathing in the scents of chalk dust from her gown and rose petals from her skin. “Then let me teach you how to play, Mrs. Jones.”

Frankie inhaled sharply at the address and narrowed her eyes. “Yes, lay out the rules. It is growing late, and first thing tomorrow morning I will want you spreading word that you have generously donated a massive dowry to your poor governess.”

Jasper grinned and let go of her hand slowly, so that his fingertips trailed across her palm. When she bit her bottom lip, it took all of his self-control not to throw the cards over his shoulder, press her into the settee, and soothe the bite with his tongue.

He was dealing the cards for their practice round when his conscience, which had been nagging at him since he’d proposed the game, finally got the best of him. He knew he was going to win, so was he any better than the monster heading the Dowry Thieves if he tricked her into marrying him?

Jasper had lived his entire life pressing his advantage and playing bluffs to the final moments. Revealing an edge went against every instinct he’d cultivated, and yet he found he did not want to treat Frankie the same way he did his usual opponents.

He heaved a loud sigh. “I propose an amendment to the terms.”

Frankie lifted her eyes from where she’d been watching him deal the cards with practiced ease. “No. They are settled. I am not changing my terms.”

“It is not your terms I wish to change.”

“You do not wish to marry me?”

“That is not the issue. I do not wish to coerce you into marriage.”

Frankie tilted her head. “You would have to win in order for that to happen.”

“I will win, Frankie.”

She gave him a lopsided smile and picked up her cards. “I appreciate your concern, but I am not worried.”

“You will not resent marrying me?”

Frankie fanned the cards in her hand. “It does not affect me, as I intend to win. But no, Jasper. I am quite capable of taking responsibility for my own actions.”

Heaven help him, he was beginning to really like this woman.

Jasper explained the rules of draw poker and carefully studied her expressions as they played the first game. She gave away nothing, even though he could practically see the wheels spinning behind her eyes. The lamps had burned down, so midway he had to light more candles, and the dozens of flickering flames cheerfully pushed aside the waving shadows. It was too warm to start a fire, yet the study still felt cozy and intimate. Jasper realized that for the first time in a long time he was having fun. He thought he had fun every night at his gaming hell, but it seemed over time the managerial role had taken over the more thrilling aspects of running a gambling club.

Jasper thought he could get used to playing Frankie in the wee hours. He could think of all sorts of delicious things to wager.

Frankie lost the practice game, and Jasper smiled indulgently and did his best to ease the sting by assuring her it happened to the best of them. Privately, he was wondering if he could secure a special license, or if they would have to suffer the banns being read.

“Are you ready to play for real?” Jasper asked.

Frankie gave a curt nod. “Yes, I believe I fully understand it now.”

Jasper was impressed. Not many people could get a handle on the game after one play and then dare challenge him with such confidence.

“You deal,” he said.

Frankie dealt, and while they played Jasper thought of how Cecelia would take the news about the wedding. He frowned when he remembered that Cecelia had brought him home to interrupt Frankie’s search. Had she been trying to get Frankie in trouble? Or had she been plotting again?

Jasper was still deciding which motivation to attribute to Cecelia when Frankie laid out a royal flush and said innocently, “That is a good hand, is it not?”

Jasper knew his jaw had fallen, and only through sheer willpower was he able to close his mouth again. He should have been furious. He should have been embarrassed. His governess had soundly defeated him when some of the best poker players in London had not. It had been a very, very long time since someone had trounced him so quickly and thoroughly. That should have pinched his ego.

Instead, he felt a surge of pride. He swallowed back a spurt of laughter. “That is a very good hand, you little imp.”

Frankie’s eyes twinkled. “Are you angry?”

“Because I lost? Give me more credit than that.”

“Most men would be livid to lose to their governess.”

“Alas, you have forgotten that you are no longer under my employ. If anything, I am horrified that now I have to watch dozens of men falling over their own feet trying to woo you. You do realize that if you go through with this, you are not only putting yourself in jeopardy, but you are also threatening my livelihood.”

“How is that?”

“The ‘charitable dowry’ will tarnish my image as a blackguard, but more importantly, now that you have put me in charge of your bodily safety, if any of those simpering toffs tries to put his hands on you, I’ll knock all his teeth out. That will not be good for business.”

Frankie collected the cards and tapped them neatly into a stack. “Jasper, do not be ridiculous. No one could knock out thirty-two teeth with one strike. Shall we play again?”

Jasper didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.