Page 21 of Vying for a Viscount
“Thank you,” Knight said, putting the paper in the middle drawer of the desk. “Now for some refreshments. I think you could use a little sherry to calm your nerves.” He looked at his wife. “My dear, would you pour sherry for Letitia and yourself, and brandy for Greyson and me?”
Charlotte handed out the drinks, and Letitia took a sizable sip, hoping to settle her nerves.
After Charlotte took a sip, she said, “We have never met, but I am friendly with Clarice and have heard her mention you. I’m so happy for her and Stanton. I only wish Nathaniel and I had been able to attend the wedding. I received a letter from her the other day saying how much they are enjoying Venice.”
“I received one as well and look forward to their return next month.”
“As do I. If you both are wondering why my husband mentioned inviting Letitia to Club Knight for a visit, it was because of me. Call it women’s intuition, but I thought you would fit in. I also believed we could become friends.”
“Thank you. I believe we can become friends, too.”
“We will not monopolize any more of your time,” said Knight. “Please enjoy your time at the club. Please close the door on your way out, Greyson.”
Letitia placed her empty sherry glass on Knight’s desk, stood, and walked out of Knight’s study, holding Greyson’s hand. She felt two sets of eyes follow her into the corridor. Once Greyson shut the door, she said in a low voice, “I’m shocked to find that a duke owns this club. Do you know his reason for opening it?”
Greyson paused, then pulled her into an empty room. “Yes. Hewanted a place for people like him to go without everyone staring and whispering about him. He also wanted to employ men who fought in the war alongside him and now have physical deformities, making it nearly impossible to find employment. Another reason was to give members of theton, who were willing to pay his exorbitant membership fee, a place to go when they wanted to be free from all the propriety and formal rules governing other establishments. Don’t get me wrong, Club Knight has its rules. But come, you can see for yourself.”
“I have a question before we go. Knight hinted that you dislike your given name. Is that true?”
“After everything you were just told by Knight and me, that’s what you want to ask?” he chuckled. “Yes. While growing up, my parents called me everything from my real name—Archibald—to Archie, Arch, or Baldy. Then one day, when I was ten, I stomped my foot and yelled, ‘My name is Greyson.’ And that solved that.”
“Oh, I see. But really, Archibald is a fine name,” she said with a smile.
He grinned back. “Then perhaps one day I’ll let you use it. Meanwhile, let’s go look around and enjoy ourselves.”
They made their way back to the entry, where the main staircase was, and climbed up to enter what looked like a ballroom transformed into a gaming room. Round tables filled much of the center of the room, while comfortable settees and chairs were tucked into the corners for relaxing and socializing.
Considering how many people were in the room, she wasn’t bombarded by overly loud voices. Servants moved about with trays of drinks, and she spied a banquet table overflowing with food. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, all lit, casting a warm glow throughout the room. Wall sconces added to the lighting. Even so, the large room appeared serene.
“Would you care to try your hand at a game of cards?” Greysonasked, his hand squeezing hers lightly.
“I don’t know how to play,” she replied.
“If you will allow me, perhaps I can teach you. But not tonight. This is not the place to learn.”
“I would like that very much. I’ve wanted to learn.” Glancing around the room again, she said, “Do you mind if we sit on one of the settees?”
“Not at all,” he said, leading her toward the far corner of the room, near the glass double doors that opened onto a veranda, where a vacant settee stood. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
“Yes, please.”
Greyson waved a nearby servant over. “Two glasses of wine, please.”
“Yes, sir.”
He handed Greyson two glasses of red wine, and he, in turn, gave her one. She took a sip. Her jumbled-up nerves were beginning to settle now that she was on the outskirts of the gaming tables, where she could observe from the shadows. As best she could count, there were eight round tables surrounded by chairs, occupied by both ladies and gentlemen. She knew that ladies gambled, but they usually did so at private card parties attended only by women. Seeing ladies mixed with gentlemen was strange. She, of course, never attended a ladies’ game night, but she knew of them.
“Do you recognize anyone you know?” Greyson asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Because she spent so little time socializing, she recognized only a few people by sight. Those she recognized were people she had met in Newmarket. Most likely, if Greyson told her the names and titles of some of the other patrons, she would recognize their names even though they’d never met. “A few people from my time in Newmarket.”
“Are you feeling less anxious?”
“I am.” Even though butterflies still swarmed in her stomach. More from curiosity than nerves. As she watched people at the card tables, others strolled around the room, and still others congregated on chairs and settees. She wondered what everyone’s names were and what brought them here. Her eyes fell on a couple nearby. They embraced and kissed most scandalously. Her eyes widened, and she couldn’t look away. The only time she’d ever come close to being kissed like that was by Greyson during their time at Newmarket and the other night in the gardens. Not that Graham hadn’t kissed her, just not in such a way, not all-consuming, like what she was witnessing. In the open.
“That is Lord and Lady Hammond. They are good friends with Knight and a couple deeply in love. Don’t be fooled by them, though. They help Knight keep an eye on the patrons in exchange for free membership, but don’t repeat that.”
She turned her head away from the couple and looked at Greyson. “How do you know this? I can’t imagine it working well if all the members know.”
