Thomas sank into a chair the moment that Miss Regina and Lady Cora left.

What on earth had he just gotten himself into?

He’d had no idea what Regina wanted when she visited but it definitely wasn’t that. Now he had promised to teach her how to play cards. A woman! A young woman at that! And playing cards!

He could practically feel Mother’s disappointed glare. But what was he supposed to do? How could he refuse her? She had looked so young and forlorn. Those big soft brown eyes and that delicate face with those dear little freckles had warmed his heart. He dared any man to say no to that.

Not to mention—she had been right.

Even if Regina and all her sisters got married tomorrow, there was no true escape from the scandal. Marriage would keep them from being destitute. It wouldn’t stop them from being the subjects of gossip.

The only way to truly save her family was to get their home and land back. That meant getting Lord Pettifer to give back the deed Lord Hartfield had given him. But Pettifer would never give that up. He had been looking for years for the opportunity to expand his land holdings.

Besides that, though, Pettifer was a proud man. He wouldn’t want to give up what he’d stolen fair and square. But a game of cards—that would be his weakness. Pettifer thought he was untouchable. Probably because he’d never played Thomas. By the time Pettifer had made himself known in society, Thomas had been done with his gambling.

They could play on that. They could play on that very well. Pettifer was overconfident and had an inferiority complex. If he thought a mere woman was showing him up he’d bet everything he had. That would make her bet everything that she had. Then—or so Pettifer thought—he’d strip it all away.

Thomas had to admit it was a clever plan. Pettifer wouldn’t be able to do anything to protest. If he did, then Regina could point out his hypocrisy. If he said a bet made was not binding, then the bet made by Lord Hartfield was not binding either.

But first Regina had to win. She had to win and she had to be careful. If anyone guessed her identity at the masquerade she’d be ruined. A woman gambling large sums? A woman alone in a room with a group of men? She’d be ruined.

Well, more ruined that she already was. Thomas wasn’t sure if Regina fully grasped the dangerous game she wanted to play. But she was willing to risk being completely outcast by society to save her family. That was a kind of spunk he rarely saw from anyone, man or woman.

For that alone, he probably had to help her. He appreciated boldness of character. And Miss Regina seemed to have that in spades. Besides, she was a lovely girl.

Her face when she had entered the library. Thomas didn’t think he’d ever forget that. She had given this little gasp to go with it. And her eyes had been so wide and full of joy. He had never seen someone appreciate his library like that before.

She’d appreciated the entire house, actually. He was glad of that. Most people nodded politely when they entered. The house was done in good taste. He knew that. But it was a simple taste. Elegant, to be sure, but not what people expected from such a prominent family.

Most people preferred Whitefern. The history, the vast lands, the artwork and ostentatious designs… those suited the idea of what people thought a noble’s house should look like. But Thomas preferred something simpler. This house suited him just fine.

It was rather nice to find someone who finally appreciated the house the way that he did. Regina had been a delight to show around.

If she was so appreciative, Thomas was sure that Bridget would be as well. Regina had said that Bridget had been more like a mother to her than a sister. He hoped that meant their tastes were similar.

He couldn’t deny that he was excited about the prospect of winning Bridget’s hand. He knew that it was selfish of him. Theoretically he should have helped Regina no matter what. She was in need of him. It was the gentlemanly thing to do.

But he was also a bit of a selfish man. He wanted Bridget and now he could have her. Call him a cad for it but it was far less than what some other men had done. And he hadn’t even asked. Regina had offered the idea up willingly.

He would help her and he would win the hand of the woman he loved. It sounded like a win-win situation to him.

If only Regina could pull off the card playing.