Chapter 17

The young bucks were amused by his ignorance and readily invited him to join them later. For a moment Leander was bewildered by the idea of visiting in the dead of night, but as he listened, he soon realized the establishments were gambling dens and brothels. He doubted it was what Lady Carysfort intended when she introduced them.

Leander felt no real temptation to experiment with such vices. He was trying to think of a discreet way to get out of the invitation and conversation when Blackstone strode past on his way into the card room. Leander felt a vague disappointment that his new acquaintance didn’t even glance in their direction.

Silence fell over them until Purbeck, who Leander learned was the son of a duke and more or less led the others along, spoke. “Perhaps we should get in some practice here before we go to Lost Paradise.”

“At a ball?” Holcombe frowned. “That’s always dull. Lord Carysfort will have placed limits on deep play.”