Well, that answered Emma’s question as to whether or not he had recognized her. Clearly, he was not pleased by the sight of his bookkeeper mingling with his guests. But she would not let him intimidate her from her purpose.
Emboldened by champagne and filled with confidence and resolve after her steady winning streak, Emma shifted her stance and placed one hand on her hip. Tilting her head back a bit farther, she met his disapproving gaze with direct defiance.
Then she smiled in a way she hoped was bold and provocative. “I am not going anywhere.”
His eyes darkened. “You do not belong here.”
“Yet this is exactly where I intend to be.”
“You do not understand the danger. You are going to get yourself into trouble.”
“On the contrary, I am quite clear as to what is at stake tonight. Unless you intend to physically remove me from the premises, I am not leaving until I have achieved what I came here to do.”
Roderick did not reply right away. His expression remained hard and forbidding, but something in his eyes softened as he stared into hers. Then with a heavy sigh, he swept a glance around them before returning his attention to her.
“Why are you being so bloody stubborn?”
“Not stubborn. Determined.” She arched a brow. “Do you intend to call for Snipes to throw me out?”
His gaze slid back along her figure. “I would not trust any man to put his hands on you in that gown. Even Snipes.”
Emma felt the censure in his words, but there was something else there as well.
“Even you?” she queried softly.
He lifted his eyes again to meet hers. “Especially me.”
Tingles of delicate pleasure raced across her skin at the implication in his response.
Silence followed while Emma realized they had reached a sort of impasse. Holding fast to the purpose, she lifted her chin. “You will allow me to stay?”
“If you tell me why you are so intent upon doing so. Does it have to do with what made you upset the other day?”
Emma glanced around in a useless attempt at stalling. She hated having to admit she was resorting to gambling as a means of acquiring the money she needed. Yet as she met his questioning gaze, she saw no judgment. Only concern. And though it bruised her pride to acknowledge her needfulness, she felt deep in her core she could trust him.
“Tell me, Emma. How much do you need?”
She licked her dry lips before replying. Determined to give Hale no further cause to hassle them, she had calculated the interest owed on the loan and had established a goal more than sufficient to cover the debt. “I need at least fifteen thousand pounds.”
He gave no indication of surprise at the figure, just a slight tip of his head indicating his acknowledgment.
“By tomorrow,” she added.
This caused a twitch of his eyebrow. “That is a lot to win in one night.”
“I know. But I have already won more than a quarter of it. I just need to keep it up for a few more hours.”
Roderick shook his head. Then he turned to offer his arm. She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, but he grasped her hand in his to draw her arm farther through his until they were solidly linked, with her hand resting on his forearm and the side of her body pressing warmly to his.
“You have set an ambitious goal for yourself, love. It will not be an easy night.”
He led them from the faro table at an easy, strolling pace.
“I anticipated that. It does not change what I have to do,” she replied.
“And if you do not succeed?”
“I must,” she replied with quiet resolve.
They had reached the area of the room where guests were seated for the long play, surrounded by spectators. Emma slowed their progress, forcing him to stop or drag her along. Stepping in front of him, she could feel his concern as clearly as if he had voiced it.
“Since you have not walked me out of here, am I to assume I can play?”
She saw the tightening of his jaw as he paused before responding. It was clear he wanted to send her home. She needed to make it clear that was not an option.
“If not here, I will find another gambling house,” she asserted.
“The hell you will,” he muttered in response. “You will remain here with me as your escort. For the entire length of your stay, not just an hour.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the games in session nearby. “Then tell me…how exactly do I get a seat at one of those tables?”
Roderick chuckled and drew her arm back through his. “Leave that to me.” Then he issued a heavy sigh. “You are not going to make this easy on me, are you?”
“I believe you are up to the challenge,” Emma retorted with a grin.