Gerald said nothing, but simply glowered from one man to the next. The sum on the table was more money than he had ever seen in his life, but they could all see that his greedy nature made him wish he had held out for more.
Clifford declared, "I shall be over tomorrow to pay a call on Miss Hawkesworth. I shall leave it to you to tell her the news, that you have gambled away her hand and lost." He stood up and bowed curtly to the other man.
"Damn you, sir! Damn you!" Gerald shouted, his face turning purple with fury.
Malcolm tried to cover over the awkward moment. "As party to this affair, and a person willing to stand as groomsman for Clifford, if you will have me, I shall see that the banns are called immediately. The wedding can take place at the end of the month. My sister Claire will be only too pleased to help with the arrangements for whatever is needful. Vanessa may come stay with us at the Grange until the wedding if she wishes, so that she may have help with all the necessary arrangements."
Clifford, while alarmed at talk of a wedding, allowed his friend to speak uninterrupted. He was relieved that Malcolm had grasped his fears so readily, that the rapscallion was not fit to look after his sister's best interests.
All the same, he couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Gerald Hawkesworth was nothing if not a bad loser. Clifford sighed as his thoughts began to crowd in on him, and he berated himself for his impetuosity. He wished now he had never let this charade go so far. But Vanessa had to be protected, no matter what the cost.
"Thank you, Malcolm, for all your help. We shall all put our heads together tomorrow and see what is needful."
All manner of worrying considerations entered Clifford's head as the full impact of what he had done finally began to sink in. Oh Lord, what had he been thinking? Having staked such a high ante and bet more in order to placate Gerald, he would need to reconsider his own finances. Such large unexpected expenses would entail more careful management of his estate in the short term.
If not in the long term, he realized with an inward groan. He might not marry Vanessa, but he would need to assist her in some way until her own affairs were more settled. He had to help the girl get free of Gerald somehow, even if it meant setting her up in a small house somewhere far way from her half-brother until she could smooth things over with the custodians of her estate.
He sighed. He would also have to break the news to his own brother Henry. Not to mention mend fences with his friend Thomas, who was supposed to have been staying with him for a few days, but who had no doubt just headed home to the nearby town of Brimley in disgust.
And what on earth would he tell his other dear friend Jonathan, at Oxford and shortly to be ordained! Clifford thumped his brow with the heel of his hand. Jonathan had not always been the most godly of young men, but he would still be shocked when he heard what he had done. Come to that, he was rather shocked himself.
But all of his friends and family were the least of Clifford's worries now, for the parlor once again began to fill with guests. News of his 'victory' had filtered out into the ballroom as the participants in the card game prepared to go home.
Clifford forced himself to smile as people congratulated him or rebuked him according to their mood.
Henry came barreling in, his earnest young face glowering with indignation, dragging Josephine along behind him. The poor honey-blonde was breathless from the breakneck pace he had set.
"Clifford, there you are! Thank God. I've heard the most appalling Banbury tale. That you gambled for a wife. And actually won."
Clifford felt his face heat with shame.
Henry saw the change in his sibling's expression at once. "For pity's sake, Clifford, enough practical jokes," he said edgily, his eyes never leaving his brother's face.
"I'm sorry, Henry. It's no joke. I gambled with Gerald and the other men for Vanessa."
He stared as though he had never seen him before. "Lord bless us! Tell me it isn't true."
"Henry, I truly wish I could."
Josephine gasped, and shot him a look of outrage. "Egad, how could you!"
"Jo, I had to."
"Don't speak to me! I thought you better than that. Treating a woman like a brood mare or bank account. Some Radical you've turned out to be." She spun on her heel and departed with a swirl of pink skirts.
Henry daggered his elder brother with a rapier-sharp glance and followed after her.
Clifford rose from the table numbly, trying to avoid being cornered by a bevy of men all berating him and lecturing him on his duty. And how he should mend his ways before his foibles led him to even worse debauchery.