Damien and Lord Alexander were busy with a recent murder that took place in one of the official’s house, leaving Penny with Elliot and Sylvia.
Mrs. Artemis had invited some of the people who had visited Bingley’s residence to her and her husband’s mansion for lunch and a game of cards that didn’t stop at just one game. Lady Helen had been invited too but the girl wasn’t in the mood to go outside especially after the humiliation she went through. And though she hadn’t raised the complaint that day, the word of what Penelope did had spread around the elite society on what took place that evening.
Penelope was viewed in a different light after she broke the bottle on the young vampiress’ head that made some of them look at her as if she was a wild animal who had been picked up and placed in the room. Some didn’t like her presence because they had a soft corner for Lady Helen whom they had known for some years now unlike this girl who had come last week.
Sitting at the rectangle table with the others, Penny was seated between Elliot and Sylvia as they played the game called ‘Tricksters fool’ it was a game which was passed from the pureblooded vampires which then went to move to vampires and then the humans. Betting on each other’s money, everyone in the room played which included Penny who was still learning how the game worked.
“Ah, I am folding my cards,” a woman dropped down the cards after giving it another look, “I hardly have any good cards while I am playing,” she complained, picking up the glass of wine which had been served. The woman was a vampiress, an average one who did not belong to the pureblood families.
Now that she thought about it, Penny noticed how Mrs. Keith was the only pureblooded vampire here while the rest were either humans or vampires.
Considering the Artemis family who were humans, one didn’t need to guess too much that pureblooded family members would come visit a human’s household unless they belonged to a very rich and elite family.
“I think my cards are great,” Elliot exclaimed, his turn being the next, he pulled one card out from the stack that was placed in front of everyone to draw it out, “Mhmm, perfect. Absolutely marvelous,” he exclaimed, making the others look at him dubiously.
The other people at the table looked back and forth between him, their cards and the money they had to play. While some others dropped the card including Penny who didn’t know what exactly she was doing while still understanding how the game worked, Mrs. Keith was the next to put her cards down leaving Sylvia to continue the game along with Elliot.
Everyone started placing their bets on Elliot and Sylvia on who would win while the two went back and forth, drawing and dropping the cards.
“You saw him pick the card like he has been waiting for it. I am telling you he is almost done with it,” said Mr. Artemis who had joined with the rest of the group, “Just watch,” he said to his wife.
Mrs. Artemis shook her head, “You are wrong,” and her husband rolled his eyes.
Mrs. Keith asked Penny who was watching them play, “What do you think, Penelope? Who is going to win the game?” She? Penny smiled at the woman.
“I am not sure.”
“A guess will do,” Mrs. Keith encouraged her to speak and be part of the conversation. Since the young girl had arrived with the duo, her speech had been limited to only a few people in the room while the rest were only wary of her like she had done something very bad, “The game is called trickster because you are tricking people, which is what Elliot has been doing for quite some time now.”
Elliot brought his cards close to his chest, letting out a gasp of shock as he looked at Mrs. Keith, “You cannot let out my secrets, Mrs. Keith! How will I earn my bread and butter with a glass of blood next to it.”
“Isn’t Lord Alexander paying you enough, Sir Elliot?” asked another woman, her age to be around Penny’s. She leaned closer from where she was to show her interest in Elliot.
“Oh, he does. But I need another side money for the miscellaneous activity. Like taking a lovely lady like you out for a meal or a walk in the meadow,” Elliot smiled, letting his fangs out which looked sharp and pointy.
“It is hard to tell though, Sir Elliot has usually one with good and bad cards,” the same young woman continued to ask him the question.
“That I do, Ms. Haven.”
Penny had only turned to her right when she caught Sylvia’s expression change quickly, the previous one being of a frown. It made her wonder at times if perhaps Sylvia liked Elliot but didn’t show her interest openly knowing about his past and the woman he once liked who had turned out to be a black witch who had killed his friend.
And maybe Elliot didn’t know it. With the different fort, they were both seated on, Elliot was only teasing her and maybe Sylvia just wasn’t ready to show her feelings, thought Penny to herself before her gaze returned back to Mrs. Keith.
“I think Sylvia will win the game,” Penny said to Mrs. Keith. In the end, Penny was right. Sylvia did win the game and Mr. Artemis was wrong.
Penny turned to Sylvia to whisper to her, “Where is the powder room?”
“You will find right here if you take a left and then take a right. There’s a small garden in there right outside the powder room.”
Mrs. Artemis, who was in front of them, heard Penny ask and she quickly got the maid to help the young woman to help her find the powder room. Excusing herself, Penny left the room.
