Her Wicked Proposal novel Chapter 22

Cedric pretended to consider the offer. "And my forfeit? Perhaps I send you my mistress for the duration of your stay in London? Lovely little bit of flesh she is. Knows her place, too. She'll treat you well on her back, like any woman should." He waited, seeing if Al Zahrani would take the bait.

"One of your women?" Al Zahrani, brooding, stroked the back of his cards, which lay on the table. He studied Cedric, as if realizing what was truly being insinuated by his offer. "While that intrigues me, I sense it would be no great loss to you."

With a huff Cedric reached for his drink again. "Two women then? I suppose I could find another quickly enough."

"Alas, no. If anything you are only proving my point. Clearly my horses are worth more than a dozen of your English women."

"Well then, what would satisfy you?"

"I engage in a special sort of trade...and I would have great use of you as a servant in my house, to guard my precious wares."

"A viscount as a servant? Good God, man, you are bold! Just what is it that I would be guarding and for how long?" As he spoke, Al Zahrani's guards shifted on their feet by the door, making sure no one could enter or leave.

"You would be positioned as a guard for my female wares. Of course, you would need to be rendered harmless in order to ensure the females go untouched."

Cedric smirked. "Some sort of chastity belt, I take it?"

"I am afraid we are a little more...permanent with our solution to the problem."

Cedric heard a round of gulps from the other men at the table.

"You'd make me a eunuch, is that what you're saying? I mean, I do understand, women aren't nearly as valuable as a good horse, but still, a man's parts are his parts."

It was a bluff. Al Zahrani had to be counting on him backing down from such a wild proposition. Cedric felt a flash of panic at the thought of castration, for a number of reasons. As the last male heir to the title in his family, he had a duty to bear a son. And the thought of never again being able to bed a woman was a bleak notion. Despite his bluster aimed at luring Al Zahrani into this bet, he valued the company of a good woman more than a hundred of the finest horses.

"Do not tell me that you are afraid to lose? I thought Englishmen were fearless." Al Zahrani was still smiling, but darkness reflected in his eyes.

"Me, afraid? Why, that's absurd. I merely hesitate, as any decent man would when threatened with slavery and the removal of his manhood," Cedric retorted. There was a murmur of agreement from his friends. Poncenby noticeably cupped his hands over his groin.

"You do realize there is no slavery on English soil?" Ashton interjected. Cedric shot him a look. Damn it, man, don't interfere.

"It would not be slavery, and you would not be on English soil. As a matter of honor, you would willingly leave with me to my home country, and once there remain under my employ indefinitely."

Which was just a fancy way of saying the same thing.

"Well? Shall we agree to the terms and finish the hand?" Al Zahrani asked.

Cedric slanted his cards up from the table, eyeing his hand. "I'm not entirely sure my freedom is worth a pair of horses..." Cedric said.

"I can promise you, Lord Sheridan, the horses are worth the freedom of a hundred men, and even one viscount." Still, the man had that inherent smugness.

"Cedric, be wise about this," Ashton said softly.

Cedric met the gaze of his close friend and for a moment he was fully sober, fully in command of himself.

After an intense duel of stares, the merchant backed down. "So be it! I will have them sent to your residence in the morning. Enjoy them while you can. Justice ultimately arrives to men such as you. When that day comes, I will walk over your grave, have my horses back and laugh last," Al Zahrani declared.

"Don't flatter yourself. I've never expected to live long or peacefully. If you want revenge for an honest game of cards then you best get in line, because I've done much worse to much better men, and they have more of a right to kill me than you."

"This is not the end between us, Lord Sheridan."

"Yes it is. Either call me out or walk away with your heart still beating."

Al Zahrani glared at Cedric before leaving with his guards.

Once he was gone, Ashton and Cedric resumed their seats along with James.

"You chaps really play for keeps," the Earl of Pembroke muttered with a strained smile.

"Of course we do." Cedric shot him a devil-may-care grin.

"Er, Poncenby, you can come out now." Ashton nudged the tip of his Hessian boot against the striped rump of the cowering dandy. Freddy emerged, looking embarrassed, his face scarlet to the roots of his fashionably cut brown hair.

"Well if you will excuse me, I've had enough excitement for one night." Freddy bid the others adieu and practically sprinted for the door. There was a loud crash and shriek as a servant boy was run over by Freddy making his exit from Berkeley's.

Cedric smothered a laugh. What good luck to finally have two purebred Arabian mares with pedigrees worth a fortune! Now only if he could find a decent stallion to breed them with...