“An aunt of mine had arranged to come, but at the last moment she was detained through illness.”
Though she felt exceedingly uncomfortable at meeting Jessica again, after all that had occurred, she deemed it wiser to appear friendly than to cut the woman—her secret wish. Jessica, on the other hand, seemed really glad to meet Yootha Hagerston once more, and Captain Preston, and when they had conversed for a little while she inquired where they were staying, and then invited them to dine, an invitation they naturally felt compelled to accept.
The Royal Hotel was crowded with well-dressed people, many of whom went across to the Casino after dinner, among them Jessica, her friends, and her two guests.
“I have been so lucky at petits chevaux lately,” Jessica said as they all passed in. “I don’t want to influence you in any way, Yootha, but if you and Captain Preston like to play my game I believe you will win. During the three weeks I have been playing I have come away a loser only three times, and not on one occasion a heavy loser. I am between three thousand and four thousand pounds to the good on my three weeks’ play, and Louie and Archie won several thousands each. And yet not one of us has any system. It is just pure luck.”
“I don’t think Yootha will play,” Preston, who had overheard Jessica’s remark, cut in.
“Oh, but why not, Charlie?” the girl exclaimed in a tone of disappointment. “I have been looking forward so much to playing, though of course I am not going to gamble.”
Jessica laughed, and in the laughter was a note of pity, approaching disdain.
“Naturally if Captain Preston forbids you to play, you won’t play,” she said lightly.
“Indeed you are mistaken, Jessica,” Yootha said piqued. Then she turned to Preston.
“I am going to play, Charlie,” she said, “and you will see that I shall win!”