FiveThe air in the card room was hazy with cigar smoke. Rose swallowed hard, trying not to cough.
Her father paused to survey the room for a place for them to sit down. Rose could hardly see anything; somehow, there just weren’t enough candles to light the room very well. She wondered if that was intentional, so that people couldn’t see their cards or how much money they’d won—or lost.
The room was filled mostly with men, with only a few ladies there as well, playing cards and chatting. Rose didn’t mind being one of the few women present—she was used to it, after being raised at an archaeological dig.
Her father led her to a table where two young men were sitting idly chatting and shuffling a deck of cards.
The two gentlemen immediately stood up as Rose moved toward the table.
“Pember
