The others turned to Micky. Steeling his nerve, he carried on fiddling with the pack, praying for a four of spades. In the midst of such drama no one remarked on what he was doing. The cards in contention were in the pile on the table, so it would seem to make no difference what he did with those in his hand. They would have to look quite hard to see that behind his hands he was sorting through the pack, but even if they did so they would not immediately realize he was up to no good.
But he could not stand on his dignity indefinitely. Sooner or later one of them would lose patience, abandon courtesy, and pick up the discards. To gain a few precious moments he said: "If you can't lose like a man, perhaps you oughtn't to play." He felt a slight sweat break out on his forehead. He wondered whether he had missed a four of spades in his haste.
Solly said mildly: "It can't hurt to look, can it?"
Damn Solly, always so sickeningly reasonable, Micky thought desperately.
Then at last he found a four of spades.
He palmed it.
"Oh, very well," he said with a feigned nonchalance that was the polar opposite of what he was feeling.
Everyone became very still and quiet.
Micky put down the pack he had been furtively sorting through, keeping the four of spades in his palm. He reached out and picked up the discard pile, dropping the four on top. He placed the pile in front of Solly and said: "There will be a four of spades in there, I guarantee."
Solly turned over the top card, and they all saw that it was the four of spades.
A hum of conversation broke out around the room as they all relaxed.
Micky was still terrified that someone might turn over more cards and see that there were four fours of clubs underneath.
Viscount Montagne said: "I think that settles it, and speaking for myself, Miranda, I can only apologize if any doubt has been cast upon your word."
"Good of you to say so," Micky said.
They all looked at Tonio. He stood up, his face working. "Damn the lot of you, then," he said, and he walked out.
Micky swept up all the cards on the table. Now no one would ever know the truth.
His palms were wet with perspiration. He wiped them surreptitiously on his trousers. "I'm sorry about my compatriot's behavior," he said. "If there's one thing I hate it's a fellow who can't play cards like a gentleman."
Section 4
