The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh

The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (2015) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen)

Set in London in 1818.

This is the prequel to the previous three books, a short story about two somewhat minor characters who appear in the other books: Gabriel Ashleigh, brother to Lord Maltravers, who is, at best, a knave.

Gabriel has lost everything–literally everything–to Francis Webster, the man who his brother hates and tormented through school.

Throughout the stories, Gabriel is seen as open, handsome, and not very bright. He actually comes off better in this short story than he does in the following books.

Though he played a lot because everyone did, Ash wasn’t one of nature’s gamesters, preferring games of pure chance to those involving skill. He found the tension of piquet sickening rather than exciting, and disliked the silences. He couldn’t keep track of what had been played with any great accuracy, certainly not after the first few hands, and had no sense for what cards were likely to come up.

I’m very glad I didn’t read this first, because I did not like the way Frances arranged his meeting with Ash. And how he took advantage of the situation he, himself, created, albeit not on purpose.

Publisher: Loveswept

• Browse the archives:
  
• Venetia » »
• « « A Fashionable Indulgence