All while praying she somehow managed to win.
The rules to the challenge were simple. The surrounding crowd threw out mathematical questions while Miss Rees and Mr. Palmer wrote down their answers on small chalkboards. The Abacas Woman was the judge as she figured the correct answer. First wrong answer lost everything.
It began simple.
“Five times thirty-seven.”
Neither competitor could make notes. They had to figure in their heads. Which meant Aaron would have lost immediately. Fortunately, Miss Rees was smarter than he. At least in this area.
“185,” she said as she revealed her chalkboard.
“Child’s play,” Mr. Palmer said as he turned his board around showing the same number.
From the upper deck where the Abacas Woman click-clacked away came the shout from one of the dealers. “The correct answer is 185!” The Abacas Woman never spoke above a whisper, so she needed a dealer to bellow her judgement.
The crowd erupted in cheers, but they were just getting started. There were so many suggested computations, that Mrs. Dove-Lyon had to pick one and repeat it.
“Add 372, 193, and 8,221.”
“And five pence!” laughed someone.
“And five pence,” she dutifully repeated.
With so much chaos in the room, Aaron wondered how Miss Rees managed to compute these things in her head. He was impressed when she wrote down8791, then rapidly corrected it to8786.05 lbs.He was also nervous. No one had claimed the full numbers were pounds, but there wasn’t time to ask as Mrs. Dove-Lyon called for answers.
“What say you Mr. Palmer?”
He turned his chalkboard around. It read,8791.
“Miss Rees?”
Lilah turned hers around. Damnation, it was already over, but Aaron wasn’t sure who had won. They all looked to the Abacas Woman who passed her answer—also on a chalkboard—to the dealer.
“The correct answer is 8786 pounds, 5 pence!”
The outcry of displeasure was nearly deafening. No one wanted it to be over so fast, and certainly with a woman as winner. But no one was louder than Mr. Palmer himself who scribbled a quick P after his number to indicate pence, and then he bellowed, “You said pence! No one said pounds. Only pence!”
“That’s right!” bellowed someone. “Palmer only has pence, these days!”
There was a great deal of laughter throughout the room at that, which only made Mr. Palmer’s face redder. He loudly denounced the entire game and bellowed how he refused to be cheated. Truthfully, the noise was louder than a heated argument in Parliament, and Aaron feared for Lilah’s hearing. Fortunately, Mrs. Dove-Lyon was well used to such commotion.
She raised her hand and waited for the laughter to die down.
“Mr. Palmer has a point. We did not specify pounds or pence, and so this round will be forgiven him…” She paused for dramatic effect. “Provided he buy a round of drinks for all.” She arched a brow at the man and though he clearly didn’t like it, he nodded his agreement.
“A pint of ale for all who will have it,” he grumbled. Naturally, he selected the cheapest drink available.
Quick as a wink, she pulled several chips from in front of him. Apparently, he had been winning at whist, but now his pile was severely diminished. The crowd was very pleased as waiters quickly served one and all. A pint was set at Lilah’s elbow. She clearly didn’t realize she was expected to drink it because she smiled her thanks, but didn’t touch the glass.
“Drink! Drink! Drink!”
On cue, Mr. Palmer lifted his glass and drained it. Then he banged his glass on the table and glared at Miss Rees.
“Bottom’s up, chippy,” he growled.
Her eyes widened as she turned to the ale. She was not a woman known to drink, and Aaron knew she’d already had wine earlier. Given her small stature, she’d be bleary-eyed within minutes. But she had little choice given the mood of the crowd. With a worried frown, she reached for the glass, but Aaron stopped her.
“This is not a drink for a lady,” he chided loudly. Then he lifted the ale in his own fist and drank it, clapping the tankard down on the table with as much noise as Mr. Palmer had made.