Page 72

Sir George looked uneasy. “Perhaps we ought not discuss dispositions.”

“Ashcombe, we are in a billiard room, not a radical meeting.” Pembroke reached for a cue.

He ought to have let it stop there. Instead, perhaps because Thomas was watching with an admiration reserved principally for soldiers and Baines possessed more of that admiration than Pembroke considered fair, the older gentleman became afflicted by the need to demonstrate expertise.

“You military fellows make too much of a minor difficulty.”

Baines looked at him. “Do we?” he asked pleasantly.

Pembroke gestured towards the table. “Angles, position, control. The same principles govern most things.”

Edward’s brows rose.

Cranford murmured, “This should be good.”

Pembroke pointed towards a white ball trapped inconveniently near the cushion. “It is a simple question of calculation.”

“It is a billiard ball,” Sir George said.

“Exactly.”

Baines stepped back. When a man announced he was about to demonstrate the simplicity of anything, interference only deprived others of entertainment.

Pembroke positioned himself at an improbable angle.

Edward looked at Baines. “Can he make that?”

“No.”

“You answered rather quickly.”

Pembroke ignored them. “The trick is sufficient force.”

“Those are frequently then proven wrong,” Baines said.

Pembroke struck. The cue ball shot across the table, struck the red at an angle no person could have intended, sent a second ball over the cushion, and propelled it directly through the lower pane of the nearest window.

There was a crash.

Everyone stared towards the window.

Thomas folded in half with laughter. Edward made a heroic effort to remain upright and failed, collapsing against the table. Sir George covered his mouth.

Cranford turned away entirely.

Sir Lionel stared at the broken pane. “Pembroke.”

Pembroke remained as if frozen solid, the cue extended before him.

Baines inspected the table.

“Sufficient force,” he said in a thoughtful tone.

That destroyed what remained of the men’s composure.

Thomas laughed until tears appeared. Edward sat on the edge of the table, helpless. Even Sir George had to remove his spectacles.

Pembroke reddened magnificently. “The ball took an irregular deflection.”