*groans

The ‘picnic’ that Hettie had had Cook pack for them had lain largely untouched beside her as she had stared out of the train window, deep in thought. It wasn’t lost on her that the charade of a courtship with Alexander Kincaid was perversely the opposite of her having had to play strangers with Thomas Gilmore in the Gardens. But for this weekend they had planned another ruse, as reckless as it was daring, that would more than make up for their achingly brief meeting in the Gardens.

Alighting at Portobello station, she and her maid wasted no time in hailing a hackney and clambering in with their bags. Elsie, dressed in her Sunday best rather than her black housemaid’s uniform, had her own part to play in this weekend’s charade, not least of which was keeping her mistress’s secrets.

Somewhere between the station and Marine House Hotel, she remembered to slip on her wedding ring. Any guilt she might have felt at wearing one man’s ring, and a dead man’s ring at that, to pretend she was wed to her lover was sharp but fleeting. She assuaged her conscience by telling herself it wasn’t cheating, and that had her husband lived then she wouldn’t be in this situation at all.

Rolled dice: Roll #1

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,3,4,5

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Rolled dice: Roll #2

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,3

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Rolled dice: Roll #3

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,3

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Score: 0 points on Yahtzee

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 0 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 1 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 5 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 0 , " c " : 1 2 , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 9 0 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 3 5 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 2 , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : 1 5 , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 3 5 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : 4 0 , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 6 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 9 8 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 9 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 9 4 4 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 8 5 7 }

D-160
V-240

Rolled dice: Roll #2

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2

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Rolled dice: Roll #3

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2

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Score: 12 points on Chance

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 0 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 1 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 5 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : 1 2 , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 9 0 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 3 5 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 2 , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 2 0 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : 4 0 , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 6 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 8 3 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 8 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 7 4 0 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 7 3 9 }

Reloading dice from saved data.

Found data from roll: 1

[5,3,2,2,2]

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 1 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 0 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 5 , 3 , 2 , 2 , 2 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 5 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 7 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 2 3 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 2 , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 2 0 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : 4 0 , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 6 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 8 3 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 8 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 7 3 9 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 6 6 1 }

we tied *swallows

The top bonus is My next target.

Rolled dice: Roll #2

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,3,5

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Rolled dice: Roll #3

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,5

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Score: 2 points on Aces

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 0 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 1 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 5 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 7 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 2 3 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : n u l l , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 1 8 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : 4 0 , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 6 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 8 1 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 7 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 6 2 1 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 5 9 2 }

oh my goodness, jambalaya. I wanted some red beans and rice yesterday from my favorite local Cajun restaurant, but I resisted -- this time!

D-170
V-230

Reloading dice from saved data.

Found data from roll: 1

[6,4,2,1,6]

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 1 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 0 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 6 , 4 , 2 , 1 , 6 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : n u l l , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 3 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 7 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 2 1 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : n u l l , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 1 8 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : 4 0 , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 6 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 8 1 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 7 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 5 9 2 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 5 3 2 }

ohmigod

Rolled dice: Roll #2

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,4,5

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Rolled dice: Roll #3

Rolled dice in positions: 4

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Score: 30 points on Small Straight

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 0 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 1 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : n u l l , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 3 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 7 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 2 1 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : n u l l , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 1 8 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 2 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 4 1 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 6 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 4 2 1 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 4 1 9 }

Reloading dice from saved data.

Found data from roll: 1

[4,6,1,3,3]

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 1 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 0 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 4 , 6 , 1 , 3 , 3 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e , f a l s e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : n u l l , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 3 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : n u l l , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 4 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 9 1 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : n u l l , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 1 8 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 1 2 3 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 4 1 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 6 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 4 1 9 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 3 7 2 }

D-180
V-220

I am going for the top bonus. I can win with the top bonus

soapbox

Rolled dice: Roll #2

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,4

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Rolled dice: Roll #3

Rolled dice in positions: 1,2,4

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Score: 4 points on Twos

" S T A R T G A M E : t r u e "{ " g a m e I d " : " 1 7 2 1 3 8 4 5 3 8 " , " p l a y e r L i s t " : [ " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " v i c k y h i g g i n s " ] , " r o l l N u m b e r " : 0 , " c u r r e n t P l a y e r " : 1 , " d i c e " : { " f a c e s " : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ] , " r e r o l l " : [ t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e , t r u e ] } , " s c o r e 0 " : { " 1 " : n u l l , " 2 " : 4 , " 3 " : 9 , " 4 " : 1 2 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : 1 8 , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 4 3 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : 2 3 , " 4 k " : n u l l , " s s " : n u l l , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : 2 5 , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : n u l l , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 4 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 9 1 } , " s c o r e 1 " : { " 1 " : 2 , " 2 " : n u l l , " 3 " : n u l l , " 4 " : 1 6 , " 5 " : n u l l , " 6 " : n u l l , " p l a y e r " : n u l l , " u p _ t o t a l " : 1 8 , " b o n u s " : 0 , " 3 k " : n u l l , " 4 k " : 1 8 , " s s " : 3 0 , " l s " : n u l l , " f h " : n u l l , " y a h _ t o k e n " : n u l l , " y " : 5 0 , " c " : n u l l , " y a h _ b o n u s " : 0 , " b o t _ t o t a l " : 9 8 , " g _ t o t a l " : 1 1 6 } , " o w n e r " : " r a c h e l d u b i n " , " s t a t u s " : " r e a d y " , " r o u n d " : 5 , " l a s t P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 3 2 6 , " l o a d e d F r o m P o s t " : 1 7 2 1 3 8 5 3 2 5 }

He’d arrived earlier in the day, the North British Railway train from Edinburgh to Portobello railway station taking him only three quarters of an hour.

He had eschewed the great trunks commonly found amongst holidaymakers venturing to the seaside, reckoning that he and Delilah Darling would be doing a good deal less promenading than most. He doubted they would even make it into the water at all, which was just as well, given that the Firth of Forth was not known for its warm waters, even in summer.

So, having packed lightly, he had reached the hotel, situated at the corner of Bath Street and Straiton Place, and perched at the very edge of the beachfront promenade, near to the pier, and checked in early. He signed his name as Mr Thomas Percival, as a small jest which he and Delilah had agreed upon, posing respectably as husband and wife for this weekend jaunt together.

It would have been unthinkable to ask to be roomed together otherwise, no matter how audacious their plan was. He was a bold man, and had made many a gamble in his time, but this, to him, ranked up there with the most daring of them.