Ugh. He had garbage cards, and he should really fold, but folding so quickly felt like admitting failure. So he upped his bet - he had enough pocket change that he would be able to play enough later to make up for it.

When she described how she felt now, Arthur couldn't help but feel sort of - happy for her. He was startled into smiling. "Not at first," he admitted. At first he had been - struggling, and wildly sad, and drunk most of the time. "But now I'm - perhaps grateful for it. I couldn't have the life I have now if I hadn't lost everything first." He wouldn't have Dezzie, who was a halfblood; he would not have Gwenog, either. Things had a way of working out in the end, and Arthur had outgrown his mistakes.

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