Post 1
Duncan is working on his fixer upper when Kit O'Brady arrives. Duncan
experiences a flashback to San Francisco in 1888. Duncan catches a
man cheating at Kit's casino, the Double Eagle. After Kit has the
cheater ejected, Duncan asks if Kit can make good on his losses to the
cheater. Duncan claims it was $2000. Kit doesn't believe him.
Then Amanda walks into the casino. Duncan grins. When Kit says she
knows how to make an entrance, Duncan says "You should see her exit."
Duncan introduces them to each other. Duncan discourages Amanda
joining a poker game with himself, Kit and a high rolling aristocrat,
but Kit falls for her facade of inexperience and is delighted. "No
cheating!" Duncan tells Amanda in a whisper. He also calls her on the
French accent she's affecting saying that "it isn't very good".
In the present, Duncan invites Kit to lunch, but agrees to dinner to
accommodate Kit's plans. OTOH, Duncan doesn't want to accommodate to
Kit's choice of Chinese food saying that he ate Chinese yesterday.
Kit suggests they flip for it. Duncan doesn't like the idea, but Kit
flips the coin. Duncan wins. Kit says he's had a run of bad luck.
Duncan suggests that Kit stop gambling. Kit leaves and Duncan returns
to the dojo.
When Duncan gets back he finds Amanda emerging from the shower in the
loft. "You ever heard of calling ahead?" asks Duncan. He notices
that she's brought two trunks and reluctantly tells her "Welcome
home." She steps out of her towel and climbs into Duncan's arms.
Later Amanda is cooking beef stroganoff. Duncan sniffs the pot, makes
a face and then suggests that Amanda eat dinner alone. He's dressed
to go out. She says she realizes the stroganoff isn't any good and
they could go out together. "Just give me a few minutes," says
Duncan. He goes down into the dojo and meets Kit at the door. He
prevents Kit from coming up to the loft by saying that the woman
upstairs is shy. Duncan says he'll keep the dinner engagement with
Kit the next day. Kit remarks that the last woman he had seen with
Duncan was "that thieving Amanda" . Duncan professes to be surprised
that Kit remembers Amanda.
Back in the flashback poker game, Amanda is winning. Duncan folds and
so does the high rolling Count, leaving Amanda to play Kit and win the
casino from him.
In the present, Duncan is visibly nervous. Amanda thinks he's hiding
something. "What would I have to hide?" Duncan asks with pretended
innocence. Amanda apologizes and kisses him. They feel a buzz.
Duncan says it must be Richie, but wants to hustle Amanda out the back
stairs to hear a lecture on Thomas Aquinas. Amanda wonders about the
elevator. Duncan says it's broken, but someone is coming up in the
elevator. Duncan then claims that the elevator is flaky and works
irregularly. Amanda says she wants to see who's coming up. And it is
Richie after all. Richie and Amanda hug.
Meanwhile Kit discovers that he can't buy the horse he wants without
financial assistance. So he calls Duncan. Duncan tells Kit that
he'll meet him at "the university commons" for Amanda's benefit. Then
Duncan tells Amanda it's an emergency. Amanda is suspicious. Duncan
suggests that she catch up with Richie. He whispers to Richie that
he's going to the race track, and to keep Amanda in the loft.
At the race track Duncan watches the horse called Double Eagle. He
tells Kit that no one buys a horse for the name. Kit says he knows
Duncan is a great judge of horses, so he wants Duncan's opinion. He
asks Duncan to take a closer look. They go see the horse in her
stall, and Duncan has good things to say about her. Kit thinks he'll
break his losing streak with this horse. He blames the losing streak
on Amanda. Duncan says Kit can't blame Amanda for all of it. Kit
tells him about getting sunk aboard a steamer right after he lost the
casino to Amanda. Duncan says that if Kit got to know Amanda, he
might like her.
To Be Continued...
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