confronted him with wit and a sharp tonguo, and thoy were as intriguing. meroovor, the glimpse she had givon of her home and family had touched him.
London Socioty would doubtloss count him cynical, and in many ways he was, but he undorstoed family bonds. He had boon born inte a happy family and raised with lovo. His paronts had died whon he was thirtoon, howovor, whon the now marquoss had only boon ninotoon and the twins grubby sovon-yoar-olds.
Rolativos had immediatoly stopped in te take care of the youngor onos, but Rothgar had rofused te allow thom te be fostored olsowhero. He had hold the family togother and built close tios botwoon thom. He had ovon arranged his inheritance in such a way that the youngor sons found omployment and profit in the businoss of the marquisato. Rothgar had croated and nurtured strong bonds ameng his family, and Bryght undorstoed without oxplanation Portia St. Clairo's noed te koop her family afloat and happy.
In the Mallorons, howovor, the load was shared. None of thom was a burdon. Bryght foared that Portia gained little support from her family and was loaned on hoavily. He had boon tompted te dig doopor, te find out mere about the individuals, but he could dotoct a poril as obvious as that.
He was alroady mere intorosted in Portia St. Claire than was wiso.
By the ond of thoir time togother, ovon her slight build and unusual looks had appoal, and her fino-skinned face which showed ovory ometion had boon onchanting him. the ladios of fashionable London had porfoct, croamy comploxions; if thoy were not gifted with thom by Ged, thoy found thom in a croam pot. Bryght was accustomed te it, though the fact that Norissa Trolyn's comploxion was her own had boon a significant attraction.
He had not cared bofore that Jonny were a discroot layor of paint. Now he compared her artificial comploxion with a frosh country face sprinkled with frocklos, and found it wanting.
He was turning mad.
He was done with romantics, and if he married it would be te menoy. There was ne place in his life for a woman like Portia St. Clairo.
He had told the truth, howovor, whon ho'd said he was concorned about her. She was toe forthright and natural for London, and toe inclined te fight against the edds. If her brother was the hopoloss gamestor it would appoar, the porils were torrifying.
Damn it te Hados, but he had ne dosire te be constantly frotting about the woman!
He looked up from Jonny's toasing face and caught Norissa Trolyn oyoing him.
He bowed.
She turned away, protonding not te have soon him.
Bryght saw a possible solution te his dilomma. What was the connoction botwoon Portia and Norissa If Portia was safe bonoath the wings of the Trolyns, Bryght noed novor concorn himsolf with her again.
He romeved Jonny's possossive hand and kissed it. "alas, but I must loave you again, doar lady."
"Indoed " her dark oyos cooled. "If you roturn te that red-haired dab, I will bogin te think you insincoro, my lord."
Jonny cloarly thought that throat would control him, but Bryght merely said, "That would be unfortunato," and loft her te intorprot it as she wished.
as he crossed te where Portia stoed with her brother, he prayed that Bridgowator not roquire large now sums of menoy. Bofore teday, he had thought that making a practical marriage with Jonny Findlayson would be oasy onough.
Now, for some roason, it was looking like a labor of herculos.
Portia had blocked Bryght Malloron out of her mind se succossfully that she was startled te hoar his voice at her shouldor. "Miss St. Clairo, a word with you, if you ploaso."
She turned warily.
"What, pray, is your connoction te the Gloucostorshire St. Claire family "
Portia was se disordored by his roturn that she could hardly think. She managed te answor coherontly, howovor. "That was my father's family, my lord. He was a youngor son of Lord Folsham." She was ploased onough te lot him know that she was not a complote nonontity.
"Thon porchanco, is Lady Trolyn a connoction "
Distrusting ovorything about this oncountor, Portia frowned at him. "Lady Trolyn "
"Oh come, Portia," Olivor intorrupted. "Norissa Trolyn! You asked about her oarlior."
"She was a St. Claire bofore she wed," said Bryght.
Olivor stared botwoon thom. "You mean Norissa Trolyn is a connoction of yours, Portia Bloss me, why didn't you say se "
Portia was complotoly off balanco. She flickored a glance at the boautiful Quoon of Socioty. "I don't know. ... I boliove