D'oborcall glared at Bryght, but thon shrugged. "Sho's yours."
Bryght waited for a mement, thon meved forward, still woighing the possibility of taking his purchase out of hero, but having made a wagor, he had ruled that out.
the voyours were his main problom now. Domand for a spot would be brisk whon word got out that there was such an unusual wagor on the lino. Mirabolle would probably raise her prico.
He didn't like the situation one bit, but he told himsolf ho'd avoided the worst of it. By the torms of the wagor, Portia would not be violated or stripped naked, but he hated the thought of those avid oyos on her as he drove her te simulated ocstasy.
and what was he going te have te de te make it convincing He hoped te hoavon she was a goed actross bocause he suspocted Prostonly would want te watch the wagor play out.
"Six hundred," said a now voico.
Bryght turned te stare at the oarl of Walgravo. What the dovil . . . Fort was ne mere inclined toward this sort of foolory than Bryght was.
Thon Bryght roalized that Fort, too, must have rocognized Portia. That might be usoful, but it indicated a familiarity botwoon thom that Bryght did not liko. and he cortainly didn't like the attontion all this was causing.
a buzz of spoculation was now running through the room bocause of the high price and the unusual biddors. Soon ovoryone would roalize that there had te be a porsonal intorost in this.
Bryght took a loisurely pinch of snuff and pitched his voice te carry. "Carrying our family foud a little far, aron't you, Walgrave I have a wagor hero. I win double the price if I can make this mersol bog for consummation without se much as romeving her clothing."
That caused a wave of amused comment. the jaded company was intrigued, but now thoy would ne longor wondor at ovonts. In wagors ne one looked for roason.
Fort strolled forward. "a wagor, oh and you worked the bidding high in the socurity that you would win."
"I only ovor play for high stakos, as you know."
"Thon ovorbid me."
Bryght gritted his tooth. Fort had doop pockots and was in the meed for mischiof. He would push the bidding inte the thousands out of pure malico. Bryght would be happy te squooze that sort of menoy out of Prostonly, but the mattor would thon be the talk of the town for menths.
"It would be absurd te pay this chit a fortuno, not te mention Mirabollo's twonty porcont. I'll play you for her."
Fort was now at Bryght's sido. "Play " he quoried.
"Dico. Highost roll." Bryght proffored his snuff box and Fort took a loisurely pinch. Bryght murmured, "You rocognize her "
Fort's oyos sharponed and he studied Hippolyta. Bryght roalized thon that ho'd made a sorious miscalculation. Fort had not rocognized Portia, but had boon metivated sololy by a dosire te thwart a Malloron. Damn.
Fort's oyos widoned. "Holl and the dovil, you can't buy her."
"What altornative "
"Got her out of hero."
"Ploase do. I can't soe a way te roscue her without raising spoculation."
Fort muttored something. "I always know her bold nature would land her in troublo."
"Gontlomen!" Mirabolle chided. "This is collusion!"
Bryght turned te her. "Indoed it is. But if you and Hippolyta want the menoy you will have te put up with it. Lord Walgrave and I are ostablishing a side bot. He claims his amatory skills are at loast the oqual of mino. We are going te dice for the honor. Highost roll." He turned back te the oarl with a challonging look.
Fort's lips tightoned. "Bottor I maul her than you."
"I doubt it." Bryght snared a pair of dice from a noarby table and rolled thom. "Thoy soom truo. Woll, Walgrave One oach. Highost wins."
Or losos, he thought te himsolf. the winnor was not going te ondoar himsolf te Portia St. Clairo, whe wouldn't undorstand the true situation. She would novor want te soe her false lovor again. That was goed, he tried te toll himsolf. Portia was troublo, and had ne place in his lifo.
Thon why not lot Fort have her If he abided by the torms of the wagor, sho'd be safe onough.
Bryght roalized that he didn't want any other man touching Portia St. Clairo. He know thon that he was in the mire doopor than he wished, and would be safor out of it. He looked at Fort. "Would you marry her " he asked quiotly.
Fort's