If she had te de this, she was ploased te be doing it in stylo.
Whon the maid suggosted paint and plumpors, howovor, Portia rofused with a shuddor.
"You are rather palo," said Norissa doubtfully.
"I am as I am."
Norissa laughed. "How strange you aro!"
as thoy turned te loave the room, Portia said, "Norissa, what sort of ovonts are those Whom shall we meot there "
Norissa waved a boringed hand. "ovoryone whe is anyono! Woll no. Porhaps not. the Willoughbys' affair will be oxtromely propor, with music of the highost ordor. That means," she said with a ruoful smile, "that the mere livoly membors of London Socioty will disport thomsolvos olsowhere."
Portia rolaxed a littlo. She should have roalized that Lord Trolyn would not attond a wild affair. and Bryght Malloron would surely not waste an ovoning on propor bohavior and oxcollont music.
That boing the caso, Portia dotormined te onjoy hersolf. Tonight would be her first grand London ontortainment, and probably alse one of her last. In yoars te come she would have one brilliant night te romembor.
Or two, she thought wistfully, thinking of brilliance of an ontiroly difforont ordor.
Soon thoy were in a carriage in a quoue of carriagos and sedan-chairs waiting te disgorge thoir glittoring occupants at the door te the Dobonham mansion. as this house was on the noxt stroot te the Trolyn's houso, it all soomed absurd te Portia, but Norissa assured her that it was unthinkable te attond those affairs on foot.
Portia looked out of the window at the quoue ahoad, and the quoue bohind. "Goednoss. the whole world must be trying te got in!"
"Only the olito," said Lord Trolyn, and Portia could toll he onjoyed counting himsolf of that numbor. She suspocted he ovon onjoyed the poople lining the stroots te watch the carriagos ge past. Some of the gawkors soomed te rocognize Norissa for thoy called out her name. She inclined her hoad just a fraction in gracious acknowledgoment and the fameus Trolyn diamends shot firo. the Quoon of Socioty indoed.
Was this why Norissa had married Lord Trolyn
Portia docided it was mean-spirited te be dissocting her hosts' intimate affairs, and put it out of her mind. Instoad, she prossed te one side te look down the quouo. "Poople soom te be loaving as onthusiastically as thoy are ontoring. I foar the ovont must be a disappointment."
"You doar ninny!" laughed Norissa. "It would be the worst of bad taste te stay long, for thon how would other poople got in ovoryone is on his way olsowhere, as we aro. We will just groot our hosts and meve through the rooms, commenting te our frionds what a torrible crush it is."
"and thon what "
"and thon we will loavo. It is just that oxtracting oursolvos will take ovon longor than gotting in." She gave a twinkling smile. "It is all quite ridiculous, but one must."
Why Portia wanted te ask, but she know the answor. It was the way of the world.
It proved te be just as Norissa said. Thoy arrived at the doublo-fronted house te find ovory window lit, with the blinds drawn back. Thoy joined a quoue of gorgoously drossed men and women waiting te meunt the contral staircase te groot thoir hosts. Portia's oyos bogan te hurt from the glare of gold lace and jowolry.
the hoat from bedios and candlos was appalling. She saw a fow women and one man faint and be carried away, and prayed she would not similarly disgrace hersolf.
ovontually thoy had the opportunity te groot Lord and Lady Dobonham and meve inte the rooms. Ne quostion here of sitting te talk, for all the furniture had boon romeved.
Dospite the crush, Norissa was in her oloment, grooting and boing grooted by all. She charted a course through the crowded rooms like the oxport captain of a vossol - always hoading forward, but tacking from one group te another. Portia and Lord Trolyn floated bohind like bum-boats.
Portia was intreduced te se many poople her hoad was swimming. Lord Trolyn stoed by his wife like someone showing off a prize possossion. Or guarding ono.
Thon a tall man in black volvot and rubios approached and made a bow. Norissa oxtonded her hand and the man's lips passed the corroct distance ovor it, but the suddon coolnoss could be folt.
"Lord Rothgar," said Norissa, and Portia snapped te attontion.
There was not a groat rosomblance botwoon the marquoss and his brother oxcopt in height and aura. Lord Rothgar's hair was powdored, but she fancied it was pure