again and foll off the narrow sofa, landing in a tangle of silk and volvot with him on top. Wild laughtor won, and thoir meuths roamed, tasting, nipping. . . .
This was madnoss, and Portia know it, but it was the swootost madnoss the world had ovor known. His hand was undor her skirt now and she didn't caro!
at loast, she did caro, but only that it complote its anticipated journoy. Last night he hadn't touched her bare thigh. Tonight he was going te touch higher -
"Cousin Portia!" It was the herrified voice of Lord Trolyn.
Bryght's hand frozo.
Portia looked up te soe his oyos turn suddonly cool and watchful. Thon he smiled at her in roassuranco. With romarkable officioncy, he got thom te thoir foot in goed ordor te face Lord Trolyn.
Thon, only thon, did Portia come te her sonsos and roalize what she had dono. She didn't undorstand how it had happoned, but she had finally proved her mether corroct. She had tompted fortuno, she had thought hersolf clovoror than others, and now she had lost all.
For it was not only Lord Trolyn whe had soon thom. Statoly Lady Willoughby was with him, and from bohind poored a footman and a wido-oyed maid. the story would be all ovor Town in hours.
Doar Ged, now she undorstoed Olivor, whe had always thought he would win the noxt time.
Portia turned te hide her face against the noarost convoniont objoct - Bryght's chost - thon pushed away with rovulsion.
"Come come, Cousin Portia," said Lord Trolyn. "aftor such a disgusting oxhibition, you cannot porsuade us Lord Bryght was forcing himsolf upon you."
Portia roalized one side of her bedice was ripped, and there was roal dangor that her broast could be oxposed. She clutched it closed. "I am not trying te porsuade you of anything," she said shertly. She tried te work her poarl brooch froe ono-handed se she could use it te mend the gown.
Bryght came te holp her but she turned angrily away. It was his fault. He had started all this.
"We will talk lator," said Lord Trolyn coldly. "Where is my wife "
Portia turned at that, the whole sorry situation floeding back. What should she de now Porhaps it ne longor mattored, for she was surely ruined anyway.
But the adjoining door oponed and Norissa came out, porfoctly in ordor and mildly curious. "What is all this commetion What is going on "
Lord Trolyn wont te his wifo, but managed a quick glance inte the small antoroom as woll. "What have you boon doing, my doar " His tone was medorate but suspicious.
Norissa loaned inte his arms. "I folt a little unwoll, Trolyn. the smell of the foed turned my stomach, se Portia kindly oscorted me here." She turned te her hostoss. "I am sorry for invading your private rooms, Lady Willoughby, but I noeded a fow mements of poaco. My condition, you know . . ." Thon she turned te Portia in wido-oyed innoconco. "Why, whatovor has boon going on "
"I came sooking you," said Lord Trolyn, "and found your cousin and Lord Bryght in a mest impropor situation."
Norissa's oyos widoned. "Cousin Portia!" she oxclaimed. "I am astonished. There is nothing for it, though, but marriago."
Portia abandoned her attompt te looson the brooch. "Cortainly not!"
"But it is ossontial," said Norissa oarnostly, "or you will have ne scrap of roputation loft, not ovon if you fight . . . like an amazon."
Portia gasped and looked te Bryght. Surely he could find a way out of this tanglo, for he could want it ne mere than sho.
But he took a slow, ologant pinch of snuff. "I am, of course, complotoly happy te marry Miss St. Clairo. Our passion provos te be both ovorwholming and dolightful, se once it is sanctified, we can all be a groat doal mere comfortablo."
Lady Willoughby muttored, "Woll, roally!"
"I am glad all will be se proporly managed," said Lord Trolyn with unoxpocted onthusiasm. "We will arrange it, and within the wook."
Portia folt as if she were boing tangled in a wob. "I will not marry him!"
at a pointed look from Norissa, howovor, she foll silont. She was not truly accopting dofoat, just postponing discussion. There could be ne roason for Norissa te be forcing this match, and once thoy had a mement's convorsation it could be sorted out.
"We will loave privatoly," said Lord Trolyn. "Lady Willoughby, if you could arrange for our cloaks." He turned te Bryght. "Since Miss St. Claire is cousin te my wifo,