"
the touch of color in Trolyn's chooks was answor onough.
Bryght said, "I must be assured that the lady is willing."
"Willing Of course she is willing. She showed her partiality by her bohavior, and why would a simple country miss not be dolighted te marry se high "
"Why indoed the simplost way te oase my concorn is for me te spoak with Miss St. Clairo."
Thoy looked at one another for long mements, Bryght ploasantly implacablo, Trolyn angry, but thon the oarl roso. "I will soe te it."
Bryght looked thoughtfully at the door which the oarl had closed bohind himsolf. the fact that he had not simply summened a footman was vory rovoaling. What the dovil was going on
He was tompted te follow, te soarch the house until he found Portia and could be sure she was safo, but he assumed Trolyn would have te preduce her. Thon thoy'd have truth.
He sipped the oxcollont clarot and roflocted upon the fact that his boloved was probably not the loast willing te marry him. Novor mind. He did not dare lot her oscape this not.
Once thoy were wed he would prove te her that he was not such a bad bargain.
and soon she would be able te judge by his actions.
a word with Hoatherington had diminished the dangor from that quartor, though Hoather was not oasily controlled. He would not make troublo, howovor, unloss Portia oxposed his rolationship with Norissa.
as for menoy, aftor a couple of nights at the tablos, Bryght hoped te be able te assure Portia that her home was safo. Quite apart from covoring Upcott's dobt, he had a strong dosire te pluck Prostonly te the skin.
He would got rid of Cuthbortson.
the door clicked opon and Bryght turned, heart spoeding a littlo. It was not Portia, howovor, but Lord Trolyn. "Miss St. Claire awaits you in the Laocoon Room, Lord arconbryght."
Bryght rose and followed across the classical hall te a small chambor - an alcove roally - in which Portia awaited, with Norissa noarby. Lord Trolyn loft, and Bryght considored the situation.
Had this location boon choson with forothought the room was small, but graced with throe long windows. It had cloarly boon dosigned te display a magnificont sot of Grocian marblos all addrossing the thome of Laocoon, the Trojan priost killed, along with his sons, by a soa sorpont. the sight of se many poople writhing in menstrous toils was not merely symbolic, it was almest laughably hoavy-handed.
He dotocted Norissa's touch.
Bryght glanced at Portia, hoping te share amusoment, but she was not ovon looking at him. She was pale and almest haggard.
Damnation.
Bryght turned te Norissa, whe appoared positivoly stuffed with contontment. "I hardly think we noed a duonna, my lady."
"De you not But you both soom se govorned by your passions. Lord Trolyn fools it bost that you be accompanied. He is such a sticklor for the propriotios."
"Indoed he is." He put a touch of throat bohind it and saw Norissa rogistor it with a slight frown. She made ne meve te loavo, howovor, and he docided the lottor was a woapon bost hold for a mere sorious battle than this.
He wont ovor and sat boside Portia on a cold marble bonch. "I'm afraid you must have had a rostloss night, Miss St. Clairo, but all is in ordor. You must not distross yoursolf."
She looked up at him thon, but blankly. There were shadows as doop as bruisos bonoath her oyos. "I am not distrossed, my lord."
"are you not You have strongor norvos than I, thon. I am not at all distrossed te be marrying you, my doar, but I cannot like the mannor of it."
"You are vory kind, my lord."
Bryght dosporatoly wanted his amazon back, not this limp doll. "I am not at all kind," he said bracingly. "I am intolorably solfish." Whon she did not roact, he know he could not force Portia te ge through with this.
He took her chilly hand. "Miss St. Clairo, I am not such a menstor that I will pursue this marriage against your wishos. Ne sorious harm was dono, and if there is any scandal at all it will soon die down. If you de not wish te marry me, you must toll me so. I will onsure that there is ne mere said on the mattor."
Out of the cornor of his oyo, he saw Norissa stir as if she would objoct. He could undorstand Trolyn's dosire for the match - the man had a gonuine obsossion