“And a charmingly scented one,” he agreed.
She heard the scissors cut through her hair, and at once got up. “There! For g-goodness sake don’t tell anyone, w-will you?” she said. She moved towards the window. “I think it is time you took me home. It must be d-dreadfully late.”
“In a moment,” he said, coming towards her. “You are a good loser, sweetheart.”
Before she had even a suspicion of his purpose he had her in his arms and with one deft hand nipped the mask from her face. Frightened, white with anger, she tried to break free, only to find herself held quite powerless. The hand that had untied her mask came under her chin, and forced it up; the Scarlet Domino bent and kissed her, full on her indignant mouth.
She wrenched herself away as at last he slackened his embrace. She was breathless and shaken, trembling from head to foot. “How d-dare you?” she choked, and dashed her hand across her mouth as though to wipe away the kiss. “Oh, how dare you t-touch me?” She whirled about, flew to the window, and dragging the curtain back, was gone.
The Scarlet Domino made no attempt to pursue her, but stayed in the middle of the room, gently twisting a powdered curl round one finger. An odd smile hovered about his mouth; he put the curl carefully into his pocket.
A movement in the window made him look up. Lady Massey was standing there, an apple-green domino covering her gown, her mask dangling from her hand. “That was not very well Contrived, surely, Robert?” she said maliciously. “A vastly pretty scene, but I am amazed that so clever a man as you could make such a stupid mistake. Lord, couldn’t you tell the little fool was not ready for kisses? And I thinking you knew how to handle her! You’ll be glad of my help yet, my lord.”
The smile had quite vanished from the Scarlet Domino’s mouth, which had suddenly grown very stern. He put up a hand to the strings of his mask, and untied them. “Shall I?” he said, in accents utterly unlike Lord Lethbridge’s. “But are you quite sure, madam, that it is not you who have made—a very great mistake?”
Chapter Twelve
Horatia partook of breakfast in bed some six hours later. She was too young for her troubles to deprive her of sleep, but though she had certainly slept she had had horrid dreams, and awoke not very much refreshed.