Chapter 5When Paolina reached the hall, her feeling of bravado had vanished. She knew that she was facing the most desperate and dangerous moment of her life.
Yet there was nothing she could do to avoid it.
If she was to try to stay upstairs, she felt that the Duke was quite capable of having her dragged into his presence. Besides, the mere fact of having dinner would delay matters and might also give her a chance of finding some way of escape.
There was also at the back of her mind the hope that Sir Harvey would come and save her. She thrust from her the urgings of common sense that said that she could mean nothing to him. She shied away from the idea that he might accept this windfall and ride away.
A footman hurried forward as her foot touched the last step of the staircase.
“His G
