sought after, despite the all-too-frequent dullness of the entertainments there, and Tabby was jostled by countless other guests. For one cowardly moment she hoped she might be turned away by the very superior servants who waited at the door. Alas, such was the influence of Sir Geoffrey, and the good strong elbow of his footman, that she arrived safely within.
The interior of the Pavilion was no less exotic than the exterior. Tabby gazed bemused upon great lacquered panels, red and black and gold; painted and carved dragons that hung from silver ceilings and crawled down pillars; gilded and silvered sofas with dragon motifs; china fishermen that stood in alcoves, with lanterns as their catch. She glimpsed a China gallery, a music room with gorgeous frescoes and green-and-golden dragons, a yellow drawing room with Oriental colonnades, a banqueting hall with domed ceiling representing an Eastern sky. Amidst all this splendor she did not espy a lady answering to Sir Geoffrey’s description of his nemesis.
The rooms were insufferably hot. In search of less stale and stifling air, Tabby stepped into an anteroom. She found no opened window there, but instead a gentlemen in the evening dress of the Tenth. He paused in the act of draining a brandy snifter. His slightly glazed expression, as he stared at Tabby, indicated that this glass of liquor was not his first.
How ridiculous he looked. Ermyntrude might admire that magnificently laced jacket, those red breeches with gold fringe, but Tabby found the gentleman reminiscent of an organ-grinder’s monkey. “Pray excuse me!” she gasped, attempting to stifle a laugh. “I did not mean to intrude.”
She was not to leave so soon. With a quickness of movement admirable in a gentleman in his cups, the officer placed himself between Tabby and the door. “Something about me amuses you?” he asked.
Tabby did not deem it prudent to inform the gentleman that he reminded her of a performing monkey. “You misunderstood me, sir. It was something else altogether that diverted me. I apologize again for my intrusion. I will leave you now.’’
The officer was not disposed to let her pass. His bold gaze moved over her body in the clinging muslin dress. The officer was not unhandsome, and more ladies were susceptible to him than not.
Tabby was not among those ladies. Nor was she amused that the officer clearly thought her character equivocal. “You are offensive, sir!” she said coolly. “Pray let me pass.”
Still he did not step aside. “I’ll show you I’m not to be laughed at!” he said, and grasped her elbows.
The man was going to kiss her. No little bit alarmed, Tabby gazed about for something with which to defend herself. Her choices were limited. Tabby bypassed a lamp shaped like an elegant tulip in favor of a tall porcelain pagoda.
“Unhand me, sir!” she demanded. It seemed only fair that before she began smashing her host’s treasures, she give her accostor one last chance. “Release me at once, and we’ll say nothing more of this matter, and no harm will be done.”
Tabby’s captor was immune to reason, such was the volatile combination of brandy and Ermyntrude’s clinging gown. He murmured something unintelligible and drew Tabby closer into his arms. She took firmer grip on the porcelain pagoda, which was amazingly heavy, and prepared to break it over the officer’s head.
At that moment, the door swung open. On the threshold stood a green-eyed gentleman. He frowned as he recognized Tabby. “What the devil,” he inquired, “is going on here?’’ The officer apparently did not feel up to explanations. He released Tabby and beat a quick retreat.
Tabby wished that she might also do so. What must Vivien think? Probably as had the officer, that she was one of the frail but fair. Tabby meant to have a word with Ermyntrude about her borrowed dress. “Thank you!” she stammered. “For coming to my rescue.”
Vivien plucked the pagoda from her hand and
The interior of the Pavilion was no less exotic than the exterior. Tabby gazed bemused upon great lacquered panels, red and black and gold; painted and carved dragons that hung from silver ceilings and crawled down pillars; gilded and silvered sofas with dragon motifs; china fishermen that stood in alcoves, with lanterns as their catch. She glimpsed a China gallery, a music room with gorgeous frescoes and green-and-golden dragons, a yellow drawing room with Oriental colonnades, a banqueting hall with domed ceiling representing an Eastern sky. Amidst all this splendor she did not espy a lady answering to Sir Geoffrey’s description of his nemesis.
The rooms were insufferably hot. In search of less stale and stifling air, Tabby stepped into an anteroom. She found no opened window there, but instead a gentlemen in the evening dress of the Tenth. He paused in the act of draining a brandy snifter. His slightly glazed expression, as he stared at Tabby, indicated that this glass of liquor was not his first.
How ridiculous he looked. Ermyntrude might admire that magnificently laced jacket, those red breeches with gold fringe, but Tabby found the gentleman reminiscent of an organ-grinder’s monkey. “Pray excuse me!” she gasped, attempting to stifle a laugh. “I did not mean to intrude.”
She was not to leave so soon. With a quickness of movement admirable in a gentleman in his cups, the officer placed himself between Tabby and the door. “Something about me amuses you?” he asked.
Tabby did not deem it prudent to inform the gentleman that he reminded her of a performing monkey. “You misunderstood me, sir. It was something else altogether that diverted me. I apologize again for my intrusion. I will leave you now.’’
The officer was not disposed to let her pass. His bold gaze moved over her body in the clinging muslin dress. The officer was not unhandsome, and more ladies were susceptible to him than not.
Tabby was not among those ladies. Nor was she amused that the officer clearly thought her character equivocal. “You are offensive, sir!” she said coolly. “Pray let me pass.”
Still he did not step aside. “I’ll show you I’m not to be laughed at!” he said, and grasped her elbows.
The man was going to kiss her. No little bit alarmed, Tabby gazed about for something with which to defend herself. Her choices were limited. Tabby bypassed a lamp shaped like an elegant tulip in favor of a tall porcelain pagoda.
“Unhand me, sir!” she demanded. It seemed only fair that before she began smashing her host’s treasures, she give her accostor one last chance. “Release me at once, and we’ll say nothing more of this matter, and no harm will be done.”
Tabby’s captor was immune to reason, such was the volatile combination of brandy and Ermyntrude’s clinging gown. He murmured something unintelligible and drew Tabby closer into his arms. She took firmer grip on the porcelain pagoda, which was amazingly heavy, and prepared to break it over the officer’s head.
At that moment, the door swung open. On the threshold stood a green-eyed gentleman. He frowned as he recognized Tabby. “What the devil,” he inquired, “is going on here?’’ The officer apparently did not feel up to explanations. He released Tabby and beat a quick retreat.
Tabby wished that she might also do so. What must Vivien think? Probably as had the officer, that she was one of the frail but fair. Tabby meant to have a word with Ermyntrude about her borrowed dress. “Thank you!” she stammered. “For coming to my rescue.”
Vivien plucked the pagoda from her hand and
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