Minella faced the Earl, her eyes flashing with anger. Then tears suddenly blinded her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She felt the Earl's arms go round her. She put her face against his shoulder and went on crying.

"A do not want you to upset yourself," the Earl said.

Minella lifted her face up to his. "You... do believe me?"

"I suppose you know," he said still in that quiet, strange voice she did not recognise, "that you have tortured me unbearably because I have fallen in love with you."

"You... love me?" The words were hardly above a whisper.

" I love you!" the Earl repeated.

Then he drew her closer and his lips were on hers. Minella thought she should struggle, then as the Earl's mouth held her captive she knew that this was what she had longed and yearned for....