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Ian and I sat still, listening, and I’d again tensed up.
Because that was Portia.
We heard nothing and then.
“I don’t believe you!”
I stood.
“Don’t,” Ian urged.
I looked down at him. “I don’t know if I can’t. She’s a guest in your home, Ian. At the very least, she shouldn’t be shouting in the hall.”
I went to the door with Ian calling, “Daphne.”
But what I saw at the end of the hall had me running.
Twenty-Nine
THE CAT’S-EYE ROOM
It wasn’t just due to Ian’s long legs that he passed me.
He saw what I saw.
Therefore, he got to Portia and Daniel in the foyer before I arrived, and immediately wrapped his fingers around Daniel’s wrist, which was attached to his hand that was curled around Portia’s arm in an attempt to drag her, unwilling, back to the stairs.
“Release her,” Ian snarled.
Daniel didn’t move.
“Release her!” Ian thundered.
Daniel let go and Ian instantly shifted between him and Portia, planting a hand in Daniel’s chest and shoving him back.
I rounded them and went to Portia, pulling her in my arms.
She was trembling, but I didn’t think it was from fear. Instead, anger.
“I need her to listen to me,” Daniel said. “She’s not listening to me.”
“You’re old enough to know by now that when a woman doesn’t want to listen, you wait for when she’s ready to listen. And if she’s never ready, tough fucking luck,” Ian retorted.
“She froze me out all day yesterday and barely let me get a word in when she allowed me to speak with her this morning!” Daniel returned heatedly.
“Are you listening? Did you hear what I just said?” Ian asked.
The brothers stared each other down.
Both Portia and I started when we heard Richard order, “Go, Daniel. Walk it off.”
Everyone looked toward the mouth of the southeastern hall to see both Richard and Lady Jane there.
“Go,” Richard repeated inflexibly, disappointment heavy in his features. “Now.”
“I’m going for a ride,” Daniel bit, glowered at Ian, glanced at Portia, then he stomped off toward the northwest wing.
Portia suddenly pulled from my arms while watching Daniel leave, then she whispered, “I’m sorry.” She covered her face with her hands, let out a sob, and cried, “I’m so sorry!”
