Part 23 (1/2)
”You have nothing to reproach yourself for.”
”No,” Polly said wretchedly, 'but Lord Henry already has a low enough opinion of me, Lucille! He will be thinking me the veri est light skirt! I did not tell you before, but do you remember the morning you went on the picnic, and how poorly I was feeling? ” At Lucille's nod she rushed on.
”I.
became intoxicated with the fruit punch at Lady Phillips's Ball the night before, and then I tried to tell Lord Henry that I wished us to be friends, but I got it all wrong and he ended up kissing me on the terrace and it was dreadful--' Lucille was looking thunderstruck.
”Wait, wait! What on earth were you doing drinking the punch?”
”I thought it was fruit cup,” Polly said, suddenly and unaccountably wanting to giggle.
”It was a very hot night, you see, and the drink was so refres.h.i.+ng...
Anyway, such a pea goose as I was, I did not realise that I was intoxicated! So when I had the chance to speak to Lord Henry I felt marvellously brave, but he did not interpret my words in quite the way I wished and before I knew it he was kissing me--' Suddenly she felt the laughter welling up again, and once she had started she could not stop. Lucille put her cup down and sat in amused bewilderment.
”Polly, Polly! Whatever happened?”
”I told you,” Polly said, between giggles, 'he kissed me! ” ”And you said it was dreadful.” Lucille finished.
”Well, no...” Polly's giggles started to subside at last. She wiped her eyes.
”The kiss itself was not dreadful, it was quite delightful...”
Again, her voice faded away as she remembered the stirring of her senses, so intriguing and yet so frightening.
”I wanted him to go on kissing me for ever,” she finished naively.
”Well, what is so wrong with that?”
Polly's eyes were enormous.
”But, Lucille, a lady does not kiss a gentleman before they are married!”
She frowned.
”And then, when he rescued me at Hamp stead Wells...” again she found herself repressing a giggle at Lucille's rapt expression 'why, I positively threw myself at his head! He must think me very fast! ” ”I doubt it,” Lucille said drily.
”It all sounds highly comical to me and hardly the stuff of which loose women are made!”
Polly, to her own surprise, started to laugh again,
”Yes, I do see what you mean! Although I have to say that there were certain similarities between my conduct and that of Lady Bolt at Richmond!”
”No, truly? I have underestimated you, Polly!”
”That is what Lord Henry said!” Polly admitted with a giggle, provoking a look of speculative amazement from her sister-in-law.
”Now, Richmond...” Lucille tried to look severe.
”I a.s.sume that you have not discussed it with Lord Henry?”