Free Love Drives In by Barbara Cartland Page A

was dishevelled, her eyes wild, and she regarded the Earl with a fierce hostility that boded ill for him.
    "If you'll just sign here, saying that you do not wish to press charges of assault – " said the sergeant.
    The Earl signed hurriedly.
    "Good. Now you can take your fiancée with you."
    At the words 'your fiancée' Dorina's rage nearly boiled over. The Earl hastily grasped her arm and whisked her out of the door before she could make anything worse.
    "Goodnight," he called hurriedly over his shoulder.
    "Goodnight, my Lord," the sergeant replied, adding under his breath,
    "And I wouldn't be in your shoes for all the tea in China."
    "Not a word," the Earl told her when they were in the street. "You can say it all to me when we get home."
    "I never wish to speak to you again," she told him bitterly. "Not when we get home, not tomorrow, not ever. As far as I'm concerned you do not exist ."
    Unwisely he attempted to joke.
    "Well, somebody nearly dislocated my jaw."
    "Would you like me to do it properly?" she flashed.
    "Look there's a cab," he said, hastily, waving with relief to an approaching vehicle.
    They got in and sat side by side for the journey to Grosvenor Square. Now and then the Earl turned his head to look at Dorina, but she sat, stony-faced, staring into space, refusing to give him so much as a glance.
    "I only want you to know that I'm sorry," he said.
    Silence. In the dim light he could just see her set her chin a little more firmly.
    "It was all my fault, the whole thing."
    Silence.
    After a journey that seemed to take forever they finally reached his home. It was the Earl's habit to tell his staff not to wait up for him if he was going to be late. Now, he saw with relief that the house was in darkness, save for the light that was left on in the hall. At least they would have privacy for the volcanic quarrel that was about to ensue.
    Once the front door was closed behind them, Dorina headed for the stairs, but he stopped her.
    "We must talk about this first, Dorina."
    "I have nothing to say."
    "Well, I have. Surely you can at least listen while I apologise?"
    He drew her into the library, closed the door firmly behind them and lit one of the low table lamps. It provided a very imperfect light, but in the dramatic shadows, with her eyes flashing, he thought she looked magnificent.
    "Apologise?" she said fiercely. "Do you think any apology can make up for what you did to me?"
    "What I – ? Wait a moment, you punched me, when there was no need."
    "There was every need. I shall always be glad to remember that I knocked you off your feet."
    "I slipped," he said tensely. "You caught me by surprise."
    "Surprise? You were surprised that I rounded on you after you dared to take me to that – that – ?"
    "The Alhambra is a theatre, and like all theatres it gets less salubrious the higher you go. Ladies know to stay in the stalls, where they're safe."
    "Are you saying that I'm not a lady?" she flung at him.
    He drew a sharp breath. This was going dreadfully wrong. He wanted to throw himself at her feet and beg her forgiveness. He wanted to take her in his arms and promise to care for her forever. But it was turning into a quarrel.
    "Please, Dorina, I didn't mean – "
    "You will address me as Miss Martin, when you address me at all, which won't be for much longer. And don't talk nonsense about the Alhambra being like other theatres, because it definitely is not – which you must have known perfectly well."
    "It's a little more extreme than some," he agreed, "but it's still a place where a respectable man can take a respectable woman, as long as she observes the boundaries."
    "And just what are your boundaries, my Lord?" Dorina asked in a dangerous voice.
    "I don't know what you mean."
    "I think you do. You have a dividing line in your mind, don't you? On one side are the ladies of delicate sensibilities whose virtue must be protected, and whom you would never dream of taking to the Alhambra.
    "On the other side there