I don’t – want to – go to – bed!”Kitty clung to the newel at the turn of the banister as she spoke, but the Earl disengaged her fingers and half-carried, half-pulled her up the stairs.Like the rest of the party, Kitty was very drunk.They had seen off Sir Edward and his friends with shrieks, cries, and hiccups which had echoed round the marble hall and made even the flags from the ancient battlements seem to sway with the noise.Now all the house-party were climbing up the Great Staircase and the tired servants were locking and bolting the front door, preferring to scurry off to their own quarters.The gentlemen had more command over their actions than the women had.Caro had collapsed altogether and Richard was carrying her rather unsteadily.Hettie was still at the noisy stage, protesting, like Kitty, that she had no wish to go to bed and that she wanted another drink.The Earl had got Kitty to the landing when she struggled unexpectedly against him, and, as he had not a firm hold on her, she collapsed against a valuable piece of furniture, knocking over a vase of flowers.“I want to – dance,”
