Indeed, the activity next to her soon seemed to come to a close. No more thumping and bumping. No more rhythmic, insensible moans. Just quiet. Blessed, blissful quiet.

Thank goodness.

But Vivi was still so overly warm, she couldn’t possibly get to sleep. After laying there, trying to do so but failing miserably, she tossed back the counterpane and walked out onto the portico just outside her room, drawing the door almost to a close behind her. The nighttime air felt good on her skin. She lifted her hot, sticky mane of curls off the back of her neck and let the breeze cool her down, closing her eyes to enjoy the sensation more fully.

A light wind kicked up and fluttered over her thin nightrail, tickling against the sensitive flesh underneath. She wrapped her arms over her chest and looked out at the grounds below her to the sound of muted voices in the next room. Her room was directly over the rose gardens, which almost glimmered in the bright light of the moon tonight.

The muffled talk turned to a woman’s gasp, and then they were out on the portico next to her. Vivi dashed quickly behind a potted fern and pinched her eyes closed. She’d die of mortification if they knew she’d been privy to their encounters tonight, and she couldn’t get back inside her room without alerting them to her presence.

Their amorous pursuits were soon underway again. “Is this good, love? Is this what you wanted?” the strained, masculine voice asked. Was that Lord Lipscombe? It certainly sounded like him. Vivi was tempted to peek, just to see for certain.

But no. She couldn’t.

She shouldn’t.

But in the end, she couldn’t resist. Moving her head just so, she could see through the fronds of the fern. And it was most decidedly Lord and Lady Lipscombe on the portico next to her. Good Lord, but he was a big man. He looked even larger in the nude.

The viscount had his wife bent over the railing, entering her from behind. Vivi’s eyes widened at the thought of Tucker doing such a thing to her. Her pulse raced and suddenly, she found it difficult to take a deep breath.