Madge sat upright, staring at her mother with a bewildered expression.
“Do you hear me, child? Are you awake?”
“Yes, mother. What’s the matter?”
“Father hasn’t come home!”
Madge stared at her still, evidently not quite understanding.
“Why—what time is it?” she whispered.
“A quarter past three or more.”
“Oh, mother!”
“I want you to dress quickly and come down, so that you could open the door if I should miss him, and then I’m going to look for him,” Mrs. Kayll said hurriedly, but without raising her voice above a whisper, so that the others slept on undisturbed.
Madge stepped out on to the floor and began to put on her clothes.