She reached home and turned the key behind her. That vague enemy, named They, who haunts each one of us through life, was hard on her heels. She was in her earth at last; but They could dig her out. Before now she had seen them do it on Windhover, with halloos, the men and women standing round with long-lashed cruel whips to prevent escape. She had seen them throw the wriggling vixen to the pack ... and the worry ... and the huntsman standing amid a foam of leaping hounds, screaming horribly and brandishing above his head a bloody rag that a few minutes since had been a warm and breathing creature. Horrible—but true ... That was the world. She knew it of old; and could almost have thanked that hard old woman with eyes the blue of steel who had just reminded her of what They and life were compact.
Then she noted there was silence in the house.
What if in her absence They had kidnapped her child—little Alice, born in agony of flesh and spirit, so different from those other babies, the heirs of ease and security; little Alice, the child for whom she had fought and suffered and endured alone. It was her They were after: Ruth never doubted that. She had seen it in Lady Augusta's eyes, as she passed her in the porch of the hostel; in the downward glances of those other members of the committee she had met upon the cliff; in the voice and bearing of her mother-in-law.
She rushed upstairs.
Alice, busiest of little mothers, had tucked the other three away in bed a little before their time because she wanted to do it all alone and without her mother's help. Now she was turning down her own bed. Her aim successfully achieved she was free to bestow on her mother a happy smile.
Ruth swept her up in her arms, and bore her away into her own room, devouring her with passionate eyes.
"You shall sleep along o me place o daddy," she said, and kissed her hungrily.
"What about Susie and Jenny, mum?" asked the child.
"We'll leave the door open so we can hear," answered Ruth, remarking even then the child's thoughtfulness. "See, daddy wants you to take care o mother."
Alice gave a quick nod of understanding.