"I'm sorry," she said, "awfully sorry--but, what did you want me for?"
She was annoyed with herself for asking, it was a weakness, she felt that.
Countess raised her eyes to meet Pam's. There was a something the least bit softer over their hard brightness.
"I am troubled," she said, "and wished to ask advice from you. When we carried that boy up the cliff yesterday I dropped my brooch--it was a safety pin of rather large size, of gold, and with my first letter and the crown in diamonds. My mother gave it to me on my birthday when I was twelve years old--I would not lose it for the world.--It was in my blouse--here, you see," she touched the opening of her silk shirt. "I don't know what I should do, I cannot find it--but I cannot offer a reward--what shall I do?"
"You were on the cliff this morning looking for it, weren't you?" asked Pamela, full of sympathy, and realizing the reason for Adrian's attack on herself.
Countess nodded.
"Oh, for a long while, everywhere."
"My brother saw you. They were coming back from Salterne in the yawl, and passed under the Beak about seven o'clock. They thought it was I, you see," Pamela made a little grimace of disgust, "and said what was I doing there? I said I wasn't there."
"Did they believe you?" asked Countess, with a sudden interest that made her seem more girlish.
"Crow did."