"Come up to the house at once!" he said.
She looked towards the boat-house. The door was ajar, but Wentworth had not shown himself. With a gasp of relief she yielded to Field's insistent hand.
Her knees were shaking under her, but she made a valiant effort to control them. He did not speak further, and something in his silence dismayed her. She trembled more and more as she walked. Her wet clothes impeded her. She remembered with consternation that she had left her cloak in the boat-house. In her horror at this discovery she stopped.
As she did so a sudden tumult behind them told her that Wentworth had been sighted by his pursuers.
In the same moment Field very quietly turned and lifted her in his arms. She gave a gasp of astonishment.
"I think we shall get on quicker this way," he said. "Put your arm over my shoulder, won't you?"
He spoke as gently as if she had been a child, and instinctively she obeyed. He bore her very steadily straight to the house.
CHAPTER VIII
In the safe haven of her own room Violet recovered somewhat. Field left her in the charge of her maid, but the latter she very quickly dismissed. She sat before the fire clad in a wrapper, still shivering spasmodically, but growing gradually calmer.