“Miss Christie, my dear child, are you there? Are you conscious? Are you ill?”
And I heard the handle of the door turn; but it was locked. I raised my head from the ground, and said, in a weak quavering voice—
“I am not ill, thank you, and I am quite conscious.”
“But your voice is weak. Are you hurt? Did that woman hurt you?” he asked anxiously.
“No, no; I am only frightened; I am not hurt. I will tell you all about it to-morrow, Mr. Rayner. I can’t talk now.”
“But I cannot go away and sleep, my child, till I am quite satisfied that you are all right. Put on your dressing gown, and come out and let me see you and be sure.”
But I felt that I could not leave my room again that night.
“I am really quite well, only I cannot come out to-night, Mr. Rayner. I am too much shaken with the fright; I am indeed.”
“I will fetch you some brandy-and-water, and put it here for you, outside the door, then.”
“No, please don’t; I should not dare to take it in. I feel that, if I opened the door, she might get in. If I saw her again to-night, it would kill me!” I sobbed. “Oh, please keep her away!”