“Come, Joan! Quick!” he cried. “Help me to set it up again.”
The moment something was to be done, Joan’s heart returned to her. In an instant they had the door jammed into its place, with the bolt in the catch as Mergwain had left it.
“Now,” said Cosmo, “we must get down the stair, and hide somewhere below, till he passes, and comes up here again.”
They ran to the kitchen, and made for a small cellar opening off it. Hardly were they in it when they heard him re-enter and go up the stair. The moment he was safely beyond them, they crept out, and keeping close to the wall of the house, went round to the back of it, and through the thicket to a footpath near, which led to the highway. It was a severe trial to Cosmo’s strength, now that the excitement of adventure had relaxed, and left him the weaker. Again and again Joan had to urge him on, but as soon as she judged it safe, she made him sit, and supported him.
“I believe,” she said, “that wretched man of his has put him up to it. Constantine has found out something. I would not for the world he should learn all! You don’t know—you are far too good to know what he would think—yes, and tell me to my face! It was not an easy life with my father, Cosmo, but I would rather be with him now, wherever he is, than go on living in that house with my brother.”
“What had we better do?” said Cosmo, trying to hide his exhaustion.
“I am going to take you to the Jermyns’. They are the only friends I have. Julia will be kind to you for my sake. I will tell them all about it. Young Dr. Jermyn knows already.”
Alas, it was like being let down out of paradise into purgatory! But when we cannot stay longer in paradise, we must, like our first parents, make the best of our purgatory.
“You will be able to come and see me, will you not, Joan,” he said sadly.
“Yes, indeed!” she answered. “It will be easier in some ways than before. At home I never could get rid of the dread of being found out. As soon as I get you safe in, I must hurry home. Oh, dear! how shall I keep clear of stories! Only, when you are safe, I shall not care so much.”