“Well, Dinah?” said the Major, without noticing her agitated face.
“It is very dark,” she said huskily.
“Exactly! Too dark for you to go, my dear sir. Stay! We will have an early breakfast, and you can walk across to the mine. I will not have my peace of mind destroyed by being summoned to sit on a jury at an inquest upon my late guest.”
There was a mingling of mirth and seriousness in the Major’s words, and Reed hesitated.
“Well, sir,” he said, involuntarily glancing across at Dinah, and meeting her troubled gaze.
“I insist,” cried the Major. “What do you say, my dear?”
Dinah started, and her voice sounded strange as she said hurriedly—
“It would be very imprudent of Mr Reed to go back—on so dark a walk.”
“Exactly! There, my dear sir, you are a prisoner for to-night.”
“Mr Reed will excuse me now,” said Dinah quietly. “Good-night,” and she held out her hand.