Miss Thane said faintly: “I scarce know ... Two men attacked me ...”
“Ah, she is swooning!” exclaimed Eustacie. “What an outrage! What villainy!”
Miss Thane, having assured herself that Sir Tristram was close enough to catch her, closed her eyes and sank gracefully back into his arms.
“Hartshorn! Vinegar! shrieked Eustacie. “Lay her on the settle, mon cousin! ”
Nye, who had come in from the taproom, said: “What! Miss Thane in a swoon? I’ll call Sir Hugh this instant!” and strode away to the parlour.
Sir Tristram carried his fair burden to the settle and laid her down upon it. A glance at her charming complexion was sufficient to allay any alarm he might otherwise have felt and with his fingers over her steady pulse, he said: “I think we should throw water over her, my dear cousin. Cold water.”
Miss lips parted a little. A very soft whisper reached Sir Tristram’s ears. “You dare!” breathed Miss Thane.
“Wait! I will instantly fetch the hartshorn!” said Eustacie, and turning sharp on her heel, collided with Mr Peabody, who was anxiously peeping over her shoulder at Miss Thane’s inanimate form. “Brute! Bully! Imbecile! ” she stormed.
Mr Peabody stepped aside in a hurry. Having seen Miss Thane’s shapely figure in the candlelight, he was now quite sure that a mistake had been made, and the look he cast at Mr Stubbs, standing glumly by the door, was one of deep reproach.
Eustacie came running down the stairs again just as Sir Hugh walked into the coffee-room with the landlord at his heels.