Roberta still stood silently in the shadow of her corner. Docky, who had been watching her, had seen with her one alert, keen eye, a single movement and a flash of steel as Roberta withdrew her hand from her muff, then returned it stoically when Rio fell.
This time, as Drewena lifted her arm, Miriam sat up. There was no movement, no shudder from the prone figure on the floor.
“Wait, Drew!” called Miriam. “Leave the man alone!”
Drewena looked at her incredulously.
“This beast knocked you down,” she said, “and without reason.”
She turned again to strike, but Miriam arose unsteadily and held Drewena’s arm.
Drewena dropped the whip.
“Do you, then, consider this more important?” she asked nodding toward Rio who was still lying quietly, his blouse in shreds upon his blood-soaked back.
“He is my friend,” said Miriam. “We are going home.”
“Our rendezvous?” breathed Drewena.