'Listen, Kitty,' I said, seizing her by the shoulders and forcing her to look at me. 'You can't stay here. Do you understand? You must go away.'
She nodded slowly. And then she said in a small, lost voice, 'But where? I've nowhere to go. I hate this place. But I've never been anywhere else.'
'You're coming away with me.' I said it without thinking, my mind suddenly made up.
She stared at me. Voices sounded through the open scullery door. They were coming nearer. 'Meet me down at the mine at three o'clock in the morning. There's no time to talk about it,' I said quickly as footsteps sounded on the cobbles of the stables. 'Meet me at three o'clock. Understand?'
She nodded slowly. She was too dazed to think it out. She would have agreed to anything I said at that moment. 'Promise?' I said.
'I promise,' she answered.
I heard Friar's voice saying, 'Ruddy lark, this is — I don't fink. We bin on the job since six this mornin', yer know, Capting. I didn't aim ter spend the night playin' tag wiv your old man down that bleedin' mine.' They stopped in the scullery.
'We've gotto find him,' Captain Manack answered sharply. Then he came through into the kitchen. 'Come on, Pryce,' he said.
'I'll stay up here for a bit,' I said. 'The girl's had a shock.'
'To hell with the girl,' he snapped. 'Come on now.'