A moment later their suspicions were confirmed, for Hagyard, the manservant, who adored both his mistress and her small daughter, came forward to meet them with an air of relief which did not conceal the anxiety in his whole bearing.
"Mr. Cheniston—sir—there's been an accident—Miss Cherry—she's burnt——"
"Burnt!" Iris and Bruce echoed the word simultaneously; and the man hurried on.
"Yes, sir, yes, miss—Miss Cherry got playing with matches—Tochatti left her alone for a moment when she did not ought to have done"—in his distress his usual correctness of speech and deportment fell away from Hagyard, leaving him a mere human man—"and Miss Cherry's dress—a little flimsy bit of muslin it was, caught fire, and before it was put out she'd got burned——"
"Where is Mrs. Carstairs?"
"Upstairs with Miss Cherry, sir. We've been ringing up the doctor—but we can't get no answer——"
Bruce cut him short without ceremony.
"Come, Iris, let's see what's to be done. We can go ourselves and fetch the doctor, anyway."
Together they ran up the broad staircase, and Bruce led the way to Cherry's little room, where, as he guessed, the child was lying.
As they entered Chloe Carstairs looked round; and her eyes appeared almost black, so dilated were the pupils.