“Guy, where am I?” She was crimson, like a child found out.
“With your friends, Venice, who love you. And Napier has gone.
“But he hasn’t!” she screamed, and caught her scream to her mouth with the palm of her hand. We followed her terrified eyes to see Napier where we had first seen him that night. He stared at Venice. And just at that moment the silence was shattered by the roar of the Hispano. That shattering roar held us all still, bewildered. From beneath the trees of Sutton Marle it swept on us like the roar of a thousand rifles.
“That car’s gone mad!” rose to my lips.
I saw Venice bite the back of her hand, staring at Napier. The roar of the car had held him at the open window. As he came in Guy spoke savagely. “Napier, what the hell does this mean? Can’t you see what you’re doing to Venice?”
Napier said wearily, and he tried to smile, his eyes on Venice: “All right, Guy. I thought Venice was my friend. I was wrong——”
“Naps,” rapped out Sir Maurice, “what does this mean!”
As Napier approached near to Venice she jumped up from her chair and started away from him.
“Napier, I don’t understand!” she tried not to sob. “Why have you come back? Napier!”
He said wearily: “Why didn’t you tell me, Venice? I can’t understand. God knows I’ve no opinion of myself left, but I’m not such a pitiful blackguard as——”