“Yes, I did tell him that I should be there for a few days, but an accident prevented my ever going to the hotel at all. I am now with Lady Ruxley, at her cottage near Vallingham Hall.”
“Zounds! She has got right back into that Coolidge nest again, poor thing! I wonder if she knows it, or has seen them yet?” was Adrian’s inward comment; then he said, aloud: “If you remain here a few days I shall probably see you again.”
Then, as he clasped her hand, he continued, with a smile:
“Now, good-night; and, Miss Douglas, do not go wandering off by yourself again in the night to places you know nothing of.”
Again she thrilled at his touch, and the fire leaped into her cheeks at his words.
“I will not,” she promised, with a little answering smile, though he saw that tears were dropping from her eyes, as she added: “But, Mr. Desmond, I have not been able to find words adequate to express my feelings for what you have done for me to-night; but surely you will not deem me ungrateful.”
“No, no, dar——” He nearly said it in spite of himself, but quickly checking the word, he exclaimed: “Great Heaven! how it unmans me even now to think of it; but I pray you go to rest, and try to forget it if you can.”
He led her up the steps to a side door, where she could enter unseen, let her in, then wandered away by himself again into the park, his soul stirred to its very depths by the events of the last half hour.
CHAPTER XXIII
TAKEN BY STORM
Adrian had been obliged to exert the sternest self-control in order to keep back the wild words which were burning upon his lips for utterance after saving Brownie.