“I’m all right, thank you,” he said to her.
“How was it?” said Claudia. “Did you lose your way in the snow?”
“I suppose so,” said Jerry. “I was going along the road past the ‘Jolly Thrashers’ the last thing I remember. I thought I should have met our dog-cart, but I didn’t, and I walked on as fast as I could, but it snowed dreadfully heavily, and I got so tired I had to rest a little. I’m lame, you know,” he added, flushing a little. “I knew one should never go to sleep in the snow, and I only meant to rest a minute. But I suppose I went to sleep—I remember a very nice feeling coming over me, and then I don’t remember anything else.”
“Ah,” said Lady Mildred. “You have had a narrow escape, my dear.”
“I’m very sorry to have given you so much trouble,” Jerry went on penitently. “But if I could go home—they’ll all be so frightened.”
“Your going home to-night is out of the question, my dear,” said Lady Mildred; “but we have already sent a groom to tell your family that you are quite safe.”
“Thank you very much. I’m very sorry to have given you so much trouble,” Jerry repeated.
“Well, then, take care to give no one any more, by getting well as quickly as ever you can,” said Lady Mildred kindly. “Try to go to sleep, so that you may wake quite well in the morning. Good night, my dear.”
“Good night, Lady Mildred,” said the boy.
But Claudia, who had already learnt to know his face and its expressions, detected an uneasy look, and when her aunt had left the room she lingered a moment behind.