* * * * *
Faith never knew how the hours of that dreadful night passed away. When daylight came she found herself in her own room, sitting on the side of the bed, staring down at the floor.
She felt incapable of thought or action; mind and body seemed frozen with a great horror.
Last night seemed like some terrible madness. She was sure she must have been mad.
Forrester had not come home, she knew, for her ears had been strained all night for the sound of his step.
When the maid brought early tea she cried out when she saw Faith.
"Oh, ma'am! What has happened? Miss Fraser's not in her room, nor the master...."
Faith tried to answer, but no words would come, and, touched by the white suffering of her face, the maid tried to persuade her to lie down.
But Faith only said, "Leave me alone ... leave me alone," till at last she was taken at her word, and the girl went downstairs to whisper and tremble with the other maids in the kitchen.