"Christine!" I said softly. "Christine!"
She stopped dead. Every trace of colour had vanished from her face, and for an instant I thought that she was going to faint.
"Don't be frightened," I added quickly. "It's perfectly safe."
She stood there, staring up at me with wick-open, startled eyes.
"Oh, you're hurt," she gasped. "Your face is all bleeding."
I put my hand up to my cheek, and it came away stained with red.
"It's nothing," I said. "I scratched myself a bit getting through the hedge."
"But why are you here?" she whispered. "What made you come? It's madness—absolute madness."
"I wanted to see you," I said simply.
She gave a terrified glance round in the direction of the house.