"Poor child," whispered Spencer to his companion; "she must be a bundle of nerves. Every second, she is experiencing the pangs of death in anticipation. By the way, the gallant Desmond doesn't seem to have troubled himself much about her. If I hadn't taken her forcibly away, I believe she would be rooted to that chair now."
Esmond shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, a chap like Desmond doesn't know the meaning of fear, and he can't understand the sensation in others. The other woman took possession of him, and dragged him away. No doubt, he thought she was following. Mrs. L'Estrange, so far as I can judge, would never think of anything but number one."
And as Spencer's glance stole to the fair face, he felt a strange feeling of pity for her. The poignant happenings of the last few moments had revealed to him her loneliness, the tragedy of her dependence upon others. In a supreme moment of peril, she, who ought to have lovers and friends by the score, was left by herself, and thrown upon the compassion of a stranger.
An anxious half-hour passed, and then messengers came down with tidings of a reassuring nature. The raiders had been driven off, after inflicting considerable damage. Gay London was free to pursue its natural course of pleasure.
At once the tension was relaxed. Drooping forms resumed an erect carriage, the roses bloomed again in the pale cheeks of the women. There was a flutter, a stir. They all moved away from the refuge which had been so welcome, and now had become unbearable.
In the hall they encountered the Colonel, cool and collected, as if he were on parade, Mrs. L'Estrange fluttering and full of protestations.
"Oh, my poor Stella! I have been distracted about you. Why did you not follow us? I thought you were close behind us all the time, till we got to one of these abominable cellars, and looked back to find you were missing."
The Colonel pulled at his moustache a little nervously.
"I shall never forgive myself, Miss Keane, not to have assured myself you were with us at the start. I would have come back to search for you, but Mrs. L'Estrange was in such a nervous state I could not leave her."
Miss Keane answered him very coldly, and to her cousin she did not vouchsafe any reply.