mes. He was her factotum, in whom she had greater faith
than in any member of her household. His calm manner, which nobody had
ever seen ruffled, suited her and she felt quite safe when a matter was
in his hands. If Estelle needed any protection--which was not likely in
their own grounds--he would be the right person to send. Having given
her orders, Lady Coke felt more comfortable, each moment expecting to
hear Estelle's merry voice. She sat listening unconsciously. Time,
however, slipped on without bringing either James or Nurse. When,
finally, ten o'clock struck, she stood up, pale but determined.

'Mademoiselle,' she said, her voice as low as ever, though her anxiety
could be detected in its quiver, 'will you please send me my maid, with
my garden-hat and cloak? I am going to Begbie Hall myself. You will
kindly accompany me. Something must be strangely wrong.'

At that moment the sound of a man's step on the gravel under the windows
made her pause, listening eagerly for the child's light tread. The steps
came up the verandah, and Colonel De Bohun appeared in the open
casement. Without a moment's delay he went up to his aunt, putting an
arm tenderly round her. One glance at his pale face was sufficient.

'Godfrey, what is it?'

She was trembling, so that without support she could not have stood.

'Sit down, dear Aunt, and let me tell you,' he said, with more calmness
than he felt.

He greatly dreaded the effect of his communication. Though she was
always cheerful, active, and upright, he could not forget that she was
old, and that any shock might be disastrous to her.

'Tell me,' she said, looking up into his face.

'We all imagined Estelle to be with you till her nurse came to fetch
her. I was out when she came. The fact is, we had rather a fright about
Alan. He had fallen down a hole in the rocks, and we were obliged to go
to his rescue. He was got out with some difficulty, and on our way home
we came across James, who told us of your anxiety about Estelle. Neither
Marjorie nor Alan had seen her since they had left her reading to
Georgie on the roof of the ruin. Marjorie, who had heard the door bang,
found no one there when she reached the place, and the door was closed.
Fearing something wrong, I sent James off at once for Peet, in order to
see if the poor child had been accidentally locked into the forbidden
room.'

'Yes?' whispered Lady Coke.

She looked so weak and shaken that the Colonel made her si