Chapter 10The door opened and closed quickly.
Then, as the Marquis raised himself a little on his pillows, he realised that someone standing just inside the room was breathing in broken gasps like one who had been running hard and was very frightened.
He was about to speak when a small figure sped across the room, obviously finding the way by the last dying glow from the fire and threw herself on the bed.
Then a voice almost incoherent with tears cried,
“Clyde! Oh, Clyde! He is in my room – he touched me – he has drunk too much – and I cannot bear it – I cannot!”
There was a pause and the Marquis knew that Sylvina was gasping for breath as she went on breathlessly,
“I left – the candle burning – as I thought – perhaps you would come to say – goodnight to me – and I must have fallen a
