Chapter 13Nerina opened her eyes, found that she was lying on the floor and for a moment wondered where she was and what had happened.
Dizzily she sat up, staring into the darkened shadows of the room. She was alone! Beside her on the floor was a silver candlestick.
For a moment she stared at it and saw again the blood dripping from Sir Rupert’s cut cheek.
Unsteadily she rose to her feet, widening as she did so a jagged tear in the fullness of her skirts. Holding onto the bedpost for support, she looked down at the tattered remnants of what had once been a lovely and expensive dress.
Then, as the full meaning of what had occurred swept over her in a flood tide of terror, she ran across the room to the door. Like someone possessed she turned the key in the lock, and, as she heard it cli
