Chapter 22
Lydia Meredith only remembered swooning twice in her life, and both these occasions had happened within a few weeks. She never felt quite so unprepared to carry on as she did when, with an effort she threw herself into the water at Marcus Stepney's side and swam slowly toward the shore. She dare not let her mind dwell upon the narrowness of her escape. Whoever had fired that shot had done so deliberately, and with the intention of killing her. She had felt the wind of the bullet in her face. "What do you suppose it was?" asked Marcus Stepney as he assisted her up the beach. "Do you think it was soldiers practising?" She shook her head. "Oh," said Mr. Stepney thoughtfully, and then: "If you don't mind, I'll run up and see what has happened." He wrapped himself in the dressing gown he
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