CHAPTER FOURPurilla ran down the stairs from the Earl’s bedroom and out through the side door towards the stables.
As she neared the stall, there was first of all a whinnying from Mercury and then the sharp barks and whining of a dog followed by scratching on wood.
She then opened the door of the empty stall and a small spaniel rushed out like a thunderbolt to throw himself on her yelping with delight at her appearance and jumping up and down in an ecstasy of joy.
She bent down to pat him and Tom came from behind her to say,
“You’d think Jason ’ad never seen you for a month instead of an hour ago since you brought ’e back!”
“He hates being shut up in the stables,” Purilla replied unnecessarily, “but Nanny would not let him disturb our patient.”
She did not wait for old Tom’s reply, b
