She moved onto the terrace, feeling that the beauty of everything enveloped her so that she became a part of it.
Then unexpectedly, so that it made her start, she heard a faint sound from below her.
She looked over the balustrade and saw a small boy.
“Be you the Countess?” he asked.
“I am,” Sorilda replied, “but who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I am to tell you to come at once!”
“But why?”
“’Tis your dog, ’e be ’urt.”
“Drake? He has had an accident?” Sorilda exclaimed in horror. “Where is he?”
“I’ll take you to ’im.”
She ran along the terrace and down the steps to find the boy waiting for her.
“’Urry, Missus!”
Sorilda picked up her full skirts, holding onto the band of whalebone underneath, so that she could move quickly. The boy was running ahead and it was difficult
