CHAPTER XIIIPhyllida woke in the dark to a knock on the door and murmured a sleepy, mechanical ‘Come in!’ The door opened and shut, the ceiling light snapped on, and there, coming towards her, was Elliot, hastily dressed, his fair hair rumpled, his face drawn and grim. At the very first sight of him all her new happiness was gone. A dreadful conviction of disaster caught at her heart. It didn’t even seem strange for him to be there. She was out of bed in a flash, her hair about her shoulders.
‘Oh! What is it? Elliot—what is it?’
‘Bad news, I’m afraid.’
She was shaking. She caught at his arm to steady herself.
‘It’s Mr Paradine—he’s had an accident.’
‘An accident——’
She was clutching him hard. It seemed quite natural to both of them. He said,
‘I’m afraid he’s dead.’
The tears began
