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Because I shall catch you and bring you back. I want to help you.” He leaned towards me. His eyes were quizzical and not without tenderness, which warmed me and made me happy. “Was life impossible there?”
    I nodded.
    “Your father, I suppose.” He sighed. “My poor little Harriet I’m afraid I’ll have to take you back. I’ll have to say I found you. If I didn’t, I’d be an accessory after the fact or something like that. Who brought you over? Gwennan, I suppose. She’s been glowing with importance all day. So it was Gwennan!”
    I did not answer.
    “Honor bright,” he said. “Very creditable. Well, there’s nothing to be done but face the music. But tell me this: What were your intentions?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “You mean you just ran away without deciding where you would run to?”
    *1 came down here.”
    “By train, I suppose. That was daring of you, But; you
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    should have had a plan of campaign, you know. And what did you hope to achieve?”
    “I don’t know.”
    He shook his head. Then his face was suddenly tender again. “Poor Harriet, it must have been bad.”
    “I heard Aunt Clarissa talking about the difficulty of finding a husband for me,” I blurted out “Because,” I added, “I was .. .”
    “Wel!, don’t let that worry you. Who knows, I might marry you myself.”
    I laughed.
    “I resent that,” he said mockingly. “Here I am making a perfectly reasonable suggestion, and you treat it with scorn.”
    “Well,” I said, “it wasn’t serious.”
    “People never treat me seriously. I’m too often flippant” He shipped the oars and, leaning towards me, kissed me on the forehead. I was fully aware then of the charm of the Men treys.
    When he helped me out of the boat he held me for a moment, his face close to mine.
    “Don’t forget,” he said, “there’ll be a row. But it’ll pass. Come on. Now we’ll go and face the music.”
    The dogs started to bark as we crossed the courtyard.
    The hall was dimly lighted by two gas jets in what looked like lanterns, and there was just enough light to show the vaulted ceiling and the armored figures at the foot of the staircase.
    Bevil shouted so that his voice echoed up to the rafters. “Come and see what I have found. Harriet Delvaneyl I’ve got her here.”
    Then the household was alive. The sounds of voices started up everywhere.
    Sir Endelion and Lady Menfrey came first; then some of the servants, and I saw Gwennan at the top of the staircase looking at me with wide, accusing eyes.
    I felt relieved because the time had not yet come when I said to myself: What next? I felt excited because this night’s adventure had brought me closer to Bevil.
    I sat in the library drinking hot milk.
    Lady Menfrey kept murmuring: “Harriet, but how could you? Your poor father … frantic … quite frantic.” “We’ve had to telegraph him,” Sir Endelion told me
    Victoria Holt
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    apologetically, pulling at his mustache. I thought then how much nicer sinners were. Sir Bndelion wasn’t half as shocked as Lady Menfrey; nor had Bevil been.
    Bevil sat on die table, smiling at me, as though he wanted to keep my spirits up. I couldn’t feel unhappy or frightened while he was there.
    Gwennan had come in quitely so that she wouldn’t be seen and sent back to bed; she was watching me intently.
    “What he will say I can’t imagine,” sighed Lady Menfrey. “At least we’ve done our best.. .**
    “You’ll have to face the music, my dear.” That was Six Endelion, and he sounded just like Bevil.
    “Exactly my words,” said Bevil. “Don’t let us repeat ourselves. I think that Harriet should go to bed and sleep; then she will be in better form for the musical interlude.”
    “I’ve told Pengelly to have a bed prepared,” Lady Menfrey said.
    “The room next to mine,” added Gwennan.
    “Gwennan, my dear, what are you doing here? You should be in bed and asleep.” Lady Menfrey looked worried. Her family, I