' "T didn't, at least not for a time.

I tried all the usual places--the children's friends, your friends,

anywhere that Nanny and Al suggested, and then I remembered hearing Sarel talking about the old cottage which had belonged to Nanny.

It was a shot in the dark.

. ' He stopped the car and got out, and at once the house door flew open and Al, closely followed by Nanny and Mrs McCrea, came down the steps.

Sarre had picked up Jacomina after he had helped Alethea out of the car and handed her over to Al, then led the procession back into the house.

"Hot baths," he ordered, already halfway up the staircase with his daughter.

"T'll look you over afterwards, and give Mevrouw some brandy, Al, she's in need of it.

' He had disappeared as he spoke and Alethea was sat down tenderly in one of the chairs in the hall and made to drink the brandy while Sarel stood close by, looking anxious and describing with a wealth of detail to Nanny and Mrs McCrea just how awful it had been.

Al took the gla.s.s away presently and said: "Now, ma'am-upstairs to your room, like the guv says.

' She felt peculiar and a little sick, but she managed to say: "Sarel, you'll do what Papa says, won't you?

A bath and then jump into bed so that you can be properly looked at.

' She managed a smile.

"You were a brave boy," she told him, 'and thank you for wanting to stay behind in that awful place.

' He said something then to send her spirits soaring.

"T wished to do what your son would have done.

' He grinned at her, looking exactly like his father so that her insides melted.

"T shall call you Mama.

' She thanked him and then turned away quickly before he should see the tears pouring down her dirty face.

She had a good cry in the bath so that by the time she was sitting obediently in a dressing gown while Sarre examined her hurts, she was admirably composed once more.

True, her eyes were dreadfully red, but he wasn't likely to notice that; she had washed her hair and even done something to her face, happily unaware that it had in no way disguised the fact that she had had a good howl.

Her arms were swollen now and the redness was turning purple, but the ache was better, she a.s.sured him as he closed the cut on her hand with b.u.t.terfly plasters, gave her an ATS injection and then gently removed some grit from one eye.

"Are the children all right?

' she asked once again.

"In splendid shape.

Nanny's giving them their supper and then they're going to their beds.

They want to see you before then if you could manage it.

I've asked Mrs McCrea to throw away our dinner and get us some supper

instead.

' He touched her cheek gently.

"You are a very brave girl, my dear, we are all deeply in your debt.

' Alethea wanted to catch hold of his hand and hold it against her

cheek for ever, but all she said was: "The children were splendid, you

must be proud of them.

' He said slowly: "What did you think about while you were waiting down there?

' It was on the tip of her tongue to say, "You," but that would never do.

"Oh, the children, and I made plans for Christmas although it's a bit

early for that, and whether Mrs McCrea would make an extra chocolate cake because the children have friends coming to tea on Sat.u.r.day.

We talked a lot, too--I told them about Theobald's.

' His voice was so soft she hardly heard it.

"And did you think about Penrose?

' It seemed a funny question for him to ask, but she answered it at once.

"Well, yes as a matter of fact, I did--I tried to imagine what he would have done if he'd been there.

' She laughed a little.

"He didn't.

' She wasn't given the chance to finish what she had intended to say--that he hadn't even seemed real to her, certainly she wouldn't have been so sure that he would come to their rescue-Sarre interrupted her: "I've been very selfish.

' He was bending over her arm, feeling the bones gently.

"Why don't you go to England for a week or two, visit your grandmother and look up your H friends at Theobald's?

' His voice was very level.

She gave him a surprised look and felt her heart sliding down into her slippers.

He wanted her out of the way--probably she bored him stiff when they were alone together; indeed, she reflected, that must be the case, for they were so seldom alone nowadays.

Pride stiffened her, it stiffened her voice too.

"T'd love that--just for a few days.

Would you mind if I did?

' She wasn't looking at him, and only heard his voice, bland and

impersonal.

"Not in the least.

' They had their supper presently, fussed over by Al, each course

served with an urgent message from Mrs McCrea that they were to eat all

of it.

They talked about the evening's happenings and Sarre told Alethea that he had already telephoned and arranged for the ruined old place to be boarded up and locked.

"Before someone else does the same thing," he explained.

"T can't think what got into the children.

' He sighed.

"T suppose they will have to be punished.

' "No, please don't--I expect it was curiosity, you know what children

are, and they were so frightened, that was punishment enough.

' "Very well, if you say so, my dear.

Presumably in their own good time, I shall discover the right of the

matter.

' Sarre discovered it sooner than he had expected.

Alethea had gone upstairs and wished the children goodnight and

although they had begged her to stay and talk she had kissed them fondly, pointed out that their father had said that they were to stay in bed and go to sleep, and promised that they would all have a nice talk in the morning.

She had barely regained her own room when they were out of bed and, dressing gowned and slippered, on their stealthy way down to their father's study.