Scarcely knowing what direction he took, Lord
Bazelhurst led the way, followed by the duke and the count, all of
them supplied with carriage lamps, which, at any other time, would
have been sickening in their obtrusiveness. Except for Lady Evelyn,
the rest of the house slept the sleep of ease.
Gradually Penelope recovered from the effects of the mad race up the
hill. The sputtering flame in the lantern called her into action.
Clutching it from the floor of the porch, she softly began a tour of
inspection, first looking at her watch to find that it was the unholy
hour of two! Had some one yelled boo! she would have swooned, so tense
was every nerve. Now that she was here, what was she to do? Her heart
came to her mouth, her hand shook, but not with fear; a nervous smile
tried to wreak disaster to the concern in her eyes.
The house was dark and still. No one was stirring. The porch was
littered with rugs and cushions, while on a small table near the end
stood a decanter, a siphon, and two glasses. Two? He had said he was
alone except for the housekeeper and the servants. A visitor, then.
This was not what she had expected. Her heart sank. It would be hard
to face the master of the house, but--a stranger? Cigarette stubs met
her bewildered, troubled gaze--many of them. Deduction was easy out
there in the lonely night. It was easy to see that Shaw and his
companion sat up so late that the servants had gone to bed.
Distractedly she looked about for means of shelter on the porch until
daylight could abet her in the flight to the village beyond.
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