The Silk Vendetta by Victoria Holt

better. You poor, poor child. How did it happen? Never mind. It’s all over now.”
    “Drake,” I said.
    “Yes, it’s Drake.”
    “You’ve saved me.”
    “Come on. I’m going to get you back quickly. You want a warm bed and something to soothe you. Can you stand up?”
    I did so totteringly. I was aware of Willie who was looking on in amazement.
    “Not very steady,” said Drake. Then he lifted me up.
    “You can’t…”
    “But I can. You’re as light as a feather. Come on. No time to lose.”
    We went across to the house. I said: “Charles … he told you …” “Charles?”
    “Charles locked me in.”
    Drake did not speak; he just walked on in silence. As we came into the hall he said: “That was fine, Willie. You did well. Thank you. Miss Cleremont will thank you when she gets better.”
    “So it was Willie,” I said.
    ”He heard you calling and had the sense to come to the house. I saw him and he told me, so I got the key and came at once.” I felt such relief that I could not speak. I saw Mrs. Dillon and Clarkson.
    “My goodness gracious me,” said Mrs. Dillon. “Whatever next?”
    And there was Grand’mere.
    She took charge at once. I was to be taken up to my bedroom. In a short time I was lying on my bed, covered with blankets and a hot water bottle pressed against my feet. Grand’mere was seated by my bed. I slept fitfully. I kept waking and thinking I was in the mausoleum. I cried out in fear. Grand’mere was there beside me all through the night. She gave me a soothing drink with herbs. And finally I passed into a peaceful sleep, confident that she would not leave me, so that if I woke in terror, I should be comforted by her presence.

    The next morning I felt better, but Grand’mere insisted that I stay in bed. I had been chilled to the bone, she said, and I had had a terrible fright.
    I told her about it, beginning with the episode at the party.
    “It was his revenge on me, you see, Grand’mere,” I explained.
    ”Mon Dieu,” she murmured,’ “to think that he could do such a thing! He is one to beware of. But at least, ma petite, we now know the man we have to deal with. I wish I could get you away from here. Philip is a gentle, kindly boy … so different. But this one. Malevolent… that is what he is. But, ma cherie, it could have been worse. When I think of you alone in that place and what he might have done … I have always wanted to tell you about the dangers. You are not such a little girl now. You will catch the eyes … as you have done with Charles. I thank the good God that this was not worse. Oh, I know of your ordeal … of your terror. How could you not be afraid … to be shut up in that place? But this … it is over. It is a bad, bad dream… . But when I think of what a man of his nature might have done … Then there would have been the great damage. That would have been something for, which I could have killed him. But for this I would too … but for that other …”
    I knew what she meant and I knew that I had something for which to be thankful.
    “There must be no more of him,” went on Grand’mere. “He will be away soon and we shall be free of him. I cannot be happy while he is in the house.”
    “He hates me, Grand’mere.”
    “For wounding his vanity, for refusing him. Yes … he is a montagne of deceit, that one. He thinks he is handsome and irresistible. One must beware of such men. But at least we know what we have to deal with. It is a warning. Once you have recovered from this, you will forget it. It will fade. It is like a nightmare that happened to be real. But it sometimes is good to know the nature of people who live close to us. So … something good comes out of evil. We now know what we have to consider in this Charles.”
    “And we shall be together, Grand’mere.”
    ”While I am wanted, I am here. When you are older you will have a husband and children … and grand’meres … they are not then of such importance. Never mind.