She Painted her Face by Dornford Yates

to life. And then I heard the speech of a rill.
    Two minutes later, perhaps, a hand went up to her head.
    "It’s all right," said I, "lie still You took the deuce of a toss."
    Lady Caroline Virgil opened two large, grey eyes.
    "The dog." she said. "Who was it beating that dog in that merciless way?"
    "It's all right," said I. "He stopped when he saw you come down."
    "And Caesar?" she cried, sitting up. "Where's Caesar— the horse I was riding?"
    "Unhurt," said I. "He may be going spare, but he's not going short And now will you please lie down and let me look round?"
    After a steady stare, she did as I said.
    I got to my knees and peered through the tops of the bracken, but all was still.
    As I sat back on my heels:
    "Why did you want to look round?"
    "Because you are still in danger. You were brought down on purpose— A wire was across the ride."
    Lady Caroline looked at me very hard.
    "How do you know?"
    "I saw it taken away. I saw the whole thing. The fellow was thrashing the dog to draw you that way."
    There was a little silence. Then
    "Who arranged this— melodrama?"
    "Your cousin Percy," said I. "I saw him at work."
    After a long silence she let out a little laugh.
    "That rings true," she said shortly. And then:
    "Who are you?"
    "My name s Richard Exon," I said. "A— a friend of yours told me about you."
    "I didn't know I had any friends."
    "You've Herrick and me," I said quickly. "His mother was a friend of your mother's, and I was a friend of— of the friend I mentioned just now."
    The girl regarded me straitly.
    "I can't remember my mother."
    "I know," said I. "The Countess Rudolph was killed before you were two years old."
    With that, I got again to my knees, to throw a look round.
    As I did so, I heard a car coming, gathering speed, Till then I had had no idea that we were so close to the drive, and for one distracting moment it I seemed as though the closed car were heading directly for us. Then it switched to its right a short six paces away, and before ten seconds had passed we could hear it no more.
    "Was that they?" said Lady Caroline.
    I nodded.
    "That's right. Gone empty away."
    "What do you mean-empty?"
    "They were to have taken you with them— I don't know where."
    My lady sat up.
    "Are you sure of this?"
    "Quite sure. I'll tell you everything later."
    Cautiously I got to my feet.
    "D'you think you could manage to walk? My car's not very I far off."
    "There's nothing the matter with me, but why should I walk to your car?"
    I hesitated. Then
    "Because I beg you," I said. "I'll tell you everything later— Indeed I will. But now we've not a moment to lose. Directly Caesar gets in, the alarm will be raised; and I don't want you to be found until after you've heard my tale. Please trust me till then. You really are in danger— what happened just now must show you that your cousin will stick at nothing to put you out of the way."
    Finger to lip, Lady Caroline Virgil appeared to reflect. At length she rose to her feet.
    "All right," she said. "I trust you. Where is this car?"
    When I told her, she glanced about her. Then she pointed across the drive.
    "That's our quickest way. But how do we come to be here? I came off in the Golden Ride."
    "I carried you here," said I "They left you half-way to the car, so I picked you up and cleared out before they came back."
    A hand went up to her head.
    "So far as I can make out, I've a great deal to thank you for. But I can't think as straight as I should. And when we get to your car, are you going to drive me to Brief?"
    "I'd like to drive you to Raven."
    "To Raven? Do you know Raven?"
    "That's where we're staying," said I.
    "All right. I don't care. I'd like to see Brenda again. I’ll lie down there for a while. When you've been knocked out you're never quite right till you've slept."
    Though she seemed to have taken no hurt, she was not fit to walk as far as the Rolls; yet I was afraid to offer to fetch the car in case, before I got back, the hunt should be up.