Then he felt a sudden frantic fear that he had lost Anoushka.
He tried to open his eyes, but, even while he was trying to do so, the darkness seemed to come towards him from the end of the tunnel and he could not prevent it from overpowering him.
*
The Duke opened his eyes.
There was a bright warm light near him and after a moment he realised it was a fire, the flames leaping high from large logs.
He tried to speak, to call Anoushka and then she was beside him.
He stared at her, trying to focus her face and as he did so realised that he was lying on a bed beside the fire.
It was a bed that was low on the ground and Anoushka seemed to tower above him until she knelt down at his side.
“Can you speak?” she asked.
“Where – am – I?”
“You are all right, but I was afraid – so afraid. Bu
