CHAPTER SEVENBenedicta sprang to her feet and by the light of the fire the Duke could see she was very pale and yet there was a sudden radiance in her eyes which he had seen before when he had returned home from London.
“You are – here!” she exclaimed at length wonderingly.
“Yes, I am here,” he replied, “and I heard you save my life.”
She gave a little shudder as if the horror of it was still with her.
Then she looked towards the darkness of the trees where the men had disappeared and said,
“You must be – careful. I am sure that now they will not do what they – intended to do, but I cannot trust them – completely.”
“You saved me,” the Duke repeated, “and now you must look after me. I will take you home, Benedicta.”
She looked at him as if for a moment what he had said did not penetr
