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of the adventure； wholly in the grip of his grief by then； and he cursed that grief how； because to him （and to Ian as well； he supposed）； Shinny had barely been there。
Hadn't Shinny seemed strangely distant； strangely preoccupied？ Was it only weariless； or had it been something else 。 。 。 something suspicion 。 。 。 ？
No； surely not； his mind protested uneasily。 The pony…trap was flying up Calthorpe Hill。 The manor house itself was dark； but … ah； good！ … there was still a single light on in Mrs。 Ramage's cottage。
〃Hup； Mary！〃 he cried； and cracked the whip； wincing。 Not much further； girl； and you can rest a bit！〃 Surely； surely not what you're thinking！！
But Shinny's examination of Geoffrey's broken ribs and sprained shoulder had seemed purely perfunctory； and he had spoken barely a word to Ian； in spite of the man's deep grief and frequent incoherent cries。 No … after a visit which now seemed no longer than the most minimal sort of social convention would demand； Shinny had asked quietly： 〃Is she … ？〃
〃Yes； in the parlor；〃 Ian had managed。 〃My poor darling lies in the parlor。 Kiss her for me； Shinny； and tell her I'll be with her soon！〃 Ian then had burst into tears again； and after muttering some half…heard word of condolence； Shinny had passed into the parlor。 It now seemed to Geoffrey that the old sawbones had been in there a rather long time 。 。 。 or perhaps that was only faulty recollection。 But when he came out he had looked almost cheerful； and there was nothing faulty about this recollection； Geoffrey felt sure … that expression was too out of place in that room of grief and tears； a room where Mrs。 Ramage had already hung the black funerary curtains。
Geoffrey had followed the old doctor but and spoke hesitantly to him in the kitchen。 He hoped； he said； that the doctor would prescribe a sleeping powder for Ian； who really did seem quite ill。
Shinny had seemed pletely distracted； however。 〃It's not a bit like Miss Evelyn…Hyde；〃 he said。 〃I have satisfied myself of that。〃 And he had returned to his calèche without so much as a response to Geoffrey's question。 Geoffrey went back inside； already forgetting the doctor's odd remark； already chalking Shinny's equally odd behavior off to age； weariless； and his own sort of grief。 His thoughts had turned to Ian again； and he determined that； with no sleeping powder forthing； he would simply have to pour whiskey down Ian's throat until the poor fellow passed out。
Forgetting 。 。 。 dismissing。
Until now。
It's not a bit like Miss Evelyn…Hyde。 I have satisfied myself of that。
Of what？
Geoffrey did not know； but he intended to find out； no matter what the cost to his sanity might be … and he recognized that the cost might be high。
CHAPTER 4
Mrs。 Ramage was still up when Geoffrey began to hammer on the cottage door； although it was already two hours past her normal bedtime。 Since Misery had passed away； Mrs。 Ramage found herself putting her bedtime further and further back。 If she could got put an end to her restless tossing and turning； she could at least postpone the moment at which she began it。
Although she was the most levelheaded and practical of women； the sudden outburst of knocking startled a little scream from her； and she scalded herself with the hot milk she had been pouring from pot to cup。 Lately she seemed always on edge； always on the verge of a scream。 It was not grief； this feeling； although she was nearly overwhelmed with grief … this was a strange； thundery feeling that she couldn't ever remember having before。 It sometimes seemed to her that thoughts better left unrecognized were circling around her； just beyond the grasp of her weary； bitterly sad mind。
〃Who knocks at ten？〃 she cried at the door。 〃Whoever it is； I thank ye not for the burn I've given m'self！〃
〃It's Geoffrey； Mrs。 Ramage！ Geoffrey Alliburton！ Open the door； for God's sake！〃 Mrs。 Ramage's mouth dropped open and she was halfway to the door before she remembered she was in her nightgown and cap。 She had never heard Geoffrey sound so； and would not have believed it if someone had told her of it。 If there was a man in all England with a heart stouter than that of her beloved My Lord； then it was Geoffrey … yet his voice trembled like the voice of a woman on the verge of hysterics。
〃A minute； Mr。 Geoffrey！ I'm half…unclad！〃
〃Devil take it！〃 Geoffrey cried。 〃I don't care if you're starkers； Mrs。 Ramage！ Open this door！ Open it in the name of Jesus！〃 She stood only a second； then went to the door； unbarred it； and threw it open。 Geoffrey's look did more than stun her； and again she heard the dim thunder of black thoughts somewhere back in her head。
Geoffrey stood on the threshold of the housekeeper's cottage in an odd slanting posture； as if his spine had been warped out of shape by long years carrying a peddler's sack。 His right hand was pressed between his left arm and left side。 His hair was in a tangle。 His dark…brown eyes burned out of his white face。 His dress was remarkable for one as careful … dandified； some would have said … about his clothing as Geoffrey Alliburton usually was。 He wore an old smoking jacket with the belt askew； an open…throated white shirt； and a pair of rough serge pants that would have looked more at home upon the legs of a itinerant gardener than upon those of the richest man in Little Dunthorpe。 On his feet were a pair of threadbare slippers。
Mrs。 Ramage； hardly dressed for a court ball herself in her long white nightgown and muskrat's…nightcap with the untied curling ribbons hanging around her face like the fringe on a lampshade； stared at him with mounting concern。 He had re…injured the ribs he had broken riding after the doctor three nights ago； that was obvious； but it wasn't just pain that made his eyes blaze from his whitened face like that。 It was terror； barely held in check。
Mr。 Geoffrey！ What … 〃
〃No questions〃 he said hoarsely。 〃Not yet … not until you answer one question of my own。〃
〃What question？〃 She was badly frightened now； her left hand clenched into a tight fist just above her munificent bosom。
〃Does the name Miss Evelyn…Hyde mean anything to you？〃 And suddenly she knew the reason for that terrible thundery feeling that had been inside her ever since Saturday Night。 Some part of her mind must already have had this gruesome thought and suppressed it； for she needed no explanation at all。 Only the name of the unfortunate Miss Charlotte Evelyn…Hyde； late of Storping…on…Firkill； the village just to the west of Little Dunthorpe； was sufficient to bring a scream tearing from her。
〃Oh； my saints！ Oh； my dear Jesus！ Has she been buried alive？ Has she been buried alive？ Has my darling Misery been buried alive？〃 And now； before Geoffrey could even begin to answer； it was tough old Mrs。 Ramage's turn to do something she had never done before that night and would never do again： she fainted dead away。
CHAPTER 5
Geoffrey had no time to look for smelling salts。 He doubted if such a tough old soldier as Mrs。 Ramage kept them around anyway。 But beneath her sink he found a rag which smelled faintly of ammonia。 He did not just pass this beneath her nose but pressed it briefly