f
complete content.

Suddenly the realisation of what was happening dawned upon her, and she
strove to free herself. With all her force she pushed Bowen from her.
He released her. She stood back looking at him with crimson cheeks and
unseeing eyes. She was conscious that something unusual was happening
to her, something in which she appeared to have no voice. Perhaps it
was all a dream. She swayed a little. The same sensation she had
fought back at the telephone was overcoming her. Was she going to
faint? It would be ridiculous to faint in Bowen's rooms. Why did
people faint? Was it really, as Aunt Adelaide had told her, because
the heart missed a beat? One beat----

She felt Bowen's arm round her, she seemed to sway towards a chair.
Was the chair really moving away from her? Then the mist seemed to
clear. Someone was kneeling beside her.

Bowen gazed at her anxiously. Her face was now colourless, and her
eyes closed wearily. She sighed as a tired child sighs before falling
asleep.

"Patricia! what is the matter?" cried Bowen In alarm. "You haven't
fainted, have you?"

She was conscious of the absurdity of the question. She opened her
eyes with a curious fluttering movement of the lids, as if they were
uncertain how long they could remain unclosed. A slow, tired smile
played across her face, like a passing shaft of sunshine, then the lids
closed again and the life seemed to go out of her body.

Bowen gently withdrew his arm and, rising, strode across to a table on
which was a decanter of whisky and syphon of soda. With unsteady
hands, he poured whisky and soda into a glass and, returning to
Patricia, he passed his arm gently behind her head, placing the glass
against her lips. She drank a little and then, with a shudder, turned
her head aside. A moment later her eyes opened again. She looked
round the room, then fixed her gaze on Bowen as if trying to explain to
herself his presence. Gradually the colour returned to her cheeks and
she sighed deeply. She shook her head as Bowen put the glass against
her lips.

"I nearly fainted," she whispered, sighing again. "I've never done
such a thing." Then after a pause she added, "I wonder what has
happened. My head feels so funny."

"It's all my fault," said Bowen penitently. "I've waited so long, and
I seemed to go mad. You will forgive me, dearest, won't you?" his
voice was full of concern.

Patricia smiled. "Have I been here long?" sh