Will You Love Me in September

"I don't know. It was the disguise. A long cloak and a hood over its face. It could have been anyone.”

"Oh, Sabrina, whoever it was… was going to kill me. I felt the strangeness as I came into the woods today ... something evil ... lurking there.”

"Yes," said Sabrina, "yes. I ought to get you back to the house. Can you walk?”

"I think so.”

"We ought to get someone to carry you. I can't go away and leave you, though. It might come back.”

I was sitting up, leaning against her, and she had her arm protectively round me.

"Oh, Sabrina," I said, "it was ... horrible.”

"It was attempted murder," she answered. "If I hadn't been here they would have killed you.”

"You saved my life. I am sure of it. I know what it was going to do. Take me to the dene hole." Sabrina was shivering.

"I knew I had to save you," she said. "I knew it.”

We clung together for a moment. Then I said, "We must get back. If whatever it is comes back-”

"I'd kill it," said Sabrina.

"Help me up.”

She did. My head was swimming and I could feel the large bump on my head. I felt I was going to faint.

Then I thought with alarm of my baby. I felt it move within me and for a moment I felt exultant. I had greatly feared it might have suffered from the assault.

Sabrina put her arm round me and, although she was only a Of ten, I felt safe and secure with her beside me. I took a few tottering steps toward the trees. I "It's not really far," said Sabrina. "Can you do it, dear Clarissa?”

I said I could and I would.

As we came within sight of the house I saw Lance. He was on his way to the stables.

When he saw us he stopped and stared.

"Clarissa! Sabrina! What's happened?" he cried. He had run to us, and as I looked at his kindly handsome face, so full of concern, I was ashamed of myself for thinking for a moment that he could wish me harm, let alone do me any.

I said, "I was attacked in the woods.”

"Good God! Are you all right?”

"I'm very shaken ... and I can feel a bump on my head. Sabrina has saved my life.”

It was as though a radiance had settled on Sabrina. She smiled and nodded. Then she said excitedly, "Something told me to go into the woods and save Clarissa. I came just in time. I saw this man ... or whatever it was ... all dressed in a cloak like a monk's ... and there was Clarissa on the ground. It was dragging her along to the dene hole.”

"What are you talking about?" demanded Lance.

"It's true," I said. "Someone did attack me. It didn't seem like robbery. I was being dragged across the ground, and I can only think it was to the dene hole.”

"It sounds mad. But let's get you in." He picked me up in his arms, and the tenderness in his face touched me deeply.

As we entered the hall Madame Legrand was coming down the stairs.

She stopped suddenly at the sight of me and murmured, "Mon Dleu.'“

Lance said, "Clarissa has been attacked in the woods. Let's get her to bed.”

He went on up the stairs, Sabrina still at his heels, with Madame Legrand joining her.

"Attack, you say? What is this attack? This dear child ... is she well? The little bebe ...”

"Everything is all right, I think," said Lance. "I'll have the woods scoured to see what prowlers are about. Everyone must be warned." We had reached our bedroom, and he laid me gently on the bed. "I shall get the doctor," he said. "I think that's wisest.”

Madame Legrand said, "I will nurse her. I will see that she is well again. No harm must come to this little baby.”

Sabrina said, "I'm staying with her.”

"No ... no ..." murmured Madame Legrand, "she must rest. It is best for her to be quiet.”

Sabrina insisted stubbornly, "I shall stay.”

I smiled at my little defender. "I should like Sabrina to sit by my bed," I said.

Madame Legrand started to protest and Lance said, "If that is what you want, Clarissa ...”

Sabrina smiled complacently.

Nanny Curlew had come in. She had heard what had happened. It always astonished me how quickly news traveled. She said a hot, sweet dish of tea was what was wanted and she was brewing one immediately. I had had a nasty shock and that would help until the doctor came.

Lance went off to send someone for the doctor. Then he came and sat by my bed. Sabrina sat on the other side. When the tea came she took it from Nanny Curlew and tasted it.

"It is not for you, miss," said Nanny Curlew.

"I know," retorted Sabrina, "but I'm the taster.”

I wanted to tell her how she comforted me, how happy I was to have her with me. It was to her I turned before I did to Lance, and that was significant. I could not feel suspicious of him as he sat there at my bedside looking so anxious and tender, and yet ... lurking at the back of my mind there were still a few doubts and fears.

Those shapely white hands of his, with the Clavering crest on the signet ring he wore on his little finger ... were they the hands which had dragged me along? I kept thinking how much he would have gained by my death. He had had plenty of time to discard the monk's robe ... perhaps leave it somewhere in the woods ... and then appear sauntering casually toward the stables.