rise round her neck and throat, showing up darkly against the high neck of her dress. ‘In here.’ He lifted her from her feet, one arm under her knees and the other one round her shoulders, and carried her into the drawing-room, where he set her down gently on the sofa.
She lay back, relieved that she could give in to her weakness now that Alex was there. She had struggled against it, but she had to admit defeat. Her throat and neck were sore, and she wanted nothing more than to rest until she should have regained her strength.
‘What happened?’ he asked in concern.
‘Goss -’ The word, again, was no more than a hoarse whisper.
‘Don’t speak,’ he said. ‘I can guess. From the look of it he tried to strangle you.’
He felt his rage rising as he said it. It was a good thing that Goss was not there, but was safely in the custody of the detectives, otherwise he would not have been responsible for his actions.
Gently he began to undo the top few buttons of her dress, which had a high neck reaching to her ears. As he pushed the black fabric aside he saw the full extent of her injuries. Then heard an outraged cry from the doorway.
‘Take your hands from my niece.’
He looked up to see Mrs Lessing framed in the doorway.
‘I thought better of you,’ she said, eyes flaring. ‘I thought you were a gentleman.’
‘Cicely’s been attacked,’ he said shortly. ‘Goss gave the detectives the slip and ended up at the villa. He must have been waiting for her in her room - though how he knew she was here, I don’t know. But that’s beside the point. She has been strangled. Her neck and throat are badly bruised. She needs a doctor at once.’
Quickly grasping the situation Mrs Lessing’s anger towards Alex subsided, for she could see by Cicely’s swollen and discoloured neck that what he said was true. She left the room for a minute and then returned, saying, ‘I have sent one of the servants for Dr Ott, and told them not to come back without him.’
‘He’s a good man?’ demanded Alex.
‘The best. Doctor Ott attends the King,’ said Mrs Lessing.
Alex nodded. ‘Good.’
‘Gracious, Cicely,’ said Sophie’s voice from the doorway. The commotion had reached her bedroom and she had come downstairs to see what was going on. ‘What happened to you?
Cicely tried to speak again, but her throat was too sore and she sank back onto the sofa, exhausted.
‘Not another word,’ said her aunt. ‘Sophie, you sit with Cicely. I will go and speak to the servants, they are beginning to wonder what is going on. And you,’ she said to Alex, ‘had better go with those detectives of yours and make sure they don’t let Goss escape again.’
‘I’m not going anywhere until I know Cicely’s going to be all right,’ he growled.
‘If you think I am going to let you remain in the room whilst the doctor examines my niece you are very much mistaken,’ she said with asperity.
‘I will be . . . all right.’ Cicely’s words came out as a croak, but they were comprehensible. She put her hand on Alex’s arm reassuringly.
Reluctantly he rose from her side. Realising that she would be well looked after by her aunt and cousin, and knowing he could do no more to help her at present, Alex gave a curt nod. There was something in what Mrs Lessing said. He would be wise to make sure that the detectives did their job properly this time. After what had just occurred, he would not rest easily until Goss was under lock and key.
‘Very well. But I will return first thing in the morning,’ he said.
With a last look at Cicely, as if to reassure himself that she would indeed be all right, he departed, and Cicely gave herself over to the ministrations of her cousin and her aunt.
‘What a shocking to-do,’ said Mrs Lessing. ‘Imagine that odious man escaping and attacking you, here in the villa, of all places. I would very much like to know how it came about.’ She waved her hand as Cicely tried to speak. ‘No, not now. It can wait until you are well again, my dear.’
Chapter Ten
‘How are you feeling?’
It was the following morning and Sophie, eager to find out how Cicely was, had brought her breakfast in bed.
‘Much better, thank you,’ said Cicely.
Her ordeal of the night before now seemed like a dream, and if not