Harper was at Diana's heels, drawing nearer. Half unconsciously she quickened her pace. There was not a soul in sight.
They were coming to a bend in the road, and now Harper was alongside.
Choking a ridiculous feeling of frightened apprehension, Diana drew rein.
"I do not perceive those berries!" she said lightly.
"No, miss," was the immediate response. "They are just a step into the wood. If you care to dismount here I can show you."
Nothing could be more respectful than the man's tone. Diana shook off her nervous qualms and slipped down. Harper, already on the ground, took the cob's rein and tied both horses to a tree.
Diana gathered her skirts over her arm and picked her way through the brambles to where he had pointed.
The blackberry hedges he held back for her entrance swung back after they had passed, completely shutting out all view of the road.
There were no berries.
Diana's heart was beating very fast, all her suspicions springing to life again, but she showed no sign of fear as she desired him to hold the brambles back again for her to pass out.
"For there are no berries here, as you can see for yourself."
She swept round and walked calmly towards the bushes.
Then, how she could never quite remember, she was seized from behind, and before she had time to move, a long piece of silk was flung over her head and drawn tight across her mouth, while an arm, as of steel, held and controlled her.
Fighting madly, she managed to get one arm free, and struck out furiously with her slender crop. There was a brief struggle, and it was twisted from her grasp, and her hands tied behind her, despite all her efforts to be free.
Then her captor swung her writhing into his arms, and strode away through the wood without a word.
Diana was passive now, reserving her strength for when it might avail her something, but above the gag her eyes blazed with mingled fright and fury. She noticed that she was being carried not into the wood, but along it, and was not surprised when they emerged on to the road where it had rounded the bend.
With a sick feeling of terror, she saw a coach standing in the road, and guessed, even before she knew, what was her fate. Through a haze she saw a man standing at the door, and then she was thrust into the coach and made to sit down on the softly-cushioned seat. All her energies were concentrated in fighting against the faintness that threatened to overcome her. She won gradually, and strained her ears to catch what was being said outside.