He looked at Hazel under half-closed lids. Did she know what had
happened? He thought not. Perhaps intuition whispered to her. Certainly
she avoided his eyes. She sat drinking the tea, which Reddin, with much
exertion of authority, at last caused to appear. She was wan, and her
face looked very thin. Panic lingered about her eyes, at the corner of
her lips.

He realized that she was afraid of him--his look, his touch.
Immediately he wanted to exercise his power. He went across and took
her chin in his hand, laying the other on her shoulder.

Her eyelids trembled.

'What'n you after, mauling me?' she said.

Then a passion of tears shook her.

'Oh, I want Ed'ard and the old lady! I want to go back to the Mountain,
I do! Ed'ard'll be looking me up and down the country.'

'Good Lord, so he will!' said Reddin, 'and rousing the whole place. You
must write a letter, Hazel, to say you're safe and happy, and he's not
to worry.'

'But I amna.'

Reddin frowned at the spontaneity of this. But he made her write the
note.

'Saddle the mare, Vessons, and take this to the Mountain.'