I quailed and I quaked.

The sight of Sir Charles stepping out of the study window filled me with abject rapture.

Metaphorically speaking, my craven soul squirmed at his heels.

He was to me as a strong tower and house of defence .-- But look here, Damaris, joking apart, tell me weren't you disturbed, didn't you hear any strange noises last night ?" "No, none." She hesitated, then with evident reluctance--"I sleep in the new wing of the house." "Which you imply, might make a difference ?" Tom asked.
"The older servants would tell you that it does." "And you agree with them ?" Damaris had a moment of defective courage.
"I would rather not discuss the subject, cousin Tom," she said and moved away down over the shifting shingle.
At first her progress was sober, even stately.

But soon, either from the steep, insecure nature of the ground or from less obvious and material cause, her pace quickened until it became a run.