Fortunately Inez was expected to keep to the left of a superior like her companion, and was accustomed to taking that side when she went anywhere alone in the palace.

That made it easier, but trouble might come at one of the short flights of steps down and up which they would have to pass to reach the Princess's apartments.

And then, once there, discovery must come, to a certainty, and then, she knew not what.
She had not run the risk for the sake of being shut up again.

She had got out by a trick in order to help her sister, if she could find her, and in order to be at liberty the first thing necessary was to elude her companion.

To go to the door of her apartments would be fatal, but she had not had time to think what she should do.