He lifted her in his strong arms as though she had been a feather-weight.
"Oh! thank you, Mr.Wynne," said Mrs.Meredith; "this way, please, to her own room at once, where we can lay her on the couch." And with the whole family forming a _queue_ behind them, even the curate standing on the mat at the bottom, Cardo bore her up the staircase and into the room which Mrs.Meredith indicated.
During a little distraction, caused by Gwen's pommelling of the sofa cushions, Cardo for a moment lost control over his feelings, and he pressed Valmai's form convulsively to his breast as he stooped to lay her down on the couch.

He was quickly edged away by the fluttering womenkind who pressed round, each with her own restorative; a little sigh from Valmai told him that she was already recovering, and casting one lingering look of love on the white figure, he made his way downstairs, and joined the other gentlemen, who had straggled back into the drawing-room.

He listened absently to the different conjectures as to what had caused Valmai's faint.
"Never knew her do such a thing before!" said Colonel Meredith.

"Can't think what it was; but I do remember once she burst into tears when she was singing some old Welsh ballad--that very one, I think--yes--'By Berwen Banks'-- strange coincidence!" In a little while the ladies returned also.

"She is all right now," they said, "and quite ashamed of herself; she has had a glass of wine and a biscuit, and insisted upon our leaving her--in fact, she turned us all out of the room and bolted the door." "Isn't she a lovely girl, Mr.Jones ?" "Oh! yes, indeed--yes--very, indeed!" and Mrs.Meredith was delighted to have an excuse for dilating on her visitor's charms of person and character; while Cardo set himself to work to deliver himself of every message which Dr.Belton had entrusted to him.
He bore Colonel Meredith's cross-examination with unflinching patience, and even suggested fresh topics of inquiry, for, while he had carried Valmai up the stairs he had come to the determination to leave the house before he saw her again.