And, fearful of the self-deception of longing as she was, Dowie could have sworn as the minutes passed that the mist of colour had been real and remained also and even made the whiteness a less deathly thing.
And there was such a naturalness in the strange smiling that it radiated actual peace and rest and safety.

When the clock struck three and there was no change and still the small face lay happy upon the pillow Dowie at last even felt that she dare steal into her own room and lie down for a short rest.

She went very shortly thinking she would return in half an hour at most, but the moment she lay down, her tired eyelids dropped and she slept as she had not slept since her first night at Darreuch Castle.
* * * * * When she wakened it was not with a start or sense of anxiety even though she found herself sitting up in the broad morning light.

She wondered at her own sense of being rested and really not afraid.

She told herself that it was all because of the smile she had left on Robin's face and remembered as her own eyes closed.
She got up and stole to the partly opened door of the next room and looked in.