Mrs Vale stood stiffly in place, her expression filled with fear as she stared at the scene before her.
"Adrian!... Adrian!..." she called, but it was as if she was speaking to empty air. "Adrian!, stop. He's... he's..."
She suddenly paused, her eyes widening in horror.
It was now obvious that the man was on the verge of losing consciousness, yet Adrian didn't seem to notice at all. If anything, his grip kept tightening with every passing second.
The man suddenly let out a weak grunt. That sound seemed to break the last of Mrs Vale's restraint.
Realizing that if she didn't act immediately something terrible might happen, and knowing that the rumors surrounding Adrian were already causing enough trouble, she moved forward at once. When she reached them, she grabbed Adrian's shoulder and pulled with surprising strength.
