Keith still held her hand. He drew it towards him, and Jenny was made to lean by his sudden movement. He slipped his arm again round her. Jenny did not yield herself. He was conscious of rebuff, although she did not struggle.
“You want me to trust you blindfold,” she said in a dreary voice. “It’s not good enough, Keith. Really it isn’t! When you don’t trust me. You sent for me, and I came. As soon as I was here you ... you were as beastly as you could be ...” Her voice trembled.
“Not really beastly ...” Keith urged, and his coaxing tone and concerned expression shook her. “Nice beastly, eh?”
“You weren’t nice. You weren’t ...” Jenny hesitated. “You didn’t ... you weren’t nice.”
“I didn’t want to frighten you.”
Jenny drew herself up, frantically angry.
“Now who’s lying!” she savagely cried, and put her hands to disengage herself. “Oh Keith, I’m so sick of it!” He held her more tightly. All her efforts were unavailing against that slowly increased pressure from his strong arms.
“Listen, Jenny,” Keith said. “I love you. That’s that. I wanted to see you more than anything on earth. I wanted to kiss you. Good God, Jen.... D’you think you’re the easiest person in the world to manage?”
iii
The bewilderment that succeeded clove the silence. Jenny gasped against her will.