“No.”
“What are you going to be when you join up?”
“I’m not joining up.”
“White feather!” she flashed at him. She had been inclined to regard Richard as her especial property, whenever they had met at Market Cottage. Though he had teased her a lot, he was always rather more gentle in action where she was concerned, than Greville and Frank. So that she was not prepared now, when in a fit of passion he seized her by the shoulders and shook her—shook her—“You little beast——”
His fingers dug deep into her shoulders; she tried with a sudden jerk to twist out of his grasp ... could not.... Then with quite a good exhibition of resource, tore an over-ripe plum from a bough near at hand and flung it in Richard’s face—“Hun!”
“That’s right,” he said coolly, releasing her. “Traitor if you like—spy and coward,” and he grinned at her mute amazement. Suddenly, in a queer, vicious sort of way he was enjoying the scene. “You’ve guessed it, Molly. Only a Hun would grab a girl and shake her. I’d be happy dropping bombs on babies, too; and shooting a half-drowned non-combatant in the water. We’re all like that. And I’d be happy——” he stopped, and looked at the girl; a shifting ray of sun through the leaves struck her across the face; across the half-parted plum-stained lips; showed him the angry gold freckling her big brown eyes. A tomboy in blue serge with rough chestnut hair ... yes, but a promise of more than that ... for him.
He moved towards her—and quickly she plucked another dark mauve globule.
“Drop that.”
“Hun! Hun! Hun!” she taunted him.
“There are things one can’t help, Molly—and there are also too many things you don’t even begin to understand, Molly—That’s why you’re no good to me, just at present. One day, when I’ve time, I may bother to make you understand. Or I may not. Meanwhile——” His arm sprang up against the whizzing plum, averted it, dragged her into his arms and kissed her roughly ... then more tenderly.... She was passive, recognizing with wonder that this was suddenly not an uncouth bullying schoolboy, but a man dogged and fierce and rather unwilling, who had captured her defiance and stilled it.