“You mean that the men you surround yourself with are idiots who permit you to play with them as you choose. Keep quiet. Don’t you see that you can’t get away? If you struggle I shall hurt you, and I don’t want to do that.”
“I have sat up all night with men and they have never dared to kiss me, however much they may have wanted to.”
“Then they were rotters, and you can tell them so, with my compliments. If I sat up all night with you I should kiss you, and several times.”
“Well, you never will!”
They reached the road. She stiffened suddenly and tried to spring out of his arms. He placed her on her feet and grasped her firmly by the shoulders.
“Now,” he said, “kiss me, and don’t be silly about it. If you go in for larks of this sort you must take the consequences.” She wrenched again. He caught and held her so firmly that she could not struggle.
“You brute of an Englishman,” she gasped.
Clive clasped his hand about the lower part of her face and lifted it gently. As he did so he shifted his position and the light, for the first time, shone full on his face. The girl became suddenly quiet. Something leaped into her eyes which his own answered. But as he bent his face she moved her head backward along his shoulder.
“Please, please don’t,” she said beseechingly. “Oh, please don’t.”
Clive let her go. He walked with her to the horse, mounted her, and watched her dash away.