He laughed at her tone. "Is there any other man who has a better claim on you than I have?"
She shook her head.
"Well, then!" he cried in great relief. "What's the matter? There's no other reason that I would recognise."
"Have mercy on me," she murmured. "Let me go. Help me to be strong!"
"In other words help you not to love me," he said tenderly. "Not on your life! I will never let you go without a good reason."
"I will tell you everything as soon as I can."
"What does that mean, 'soon as you can'?"
"In a few days, a week maybe."
"Why not now?"
"Something must happen first."