Colina had no thought but to obey.
He tied the rein to a limb and, turning back, seized her roughly by the wrists.
"What kind of a game is this?" he demanded.
Colina, breathless, terrified, delighted, laughed shakily.
He dropped her as suddenly as he had seized her, and walked away to the edge of the bank and sat down, staring sightlessly across the river and striving to still the tumult of his blood. He was frightened by his own passion. He had wished to hurt her.
Colina went to him and humbly touched his arm.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He looked at her grimly.
"You should not try such tricks," he said. "A man's endurance has its limits."
There was something delicious to Colina in abasing herself before him.
She caught up his hand and pressed it to her cheek.