“How soon will you marry me?”
“You know I will never marry you.” She made to resume her book.
“I know that you shall!” He moved quickly and stood over her. “Don’t you see that you are in my power?”
“I’m under lock and key, if that’s what you mean.”
“Don’t force me to tell you what I mean. I’d far rather have your promise without that. . . . Kitty, listen! You can’t deny that you know I’m desperately fond of you.” His words came swiftly now. “And I can’t deny that I’m aware you don’t even like me. But just as you could make what you please of me, I believe in time, I could—”
“Stop!”
“You must hear me! I’m a rich man, though hardly anybody knows it. I can offer you a splendid life—give you things you’ve never dreamed of, take you abroad, make you a home wherever you desire. . . . Kitty, I confess I’ve done lots to be ashamed of in my time, but I swear I’ll make you a good husband—”
“Oh, do stop!” she said, her calm broken. “How can you—how dare you—talk so after all you have done—the abominable things you have done to me? . . . Rich? What should I care if you had all the money in the world? Why, I shouldn’t care enough to ask how you had got it—”
His hand fell on her shoulder. “Be careful,” he said in tense tones. “For as surely as I am touching you now you are going to marry me!”
She shook off his hand. “If you touch me again—” She stopped short.