“That's hardly the way I meant to put it. You've changed everything for me. I care for you—a very great deal.”
He was still carefully in hand, his voice steady. And still he did not touch her. Other men had made love to her, but never in this fashion, or was he making love?
“I'm very glad you like me.”
“Like you!” Almost out of hand that time. The thrill in his voice was unmistakable. “It's much more than that, Anita, so much more that I'm going to try to do a hideously hard thing. Will you help a little?”
“Yes, if I can.” She was stirred, too, and rather frightened.
Stewart drew his chair nearer to her and sat forward, his face set and dogged.
“Have you any idea how you were hurt? Or why?”
“No. There's a certain proportion of accidents that occur at all these places, isn't there?”
“This was not an accident.”
“No?”