After a silence she said, very seriously, “Monsieur, would you dare use violence toward me?”
“Oh, I shall not be very violent,” I replied, laughing. I held the opened watch in my hand so that she could see the dial if she chose.
“It is one o’clock,” I said, closing the hunting-case with a snap.
She looked me steadily in the eyes.
“Will you come with me to La Trappe?”
She did not stir.
I stepped toward her; she gave me a breathless, defiant stare; then in an instant I caught her up and swung her high into my saddle, before either she or I knew exactly what had happened.
Fury flashed up in her eyes and was gone, leaving them almost blank blue. As for me, amazed at what I had done, I stood at her stirrup, breathing very fast, with jaws set and chin squared.
She was clever enough not to try to dismount, woman enough not to make an awkward struggle or do 25 anything ungraceful. In her face I read an immense astonishment; fascination seemed to rivet her eyes on me, following my every movement as I shortened one stirrup for her, tightened the girths, and laid the bridle in her half-opened hand.
Then, in silence, I led the horse forward through the open gate out into the wet meadow.