She turned away. "Nothing. But if you are going to ransom me—"
"I am not, little bird."
he showed no aversion for him, and it went to his head, stronger than the drink. "Never would I ransom you!"
He reached for her, but nimbly she avoided him. Acting, but clever enough not to overdo it. I held myself silent: I had caught again the flash of a warning gaze from her. She had fathomed my purpose. Get his confidence. Beguile him. And woman is so much cleverer than the trickiest man at beguiling!
"Do not touch me, De Boer! He tried that. He held my hand in the moonlight—to woo me with his clever words."
"Hah! Grant, you hear her?"
"And I find him now not a man, but a craven—"
"But you will find me a man, Jetta." De Boer was hugely amused. "See Grant, we are rivals! You and Perona, then you and me. It is well for you that I fear you not, or I would run my knife through you now."