Over her head Conford’s anxious eyes met Kenset’s.
“Hold her,” they begged plainly, “we can’t.”
And Kenset held her, by physical strength.
The grey eyes of Billy were on him coldly. The boy was hot with anger at the man. He put a hand on Kenset’s arm.
“Let go,” he said, but Kenset shook him off. 190
“Come out on the plain a little way with me, all of you,” he said, “this is no place to talk.”
Tharon, standing where he had stopped her, her breast heaving, her lips apart, seemed struggling against an unknown force. She put up a hand and tried to dislodge his fingers on her shoulder, but could not.
Presently she wet her lips and looked around the street, already filled with watching folk, then up at Kenset.
“What for?” she asked.
“I think I can tell you something,” he answered quietly.