“You must go back at once,” she whispered finally.
“And leave you?” he exclaimed huskily. “Never! Besides I don’t believe a word. It is merely a hoax, a clever trick of my mother’s to get me back into her clutches. She’s quite capable of it! But she can’t fool me so easily. I’ll not go!”
Anne met his wild young eyes with something akin to horror.
“Oh no, Alexis, you are deceiving yourself! This message rings only too true, and I should never forgive myself if I didn’t urge you to go, especially after what happened yesterday.”
He shook his head stubbornly.
“You don’t know my mother!”
She placed her hand upon his arm with an urgent gesture.
“Alexis, you are behaving like a spoiled child! You would never forgive yourself if something happened to Claire because of you. The least you can do is to return immediately. If it should turn out to be a hoax, which is unbelievable, why you can come back again. Nobody can force you to stay, you know!”
At her appeal, a sudden sense of shame flooded him. He nodded his head in bitter acquiescence.
“Yes, I suppose I must go,” he said slowly. “But how can I leave you, how can I live without you?” His eyes devoured her. She turned away to hide sudden tears.