But she had averted her
face, afraid of the blue flame of his eyes, and his quick movement, silent
and certain as the leap of a panther, filled her with a sudden irrational
terror. She started to run. Then, her feet entangled in the rug which had
slipped to the floor when she sprang up from her seat, she stumbled and
pitched helplessly forward.
But she did not reach the ground. Brett's arms closed round her like a vice
of steel, and the next moment she felt his lips on hers--on her eyes, her
throat, the gleaming curve of moon-white shoulder, straining against them
in fierce, possessive kisses that seemed to drain her of all strength to
resist.
At last:
"Now do you understand?" he demanded hoarsely. "I love you!... God in
heaven! I wonder if you know how much I love you!"
"No, no!" She struggled to free herself from his arms, but he held her in a
relentless grip that no power of hers could fight against.
"Let me go!" she gasped, finding herself helpless against him.
His eyes burned down on her.
"I'll let you go when you promise to be my wife--not before. Say you love
me, Ann!"
"But I don't--I don't love you at all. Let me go, Brett!" She made another
futile effort to release herself, but his grasp never slackened.
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