With a sudden movement she wrenched herself free and darted to the window. In a flash he was up and had caught her as she reached it, swinging her round to face him.

“Not so fast, my dear. You do not escape me so.”

His arm was about her waist, drawing her irresistibly towards him. Sick with fear, she struck madly at the face bent close to hers.

“Let me go! How dare you insult me so? Oh, for God’s sake let me go!”

He was pressing her against him, one hand holding her wrists behind her in a grip of iron, his other arm about her shoulders.

“For my own sake I will keep you,” he smiled, and looked gloatingly down at her beautiful, agonised countenance, with its wonderful eyes gazing imploringly at him, and the sensitive mouth a-quiver. For one instant he held her so, and then swiftly bent his head and pressed his lips to hers.