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yourself!” I protested angrily, but my denial of his suddenly declared passion only seemed to make him more ardent.
    I moved backward, and he moved forward. I passed by the window, blinking in the light let in by the partially drawn blinds, and I saw him give a start of amazement.
    â€œYou’re not wearing those spectacles today! I’ll be damned if you don’t have pretty eyes, after all. In fact, you’d make a handsome woman, once you’re dressed right and proper—damned if you won’t! And I’ll have the last laugh on all those others, won’t I?”
    By now I was as much annoyed with myself as I was with him. I stopped running from him and with my hand on the back of a chair, said forbiddingly, “Mr. Wilkinson, you are taking far too much for granted!”
    But I think he mistook my annoyance for an attempt to play coy, and shook a finger at me. “Come, come, Lady Rowena—or may I call you Rowena? Surely—yes, we cannot stand on formality now! I respect your shyness and your modesty, but after all, since we are to be engaged, a little kiss at least will not be out of order, would it?”
    At any other time I might have found some humor in the situation I now found myself in, but the expression on Tom Wilkinson’s face as he followed me around the room made me almost apprehensive.
    I retreated. He followed, still grinning, as if we were playing some kind of game.
    â€œMr. Wilkinson,” I said firmly, “I hardly think it proper for us to be here alone. I’ve no desire to give rise to belowstairs gossip, and I’ve nothing to say to you. I’m afraid I must ask you to leave.”
    â€œAh, but I’m not ready to leave yet, and I’m sure you don’t want me to—not till I’ve said what I came here to say! Come, what’s the harm in a little kiss, eh? After all, we are to become engaged.”
    â€œI would not marry you, Mr. Wilkinson, if you were the last man on earth!” I said forcibly.
    â€œWant to play hard to get, don’t you? There’s no need for all that. I’ve made up my mind, you see!”
    Without warning he made a grab for me, and I found myself clutched in a man’s arms for the first time in my life, while he planted wet, repulsive kisses on my averted face and neck.
    â€œGive us a kiss, then, lass! Eh, will you stop struggling? I’ll be wanting more than just kisses when we’re wed, you know!”
    â€œWill you stop it?”
    Forgetting all my coolness I pushed violently against his chest with my hands, and when he still wouldn’t let me go, but kept muttering how pretty I was with my hair coming loose and my eyes not shielded by those ugly spectacles, I slapped his face as hard as I could.
    He released me and stumbled backward with an expression of shock and bewilderment on his face. I seized this respite to escape to the doorway. I was panting. I hadn’t realized until this moment how disgusted and how afraid I had been.
    With an effort, I managed to force some semblance of coldness into my voice as I told him I hoped he would manage to find his way out.
    His mouth twisted in an ugly fashion. “You bitch! By God, you’ll be sorry for what you just did!”
    I walked out of the room, and left him standing there, still mouthing threats at me. I heard his voice call after me as I began to ascend the staircase, forcing myself to walk slowly, and not to run from the sound of his words.
    â€œThink you’ll ever get yourself a husband, an ugly creature like you?” he shouted thickly. “Why, I’d never have offered for you in a thousand years if Sir Edgar and my da’ hadn’t cooked it all up between them! Offered to pay off all my gambling debts, they did. No wonder they’re anxious to get rid of you!”
    I found myself wondering where the servants were—hiding in doorways and broom closets, no doubt, the better to enjoy such a