FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  
But Nan still hesitated. She was caught by sudden panic. She felt that she couldn't let Peter--Peter, of all men in the world--carry her in his arms! "It isn't so deep higher up, is it?" she suggested. "I could wade there." "No, it's not so deep, but the river bed is very stony. You'd cut your feet to pieces." "Then I suppose you'll have to carry me," she agreed at last, with obvious reluctance. "I promise I won't drop you," he assured her quietly. He gathered her up into his arms, and as he lifted her the rough tweed of his coat brushed her cheek. Then, holding her very carefully, he stepped down from the bank into the stream and began to make his way across. Nan had no fear that he might let her fall. The arms that held her felt pliant and strong as steel, and their clasp about her filled her with a strange, new ecstasy that thrilled her from head to foot. It frightened her. "Am I awfully heavy?" she asked, nervously anxious to introduce some element of commonplace. And Peter, looking down at the delicately angled face which lay against his shoulder, drew his breath hard. "No," he answered briefly. "You're not heavy." There was that in his gaze which brought the warm colour into her face. Her lids fell swiftly, veiling her eyes, and she turned her face quickly towards his shoulder. All that remained visible was the edge of the little turban hat she wore and, below this, a dusky sweep of hair against her white skin. He went on in silence, conscious in every fibre of his being of the supple body gathered so close against his own, of the young, sweet, clean-cut curve of her cheek, and of the warmth of her hair against his shoulder. He jerked his head aside, his mouth set grimly, and crossed quickly to the other bank of the river. As he let her slip to the ground, steadying her with his arms about her, he bent swiftly and for an instant his lips just brushed her hair. Nan scarcely felt the touch of his kiss, it fell so lightly, but she sensed it through every nerve of her. Standing in the twilight, shaken and clutching wildly after her self-control, she knew that if he touched her again or took her in his arms, she would yield helplessly--gladly! Peter knew it, too, knew that the merest thread of courage and self-respect kept them apart. His arms strained at his sides. Forcing his voice to an impersonal, level tone, he said practically: "It's getting late. Come on, little pa
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
shoulder
 

brushed

 

gathered

 
quickly
 

swiftly

 

silence

 

conscious

 

supple

 

jerked

 

warmth


impersonal

 
turban
 

visible

 
remained
 
Forcing
 

strained

 

thread

 

control

 

practically

 

clutching


respect

 

courage

 

wildly

 

touched

 

helplessly

 
merest
 

gladly

 

shaken

 

twilight

 

instant


steadying

 

ground

 
crossed
 

sensed

 

Standing

 

lightly

 

scarcely

 

grimly

 

promise

 

reluctance


assured
 
obvious
 

agreed

 

quietly

 

lifted

 
stream
 

stepped

 
carefully
 
holding
 

suppose