Then in readjusting it she sat as close to him as she could and put her arm about him once more. He tried to steel himself against response. He wondered if she suspected his resolution and was trying to undermine it. He tried to think of something else, but the vision of her going with him into his old house began to obsess him. In spite of the cool night they grew warm sitting side by side. But he told himself this would never do, and he whipped up his courage and resolution, and when they came opposite the southern end of Dargaville he spoke the first word that had been spoken for some time and asked her where he should land her.
She did not answer for a minute. “Oh anywhere,” she said very coldly, moving away from him.
The Diana ran on for some distance before she came to a standstill near the bank.
Valerie stood up at once without a word, letting the rug fall at her feet, and she moved towards the centre of the boat.
Dane gave up at once. He restarted the engine and swung the launch back into midstream. Then he moved forward to Valerie who had stopped by the cabin.
“Will you please land me here at once,” she said, in a voice shaken with anger and humiliation.
“I will not. Not now,” he said, as his arms went round her.
IV
“Dane, would it hurt you to tell me that tale? I’d like to know the truth about it.”
“The truth?” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I won’t promise you the truth. But I could give you my version.”
