‘Sophy,’ he said in a serious tone, gently disengaging her arms from around his neck. ‘Before we… I mean, there is something I must tell you. I should not have asked you before I had… that is, please listen to me for a moment.’
She said nothing, only smiled up at him with such a sweetly loving expression that his heart spasmed and his stomach jumped with fear. Would she take back her beautiful yes once she knew? Would that loving expression turn to hatred?
His shakes were back. Taking a small step away from her, he hid his trembling hands behind his back and opened his mouth. But he couldn’t speak. The words would not come. All he could see in his mind’s eye was Sophy’s sweet face turning white with horror; of her rejecting him, storming away, never consenting to see him again. If he had
