Silva blushed at once and he thought that the colour flooding into her cheeks was very entrancing.
“I had – intended,” she said in a very small voice, “that when finally you learned who I was, I would suggest that we got – to know each other first before – you were in any way – intimate.”
She stumbled over the words and he knew that she was embarrassed.
“And if I refused?” he asked.
“Then I had decided to stop you!”
The Marquis smiled.
“You are very small,” he said, “and I am wondering how you could do that.”
Silva put her hand down inside the bed and to his amazement she pulled out a small revolver.
The Marquis looked at it in horror.
“Are you saying you would use that against me?” he enquired.
“I hoped not to have to,” Silva replied, “but Papa taught me to shoot when we travell
