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Page 379
trust him. She was offering the only thing she had to pay him for continued support.
"There is no need to thank me," he said gently. "Indeed, you have more cause to curse me. I made this trouble and I will extricate you from it. In any case, the child is mine, and I will care for it."
"I am not thinking about the child," Marie murmured, resisting Walter's first gentle effort to draw his hand away. "I am thinking of you. Let me unarm you so that you may be at ease." What a nuisance the man is, she thought contemptuously. Why cannot he behave like any other man and take what he wants without all this ado?
Although Walter was still heavily aware of guilt, he was beginning to be annoyed also. He had acknowledged his debt and his responsibility, and Marie's repeated offering of her body was becoming insulting. Moreover, although he fully intended to see, that Marie suffered as little as possible from their sin, he did not intend to have her hanging like a millstone around his neck for the rest of his life. Even if she thought she was in love with him, a continued association would be the worst thing in the world for her. if they could manage to keep this child of sin a secret, Marie would be able to marry and live with honor. She must understand that any relationship between them in the future was impossible. Nonetheless, he hated to hurt her more than he had already.
Walter withdrew his hand from its position against Marie's breast with some effort, his irritation increasing because Marie would not take a hint; it was necessary to pull away with force, and she persisted in holding on to his fingers. He did not wish to wrench himself free and would have used his other hand to unloosen her grip gently, but it was supporting his shield, which he had not yet had an opportunity to set down anywhere.
"I have no time to unarm," he said, trying to keep any sharp note from his voice but determined to be firm. "I must go back to Clyro, and I do not wish to ride in the dark. Will you return to Craswall Priory? If you need money, I can send it to you there. If you do not wish to make any plans at this moment, tell me what I may do for you at this time and let me go."
Outside the door, Sir Heribert cursed silently. It was not to be so easy after all. He had been tasting the sweet flavor of

 
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