Page 32 (1/2)

‘I don’t!' Her voice rose raggedly to deny the accu­sation of stupidity 'Heights have never worried me before'

'But then perhaps you've never been this high before on such a flimsy open staircase'

Elizabeththe white cotton pocket over his steady-beating heart

‘I didn’t hthouse has stood the test of tierous if you are careless, and I am not a careless man'

'You ran up your legyou could have slipped!' she accused shrilly She refused to take her face out of its warm, comfortable human nest of security

'You are filled with fear and yet you still find rooently ‘I know hts' He ly

'No!' Elizabeth locked her limbs instantly

'Yes,' he said firround I could butwon’t take the strain of all these steps with your added weight You'll have to do it yourself-'

‘I can’t!'

'Yes, you can You're intelligent, you're young and healthy and sternly independent—all excellent qualifi­cations for going up and down staircases'

‘I'll fall' She hated herself for being so weak but she couldn’t help her unreasoning fear

He tipped her chin up with a fir as he studied her tear-washed cheeks 'No, you won’t Because I'll be in with you, holding your hand with each and every brave step'

'There's not room for two of us,' she protested 'Not side by side, no So I'll be on the step below you'

'Going down backwards?' Elizabeth e-stricken with fresh horror 'No, I won’t let you-'

'You'd rather do it entirely by yourself?'