The Magician
112
She started to her feet and stared at him with bewildered eyes. 'But what is to become of me?' 'You will marry the excellent Mr Burdon.' 'You know I cannot live without you. How can you be so cruel?' 'Then the only alternative is that you should accompany me.' Her blood ran cold, and her heart seemed pressed in an iron vice. 'What do you mean?' 'There is no need to be agitated. I am making you an eminently desirable offer of marriage.' She sank helplessly into her chair. Because she had refused to think of the future, it had never struck her that the time must come when it would be necessary to leave Haddo or to throw in her lot with his definitely. She was seized with revulsion. Margaret realized that, though an odious attraction bound her to the man, she loathed and feared him. The scales fell from her eyes. She remembered on a sudden Arthur's great love and all that he had done for her sake. She hated herself. Like a bird at its last gasp beating frantically against the bars of a cage, Margaret made a desperate effort to regain her freedom. She sprang up. 'Let me go from here. I wish I'd never seen you. I don't know what you've done with me.' 'Go by all means if you choose,' he answered. He opened the door, so that she might see he used no compulsion, and stood lazily at the threshold, with a hateful smile on his face. There was something terrible in his excessive bulk. Rolls of fat descended from his chin and concealed his neck. His cheeks were huge, and the lack of beard