"I shall do nothing of the sort," exclaimed Myra with spirit.
"In that case, Myra, you will remain here as the captive of El Diablo
Cojuelo, and the outlaw will try to teach you the meaning of love and
passion, teach you to respond to the call of your heart--if you have a
heart. You shall have your first lesson now, my sweet captive."
He sat down beside Myra on the couch as he spoke, flung his arms around
her and drew her into a close embrace in spite of her frantic
struggles, crushing her close to his breast and kissing her lips, her
cheeks, and her breast. Myra screamed breathlessly, but he only
laughed at her.
"Why waste your breath, sweet lady?" he laughed. "No one can hear your
cries, except, perhaps, Mother Dolores; but if all my band were within
hearing not one man would even think of daring to attempt to intervene,
no, not even if you were his own daughter. You are completely at my
mercy."
"Let me go. Oh, please, please, let me go!" gasped Myra, still vainly
striving to break from his embrace. "Surely you won't be coward enough
to take advantage of my helplessness!"
"Only confess that you love me, Myra darling, and I will do anything
you ask," Don Carlos replied, his deep voice vibrant with passion, his
dark eyes aglow with ardour. "Only confess yourself conquered."
"I won't! I won't! I'd rather die! I hate you, hate you!" stormed
Myra gaspingly, still struggling. "Let me go, you brute. You are
hurting me."
Don Carlos relaxed his hold, but restrained Myra when she would have
risen from the couch.
"Myra, darling, why do you persist in resisting me and refusing to
listen to the call of love?" he asked gently. "Do you realise that
your resistance is but adding fuel to the fires of my passion? You
drove me almost mad when you coquetted with me aboard the yacht, made
me crazy with desire, then laughed at me. I am but human, and my
longing for you is not to be denied. I vowed I would make you mine if
I had to break every law of God and man. You are mine now, my lovely,
adorable Myra, my heart's delight, mine to do with as I will, to take
or break."
The quietly spoken words struck dread into Myra's heart. It seemed to
her that a remorseless gleam had crept into the bright eyes of Don
Carlos. Intuitively she knew that he was determined to impose his will
upon her, and mingled with her dread there was resentment.