Even in her fear there was glory in the thought that at a word from her he would kill the man who had struck her.

Her fingers crept up his arm, timidly, and the blue in her eyes darkened, and there was a pleading tremble in the curve of her lips as she looked straight at him.
"I'm not going back," she repeated.
Jolly Roger, looking beyond her, saw the significance of the bundle.
His eyes met her steady gaze again, and his heart seemed to swell in his chest, and choke him.

He tried to let his tense muscles relax.

He tried to smile.

He struggled to bring up the courage which would make possible the confession he had to make.