But she might as well have opposed him with two straws.

He caught both wrists in one of his big hands and bent her arms downwards, drawing her close to him till she lay unwillingly against his breast, held there in a grasp like iron.
"Will I release you ?" he said savagely.

"No, I will _not_! Neither now, nor at any future time.

You're _mine_! Do you understand what that means?
It means if you'd one day left to live, it would be _my_ day--one night, _mine_! And I swear to you if any man takes you from me I'll kill him first and you after.

_Now_ do you understand ?" She tried to speak, but her voice failed her.