"Ma," he replied.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, looking round with a wild idea of making a dart for
liberty.
"Ma," he repeated, "and it's not of the slightest use for you to try
to side-step. You're cornered." He had both my hands now and was
looking at me at arm's length. "So you are afraid to marry me for fear
people--your friends--will say that--I walked right into the trap?"