Calhoun's words rang in her ears, and his steady eyes did not once move away from hers. This love, this love he felt was not right where he wanted to keep her, and it was because it scared her. When he raised his hand, catching hold of one piece of her blonde hair to feel the soft texture of it, he said,
"Don't look so scared. I did tell you I wouldn't do something you wouldn't want," and Madeline gave a look to him, "You don't believe me. It seems like we need to build trust between us if we want to move forward. I will tell you what happens when a girl is often forced to get married to a man for political reasons, and here the girls are as young as you or sometimes even younger. They are dragged to the man's bed, abused physically until they are broken and have no other way out. In the world we live, it isn't anything new."
"I know that," said Madeline.
