She shook her head and smiled, "I thank you for saving my life, sir, but you see, I have no life to speak of." She continued at his look of disbelief. "I have no male relative to negotiate a marriage contract, nor do I have a dowry. My breeding is sufficiently noble enough that I cannot marry a common farmer, yet no titled man will offer marriage to a penniless orphan, whether she was born into the nobility or not."
She brought her legs up, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her raised knees. "So, you see, sir, you should have let the hungry wolf have his dinner. At least my death would have counted for something, because surely, my life does not."
He faced her more fully, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Are you saying you want to die?"
She shrugged. "Why not? My life is nothing and if I should die slaking the hunger of a tormented beast, at least my life will have meant something. My only regret would be that I have never known a lover's touch."
The strange man took a deep breath and sighed. "Come to me."
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