She could feel these hands tremble, and she could feel Mr. Kidder's excitement. How eager she was to be gone from this room. Her heart was beating in mild revulsion from the man's touch, but Katya forced herself to remain still, politely unresisting. In Mr. Kidder's eyes, which brimmed with moisture, Katya saw such tenderness for her, such desire, or love, she felt that her throat might close, she might begin to cry. Gravely Mr. Kidder lowered his face to hers. Katya held her breath, but he just brushed his lips against her forehead and did not try to kiss her on the mouth.
In this passage from "A Fair Maiden," Katya experiences a complex mix of emotions as she feels Mr. Kidder's trembling hands and senses his palpable excitement. Though she is repulsed by his touch, her desire to leave the room overwhelms her. Despite her heart racing in discomfort, she tries to remain composed and polite, showing her internal struggle between revulsion and the emotional weight of the moment.
Mr. Kidder's gaze reveals...