Would placate, discreetly cherish her until she couldn't but be softened and consent to make it up.

After all maidens of her still tender age are not precisely adamant--such at least was his experience--where a personable youth is concerned.

It only needed a trifle of refined cajolery to make everything smooth and to bring her round.
He overtook the fugitive as she reached the low wooden jetty crawling, like some giant but rather dilapidated black many-legged insect, out over the stream.

Its rows of solidly driven piles were intact, but the staging they supported had suffered damage from the rush of river floods, let alone from neglect and age.

Handrails were broken down, planks rotted and wrenched away leaving gaps through which the cloudy greenish blue water could be seen as it purred and chuckled beneath.