`` when are you going to marry me ? '' ruth chase smiled and shook her head . `` you , '' rumbled out in a slow breath from my mouth as she touched her mark . so long ago that i did n't know exactly when it was made , or even who 'd made it : me , or my father . brit , eyeing the engineer like he was a piece of fresh meat , wondering if he was worth anything in the sack . it looked like the scene of a violent struggle . 