While I was strangling for an answer she went on, "And I must discover
whether you are worth doing now what I must do some day." Her lips were
tight now.
"What is that?"
She didn't answer, but she moved her head closely until her breath was
sweet in my nostrils. My discretion vanished and I reached for her. Our
lips met but she held our bodies apart with her hands.
It was quite different. The kiss was long and exploring and thoughtful
and when my pressure against her fending hands grew more than she could
bear she rolled free and jumped to her feet.
"It is worth it," she declared looking down at me with clenched fists
and wide eyes, and for the first time I understood why the Major
remained married to this lovely creature in spite of her rejection of
him.
Watching her graceful limbs as she mounted the ramp I felt sorry for
Daphne, an emotion I had thought impossible. But here was a man,
foolishly wealthy in every respect but the one which counted most.
My pity was short-lived.
The night was short, but we slept less than half of it. Daphne
chattered about the orange animal excitedly and made plans for the hunt.
"There are few of them around these parts," he said, "or else the herds
of herbivores would be wiped out. We'll have to stake out bait to draw
one, probably. Usually have to anyway."
* * * * *
He cleaned his rifle four times and paced the salon impatiently
awaiting dawn. Finally he glanced at his chronometer and told his wife,
"Get Suchane--the darkest one. See that she's scrubbed down, well. No
perfume, understand?"
It was the first time he had mentioned one of the girls to Annellica
by name and she paled. I wondered why taking a "niece" on the hunt with
us bothered her after the comportment I had witnessed on the trip.
In a half hour the four of us set out in the first pale light of a
dawn that exploded quickly into pink daylight. The Major wore a wicked
hunting-knife in his belt, carried only a pint flask in his right hand
and his left arm was wrapped intimately around Suchane's slender waist.
Annellica carried the rifles.
We had gone only a few yards when he stopped us. "You wait here," he
said. Then he sipped from the flask and offered it to the beautiful,
dark-haired girl. She drank deeply and handed it back. He waved it to
her with his satyr-like smirk, that she finish it. He watched until she
was through, then his left hand slid up to her neckline, grasped the
material of the dress and tore down with one powerful gesture.
She staggered back, nude and startled. Daphne roared with laughter,
clasped her around the waist again and held out his right hand.
"Nellie, my rifle. You wait here. Keep your heads down. No fair
peeking, eh, Suchane?"
Annellica threw one of the two rifles she was carrying at him,
muzzle up. He caught it with a slap of his huge paw and pulled the
girl forward with him. She was reassured, now, and giggling with
anticipation.
Somehow the lecherous display was more revolting out here in daylight.
I mistook Annellica's paleness for humiliation, and I didn't blame her.
Why did he have to drag one of his damned concubines out here?
We knelt down obediently, and before Daphne's head disappeared he
turned and shouted back, "If the wampus gets by me, remember, no gut
shots, Frost."