amc.killashandra-第30章

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credib1e　and　talented　young　man。　Relief　was　mirrored　in　the　very　clear　blue　of　his　eyes：　a　morning…lagoon…in…sunlight　clear　blue；　as　vivid　as　the　sea　could　sometimes　be。　Relief　and　the　sudden　welling　up　of　tears。　With　the　shuddering　sigh　that　rippled　down　his　body；　so　close　to　hers；　he　dropped　his　head　to　the　point　of　her　shoulder；　just　above　the　knife…scar。　When；　at　length；　he　confessed　that　he　had　caused　it；　she　would　willingly　forgive　him。　Just　as　she　was　willing　to　forgive　him　her　abduction；　for　whatever　marvelous　reason　he　might　submit。　After　last　night；　how　could　she　deny　him　anything？　Perhaps　last　night　had　been　such　a　unique　bination　of　emotional　upheavals　that　a　repetition　was　unlikely。　The　prospect　made　her　smile。
　As　if　he　sensed　her　responses　…　he　had　certainly　sensed　them　last　night　…　he　lifted　his　head　again；　anxious　eyes　searching　her　face。　She　saw　that　he　was　not　unscathed；　for　his　lower　lip　was　red　and　puffy　as　he　tried　to　echo　her　smile。
　Then　she　chuckled；　tracing　the　line　of　his　mouth　with　an　apologetic　finger。
　〃I　don't　think　I　can　ever　forget　last　night　happened；　Lars　Dahl。〃　Would　she　ever　find　adequate　words　to　record　this　on　her　personal　file　at　Ballybran？　She　let　her　finger　drop　to　his　jaw。　His　grin　became　more　self…confident；　and　his　fingers　squeezed　hers　lightly。　〃There's　one　problem。。。〃　His　face　tightened　with　concern。　〃How　long　will　it　take　us　to　recover　to　try　it　again？〃
　Lars　Dahl　burst　out　laughing；　rolling　away　from　her。
　〃You　may　be　the　death　of　me；　Carrigana。〃
　Once　again　Killashandra　ardently　refretted　using　that　particular　pseudonym。　She　desperately　wanted　to　confess　everything　and　hear　her　own　name　on　his　lips；　in　his　rich　and　sensual　voice。
　〃Like　last　night？〃
　〃Oh　my　precious　Sunny；〃　he　replied；　his　voice　altering　from　spontaneous　laughter　to　urgent　loverliness　as　he　rolled　back　to　her；　his　hand　gently　cupping　her　head；　fingers　stroking　her　hair；　〃it　was　almost　a　death　to　leave　you。〃
　That　he　might　be　quoting　some　planetary　poet；　she　discarded　as　unworthy。　Her　body　and　mind　echoed　the　sentiment。　Their　exhausted　sleep　had　been　like　a　little　death；　it　had　overtaken　them　so　pletely。
　With　total　unconcern　for　aesthetics；　her　stomach　rumbled　alarmingly。　They　suppressed　a　laugh　and　then　let　their　laughter　blend；　as　they　enveloped　each　other　in　loving　arms。
　〃C'mon；　I'll　race　you　to　the　sea；〃　Lars　said；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　amusement。　〃A　swim　to　cool　us　off。〃　He　rose　lithely　to　his　feet；　offering　her　a　hand。
　It　was　only　when　the　light　blanket　fell　from　her　body　that　she　realized　its　presence。　And　noticed　the　small　basket　to　one　side　of　the　clearing；　the　unmistakable　neck　of　a　wine　jug　protruding　from　the　lazy　stream。
　〃I　woke　at　dawn；〃　Lars　said；　hands　on　her　shoulders　as　he　gently　inclined　forward　to　kiss　her　cheek。　〃The　wind　was　a　touch　chilly。　So　I　got　a　few　things　for　us。　Could　we　spend　today　together　and　alone？〃
　Killashandra　leaned　lovingly　against　him　for　a　moment。　〃I　feel　remarkably　unsocial。〃　She　wanted　nothing　more。
　〃You'll　barely　look　at　me！〃　Lar's　voice　rippled　with　amused　plaint。
　Her　hands　began　to　caress　him　as　his　were　gentle　on　her　arms。　Almost　guiltily　they　broke　apart。　Laughing；　they　joined　hands　and　pressed　through　the　bushes　toward　the　seashore。
　The　sea　was　calm；　the　waves　mere　ripples　flopping　over　at　the　last　moment　onto　the　smooth；　wet　sand。　The　water　was　soothing；　soft　against　her　body。　Finally　hunger　could　no　longer　be　denied　and　they　sprinted　back　to　the　secret　clearing；　patting　each　other　dry；　carefully　avoiding　the　sorest　spots。　That　morning　Lars　had　acquired　fresh　fruits；　bread；　and　a　soft　savory　cheese　as　well　as　some　of　the　flavorful　dried　fish　that　was　an　island　specialty。　There　was　wine　to　wash　it　all　down。　Lars　had　also　had　the　wit　to　'borrow'　from　Mama　Tulla's　wash　line　a　voluminous　and　fortable　kaftan　for　her　and　a　thigh　length　shirt　for　himself。
　They　were　both　hungry　enough　to　concentrate　on　eating；　but　they　smiled　whenever　their　eyes　met；　which　was　often。　When　their　hands　touched　as　they　hunted　in　the　basket　for　food；　the　touch　also　became　a　caress。　When　all　the　food　had　been　eaten；　Lars　excused　himself　with　grave　courtesy　and　pushed　through　the　bushes。　Trying　to　suppress　giggles；　Killashandra　did　the　same。　But　when　she　returned　to　the　clearing；　Lars　was　making　a　couch　of　polly　fronds　and　sweetly　scented　ferns。　In　silent　accord；　they　lay　down；　spread　the　light　blanket　over　their　weary　bodies　and；　hands　lightly　clasped；　surrendered　to　fatigue。
　Once　again　the　sensation　of　light　fingers　stroking　the　crystal　scars　roused　Killashandra。
　〃You　were　a　long　time　learning　to　handle　polly；　weren't　you？〃　he　said；　his　teasing　tender。
　She　sighed；　hoping　she　could　somehow；　and；　with　reasonable　truth；　evade　his　natural　curiosity　about　her。　She　daren't　risk　a　full　disclosure　even　in　the　euphoria　which　still　enveloped　them。
　〃I　came　from　the　City。　I'd　no　choice　about　an　island　life　or　an　education　in　polly　planting。〃
　〃Must　you　go　back　to　the　City？〃　Apprehension　roughened　his　voice；　his　fingers　tightened　on　hers　in　an　almost　painful　grip。
　〃Inevitably。〃　She　turned　her　face　against　his　arm；　wishing　it　were　bare　and　she　could　taste　the　skin　covering　the　strong　arms　that　had　held　her　with　such　love：　which　must　hold　her　once　again　in　love；　preferably　for　a　long；　long　time。　〃I　don't　belong　here；　you　know。〃
　〃I　didn't　think　you　did；〃　and　his　reply　was　amused　acceptance；　〃once　you　dropped　the　Keralawian　accent。〃　She　warned　herself　to　watch　what　she　said。　〃Where　do　you　belong；　Carrigana？〃
　〃Besides　in　your　arms？〃　Then　the　honesty　of　the　moment　began　to　close　in　on　her。　〃I　don't　really　know；　Lars。〃　These　moments　were　out　of　context　with　any　previous　part　of　her　life　on　Fuerte　or　Ballybran：　totally　divorced　from　Killashandra；　Crystal　Singer。　Pragmatically　she　knew　the　euphoria　would　end　all　too　soon　but　the　desire　to　prolong　it　consumed　her。　〃How　about　you；　Lars？　Where　do　you　belong？〃
　〃The　Islands　don't　actually　hold　me　any　more。　I've　e　to　realize　that　over　the　past　few　months。　And　think　that　my　father　recognizes　it；　too。　Oh；　I'm　partner　in　an　interisland　carrier　service　that's　reasonably　profitable　…　useful　to　the　islanders　certainly。〃　He　grinned。　〃But　three　years　in　the　City　at　the　plex　taught　me　discipline；　order；　and　efficiency　and　the　easy　way　of　islanders　irritates　me。　I　can't　see　me　settling　in　to　City　life；　either。。。〃
　Killashandra　raised　herself　on　her　elbow；　looking　down　at　his　face。　The　muscles　were　relaxed　but　the　strength　and　character　in　his　features　were　not　the　least　bit　diminished。
　〃Aren't　you　going　to　appeal　the　Master's　decision？〃　Her　fingers　traced　his　clearly　defined　left　brow。
　〃No　one　appeals　their　decision；　Carrigana；〃　he　said　with　a　contemptuous　snort。　Then　he　drew　both　eyebrows　together：　her　finger　followed　to　caress　away　his　scowl。　〃They　did；　damn　their　souls　to　everlasting　acid；　have　the　incredible　gall　to　suggest　that；　if　I　performed　a　slight　service　for　them；　they　might　consider。　And　like　a　childish　fool　I　believed　them。〃　Incensed　by　his　memories；　he　swung　to　a　sitting　position；　arms　clasping　his　knees　tightly　to　his　chest；　his　mouth　in　a　bitter　line。　〃A　real　fool　but　so　desperate　to　have　my　position　accepted　…　not　so　much　for　my　own　prestige　as　to　prove　that　an　islander　could　succeed　at　the　plex　and　to　vindicate　the　support　the　islanders　had　given　me　during　those　years。〃　He　twisted　his　torso　around　to　face　her。　〃You'd　never　guess　what　this　slight　service　was。〃
　〃I　wouldn't？〃　Killashandra　was　quite　certain　what　he　would　say。
　〃They　wanted　me　to　make　an　assault　on　a　visiting　dignitary。　Possibly　the　most　important　person　to　set　foot　on　this　forsaken　mudball。〃
　〃Assault？　On　Optheria？　On　whom？　What　visiting　dignitary？〃　Killashandra　was　astonished　at　the　surprise　and　concern　in　her　voice；　a　genuine　enough　response　to　Lars's　shocking　statement
　〃You　heard　that　gail　had　died；　shattering　a　manual　of　the　Festival　Organ？〃　When　she　nodded　silently；　he　continued。　〃You　may　not　know　that　the　damage　was　deliberate。〃　It　was　easy　for　her　to　react　suitably；　for　a　death　involving　crystal　would　not　have　been　painless。　〃There　are　a　lot　of　people　who　believe　that　they　…　we；〃　and　he　grinned　humorlessly；　adm