Her mouth atoned for the haughty flash under the long lids, the lips were full, tender, smiling and there were dimples in her smooth cheeks.
The slender neck curved gracefully downwards to the promises under her light dress.
Often she stood naked in front of her looking glass, and though she was a trifle too slender still, she knew she could vie with any beauty queen.
When her hair was smoothed, she took a scent bottle and completed her toilet.
She was anxious to look her best when her father was there. His presence seemed to throw her into fits of coquettishness, and childish whims. For instance she demanded the flimsiest underwear and though nobody could possibly see it, she had yards of laces sewn to it. That was the reason why her things had been sent to Mrs. Cornavin's niece, this is how Ghislaine had come to know Myriam who always bring her work personally.
Ghislaine took another glance at her reflection, smiled, and began to sing.
She had but a lovely dishabille on, and prepared to put on a light coloured frock spread on the bed, when a knock at her door startled her.
«What is't?»
The governess' voice rapped out a few words in her harsh French:
«Mademoiselle Myriam. She has brought your things.»
Ghislaine smiled as she heard the name, she loved Myriam and her arch ways.
«Let her in.»
The door opened and Myriam slipped in, all flushed with a hopeless race to make up for lost time.
«Good afternoon Mademoiselle Ghislaine!»
She stopped short. She had never seen Ghislaine in a dishabille before.
«Oh Lord! How lovely you look! As lovely as a fairy!»
Ghislaine's clear laugh rang aloud:
«Did you ever see a fairy?
«No! But I fancy they look that way.
«I wish I were a fairy, said Ghislaine, I'd do a lot of things.
«What kind of things?
«I don't know… I'd love to use my magic wand.
«I know what I would do if I were a fairy sighed Myriam.»
Ghislaine took the box from her hands and asked:
«What would you do?
«I'd run away, very far away, I'd punish all those who have been nasty with me, and then…
«And then?
«Then I don't know. I'd have a lot of fun, I'd go to dance and buy heaps of lovely things… a manor house like yours.
«Who knows, whispered Ghislaine, all this may come true some day. I read that if you wanted and wished something hard enough, you'd get it in the end.»
Myriam seemed to like the idea.
«Do you think so? I won t stay here long then.»
Ghislaine had opened the box and was looking at its dainty contents.
«I've grand news to tell you. I'm going to Paris, with my father…
«You're going away… for ever…
«No, no; but I'll no longer live here all the year round. I'll come down now and then.»
Myriam looked worried by the news.
«You're so lucky!
«Yes, owned Ghislaine. I'm lucky to have such a father.
«Oh Myriam what lovely laces! I'll look wonderful.»
She was holding at arm's length the daintiest of slips, as flimsy as a cobweb.
You don't need that to look wonderful, said Myriam who did not knew what envy meant.
Ghislaine was chuckling with delight, running her fingers on the airy thing then she started up and laughed:
«Oh come we're going to try them on.»
She dragged Myriam into the bath room. Myriam followed, rather shyly for she thought she'd never dare look up if Ghislaine took of her clothes. Ghislaine must have guessed it for she exclaimed:
«I hope you're not shocked. Besides there's no harm in going about naked when you feel like it?
«Of course not, owned Myriam who remembered how she stood half an hour ago by the lake.»
Ghislaine slipped out of her dishabille and stood in the simplest of undies embroidered with her monogram on the side. Her breasts were bare. Myriam noticed they weren't as full as her own, but very pointed, conchlike. Ghislaine was slightly taller, slenderer too. Her skin was so fine one might fancy it translucent.
She took off her last veil and was utterly naked. Her small flat belly palpitated as a bird's heart. She laughed as Myriam fastened her eyes on most intimate part of her body.
«It looks as if you'd never seen a little girl naked in your whole life. Or is there anything strange about me?
«No; stammered Myriam, you're just beautiful.
«Don't be so modest. You're quite as beautiful… Take off your things we'll compare…
«Oh no! protested Myriam, I can't… I…
«Don't be silly, nobody ever comes here, and if you take off your things I'll give you one of the sets you embroidered, the one you'll choose…»
This was too much for Myriam, she thrilled with joy as she thought one of these silky prisons might encase her body.
She undressed. Soon both girls were engaged in edifying comparisons. Ghislaine was running her fingers on Myriam's breasts, flattered them, stroke them, weighed them, tickled the naughty nipples, then she took Myriam's hand led it to her own charms…
Most innocent games that tasted sinful yet…
Myriam felt much more disturbed than Ghislaine. Her senses were exasperated. She felt a quicker, richer blood whipped up under her skin. Her heart was throbbing madly.
She wished the game would stop, but dared not say it, afraid Ghislaine might be cross.
Once as Ghislaine was touching a very tender spot, she uttered a short cry. She felt almost fainting.
«No!
«You silly goose, laughed Ghislaine. I won't hurt you. Look, try one of these, will you?»
Both of them were soon flaunting about in light apparel, comparing the colour schemes and the effects of the laces on their young virginal skins.
«You see, cried Ghislaine, you're as pretty as I am. Your body is fuller in the curves… and you've got wonderful breasts.
«Quite true, owned a voice behind them, she's got wonderful breasts.
«Daddy! exclaimed Ghislaine… and without any confusion or self consciousness she clung to his neck.»
Myriam was dumbfound. She had nothing on but transparent pants Ghislaine had just given her. She hung her head but her unabashed breasts darted impudently towards Nicolas Kozincko, and as a small school girl caught red-handed her arms were locked behind her back. She was crimson with shame, and expected a severe apostrophy. Yet the man was content with gloating over her.
«Don't you think she's as lovely as I am, Pa? I asked her to take off her clothes. I've given her these undies and I wanted her to try them on. The situation, peculiar as it was, didn't seem to embarrass her in the least, and though she was more than half-naked, she had fondly taken her father's arm.»
Nicolas Kozincko seemed to wake up from a dream.
«Yes, she is very lovely indeed. Who is she?
«Why! It's Myriam, Mrs. Cornavin's niece!
«Oh Yes, quite. I might have guessed. Well Myriam will you put something on, and come to my study!»
Myriam stammered:
«Yes Sir!»
She hadn't the slightest doubt. He was going to give her an awful scolding, away from Ghislaine, and she thought of the perfect string of catastrophes that would be her lot at home.
«As for you my dear, you'd better get ready, for I have some guests to night, and I want you to look your best.»
Ghislaine began capering about the room in her joy, still unaware she was half naked.
His father looked on her a few instants, but his look what that of a hen on her tiny willful chick.
When he left the room, Ghislaine was still dancing, while Myriam was hidden in the bath room almost shaking with fear.
CHAPTER III
Nicolas Kozincko was sitting behind his vast bureau when Myriam was ushered into the room.