“How was she dressed, Max?”
“To be sure, she wasn't as appetizing as you are now.”
“Wicked flatterer, I'm not impressed so don't tell me, and don't have any ideas-yet. Now tell me.”
“She was dressed also in silk. Everyone in the party now wore clothes of uniform cut and color, Marcia-not a false note anywhere. She came over to me, kissed me-that's all part of the ritual, I gathered-and whispered in my ear, 'Tell me what you'd prefer. The others, naturally, hope that we shan't shut ourselves away. Here they come, you see, now that they know we are ready. But I will do exactly as you wish.' This being my first time, I preferred a certain amount of privacy. The others, therefore, had to remain content with witnessing our extremely long kiss, after which we withdrew to an upper floor. She took me into a very quiet room, well furnished, probably the one she'd just left, and said, 'Don't lock the door. That is strictly forbidden. Anyone who likes has a right to be present at our meeting, my husband or the others. But I'm pretty sure that they won't avail themselves of the privilege; I made a sign when we came upstairs.' And sure enough we weren't disturbed. The door was only partly closed, Marcia, for form's sake and it added, I can say, a note of spice to which I was certainly unused.”
She flushed beautifully then murmured, “And the interview?”
“Quite exquisite, my love. The lady was at once passionate and obliging-exceptionally so. Of her own accord she offered me opportunities that I should never have dared to suggest. Though of course my role was that of the obedient servant. And then, when I seemed anxious to throw discretion to the wind-and you must recall, I hadn't then met you, my love.”
Again Marcia blushed and squeezed his hand. He went on, “Yes, Marcia, I admit she tempted me greatly, but as I sought to forget what the future might hold, she said to me very sweetly in that lovely cooing voice of hers, 'Look darling, I simply can't keep you to myself, the other girls are counting on my not being selfish. One at least,' she added with a shy smile, 'or possibly two, are going to take advantage of your presence among us. I really should feel awful, it-it wouldn't be you they'd blame, but me. So we must be careful.' A little later, we went down the stairs and she announced, very charmingly, that their good fortune in having an American as their guest was so great she felt she couldn't refuse to share him.”
“Where were the others, Max dear?”
“Most of them, my love, were drinking and smoking in the drawing room. Two couples were entertaining one another elsewhere, but they had been warned and put in an appearance almost immediately. The ladies didn't want to miss the new lottery, again most flattering to me.”
“You were put up again-I think the phrase is?” She, flushed.
“Ah, yes-twice.”
“Twice-running?”
“Oh, no,” he chuckled, “even being younger then, one had consideration for-shall we say- waning of enthusiasm?”
She nodded and, with a teasing little smile, put her hand on his knee. He shivered exultantly at her ecstatic attentiveness.
“No, there was an interval of an hour. But in her little speech, the first winner-my charming little blonde-had announced that there would be two other lucky ones beside herself.”
“How nicely you put it-but you must not spare my girlish modesty, my love, for I asked for this. Now, there's someone you haven't mentioned yet — the young woman. Shall we call her the officiating priestess whose duty it was to prepare the- victim-for the sacrifice?”
“She, too, did her task superbly. I assure you, time did not hang heavily on my hands while I waited for the first lottery pairing in the person of my blonde.”
“But,” insisted Marcia with keen interest, “didn't that-wasn't that preparation-awfully exciting? Wasn't there a temptation for you both?”
“Now it's my turn to say how nicely you put things, honey. No, her adequacy was remarkable, quite remarkable, and if I may say so, she had a keen sense of the limitations in which she might do her work. So far as I was concerned, the fact that she faintly resembled a cute hospital nurse helped me not to lose my head.” He paused, regarding Marcia.
“A cigarette, please, dearest,” she murmured thoughtfully.
The supply was exhausted so he rose and walked over to the glass-covered coffee table in the center of the room and brought back the silver-plated humidor and his lighter and lit a cigarette for himself and one for her.
He stood back, looking down at Marcia, who had leaned back, her head resting on the edge of the circular loveseat. Her left hand was languidly extended in her lap, palm upward. The right hand held the cigarette. Then her eyes turned to his. She murmured vibrantly, “But Max, that is only the beginning. Surely you are not going to leave it at that?”
He studied her pensively before replying. He was orienting himself to this new exciting personality. It had only been half glimpsed at their meetings before the wedding; her kisses, her embraces, had been quite indicative of a passionate and candid temperament. But nothing had prepared him for this intense curiosity in his erotic past. Few women would, he concluded, admit to such interest, for their jealousy would be too great to admit that their lover or husband could have found consolation in a woman other than themselves.
But she was sincere; that was the crux of it. She wanted to know his amorous predilections so she could please him. If that were true, and he had no reason to doubt it, what a glorious mistress she would make. “But haven't I been explicit, sweet?” he asked.
“Oh, silly, of course you haven't, and you've made the outline so enchanting I feel like the Sultan Shahriyar with Scheherazade, though that is not, my love, to imply at all that you have any lack of masculinity. Here I am, waiting for the story to be told me, and you stop it there. That's hardly fair since I said I would take the consequences.”
“How beautiful you are, Marcia. I like your coiffure, so free and flowing. I can hardly keep from plunging my fingers into it and feeling the soft elusive silk.”
“You shan't, not till you've satisfied my feminine curiosity. I want to know everything. Yes, my darling, don't be afraid. I want you to tell me what you did with all those lovely girls. How lucky they were, too, for you were almost inexperienced then, long before I knew you. I'm envious of them; I want to put myself in their place, but I can't unless you tell me all.”
Then he sat down, not too close to her, and said, “Well, how shall I start my darling?”
“Oh, you tantalizing creature! You exasperate me, Max. Begin, why of course, with that charming girl who prepared you-the one like a hospital nurse. Describe her-what she did-your reaction to it. Please, honey, if you want me to love you tonight. Please.”
He smiled voluptuously. “My dear young lady, this is our wedding night. You're alone with me, the door can be quickly locked, and I've no doubt the suite is soundproof, so figure out for yourself what chance you'd have escaping my caresses- odious though they may be.”
She laughed heartily, though a sweet pink flush suffused her cheeks. “Oh my darling, you idiot- do you actually think this will be a rape tonight? Oh, laugh-yes, Max-for I've read how many wedding nights are just that. But not yours, my dear one. I'm way behind you in experience, I know it, but I do feel I can satisfy your every wish. And I can do it better if I know something of your past love-making. Please, it's much better stimulant than all the champagne.”
“How engagingly you please, my dear one. Very well, I shall spare your tender ears not a single detail or love word, though I warn you, you may be quite shocked before the night is done.”