Alice was already in a state of inflamed excitement, and when she felt Janice's tongue on her pussy her body began throbbing rapidly toward an orgasm. Janice could sense her violent response, and she slowed the pace of her arousal, running the tip of her tongue along Alice's vulva then darting it across her clitoris. Alice squirmed and writhed on the bed, muffled moans coming from her throat as she flicked her tongue back and forth over Janice's clitoris, and Janice savored the growing intensity of the sensations racing through her as she began concentrating on Alice's clitoris. The bed quivered under them from their movements as the convulsions rolling through their bodies became more violent and urgent. Alice's tongue began to move spasmodically as the sensations gripped her, pulling her attention away from Janice, then she suddenly began turning on the bed, whimpering. "Let's come together, darling. Get on top and make us come together. I want to see you when you come, and I want us to come together. Please…"
Janice pushed herself up from the bed, nodding and pressing Alice down onto her back. Alice lay back and spread her thighs apart, her breasts moving from her panting breaths, and Janice hovered over her, putting one knee between her thighs and lowering herself until their vulvas were in contact. Alice whimpered, spreading her thighs wider and lifting herself, and Janice began slowly revolving her hips, stroking their vulvas together. They looked at each other, their faces flushed crimson and their eyes shining brightly, and Janice wrapped her arms around one of Alice's thighs and gripped it tightly to her as she began moving her hips more rapidly. Alice's mouth opened and she began moaning over and over as she undulated, pressing herself up against Janice. "…almost… almost there, darling… minute… going to come in a minute… come with me, darling… let's come together, darling…"
Janice nodded breathlessly, revolving her hips faster, then a quick, hard spasm raced through her and she threw her head back and opened her mouth wide. Her back curved and she pressed herself down harder against Alice, and Alice began uttering short, muffled cries as her body undulated in rolling waves. The intense, crushing pressure ballooned within both of them, tugging at them, and they paused together on the brink for an endless instant. Their fingers clutched and dug at each other as they strained, then their cries of ecstasy blended as they exploded into a simultaneous orgasm, their bodies thrusting together in a flurry of motion.
Later they lay in each other's arms, gently caressing each other. Alice had her head on Janice's breasts, and she fondled them and kissed them as Janice slowly stroked and patted her hair. "I won't be leaving until this weekend," she murmured. "Will we be able to…? Will you let me…"
"Of course, darling," Janice sighed softly, nuzzling her lips into Alice's hair. "Go to sleep now, and later we'll have a cup of tea and talk about it."
Alice sighed and nodded, relaxing against Janice. She settled herself, cupping one of Janice's breasts loosely in her hand, and a moment later she was breathing with a slow, deep rhythm as sleep swept over her.
Janice looked up at the ceiling, still absently stroking Alice's hair. There was a gaping, yawning hollow within her. A void, black and deep. She was thinking of Wendy. She began crying quietly, the tears trickling from the corners of her eyes and running down her cheeks.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The telephone began ringing as she started out the door. She closed the door, walked into the living room, and picked it up. "Doctor Wycliffe."
"Janice, thank God I caught you," Christina's excited voice came through the instrument. "The Goddamnest thing you've ever heard of has fucking happened, and I just knew I wouldn't be able to catch you until…"
"Christina, must you talk that way?"
"Goddamnit, when you hear what I've got to say, you might be talking that way yourself. Jannison just called me from the airport. His daughter's been taken to the hospital in serious condition, and her husband called him about an hour ago. He just managed to catch an airplane, and he told me to call you."
There was a moment of silence, and Janice composed herself and nodded. "Yes, well, thank you for calling, Christina."
"Thank you for – is that all you've got to say, Janice? Don't you remember what day this is?"
"Certainly. The gala performance is this evening, and apparently Doctor Jannison will not be here to conduct. Very well, I shall conduct."
There was another moment of silence, then Christina sighed and chuckled. "No shit, I'll never understand musicians. Honest to God, I never will. Some little something that doesn't amount to anything comes up, and you're like an Atlas missile. Then something like this, and you're like the Rock of Gibraltar. I'll never understand…"
"Christina, I am, after all, a conductress. I have conducted many times before."
"But this is different, Janice. The governor and half of the state legislature will be there. It's been in all the journals and in newspapers all over the state, and half of the music lovers in the country will be there. It's been sold out for three weeks, and… Christ, I wasn't saying you couldn't do it, but… a gala performance, Janice – Christ, that's something else…"
"Christina, I really can't understand the cause of your concern," Janice said, irritation creeping into her voice. "I can assure you…"
"Goddamnit, I'm worried about you – you, you little doll. I don't like for you to be worried or… or upset, or anything. Fuck the gala – it could be cancelled as far as I'm concerned, and if I thought it was really going to bother you I'd go down there and set the fucking music hall on fire and it would have to be cancelled."
Janice laughed softly. "I'm not upset, Christina. So stop worrying."
"Well, I won't. If you want me for anything or want to talk to me… or for me to fix your lunch for you or something, just call. Okay?"
"Very well. Goodbye, Christina."
"Goodbye, little doll. Goodbye and good luck tonight."
"Yes, thank you. Goodbye."
She put the receiver down, then picked it up again and dialed the number of the administration office at the conservatory. The telephone at the other end rang a couple of times, then someone answered. "This is Doctor Wycliffe. I find that I will be unable to take my orchestra class this afternoon – could arrangements be made for a substitute? Thank you very much. Goodbye."
She replaced the receiver and walked into the kitchen, thinking. The rehearsals before and after Jannison's return had gone fairly well, and the orchestra was ready. Wendy's leadership in the cello section had been accepted without question after they'd heard her play, and the improvement she had made in the section had almost been worth the torture of having those blue eyes before her while she conducted the rehearsals. Almost. All the rough spots had been worked out of the Mahler, so it should go well.
Should. But the performance of an orchestra from one time to another was a difficult thing to control. Their technical performance for her was more accurate, but from time to time they seemed to be more inspired by Jannison. The difference was great enough to take the edge off a performance.