ggk.asongforarbonne-第69节

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wareness　that　he　was　lying　on　something　unexpectedly　soft　and　there　was　a　scent　surrounding　him。　He　knew　that　scent；　it　had　associations　for　him；　a　great　many。　And　an　instant　later；　as　full　awareness　returned；　Blaise　realized　where　he　must　be。　His　eyes　snapped　open　with　the　shock　and　he　twisted　his　head　around　to　see。　The　movement　made　him　immediately　nauseated　and　he　gasped　with　pain。
　　〃I　do　regret　that；〃　a　woman's　voice　said；　〃but　I　had　to　advise　them　you　might　not　e　willingly。〃
　　〃Why　bother？〃　Blaise　gasped。　He　couldn't　see　her。　She　was　behind　him。　It　was　only　when　he　tried；　with　another　painful　effort；　to　turn　his　body　that　he　realized　that　his　limbs　were　bound。　He　was　on　her　bed；　which　explained　the　softness；　and　his　hands　and　feet　were　tied　to　the　four　bedposts。　The　never…forgotten　scent　of　her　perfume　was　all　around　him。　〃Why　didn't　you　just　have　me　killed　in　the　street？〃
　　〃What？〃　said　Lucianna　Delonghi；　moving　at　last　into　his　field　of　vision。　〃And　deprive　myself　of　this　pleasure？〃
　　He　had　not　seen　her　for　more　than　a　year。　She　was　clad　in　silk　so　diaphanous　she　might　as　well　have　been　naked　to　his　sight。　The　glitter　of　jewellery　was　all　about　her：　a　diadem　in　her　hair；　sapphires　at　each　ear；　diamonds　and　sea　pearls　around　her　throat。　There　were　rings　on　her　long　fingers；　gold　and　silver　or　ivory　at　each　wrist　and　one　spectacular；　memorable　pendant　suspended　between　her　breasts；　red　like　the　fire　crackling　on　the　hearth。　She　liked　jewellery；　he　remembered；　she　liked　fires　in　her　rooms　even　when　it　wasn't　cold；　she　liked　cords　and　knots　and　toys　in　her　bed。
　　His　clothing　and　boots　had　been　taken　away；　he　was　clad　only　in　an　undergarment　that　shielded　his　sex。　He　tried　again；　without　success；　to　move　his　hands　and　realized；　with　a　kind　of　despair；　that　what　he　was　feeling；　as　much　as　fury　and　the　several　layers　of　pain；　was　the　returning　of　desire；　inexorable　as　the　tides　of　the　sea。
　　She　was　so　beautiful　it　caused　a　kind　of　constriction　around　his　heart。　She　was　an　incarnated　vision　from　the　legend　of　the　paradise　that　waited　for　corans　who　died　in　battle。　His　mouth　was　dry。　He　looked　at　her；　in　her　shining；　long…limbed　near…nakedness；　and　the　memory　of　their　love…making　two　summers　ago；　her　body　intertwined　with　his；　legs　wrapped　high　around　him　or　straddling　his　waist　as　she　rode　above；　her　fingernails　scoring　his　shoulders　and　arms；　the　eloquent；　striving；　backwards　arch　of　her　throat　when　she　came　to　her　culmination…it　was　with　him　again　as　if　happening　now；　enveloping　as　the　scent　in　the　room。　He　became　aware；　helplessly；　that　his　excitement　would　be　visible。　Lucianna；　glancing　downward；　noted　that。　She　had　never　been　slow　to　observe　such　things。　She　looked　away　briefly；　a　small；　satisfied　smile　curling　about　her　lips。
　　〃How　sweet；〃　she　murmured；　in　the　nuanced；　husky　voice。　She　moved　out　of　his　sight　for　a　moment　and　then　came　back。　〃And　all　along　I　thought　you　left　because　you　were　angry；　because　you　had　lost　your　desire　for　me。〃　She　looked　down　upon　him　from　the　side　of　the　bed。　〃I　don't　like　it　when　men　leave　me；　Blaise。　Did　I　never　tell　you　that？〃　There　was　a　knife　in　her　fingers　now；　taken　from　the　bedside　table。　It　too　had　gems　in　the　hilt；　rubies　the　colour　of　blood。　She　began　to　play　with　it；　moving　towards　the　foot　of　the　bed；　biting　her　lower　lip　as　if　thinking　of　something；　chasing　a　memory；　and　then　idly　stroking　the　blade；　as　if　unaware　that　she　was　doing　so；　along　the　sole　of　his　foot。　She　twisted　it　suddenly　and　Blaise　felt　the　point　break　the　skin；　drawing　blood。　He　had　been　waiting　for　that。
　　〃I　left　because　you　wanted　me　to；　Lucianna。　Do　not　pretend　anything　else。〃　It　was　difficult　to　be　coherent　amid　both　the　aftermath　of　the　blow　and　the　increasingly　intense　reality　of　desire。　Her　scent　was　all　around　him；　pushing　clear　thought　even　further　away。　She　continued　to　move　about　the　bed；　the　curves　and　planes　of　her　body　lit　by　the　fire's　glow。　He　said；　〃Had　you　wanted　to　hold　me　you　know　you　could　have　done　so。　I　would　not　have　been　able　to　refuse；　even　after　Engarro。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　she　said；　stopping　now　to　look　directly　at　him。　Her　skin　was　pale；　flawless；　it　was　still　a　shock　sometimes　to　realize　how　young　she　was。　〃But　you　would　have　wanted　to　refuse；　wouldn't　you；　my　dear？　You　would　have　stayed　only　against　your　better　judgment；　tangled　in　my　dark　toils　。。。　is　that　not　how　it　would　have　been；　Blaise？〃
　　He　swallowed　with　difficulty。　She　was　her　father's　daughter；　the　subtlest　woman　he　had　ever　known。　She　was　also　dancing　the　knife　upwards　now；　along　the　inside　of　his　thigh。　〃I　need　a　drink；　Lucianna；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　know　what　you　need。　Answer　my　question。〃
　　Blaise　turned　his　head　away；　and　then　back；　to　look　her　full　in　the　eyes。　〃As　it　happens；　you　are　wrong。　I　was　even　more　innocent　than　you　knew。　Rudel　tried　to　warn　me…I　didn't　want　to　listen。　I　thought；　if　you　can　believe　it；　that　you　were　only　the　way　you　were　because　your　father　had　forced　you　to　be　his　tool；　an　instrument　of　policy。　I　thought　you　could　still　love　truly　if　you　made　a　free　choice；　and　I　thought　you　might　actually　give　that　love　to　me。〃　He　felt　the　bitterness　beginning　to　e　back；　step　by　step；　mingled；　as　ever；　with　desire。　〃I　was　even　more　a　fool　than　I　might　have　appeared。〃
　　It　occurred　to　him；　incongruously；　even　as　he　was　speaking；　that　Ariane　de　Carenzu　had　said　something　very　like　this　to　him　in　a　different　bed　in　summer；　about　choices　and　the　paths　of　love。　It　also　occurred　to　him；　belatedly；　that　there　was　something　more　than　a　little　absurd　about　this　exchange；　he　had　been　brought　here　to　die。　He　wondered　where　her　husband　was。　Borsiard　d'Andoria　was　probably　waiting　for　her　outside　the　city　walls。　It　had　been　the　corans　of　Miraval　who　had　brought　him　here；　though；　a　strange　union　this　one　had　turned　out　to　be。　When　one's　enemies　take　counsel　together；　the　proverb　ran　in　Gorhaut；　one　wants　the　wings　of　a　bird　to　fly；　or　the　strength　of　lions　to　fight。　He　had　neither　at　the　moment。　He　was　bound　and　helpless；　head　ringing　like　a　temple　bell；　on　Lucianna's　bed。
　　〃Do　what　you　want；〃　he　said　tiredly　as　she　remained　motionless；　saying　nothing。　Her　dark　eyes；　shadings　carefully　applied　above　and　below；　were　wide　but　unreadable。　The　pupils　were　larger　than　they　should　have　been。　She　had　taken　her　drugs；　he　realized。　They　heightened　her　pleasures。　He　wondered　if　she　used　them　all　the　time　now。　He　wondered　how　any　mortal　woman　could　possibly　be　so　beautiful。
　　He　tried　once　more　to　swallow。　〃I　would　have　thought　the　honour　of　your　family；　if　nothing　else；　would　preclude　torturing　a　man　who　never　did　or　meant　you　harm。〃　I　sound　like　a　lawyer　making　a　plea；　he　thought　sourly。　〃If　you　must　kill　me；　for　your　own　reasons　or　your　husband's；　then　have　done　with　it；　Lucianna。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　again。
　　〃You　really　aren't　in　a　position　to　make　requests；　are　you；　Blaise？〃　Her　tone　had　sharpened。　〃Or　to　ment　unpleasantly　on　either　my　father's　or　my　husband's　courses　of　action。〃　He　felt　the　knife　point　in　his　thigh。　He　refused　to　react。　He　kept　his　eyes　closed；　it　seemed　to　be　his　only　option　of　denial。　That；　and　silence。　Once；　in　Mignano；　she　had　known　he　was　displeased　about　something　she　had　said　at　a　banquet。　Her　woman　had　e　to　lead　him　to　her　chambers　much　later　than　usual　that　night。　When　they　arrived；　he　had　seen　why。　There　had　been　easily　a　hundred　candles　of　different　shapes　and　sizes　burning　around　the　bed　where　Lucianna　had　lain；　naked　in　the　flicker　and　dance　of　all　that　light　like　an　offering　in　some　temple　of　dead　and　forgotten　gods。　She　had　been　bound；　wrist　and　ankle；　as　he　was　now。　She　had　waited　for　the　woman　to　leave　that　night　and　had　said；　〃You　are　unhappy。　You　have　no　cause　to　be。　Do　with　me　as　you　will。〃　It　had　not　been；　he　remembered　noting　even　at　the　time；　an　apology。　She　was　not　a　woman　who　apologized。　Her　body　had　glistened　and　shimmered　with　oil　as　she　twisted　slowly　to　left　and　right　in　the　blaze　of　the　candles；　not　smiling；　her　eyes　enormous。　Blaise　had　stood　above　the　bed；　looking　down　upon　her　for　a　long　time。　Slowly　he　had　removed　his　own　clothing　as　she　lay　bound　beneath　him　in　a　dazzle　of　light；　watching　。。。　and　then　he　had　untied　all　the　knots　that　bound　her　before　lowering　himself　to　the　bed。
　　Lucianna　had　laughed；　he　remembered。　He　had　thought　then　it　might　be　from　a　certain　kind　of　relief。　Now；　living　the　moment　again；　he　heard　that　laughter　differently；　as　genuine　amusement　at　his　innocence：　a　war…trained　Gorhaut　coran　in　decadent　Portezza；　coupling　with　the　least　innocent　woman　in　the　world。　Young　as　she　was；　Lucianna　seemed　never　to　have　been　young。　The　bitterness　was　in　him　again；　there　might　always　be　that　bitterness。　Bertran　de　Talair；　he　thought　suddenly；　had　never　managed　to　move　past　what　had　happened　to　him　in　love　when　he　was　young。
　　She　was　silent　still。　Blaise　kept　his　head　averted；　his　eyes　closed。　He　felt　the　knife　blade　withdraw　and　a　moment　later　heard　Lucianna　say；　〃I　thought；　back　then　。。。　I　remember　thinking　towards　the　end　of　that　summer；　before　Engarro　was　killed　。。。　that　I　had　met　you　too　late。〃　An　odd　note　in　her　voice。　But　that　was　not　what　finally　caused　Blaise　to　open　his　eyes。　He　had　heard　another　sound；　from　the　far　end