Page 36 of The Irish Gypsy
Patrick came straight to the point, buyingand paying for Bagatelle's whole cotton crop. Only half was pickedand baled, but he made arrangements for the rest to be shipped assoon as it was ready. She chided him for his impatience. "Asouthern gentleman wouldn't have brought up the subject of businessuntil he'd enjoyed our hospitality for a few days. Tell me,Patrick, are you always in a hurry?"
"When I know what I want, I walk a directpath to it, and I'm not always a gentleman," he warned.
"That's good, for I'm not always a lady," sheparried.
"The plantation intrigues me. Would you mindif I took a walk this evening?"
Outside in the darkness the air was hot anddamp, but it had a softness to it that he had never felt before.Insects, frogs and crickets made up a midnight band, and singingcould be heard in the direction of the slave quarters. The air washeavy with the fragrance of night-blooming flowers and themoss-hung trees made romantic, ethereal shadows. The atmospheremade him think of love, and Patrick was haunted by fleetingglimpses of Kitty. An overwhelming longing came over him that madea tightness in his chest and elsewhere. He mentally shook himselffor being a damned fool. Jacquine was within arm's reach. No girlthis, but a mature woman whose passion would match his own. He wentback to the house and climbed the stairs to his room. He decided hewouldn't go to her, but make her come to him. If she wanted it asmuch as he thought she did, she would come!
He removed his coat, unbuttoned his shirt andslipped off his shoes and stockings when there was a soft tap onthe door.
"Come in,chérie, he called.
To his amazement a small black girl took afew steps into the room and reluctantly closed the door.
"What would you like?" he asked, puzzled.
"I have to do my duties, sir," she saidshyly.
"What are your duties, child?" heinquired.
"Whatever you desire, sir."
He looked at her and suddenly he knew why shewas there. Another southern tradition for him to sample.
"What is your name?"
"Topaz, sir."
"Come, Topaz." He beckoned her to the light.She was not a pretty girl, but she was very young and quiteobviously inexperienced from the frightened looks she cast uponhim.
"Did your mistress send you to me?" he askedcuriously.
She hung her head. "Yes, sir. She picked mefor your bed wench. Please, sir, don't whip me?" she pleaded.
He put his finger under her chin and raisedher face until their eyes met. Fear, like he had seen in Kitty'seyes, mingled with mute pleading. He smiled kindly at her. "I won'twhip you, Topaz. I won't hurt you in any way. You are very sweetand lovely, but there is nothing I desire from you, sweetheart. Youmay leave now. Go to bed. Don't worry about your mistress. I willexplain to her."
Relief flooded her features. In that momentof kindness she felt real love for him and she fell to her kneesand kissed his hands. He gently disengaged himself and raised herhand to his lips before he held the door open for her to leave.
Patrick wondered if this was some kind oftest Jacquine had devised for him. He did not know if he had passedor failed, and he didn't really give a damn. He went out onto thegallery to smoke a cigar. He had not been there long when he sensedrather than saw Jacquine. He stood perfectly still and let herapproach. She was wearing a flimsy black negligee that showed herwhite skin through, even in the dark. He waited until she spokefirst. "You did not care for the companion I chose for you,Patrick?"
He crushed out his cigar and pulled her tohim roughly. "I choose my own bedmates, Jacquine. Stop fencing withme. There's no need to play cat-and-mouse games."
"I enjoy crossing swords with you, Patrick.You have such a formidable weapon."
He picked her up and carried her into hisroom. He lifted her as easily as if she had been the lightestweight imaginable and laid her full length on the bed. He removedhis shirt and pants and stood before her for inspection. "Tell mewhat you like; name your poison." He grinned down at her.
"You mean like a menu, Patrick? Whatever Ifancy, served any way I like?"
"Exactly! I will satisfy your hunger foryou."
"Well, first of all I like it on the floor,chérie.Then I want to be assaulted as hard and as long asyou can stand it."
His love play consisted of biting her nipplesand almost bruising her body with his hard hands. She groaned andwrithed in pleasure and demanded he penetrate her immediately. Hegripped her body with hard hands and bruised her mouth with his,bringing blood. He mounted her with a brutal lunge and thrusthimself to the hilt. He was just as rough and savage as she wantedhim to be, and she reached peaks of ecstasy with the pleasure-pain.He kept at it until she was satisfied and asked him to stop. Heignored her and thrust harder until she crossed her strong,well-muscled legs around his body and squeezed until she almostcracked his ribs. He withdrew, but strangely he had found norelease with this insatiable animal. They rested for a few minutes,panting against each other. Their sweat plastered their bodiestogether, and when she reached for him, thinking she would have tocajole him to arousal for a second bout, his burning, hard erectionjumped and quivered to her touch.
And so it was all night as he gave herwhatever she desired.
As he bathed and dressed the next morning,Patrick wondered what made her so insatiable. Was it because shehad been starved for so long without being satisfied, or was shealways like that? He suspected the latter was true and idlywondered how she would manage until her year of mourning was up andshe was free to marry again.
