Read Online The Secret of Spring by Piers Anthony, Jo Anne Taeusch - Free Book Online
Authors: Piers Anthony, Jo Anne Taeusch
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thought we should see if we could grow together again," Herb said. "But, union is a serious step, and I don't think we should plant in haste. You do understand, Lily? I wouldn't have suggested we see each other again if that wasn't understood?"
He was babbling and knew it well, but he had no intentions of being pushed into something again.
"Yes, Herb, you've made that completely clear. It's just that we've known each other for so many seasons, and if you don't know how you feel about me by this time, I don't see how another season will change that."
Herb could see that strong will beginning to surface again. "It's not the situation which must change, but me," he said. "And who can say? You may be the one to call it off. You may grow tired of waiting."
"I will wait, Herb. I believe the fault was mine that you felt you must transplant. I was raised to hoe a straight row. There are many wild flowers out there to tempt a man, and if you have wandered, I must accept my share of the blame." She sighed.
"No," Herb said uncertainly. "That was not the only reason."
"Then you admit it was a reason," Lily exclaimed, pouncing upon his lack of conviction.
"It was," he reluctantly admitted. Herb hated to think he was so shallow as to discard seasons of a good relationship simply on the basis of sexual frustration. "I always admired your strong principles. It proved to me that you were a nice girl."
An odd look came over Lily's face. Herb wondered what he could have said wrong now. After all, he had just paid her a compliment.
"You mean," she pondered briefly, "if I didn't bed with you, then you knew I wasn't bedding others?"
She certainly had a way of getting to the root of the matter, Herb thought. "Yes, I guess go. That is what I meant." He was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken.
"And, what if I had bedded another?" she asked softly.
Herb looked surprised. That notion had never crossed his mind. He had always assumed she was unsoiled. The arrogance of the male ego had dismissed any possibility that she might simply have preferred someone other than him.
"I see. Well, that makes no difference to our friendship now, Lily," he managed to say. He noticed that odd look was still on Lily's face.
"Oh," she said. "You forgive me?" Was the tone slightly sarcastic?
"No. I mean, yes. I mean, there is nothing to forgive." What was she trying to do?
That answer seemed to satisfy her at last. "Yes, Herb, that is so, for I have not bedded with any other."
That stripped away the last of his patience. "Then why the blight did you even bring it up?" he asked in exasperation.
"Because I know as a man you must have bedded others, if not before, then in your absence. It also makes no difference to me. But, I didn't know if that was an issue still between us. Now I see it is not. We can make a fresh start together."
She smiled possessively and squeezed his hand in hers. Herb began to see light dawn. It was her way of saying that she would overlook his past, but now expected fidelity since she was pledging hers. Smart girl.
"We can begin fresh," he agreed, acceding to their unspoken pact. Lily smiled up at him with a pleased expression. She had neatly won her case. He took both her hands in his and gave them a kiss. Lily was a good woman, and if she was willing to take him back and wait upon his decision, the least he could do was give their relationship every chance to flourish.
Herb did not stay long after their talk. Though her family was prosperous, she was a dedicated working girl who had to be at the Nursery early the next morning. Herb felt a bit drained from the emotional confrontation, and decided to make an early night of it himself.
He was soon home in his small apartment, stretched across his water bed, thumbing through the swimsuit issue of Play Plant magazinia . The photosynthegraphs of scantily clad passionflowers leaped out at him from the scented pages. He almost regretted
He was babbling and knew it well, but he had no intentions of being pushed into something again.
"Yes, Herb, you've made that completely clear. It's just that we've known each other for so many seasons, and if you don't know how you feel about me by this time, I don't see how another season will change that."
Herb could see that strong will beginning to surface again. "It's not the situation which must change, but me," he said. "And who can say? You may be the one to call it off. You may grow tired of waiting."
"I will wait, Herb. I believe the fault was mine that you felt you must transplant. I was raised to hoe a straight row. There are many wild flowers out there to tempt a man, and if you have wandered, I must accept my share of the blame." She sighed.
"No," Herb said uncertainly. "That was not the only reason."
"Then you admit it was a reason," Lily exclaimed, pouncing upon his lack of conviction.
"It was," he reluctantly admitted. Herb hated to think he was so shallow as to discard seasons of a good relationship simply on the basis of sexual frustration. "I always admired your strong principles. It proved to me that you were a nice girl."
An odd look came over Lily's face. Herb wondered what he could have said wrong now. After all, he had just paid her a compliment.
"You mean," she pondered briefly, "if I didn't bed with you, then you knew I wasn't bedding others?"
She certainly had a way of getting to the root of the matter, Herb thought. "Yes, I guess go. That is what I meant." He was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken.
"And, what if I had bedded another?" she asked softly.
Herb looked surprised. That notion had never crossed his mind. He had always assumed she was unsoiled. The arrogance of the male ego had dismissed any possibility that she might simply have preferred someone other than him.
"I see. Well, that makes no difference to our friendship now, Lily," he managed to say. He noticed that odd look was still on Lily's face.
"Oh," she said. "You forgive me?" Was the tone slightly sarcastic?
"No. I mean, yes. I mean, there is nothing to forgive." What was she trying to do?
That answer seemed to satisfy her at last. "Yes, Herb, that is so, for I have not bedded with any other."
That stripped away the last of his patience. "Then why the blight did you even bring it up?" he asked in exasperation.
"Because I know as a man you must have bedded others, if not before, then in your absence. It also makes no difference to me. But, I didn't know if that was an issue still between us. Now I see it is not. We can make a fresh start together."
She smiled possessively and squeezed his hand in hers. Herb began to see light dawn. It was her way of saying that she would overlook his past, but now expected fidelity since she was pledging hers. Smart girl.
"We can begin fresh," he agreed, acceding to their unspoken pact. Lily smiled up at him with a pleased expression. She had neatly won her case. He took both her hands in his and gave them a kiss. Lily was a good woman, and if she was willing to take him back and wait upon his decision, the least he could do was give their relationship every chance to flourish.
Herb did not stay long after their talk. Though her family was prosperous, she was a dedicated working girl who had to be at the Nursery early the next morning. Herb felt a bit drained from the emotional confrontation, and decided to make an early night of it himself.
He was soon home in his small apartment, stretched across his water bed, thumbing through the swimsuit issue of Play Plant magazinia . The photosynthegraphs of scantily clad passionflowers leaped out at him from the scented pages. He almost regretted
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