Read Online The Strange Story of Linda Lee by Dennis Wheatley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dennis Wheatley
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Eric would not make things difficult for her by trying to take advantage of the fact that she was obviously attracted to him.
In September she and Rowley again went to Venice. It was on their fourth day there that, while swimming in the pool, he had his first heart attack. Two other men fished him out, and a doctor who happened to be present dealt with the situation. Rowley was put to bed, and Linda, seized with terrible distress and anxiety, did everything possible for him. For a week she nursed him devotedly, then he was declared fit to travel and, to her immense relief, she got him safely back to England.
He was soon fully recovered, but from then on had to be careful not to exert himself. His doctor warned him that in future sexual intercourse might prove very dangerous to him. When Rowley told Linda this, she said at once that he must not come to her room any more.
With considerable diffidence she took the opportunity to broach a subject that had been worrying her ever since he had had his coronary, and said:
‘Darling, I hate even to think of such a possibility, but if you had died in the pool, or do so from another attack, I’ll be back where I was eighteen months ago, when you took pity on me in the train. Even worse off, in fact, because apart from the terrible grief I’d feel at losing you, having been so wonderfully spoilt by you I’d be even less capable of making both ends meet in an ill-paid job, and I wouldn’t have a penny.’
He pressed her hand. ‘Don’t worry, my sweet. For months past I have been meaning to make a new will, to ensure that you are well provided for. I’ll put it off no longer, and see to it next week. And I’m sure you know that although we can no longer sleep together I love you as fondly as ever.’
Nevertheless by early December he felt so much likehis old self that he asked her to let him. She was very loath to agree, but she had become so accustomed to enjoying his caresses that, during the past ten weeks, she had sadly missed them; so, with considerable anxiety, she gave way.
They were both very careful not to let themselves become over-excited, and no harm resulted. But they decided that it would be wise to restrain themselves to once every few weeks.
In February they went to the south of Spain and, after a fortnight idling in the sun, went on to Madrid, Seville, then Granada. There Rowley had his second attack. It was due to their having failed to get a taxi down in the city, so they had walked back up the long, steep hill to the Granada Palace Hotel, with its marvellous view over the valley.
Again Linda suffered torments of anxiety, but again Rowley recovered and she got him home safely. After a few weeks he was once more as spry as ever. But now they took a firm line. Visits to Linda’s bedroom had become too great a risk, and they resigned themselves to agreeing that these should take place no more.
March, April, May and June of 1971 went by, for Linda with a growing sense of frustration. During the first thirteen months that she had been Rowley’s mistress, in spite of his age he had, owing to his experience as a lover, not only satisfied her but, as she thought of Eric, aroused her passions to a pitch that she had never known during her brief encounters in the barn with Jim.
Throughout the autumn that followed Rowley’s first coronary, she had sadly missed the revels in which they had indulged at least once a week. Then, from December until February, there had at least been theirmonthly sessions to look forward to. The two months of continence during the autumn had been bad enough; but now it was over four months since she had known the delights of being made love to.
She was now over twenty, fully grown and strongly sexed. Every week that passed made her more unhappy about this aspect of her life, to which it now seemed she was condemned for an indefinite period. Angrily she endeavoured to put thoughts of sex out of her mind, but in bed every night, and
In September she and Rowley again went to Venice. It was on their fourth day there that, while swimming in the pool, he had his first heart attack. Two other men fished him out, and a doctor who happened to be present dealt with the situation. Rowley was put to bed, and Linda, seized with terrible distress and anxiety, did everything possible for him. For a week she nursed him devotedly, then he was declared fit to travel and, to her immense relief, she got him safely back to England.
He was soon fully recovered, but from then on had to be careful not to exert himself. His doctor warned him that in future sexual intercourse might prove very dangerous to him. When Rowley told Linda this, she said at once that he must not come to her room any more.
With considerable diffidence she took the opportunity to broach a subject that had been worrying her ever since he had had his coronary, and said:
‘Darling, I hate even to think of such a possibility, but if you had died in the pool, or do so from another attack, I’ll be back where I was eighteen months ago, when you took pity on me in the train. Even worse off, in fact, because apart from the terrible grief I’d feel at losing you, having been so wonderfully spoilt by you I’d be even less capable of making both ends meet in an ill-paid job, and I wouldn’t have a penny.’
He pressed her hand. ‘Don’t worry, my sweet. For months past I have been meaning to make a new will, to ensure that you are well provided for. I’ll put it off no longer, and see to it next week. And I’m sure you know that although we can no longer sleep together I love you as fondly as ever.’
Nevertheless by early December he felt so much likehis old self that he asked her to let him. She was very loath to agree, but she had become so accustomed to enjoying his caresses that, during the past ten weeks, she had sadly missed them; so, with considerable anxiety, she gave way.
They were both very careful not to let themselves become over-excited, and no harm resulted. But they decided that it would be wise to restrain themselves to once every few weeks.
In February they went to the south of Spain and, after a fortnight idling in the sun, went on to Madrid, Seville, then Granada. There Rowley had his second attack. It was due to their having failed to get a taxi down in the city, so they had walked back up the long, steep hill to the Granada Palace Hotel, with its marvellous view over the valley.
Again Linda suffered torments of anxiety, but again Rowley recovered and she got him home safely. After a few weeks he was once more as spry as ever. But now they took a firm line. Visits to Linda’s bedroom had become too great a risk, and they resigned themselves to agreeing that these should take place no more.
March, April, May and June of 1971 went by, for Linda with a growing sense of frustration. During the first thirteen months that she had been Rowley’s mistress, in spite of his age he had, owing to his experience as a lover, not only satisfied her but, as she thought of Eric, aroused her passions to a pitch that she had never known during her brief encounters in the barn with Jim.
Throughout the autumn that followed Rowley’s first coronary, she had sadly missed the revels in which they had indulged at least once a week. Then, from December until February, there had at least been theirmonthly sessions to look forward to. The two months of continence during the autumn had been bad enough; but now it was over four months since she had known the delights of being made love to.
She was now over twenty, fully grown and strongly sexed. Every week that passed made her more unhappy about this aspect of her life, to which it now seemed she was condemned for an indefinite period. Angrily she endeavoured to put thoughts of sex out of her mind, but in bed every night, and
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