Read Online The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Iris Johansen
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leading the
life she has."
"She has no need for weapons," Lion said impatiently. "I have no intention of being cruel
to her."
"Oh yes, she'll need weapons." Lorenzo's index finger circled the rim of his goblet.
"When you take her to Mandara."
Lion stiffened. "I don't take my mistresses to Mandara."
"You'll take Sanchia. Because she belongs to you."
"No, per
Dio
, you know I never--"
"You will this time." Lorenzo cut in, lifting his gaze from the goblet. "I look forward to
seeing what will result."
"Because you enjoy watching all our lives thrown into a turmoil for you to savor."
For the first time the mockery faded from Lorenzo's face. "No, because that foolishness
at Mandara has gone on too long. It's time someone changed the course of events."
"Stay out of it, Lorenzo. It's my choice."
The mockery instantly returned to Lorenzo's face. "I don't think I could bear to do that.
Our last stay at Mandara offered me no amusement whatsoever. All that sweetness and
knightly restraint... It made me quite ill."
"How regrettable. I fear you must resign yourself to it. I take no bedmates to Mandara."
"We shall see." Lorenzo drained the last of his wine, set the goblet on the table and stood
up. "Now I bid you good night. Do tell me in the morning how you enjoyed your little
Sanchia." He moved toward the door. "Do you suppose she's a virgin? The possibility
never occurred to me until she told us of her ingenious perfume." His gray eyes gleamed
silver in the candlelight as he glanced back over his shoulder. "How splendid for you if
she is. Think how tight she'll be around you and how sweet to hear the little cries of
wonder and newfound delight." He added softly as he opened the door, "And that would
make her all the more yours, wouldn't it?" He started to close the door and then paused.
"Ah, Sanchia, how charming you look... " He sniffed experimentally. "And smell. Go
right in, Lion's expecting you." He threw open the door and stepped aside. "Buona sera,
ladies."
Sanchia and Giulia entered the room, stopped just inside the door. With a jerky motion of
her head Giulia indicated Sanchia. "Well, does she please you?"
Lion's gaze traveled slowly over Sanchia's small form. It was clear to Lion that Giulia
was not pleased with the intruder and less with Lion's response to her and had probably
given her the most humble garment in all the wardrobes in this house. The simple velvet
gown Sanchia wore was of a rich brown shade, but had no elaborate trim or embroidery.
The tight sleeves came to her wrists, and the line of the gown was straight and graceful
falling from the low square neckline of the bodice. Yet the darkness of the gown made
the olive of Sanchia's skin glow golden, and the low square neckline revealed the lovely
line of her throat and the swell of her small breasts against the velvet of the bodice.
Lion's gaze lingered on the bare golden flesh of her upper breasts and felt a stirring in his
loins so intense it approached pain. "Yes, she pleases me."
"It took three scrubbings to get that stench out of her hair." Giulia's lips tightened as she
noticed Lion's gaze was still on Sanchia. "I suppose you'll not want me tonight?"
"No."
Giulia whirled, her blue velvet skirt flying. "You're mad. If you wish a change, I can
supply you with ten women who are more beautiful than this... this... child!"
The door slammed behind her.
"I don't like her," Sanchia said flatly.
"Then I'm sure it won't bother you to know that she has the same feelings toward you."
Lion's gaze lifted from the delicate line of Sanchia's throat. "Your hair is still damp."
"I don't know why it should be. She and those two women nearly smothered me toweling
it dry."
The color of her hair was not the brownish red he had first thought, Lion realized. The
mixture she had put on it must have dulled its color along with its luster. Now, though it
was still water-darkened, the candlelight revealed the fiery shimmer of auburn. "Come
here and let me look at
life she has."
"She has no need for weapons," Lion said impatiently. "I have no intention of being cruel
to her."
"Oh yes, she'll need weapons." Lorenzo's index finger circled the rim of his goblet.
"When you take her to Mandara."
Lion stiffened. "I don't take my mistresses to Mandara."
"You'll take Sanchia. Because she belongs to you."
"No, per
Dio
, you know I never--"
"You will this time." Lorenzo cut in, lifting his gaze from the goblet. "I look forward to
seeing what will result."
"Because you enjoy watching all our lives thrown into a turmoil for you to savor."
For the first time the mockery faded from Lorenzo's face. "No, because that foolishness
at Mandara has gone on too long. It's time someone changed the course of events."
"Stay out of it, Lorenzo. It's my choice."
The mockery instantly returned to Lorenzo's face. "I don't think I could bear to do that.
Our last stay at Mandara offered me no amusement whatsoever. All that sweetness and
knightly restraint... It made me quite ill."
"How regrettable. I fear you must resign yourself to it. I take no bedmates to Mandara."
"We shall see." Lorenzo drained the last of his wine, set the goblet on the table and stood
up. "Now I bid you good night. Do tell me in the morning how you enjoyed your little
Sanchia." He moved toward the door. "Do you suppose she's a virgin? The possibility
never occurred to me until she told us of her ingenious perfume." His gray eyes gleamed
silver in the candlelight as he glanced back over his shoulder. "How splendid for you if
she is. Think how tight she'll be around you and how sweet to hear the little cries of
wonder and newfound delight." He added softly as he opened the door, "And that would
make her all the more yours, wouldn't it?" He started to close the door and then paused.
"Ah, Sanchia, how charming you look... " He sniffed experimentally. "And smell. Go
right in, Lion's expecting you." He threw open the door and stepped aside. "Buona sera,
ladies."
Sanchia and Giulia entered the room, stopped just inside the door. With a jerky motion of
her head Giulia indicated Sanchia. "Well, does she please you?"
Lion's gaze traveled slowly over Sanchia's small form. It was clear to Lion that Giulia
was not pleased with the intruder and less with Lion's response to her and had probably
given her the most humble garment in all the wardrobes in this house. The simple velvet
gown Sanchia wore was of a rich brown shade, but had no elaborate trim or embroidery.
The tight sleeves came to her wrists, and the line of the gown was straight and graceful
falling from the low square neckline of the bodice. Yet the darkness of the gown made
the olive of Sanchia's skin glow golden, and the low square neckline revealed the lovely
line of her throat and the swell of her small breasts against the velvet of the bodice.
Lion's gaze lingered on the bare golden flesh of her upper breasts and felt a stirring in his
loins so intense it approached pain. "Yes, she pleases me."
"It took three scrubbings to get that stench out of her hair." Giulia's lips tightened as she
noticed Lion's gaze was still on Sanchia. "I suppose you'll not want me tonight?"
"No."
Giulia whirled, her blue velvet skirt flying. "You're mad. If you wish a change, I can
supply you with ten women who are more beautiful than this... this... child!"
The door slammed behind her.
"I don't like her," Sanchia said flatly.
"Then I'm sure it won't bother you to know that she has the same feelings toward you."
Lion's gaze lifted from the delicate line of Sanchia's throat. "Your hair is still damp."
"I don't know why it should be. She and those two women nearly smothered me toweling
it dry."
The color of her hair was not the brownish red he had first thought, Lion realized. The
mixture she had put on it must have dulled its color along with its luster. Now, though it
was still water-darkened, the candlelight revealed the fiery shimmer of auburn. "Come
here and let me look at
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