Chapter 4

Antoine made himself a third scotch and soda. He sat in his favorite chair with his feet up on the ottoman and let the music toil at soothing him. He was still upset; completely confused about Galaxy Mining and Uncle Gaston, and a bundle of ragged, mixed emotions concerning Ginny Novak. He could hardly think of anything but the vivid memory of her soft, vibrant body pressing hotly against him in the playroom... her kisses and exuberant passion... her admittance that she had wanted him physically for so long, just as he had ardently yearned for her... insisting that they had to make love... even to suggesting their trysting place. God, it was wrong... wrong! And he knew it... such adulterous deceit behind his beloved Madeleine's back... and to commit against this man who had befriended and raised him... Christ, how low could a person sink? Well, he knew he was going to find out; he couldn't help himself. He would go to the summer house at Ste. Agathe des Monts tomorrow.

He didn't know but what Madeleine suspected something. She had hardly spoken to him after leaving the party at Uncle Gaston's, nor he to her, and the little conversation they had exchanged seemed desultory and strained. He wondered if she had seen him going off with Ginny; he doubted it, but then, of course, he wasn't certain. He couldn't face her anymore this night... not with knowing what he intended to do tomorrow, so he'd suggested the nightcap, certain she would refuse, and now he wanted to be sure she was sleeping when he joined her in bed.

Truly, he felt like a cad, but damnit, he doubted that he could endure a session of her amateur sexual calisthenics tonight, which was no reflection at all of his feeling for her; he loved her; there wasn't the slightest doubt in his mind about that... but he needed a woman, a warm-blooded, capable woman who knew how to satisfy a man... and there was damn little question but what Ginny Novak could and would accomplish the task. God, just the idea caused a stirring in his loins.

He tried to imagine what Uncle Gaston would do if he ever found out; he was such an unpredictable man that it was impossible to even hazard a guess. It was obvious that Ginny meant nothing to him except for satisfying his ruttish needs, yet, by the same token, Antoine assumed that he watched, or had her watched closely, just as he had with all the mistresses before her. They were his property; he appraised them, bought them, owned them, and when he was through with them they were discarded. Factually, Antoine had no idea what ever became of the many lovely young women he had seen come and go before Ginny, but he truly doubted that they were forced into the cordon of prostitutes who were obliged to share a large portion of their earnings with the czar of the Canadian underworld, as Ginny had tried to make him believe.

Antoine had never blinded himself to Gaston Larreau's sources of wealth, his criminal liaisons, or especially his syndicate connections, but nothing could ever make him believe that the man he called uncle would ever allow anything to happen to him. There was no question in his mind that if Galaxy was in serious trouble, he could rely on Uncle Gaston to protect him. Ginny was very much in error on that point, too.

She was acrimoniously bitter and he could understand that, the way the powerful little man abused her, but he was not about to let her vindictiveness cause him to lose his own head. After all, his allegiance... if he possessed such a thing... was primarily to his own... to Uncle Gaston and to Madeleine... but damn, he was going to fuck that breathtaking blonde beauty if it was the last thing he ever did... and he was going to hate himself for doing it... but there would be plenty of time for remorse... after.

He blended for himself his fourth 'nightcap'. The liquor had charged him comfortably; he felt quite confident and secure once again and the stirring at his loins had grown to sizable proportions. Perhaps, if Madeleine was still awake... He arose quickly and went into the bedroom, but she was sleeping. He moved close to the bed and smiled down at her lovely reposed form... surprised to note the two little furrows between her closed eyes at the bridge of her nose, as if she might be perplexed or troubled in a dream.

My God, she was beautiful and so innocent... and he loved her with all of his heart. He'd make it up to her, that's what he would do. No matter what happened between Ginny and himself at the summer place, he'd make it up to her. By God, he'd take an oath on that right now.

I love you, Madeleine darling. I swear it; I love you!