Chapter 9

Tim paced up and down in the living room of their apartment. Where was she anyway?... He couldn't imagine what had possessed him to treat her like that! He had been trying for two days to catch up with her, but she wouldn't even speak to him, and he didn't know where she was sleeping. If only I could talk to her, he thought. Damn... why did we ever come here! I was right at the beginning... why didn't I just stick with it? He winced as the memory of how Kate yelled and begged him to stop sodomizing her so brutally came back to him.

God, was he crazy or something, treating her like that? And all for what... It was true what she had said, he had been out fucking the little French bitch... not paying any attention to her... If she saw them like she said no wonder she had gone off the deep end. Old Dagon was probably waiting for her too!

Damn!

He took his topcoat and went out the door. Perhaps if he got some air, things would clear up in his head... and there was the slim chance that Kate might be outside. He felt sick as he traversed the tight and airy halls of Dagon Manor and he decided to stop on his way to his office to pick up some aspirin he had left there.

Once there he sat at his desk and gazed sadly out at the terrace. There were people at the pool. He rushed over to the window and peered out, totally unprepared for the sight that greeted his eyes.

Kate and Dot were in the midst of an animated conversation, both stretched out on the colorful lounge chairs beside the pool.

What on earth did they have to talk about? His heart was pounding at the sight of Kate who looked incredibly beautiful to him in a small blue bikini that he had never seen before. He had to talk to her, he just had to!

He opened up the French doors and called out to her.

"Kate..."

He prayed under his breath that she would come, not even caring what Dot thought about the fact that he hadn't seen her in days... whereas they usually met at least once every day out by the hedge maze or in her room.

Kate looked up when she heard her name being called. She removed her big sunglasses and guarded her eyes with her hand. Squinting in the bright sunlight, she saw her husband standing at the office door.

What a bore, she thought. But she excused herself to Dot and got up from the chair, pulling the bottom of her suit down over one overly exposed buttock as she walked.

As she ambled slowly toward him, Tim wished that he could take her in his arms, but he didn't dare after what he had done to her the other day.

"Kate, baby!" he said, when she finally reached him.

Kate brushed past him and entered the office.

"Mmmmmmm," she said, "doesn't look like you've done much work in the last few days."

Tim restrained himself from mentioning that she hadn't even set foot in the office since the day of the party.

"Honey..." he said... "you've got to come back... I'll make it up to you somehow... we've just got to get out of this place while we still can! Remember... l told you we shouldn't have come... I told you it would be..."

Kate interrupted him icily, "And what do you propose that we do for money? I suppose you want me to get my old job back at Alfie's while you continue to write that masterpiece of yours?"

"No... I..."

"Well, it won't do, Tim. You've got to offer me better than that! You go and get a job that will give us more money than I'm making right now and then come back and get me. And maybe... just maybe I'll go with you! Until then, I really don't care what you do!"

She turned and walked out, leaving her shattered husband standing there. He watched her walk away, his face red with the conflicting emotions that played in his head. Finally he shrugged and went back to his desk to look for the aspirin he had originally come to get.

The dinner party took place three days later. Since Tim had not yet seen fit to leave the premises, Sam decided to make good use of him. Molly and Craig Soames would like him, he decided, so he sent Tim a note suggesting rather strongly that he put in an appearance in the main salon that evening.

Tim received the note under his door where Dot had placed it. He had been brooding and staying to himself for the last three days. Every now and then he would go the typewriter and try to work, but it was no good, nothing came.

He kept hoping that Kate would appear, but she never did. The most he could hope for was a brief glimpse of her in the halls... and whenever she caught sight of him, the expression on her face made it clear she wished he would leave. But somehow he couldn't leave. It would be admitting defeat and he wasn't the kind to do that easily. Sam Dagon hadn't said boo to him, so he assumed that he wanted him to continue his duties at the Manor; therefore, he decided he would stay until everything got resolved in one way or another.

When the note came inviting him to dinner that night, he was very pleased. He wasn't quite sure what it meant, but he knew that it would give him a chance to see Kate and Dagon at the same time. He visualized leaping up from the table, punching Sam Dagon in the nose, grabbing Kate and taking her out the big front door. What a pleasure that would be! Over and over he rehearsed the cutting words that he would fling at Dagon and at Kate too, if she got too sassy, and by the time he had donned his tux and stood tall and impeccably groomed in front of the mirror, he had worked himself into a nervous frenzy.

He walked through the halls, gazing at the pictures on the walls, portraits of Dagon's family, most of them, some landscapes and a sampling of still lifes. But he looked at the paintings without seeing, for he was still concentrating on what was about to take place, knowing that everything... his whole life hung on the evening's events.

The sound of laughter rose from the main salon to greet him as he descended the stairs and he realized for the first time that there would be other people attending the dinner party. Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that! All his carefully rehearsed words had to be hastily revised and, by the time he was face to face with the small group, he was thoroughly confused.

Kate looked up from her seated position and annoyance danced in her eyes at the sight of her husband, but she knew that Sam was counting on her, so she tried to cover the look with one of indifference. Her long soft orange brushed wool skirt trailed to her toes as she uncurled her legs from the chair and stretched them out before her.

Molly and Craig Soames turned to appraise the newcomer and Sam Dagon could see the sharpened interest in Molly Soames' face when she looked at Tim. He had been right again. Molly was looking around for a new man again. It didn't take her long to wear out her frequent lovers and toss them away like worn-out shoes. Not that Craig didn't make her happy. It was just that a woman like Molly could never be satisfied with just one man. Craig knew it and accepted it, being more than a casual girl-chaser himself.

It was important to Sam that he remain in the Soames' good graces, not only because he had known them for a long time and he liked them, but because Craig was the one banker upon whom he could always count. When in his extensive wheeling and dealing he needed another enormous loan arranged or an extension or something which was not quite according to Brown, Craig was the man he saw. It was a mutually satisfactory arrangement; well worthwhile to Craig whose prestige among his fellow bankers grew each time he managed another large account that was invariably Sam Dagon's or someone that Sam had brought to him.

"Well, do come in and sit down," Molly said to Tim, batting her long eyelashes flirtatiously. "My, what an attractive husband you have," she said, removing her eyes briefly from Tim in order to look over at Kate.

"Some people think so..." Kate said, noncommittally, looking away. She was thinking about Craig Soames. He had been looking at her with open admiration since he and his wife had arrived and Kate knew that Sam expected her to sleep with him later. The idea disturbed her, but she was beginning to become curious about him, in spite of the remaining traces of a morality that was rapidly disappearing. She would be voluntarily and with premeditation sleeping with a man that she had just met... someone she had only known for a few hours! But Sam had said he was a big banker, someone vitally important to his welfare and her also by association.

Sam had told her he would be attractive and he had been right. Craig was an older man with graying hair but he seemed very refined, very English in a way, and his steely blue eyes were hard to avoid. Kate found herself looking deep into them at the oddest moments, when she hadn't even thought he would be looking at her. She was beginning to feel on pins and needles about the whole thing. She hoped it would run as smoothly as Sam had said it would... and that soon after dinner Tim would disappear with Kate. In spite of herself, a pang of jealousy sparked through her at the thought... but then she reminded herself that she didn't care and attempted to forget it. There was so much to think about!

Tim sat down where Sam motioned him to sit. He had hardly glanced at Sam, he realized, as he gazed across at Molly Soames. The introductions had been made and the polite phrases of greeting completed. Kate had only mumbled at him and he could hardly grab her right then. Things seemed to be getting away from him... he could feel it happening almost immediately as the five of them sat cozily drinking double Beefeater martinis.

Molly's hand was on his knees... she was making some point in the conversation, but Tim couldn't remember what it was about. He hoped he wouldn't be called upon to make a coherent comment about it! His eyes kept returning to Molly's dress. It was made out of one of those new diaphanous materials and her svelte figure snuggled beneath it, completely nude! She hadn't stood up yet, so he didn't know if one could see her pussy outline, but he sure as hell was looking straight at two of the sweetest breasts, nipples and all, he'd seen in a long while! He knew that according to his plan he should have made some very caustic comments to Sam by now, swift and debonair enough to make Kate sit up and take notice... all preparatory to the punch in the nose... but somehow his mind kept wandering. His second martini was making its effects known... it certainly did taste good! And he couldn't quite understand about Molly Soames... He could swear she was making the biggest play for him since the creation of man, and yet no one seemed to notice... or if they did they didn't seem to care, Molly's husband least of all!

By the time they went in to dinner, Tim and Molly were almost inseparable. He really couldn't take his eyes off her... Her long red hair cascaded down over her shoulders, curling up at the ends. Tim noticed that it bounced when she walked and that wasn't all that bounced!

Dinner was superb... But only Sam Dagon seemed collected enough to enjoy a hearty dinner. Kate and Tim were seated facing each other with Craig sitting next to Kate and Molly next to Tim. And none of them paid too much attention to the array of gourmet dishes that were served and then whisked away by a very amused Dot.

While they were still sitting at the table, Tim felt Molly's hand on his knee once more, only this time, it continued moving up, inching toward his thigh. He sat totally still, shocked by her audacity.

"God, she's going after my cock!" he thought... what will I do when she gets to it?

He didn't have long to wait to find out, for Molly's inquisitive hand went straight for his already bulging penis, smoothing up and down along the surface of his trousers. Tim knew that little beads of perspiration were beginning to start out all over his face and he could hardly hold his dessert spoon, his palm was so wet. He looked around at the others to see if they could tell what was happening, but no one seemed to be looking at him. He noticed that Kate and Craig were deep in some conversation... he only caught a couple of words here and there... something about decorating... but then he ceased thinking about it almost immediately as Molly's fingers dug softly into his rampant member, and he heard her whisper huskily to him.

"Let's get out of here..."

"But," he looked around at the others...

"No one cares..." Molly said urgently. Then she turned to Sam. "Tim and I would like to go discuss something privately... do you have any ideas?"

Sam smiled... "Of course... Why not the "cave"... you've always liked the atmosphere down there, Molly... You know how to turn the music on don't you? Why don't you just run along and have your liqueurs down there... We'll all manage without you, I'm sure."

Tim blushed deep crimson. He'd never been in a situation like this one before that was for sure! He'd just have to deal with Kate later. This evening clearly was not the moment! Right now, he wanted to get his hands under that dress of Molly's... he was dying to feel her groaning under him. He bet she was a wild one all right!

Tim and Molly excused themselves and rapidly left the room, Tim leading the way down to the "cave." As they were descending the stairs, he cupped his hands under Molly's almost bare bottom and drew her to him, feeling the softness of her belly and the hardness of her sex mound pressing to his throbbing cock.

"Oh, baby... let's get that dress off of you! Come on!" He pulled her into the darkness of the cave and without bothering to turn on the lights, fell down with her to one of the many foam rubber pads that conveniently surrounded the walls.