Part 30 (1/2)

The torches were alive with yellow b.u.t.terfly-flames. ”I can't forget it.” His eyes were whiter than white.

”You remember the thing we might have done that night, but it turned out to be a thing we didn't do?” It was late and my tongue had gone bleary. ”The thing you stopped us from doing?”

”I especially can't forget that.”

I was asking about l.u.s.t, wasn't I? I was fairly certain of it. But isn't love supposed to come before l.u.s.t? It does in the dictionary.

”Did you do that with Leanne?”

He flung out a hand. It's silent London language. I believe it's meant to hail a cab. Which also means the cab must stop. ”What do you think I am?” His lion's eyes matched the candlelight. ”I don't go about preying upon young and virtuous ladies.”

”Leanne's not a virtuous lady.”

”Let's not get into that again.”

”She's not even that young.”

”Just wait until you're twenty-two-”

I interrupted him. ”She's twenty-three.” But when one is cheerful, one doesn't mind interrupting. ”Do you remember what she said to Rose? Leanne said she was very old indeed.”

”I do remember.” Again, I couldn't read his expression.

My tongue thought of a cleverer thing to say. ”Never mind Leanne. Have you done it with ladies who lack virtue? They're often rather old, aren't they?”

Eldric laughed quick and loud, as though he'd been startled. ”You've had too much wine.” His eyes were golder than gold.

But I liked wine. Wine was cheerful.

”You're making me squirm,” he said. ”Let's hope you don't remember this tomorrow.”

”I have an excellent memory.”

”I know,” said Eldric. ”It's quite a problem.”

I'd forgotten about the chocolate flower-biscuit. I'd eat it, although one doesn't usually eat a flower. ”Just answer me, and we'll pretend I'll have forgotten by tomorrow.”

This time Eldric flung up both hands, which I knew wasn't to stop a cab but to surrender. See how quickly I'm learning this silent language?

”How can I put it-without blus.h.i.+ng, at least!”

”You're already blus.h.i.+ng,” I said.

”Not much like a bad boy, am I?” said Eldric. ”I could perhaps start by mentioning that I'm a man-”

”A boy-man,” I said.

”A boy-man? How am I to take that? Shall I thank you or challenge you to a boxing match?”

”A boxing match,” I said. ”But no more of those silly b.u.t.terfly punches!”

Eldric smiled. ”Very well. I'm a boy-man, then, and a boy-man who's twenty-two years old-”

I saw where he was going. ”What a terrible way to put it!”

”How so?”

”If I were to give you the same answer, it would have no meaning, would it? Isn't it a.s.sumed that a young lady of seventeen, or twenty-two, even, has refrained from acting upon, well-”

Here my tongue, until now so merry, failed to find a non-squirmy word.

”Impulses?” said Eldric.

”Impulses.” Actually, it would be a.s.sumed that the young lady had no such impulses at all, but I'll tell you something: Chocolate melts on my tongue too.

”It's unfair, I suppose,” he said. ”But it's true. It's simply true that a twenty-two-year-old man has more liberty than a girl.”

”If she's a girl of virtue.”

”Just so.”

”Am I pretty again?” I said.

”You're always pretty!”

”I wasn't when I was ill. You told Rose!”

”Rose told you that! It was just by way of explaining to her-yes, you're pretty again.”

”Am I beautiful?” I said.

”Beautiful,” said Eldric.

”Leanne is beautiful,” I said.

”No more wine for you,” said Eldric.

It is possible that at this point I slipped from my chair. Eldric said we must be getting home. ”I have a surprise for tomorrow. I want you to feel well enough to enjoy it.”

I said I was fond of wine and chocolate biscuits. But Eldric said I mustn't have any more. I kicked him under the table.

”Time to go,” said Eldric. ”I hope we can keep this from your father.”

”I hate my father.”

”Do you really?” said Eldric. ”That's probably the wine talking.”