Vol 2 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Jus Primae Noctis Volume 2, Chapter 2
Paris was a wonderful metropolis.
Walker had long grown accustomed to the dullness and quietness of Stonehaven; to him, Paris was just like a dream in vivid colour --- in the city that was full of laughter and clamour, women dressed in gaily-coloured clothes thronged the streets, standing around in small groups. Plays with scintillating dialogue were being staged one right after the other in the theatres, and the cafes were filled with gatherings of distinguished guests, with the literati composing and delivering impromptu poems that were replete with abstruse rhetoric.
Wilts.h.i.+re also seemed to have become affected by the ebullient atmosphere of the city, his veneer of being a languid gentleman receded and he was suddenly transformed into a pa.s.sionate Gallic lover. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with him as their horse carriage traipsed around the streets of Paris, listening to him constantly pointing out the various sights that pa.s.sed by their carriage window in an enthusiastic tone of voice, Walker distinctly felt that perhaps he had already embarked on the most mysterious and fascinating journey that he would ever have in his entire life.
Before they had left for Paris, Wilts.h.i.+re had gone to the tailor in Le Havre that was, by reputation, the best in town and had kitted Walker out in expensive attire from head to toe. His jacket was woven with gold thread, bringing out his flaxen coloured hair and eyes, perfectly masking the air of unsophistication that he exuded. His tall, imposing figure and strong musculature were made to appear even more striking, to the point where the pet.i.te Parisians perpetually took him to be a n.o.bleman hailing from Scandinavia.
The proprietor of the hotel had a.s.sumed that they were the scions of rich families who were in France for a leisure trip and recommended the Weiwaweisi [1] to them --- the most celebrated dance hall in Paris. The Weiwaweisi was quite famous even in London, it had a reputation for being a favourite haunt of the skirt-chasers and social b.u.t.terflies of Paris. At the moment, the two of them were en route to that place.
Wilts.h.i.+re seemed to have suddenly thought of an important question: “Walker, do you know how to dance?”
“Would any kind of dance do?” Walker turned his gaze from the nightscape playing out beyond the window.
“You know full well that I am not taking about Scottish dance or anything like that, I mean dances such as the waltz or some type of courtly dances...” When he saw that Walker's eyes had widened, Wilts.h.i.+re knew that there was no need to go on asking.
“You don’t know how to, right?” He gave a sigh, and began to doubt if they would be able to find any amus.e.m.e.nt on that night after all.
Crowded in among a tide of people, they entered the dance hall. Once inside, Walker kept on looking around curiously, taking the measure of his surroundings --- people from many spectrums of Parisian society were congregated here, such as: people of wealth, women of the demi-monde, well-born ladies and foreigners.
There was a band playing on two sides of the dance floor, and the dance floor was already quite crowded. Men were holding women in their arms and they spun around in intricate whirls, their bodies pressed as tightly together as if they were lovers.
“Whiskey?” Wilts.h.i.+re smiled as he pa.s.sed the drink in his hand to Walker. “Do you like it here?”He asked.
Walker made no reply, he drained all of the wine in the gla.s.s in one gulp and suddenly began smiling.
“Go and ask a woman to dance, since we have come to a dance hall, why limit yourself to sitting here just to accompany me.” He requested, thinking that he would like to have a gander at the Marquess's dance posture and movements.
“As opposed to dancing with women with clammy palms, I'll rather stay here and keep you company.” Under the table, Wilts.h.i.+re extended his hand over to Walker's, covering it with his own. The expression on the Marquess's face was very sweet, like a young schoolboy who had fallen head over heels in love for the first time.
“Just go, don't tell me that you think I will get jealous because of such a thing?”
It was only when he saw a smile rapidly blooming on Wilts.h.i.+re's face that it dawned on Walker that his manner of speaking had been like a lover's. His face turned red, but other than that, he also did not know how to revise that sentence in a proper manner.
Wilts.h.i.+re's smile was exceedingly happy, he leaned his body against Walker's; imitating the gestures of drunken people, he placed his arms around Walker's waist and placed his head against his chest.
“If there weren’t so many people here…” A long while later, he raised his head and looked at Walker with his limpid eyes while saying these ambiguous words in a voice that was full of tender feelings.
Walker was just about to give him a retort when he found that Wilts.h.i.+re had already released him, and had stood up. “I’ll give you a chance to admire my excellent dancing skills.”
Although he affected a relaxed demeanour, the fact of the matter was --- poor Wilts.h.i.+re knew that if he did not immediately leave with all haste, he might find himself pinning Walker beneath him right in front of everybody within the next few moments.
As he watched the Marquess go from his side and approach a gorgeously dressed woman, Walker also looked a little bit like he was unable to make sense of the matter. It took practically no persuasion from Wilts.h.i.+re, it seemed that the woman was captivated by his appearance and very quickly she stood up and proceeded towards the dance floor with Wilts.h.i.+re.
Clearly, he should behave as if nothing had happened, but Walker found that he was unable to tear his gaze away from the two people --- the two of them were pressed so close together, it was very obvious that the woman had a lot of confidence in the power of her ample bosom to tempt men.
The most hateful thing was that the Marquess was wearing the expression of an experienced ladies' man as he held the woman in his arms, and it was with an elegant bearing --- that somehow still did not lack for pa.s.sion --- that he led the woman and they spun around the entire dance floor. Very quickly, the pair of them became the focal point of attention in the dance hall --- the men looked at Wilts.h.i.+re with their eyes full of envy, while the eyes of the women lit up with a l.u.s.tre that suggested that they had just spotted an extremely desirable prey.
Walker gave a shrug of his shoulders at himself, just as he was thinking of getting up and going to fetch another gla.s.s of wine, a tall woman stood up and got in his way.
“I’m sorry, Miss, could you let me pa.s.s?” Behind the woman was the only route from his seat to the bar, and he had no choice but to ask her to make way.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” The woman asked him in stiff English. She had a pair of coquettish eyes and evidently had great faith in her charms; her revealing clothing was also a clear indication of her status.
Walker gave a glance at the gorgeous brocade jacket he was wearing, and knew that this lady of pleasure must have thought that he was an aristocrat or hailed from a wealthy family.
“I’m sorry, Miss, I don’t know how to dance.”
The woman was stumped for a bit, but then she quickly gave a delicate laugh and said: “Your friend looks like he's royalty when he dances, but you say that you don't know how to dance?” She looked towards Wilts.h.i.+re, who was still whirling around the dance floor, with a look of disbelief on her face.
“My apologies, but it’s true.” Walker decided to give up on the idea of fetching more wine, and was turning back to return to his seat but the woman quickly walked up and tugged at him.
“Mister, do you not wish to experience for yourself the pa.s.sion of a Frenchwoman?” She narrowed her eyes and peered up at Walker, as she brashly propositioned him.
Seeing that Walker did not respond, she simply leaned her whole body into Walker's chest.
“Mister, tall and strong foreigners such as yourself are my favourites, I can charge you a little less... if you and your friend want to have me together, that’s fine too…”As she was speaking, her hand was stroking Walker's thigh, slowly sliding upwards to the join in a most provocative fas.h.i.+on.
Walker got a fright, he tried to retreat, but in his carelessness, he tripped over a chair at his back, losing his balance and falling backwards….
Surprisingly, the back of his head did not wind up kissing the floor; instead his whole person fell into a familiar embrace.
“Are you alright?” Holding Walker with an exceptionally solicitous att.i.tude, Wilts.h.i.+re ignored the astonished glances that were unceasingly cast in their direction from all corners, and his dance partner was also looking at him from the dance floor, embarra.s.sed and at a loss.
Even when he was holding that woman in his arms on the dance floor, Wilts.h.i.+re had not stopped keeping his attention on Walker. When he saw that a woman had accosted Walker, he had already felt like abandoning the dance, and when he saw that Walker had tripped, his first reaction had been to push people out of his way and fly to Walker's side.
“I’m sorry Miss, but please stop bothering us!” He glared at the French prost.i.tute with cold green eyes, and the malicious intent in them caused her to back away repeatedly.
The boisterous sounds of the music rang out again, this type of insignificant episode would definitely not cause the people in the ballroom to stop their merry-making. The incident was quickly forgotten by everyone and they continued their dancing and laughing.
Dragging Walker along, Wilts.h.i.+re made a change of location to a nook that was more hidden from view, and shoved some wine, that he had somehow gotten hold of, into Walker's hand.
“Women!” The Marquess lambasted. His green eyes quickly looked at Walker's face searchingly, and as if he could not help himself, he bent his head slightly…
“You’ve gone mad! Look at where we are!” Walker gasped out in fright, twisting his head away as quickly as the bird flies before Wilts.h.i.+re could make contact with his lips.
“Yes! I am mad! I have gone crazy because of you!” It seemed as though the Marquess could tolerate no more, he downed the wine in his hand in one gulp, and fiercely pinned the Scotsman under his body.
“Let me touch you!” He was panting as he spoke by the side of Walker’s ear using a tone of voice filled with unfettered eroticism.
“To h.e.l.l with it! What nonsense are you saying! There are at least a few hundred people here…” Although they were in a corner that was darker than most, and there were tables in front blocking them from view, Walker still absolutely could not agree to go along with this type of madness from Wilts.h.i.+re.
Allowing no time for explanations or protests, Wilts.h.i.+re had undone the b.u.t.tons on his trousers, and his nimble and warm fingers had rapidly found the male organ that was hidden among the underbrush. Walker could distinctly hear the satisfied sigh that the Marquess heaved right at that very moment.
“You are a lunatic! You should be locked up in a lunatic asylum!” Walker could feel that the Marquess was attempting to part his legs, in that moment, he could bear it no more and gave voice to a low shout.
“Don’t yell, other people would only think that we are fighting…” The person who had taken the offensive was clearly him, but Wilts.h.i.+re was behaving as though it were Walker who was doing something wrong.
“Do you think that everybody else is stupid?” Unable to give vent to loud shouts, Walker could only desperately tug at Wilts.h.i.+re's hair with his hand in an attempt to make him let go. And still worse, wave after wave of pleasure was was.h.i.+ng over him uncontrollably, and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to suppress the moans that were issuing forth from deep in his throat.
This night was much too wild --- and he must be having a nightmare.
Walker was panting arduously, but dazzlingly gorgeous lights of many colours were dancing in front of his eyes uncontrollably --- a few minutes later, following a fit of convulsions, he finally lay down his weapons and surrendered, and shot out his hot desire while still gripped in Wilts.h.i.+re's hand.
“Oh G.o.d, I will definitely be going to h.e.l.l!” After it was done, Walker's trembling hand simply just could not do up the tiny little b.u.t.tons, he had been s.h.i.+vering non-stop from the time this had all started.