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"Oh! for all the saints in the calendar!" Madelaine burst out, then lowered her voice "Ilad of your company, Mr Shererous"

He paused at the corner of Pine Street "I will take you home"

"My coachman will do that, thank you," said Madelaine amiably, "after we have our private discussion"

This tierness in his eyes as he looked down at her "What did you , Madae part, is up to you," said Madelaine, regarding him steadily "I will not seduce you, or deive; I want no hed abruptly "What man would that be? One who is dead, or prefers the bodies of men?"

Maddaine answered him seriously "I do not ht, it is there for the taking, all around us, at acceptable prices Ito see into my soul And to let htened up and stared down the dark street "Well, your candor is adhtfully "Let me nant to you, then I will not iet that any of this was said No matter what you ations to ed by any desire I e, or to hurt your fah his arether"

"And that I ive her one e heryou, Mr Sher to spend time with you"

"Whatever that means," said Sherman

"Whatever that means," Madelaine concurred

San Francisco, 16 June, 1855… Tonight will be better

The sheets were fine linen, as soft as antique satin, and there were six pillows and a dalorious disarray about the bed In the wan spill ofonly a loosely belted dressing robe, and sazed out into the darkness "The other evening and now this Whatto your discredit," said Madelaine quietly, hardlyas she spoke "I think you do not trust what you want" She pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts

"That’s kind," he said tightly "Many another woman would be offended"

Madelaine turned on her side to look at hi him with a serious expression "If that’s not it, what is bothering you?"

He met her eyes "You are"

"Why do I bother you? Would you rather not be here?" she asked, more puzzled than apprehensive

"No There is no place I would rather be," he answered evenly

"Then why--?" she began, only to be cut off

"Because it is what I want," he said bluntly, and stubbed out his cigar in the saucer she had set out for that purpose "A e, has other women for convenience and amusement It isn’t that ith you You are not a convenience or an entertainment You arc not convenient at all You are what I want All of you And I should not Iat his sash and flinging it aside as he reached her He stared down at her as his robe fell open "Do you knohat ityou? I want to possess you, and I fear you will possess me I am afraid that once I touch you, I will be lost"

"Is that so terrifying a prospect?" she asked,tohe dropped his dressing robe to the floor, letting it lie in a velvet puddle

"Then come and stretch out beside ht" She piled up the pillows "I don’t require you to take me"