amc.killashandra-第32部分

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he　breed　and　that　Corish　tilted　it。　Oh；　he　says　he　came　in　on　the　Athena；　and　he　sounded　as　if　he'd　made　the　trip　on　her。〃　Then　he　added　in　another　tone　altogether；　〃I'm　glad　you　worry　about　my　safety。〃
　He　smoothed　back　her　sun…bleached　hair；　fingering　the　strands　before　he　patted　them　in　place；　his　whole　face　softening　as　once　more　he　fell　in　her　thrall。　Then　he　relaxed；　lying　back　again；　hands　under　his　head；　his　eyes　intent　on　her　face；　a　very　tender　smile　playing　at　the　corner　of　his　lips。　〃Anyway；　everyone　on　Angel　dislikes　federal　interference　as　much　as　we　do。　I　studied　under　a　master　of　heresy。　My　father。　The　duly　appointed　harbor　master　of　the　Angel　Island　archipelago　and　federal　representative。　If　you　can't　lick　'em；　join　'em。〃
　〃Your　father's　the　harbor　master？〃
　Surprise　registered　blankly　on　Lar's　face。　〃Of　course。　Don't　tell　me　you　didn't　know　that？〃
　〃I　do。　I　didn't。〃
　〃So；　if　you　really　insist　on　going　back　to　the　City；　you'll　have　to　be　very　nice　to　me。〃　He　was　smiling　as　he　gently　reached　for　her　arms　to　bring　her　down　to　him。
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Very　nice　to　me。〃
　〃Are　you　able　for　it？〃
　He　settled　her　into　the　curve　of　his　arm；　her　head　pillowed　on　his　shoulder；　his　cheek　against　her　hair。
　〃When　you　are；　beloved。〃　Then　he　yawned　and；　apparently；　between　one　breath　and　the　next；　fell　asleep。　For　another　long　moment；　Killashandra　heard　the　singing　in　her　blood　and　for　once　did　not　regret　its　murmur。　She　repositioned　her　arm　on　his　chest；　placidly　noting　that　the　fine　hairs　across　Lars's　pectoral　muscles　stirred　upright。　Well；　they　had　more　energy　than　he　or　she　did。　She　closed　her　eyes　and　was　also　claimed　by　sleep。
　Shouts　startled　them　awake：　the　cheerful　calls　and　laughter　of　people　fishing　on　the　beach。　Killashandra　couldn't　hear　what　was　so　exciting；　but　Lars　smiled。
　〃A　yellowback　school　has　been　forced　into　the　cove。〃　He　embraced　her　enthusiastically。　〃Once　they've　caught　what's　needed；　we'll　get　our〃　…　he　looked　about　for　the　angle　of　sunlight　…　〃our　dinner。　Hungry　yet？〃
　〃Hungry　enough　to　go　right　out　there　bold…faced。。。〃　She　made　as　if　to　rise；　for　her　belly　was　almost　painfully　empty。
　He　pulled　her　back　flat　beside　him；　kissing　her　half…formed　protest　into　silence。　His　eyes　were　unsmiling　as　he　then　gently　stroked　her　cheek。
　〃My　dear　girl；　with　those　bruises　on　you；　I'd　be　hauled　up　in　front　of　the　Island　Court　and　charged　with　rape。〃
　〃What　about　the　marks　on　you？〃
　〃You　resisted　my　improper　advances　…　〃
　〃And　you　made　enough　of　those　…　〃
　〃Precisely　what　the　bruises　say。　So；　since　I　have　a　reputation　to　maintain　in　this　munity；　we　will　remain　secluded。〃　He　emphasized　this　decision　with　a　gentle　kiss。　Then　he　stroked　her　hair　back　from　her　forehead　his　fingers　lingering　in　the　soft　gold…streaked　mass。　〃I　don't　wish　to　share　you　yet；　share　even　the　sight　of　you　with　anyone。　If　I　believed　the　ancient　tales　of　witchcraft；　sorcery；　and　enchantment；　I'd　name　you　'witch；'　so　I　would。　But　you're　not。。。　though　I　am　pletely　spell…bound　。。〃　His　fingers　became　insistent；　and　his　expression　was　an　urgent　appeal。　〃D'you　think　you　could　possibly　bear　me。。。　if　I'm　very　careful。。。〃
　She　chuckled　and　linked　hands　behind　his　head　to　bring　his　lips　to　hers。
　The　fishers　were　long　gone　before　they　finally　got　around　to　fishing。　Together　they　waded　out　through　the　gentle　tide。
　〃Stay　here；　Carrigana；〃　Lars　directed；　〃and　make　a　basin　of　your　skirt。〃
　She　did；　first　wringing　water　from　the　voluminous　folds。　Lars　was　thigh　deep　in　the　water　when　he　suddenly　bent　down　and　scooping　with　both　hands　sent　water；　and　fish；　flying　at　her。　She　missed　the　first　lot；　laughing　at　her　ineptitude；　but　neatly　caught　two　fish　in　the　second。　After　three　more　catches；　she　had　to　hold　up　her　skirt　lest　the　active　yellowbacks　flip　out。　Lars　splashed　back　to　inspect　her　catch；　grinning　at　his　success　and　her　bemusement。
　〃This　one's　too　small。〃　He　released　it。　〃Two；　four；　six；　seven。　How　many　can　you　eat？　Shall　I　get　more？〃
　Before　she　could　answer；　he　dove　back　toward　his　vantage　point；　and　peered　down　into　the　clear　water。　With　one　last　mighty　heave；　three　big　yellowbacks　were　sent　flying　in　her　direction。　She　cheered　when　she　caught　them　in　her　skirt；　closing　the　makeshift　net　and　running　awkwardly　through　the　wavelets　to　the　shore　before　any　of　the　squirming　fish　could　escape。
　Helping　her　secure　the　bundle；　Lars　laughingly　escorted　her　back　to　the　bushes　surrounding　their　secluded　clearing。
　〃You　clean　'em　and　I'll　get　firing；　and　see　what　else　I　can　scrounge；〃　he　said　as　he　held　the　bushes　back　for　her　to　enter。
　Gutting　fish　was　not　one　of　Killashandra's　favorite　chores；　but　she　had　finished　half　the　catch　before　she　realized　it；　washing　them　clean　in　the　little　brook。　Lars　was　back　as　she　slit　the　last　one。　In　one　crooked　arm；　he　held　twisted　polly　fronds　that　provided　a　quick　hot　fire；　and　another　basket　swung　from　his　right　hand。　He　found　rocks　by　the　stream　to　enclose　their　fire；　hauled　a　frying　sheet　from　the　basket；　and　set　out　oil；　seasonings　bread；　fruit；　and　another　pot　of　the　soft　island　cheese。
　The　quick　tropical　night　had　settled　upon　the　island；　enclosing　them　more　securely　in　their　clearing　as　they　finished　their　supper；　licking　the　last　of　the　juices　from　their　fingers。
　〃Going　to　be　nice　to　me？〃　Lars　asked；　leering　dramatically　at　her。
　〃Maybe　I'll　just　stay　in　the　islands。〃　Killashandra　surprised　herself　with　the　longing　in　her　voice。　〃There's　all　I　could　possibly　need　just　for　the　taking。。。〃
　〃Even　me？〃
　Killashandra　looked　up　at　him。　Despite　his　light　words；　his　voice　held　a　curious　entreaty。
　〃I　would　be　a　right　foolish　dolt　to　consider　you　part　of　the　taking。〃　She　meant　it；　for　quixotic　though　the　man　might　appear；　she　sensed　that　Lars　had　an　unshakeable　integrity　which　she；　or　any　other　woman；　would　have　to　recognize　and　accept。
　〃We　could　stay　in　the　islands；　Carrigana；　and　make　a　go　of　the　charter　service。〃　Lars；　too；　was　caught　in　the　same　thrall　which　infected　her　resolve。　〃Sailing's　never　dull。　The　weather　sees　to　that。　It　could　be　a　good　life；　and　I　promise　you　wouldn't　have　to　hack　polly！〃　His　fingers　caressed　her　hands。
　〃Lars。。。〃　She　had　to　set　the　record　fair。
　He　covered　her　lips　with　his　hand。　〃No；　beloved；　this　is　not　the　time　for　life…shaping　decisions。　This　is　the　time　for　loving。　Love　me　again！〃
　Chapter　12
　The　idyll　lasted　another　full　day　and　into　the　early　morning　of　the　third；　during　which　time　Killashandra　would　have　been　quite　willing　to　forego　all　the　prestige　of　being　a　crystal　singer　to　remain　Lars's　panion。　A　totally　impossible；　improbable；　and　impractical　ambition。　But　she　had　every　intention　of　enjoying　his　panionship　as　long　as　it　was　physically　possible。　She　was　haunted　by　memories　of　Carrik　and；　as　such　traumas　can；　they　colored；　and　augmented；　her　responses　to　Lars。
　It　was　the　change　in　the　weather　which　necessitated　their　return　to　society。　The　drop　in　barometric　pressure　woke　Killashandra　just　before　dawn。　She　lay；　wide　awake；　Lars's　lax　arms　draped　about　her；　his　legs　overlapping　hers；　wondering　what　had　returned　her　so　abruptly　to　full　consciousness。　Then　she　smelled　a　change　in　weather　on　the　early　morning　breeze。　It　had　not　occurred　to　Killashandra　that　her　Ballybran　symbiont　would　be　agitated　by　other　weather　systems。　And　she　pushed　her　sensitivity　as　far　as　she　could；　testing　what　the　change　might　herald。
　Storm；　she　decided；　letting　symbiotic　instinct　make　the　identification。　And　a　heavy　one。　In　these　islands　a　hurricane　more　likely　than　not。　A　worrisome　phenomenon　for　a　reasonably　flat　land　mass。　No；　there　were　heights　on　what　Lars　had　termed　the　Head。　She　smiled；　for　yesterday；　in　between　other　felicitous　activities；　he　had　given　her　quite　a　history　and　geography　lesson　pertinent　to　the　island　economy。
　〃This　island　gets　its　name　from　the　shape　of　the　land　mass；〃　he　explained　and　drew　a　shape　on　the　wet　sands　with　a　shell。　They　had　just　emerged　from　a　morning　swim。　〃It　was　seen　first　from　the　exploratory　probe　and　named　long　before　any　settlers　landed　here。　There's　even　a　sort　of　a　halo　of　islets　off　the　Head。　We're　at　the　Wingtip。　The　settlement　lies　in　the　wing　curve。。。　see。。。　and　the　western　hei