amc.killashandra-第26节

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　His　expression　was　bleak　as　he　inhaled　deeply；　concentrating　onward　to　the　performance。　The　rankling　disappointment；　the　pain　of　that　rejection；　and　the　sense　of　failure　which　Lars　had　experienced　were　as　clear　to　Killashandra　as　if　broadcast。　Her　cynical　evaluation　of　him　altered　radically。　She　was　possibly　the　only　one　in　the　entire　assembly　who　could　empathize；　could　understand　and　appreciate　the　deep　and　intense　conflict　he　had　to　overe　at　that　moment。　She　also　could　approve　heartily　of　the　professionalism　in　him　that　unprotestingly　accepted　the　challenge　of　an　excruciating　demand。　Lars　Dahl　possessed　a　potentially　Stellar　temperament。
　Despite　her　proximity　to　him；　she　almost　missed　the　first　whispering　chords　which　his　strong　fingers　stroked　from　the　strings。　A　haunting　chord；　expanded　and　then　altered　into　a　dominant；　just　like　the　dawn　breeze　through　the　old　polly　tree　on　her　island　of　exile。　Soft　gray　and　pink　as　the　sky　lightened；　and　then　the　sun　would　warm　the　night…closed　blossoms；　their　fragrance　drifting　to　beguile　senses：　and　the　rising　lilts　of　bird；　the　gentle　susurrus　of　waves　on　the　shore；　and　the　lift　in　the　spirit　for　the　pleasure　of　a　new　day；　for　the　duties　of　the　day：　climbing　the　polly　for　the　ripe　fruit；　fishing　off　the　end　of　a　headland；　the　bright　sun　on　the　water；　the　rising　breeze；　the　colors　of　day；　the　aroma　of　frying　fish；　the　somnolence　of　midday　when　the　sun's　heat　sent　people　to　hammock　or　mat。。。　an　entire　day　in　the　life　of　an　islander　was　in　his　music；　colored　and　scented；　and　how　he　managed　that　feat　of　musical　conjuring　on　a　limited　instrument　like　a　twelve…string；　Killashandra　did　not　know。　How　that　music　would　sound　on　the　Optherian　organ　was　something　she　would　give　her　next　cutting　of　black　crystal　to　hear！
　And　the　Music　Masters　had　rejected　his　position？　She　was　beginning　to　understand　why　he　might　wish　to　assassinate　her；　and　why　he　had　kidnapped　her：　to　prevent　the　repair　of　the　great　organ　and；　perhaps　other　less　worthy　positions；　from　being　played　by　anyone。　And　yet　there　was　nothing　in　her　brief　association　with　Lars　Dahl；　in　this　evening's　showmanship；　even　in　his　reluctant　acquiescence　to　the　demands　of　his　island；　to　suggest　such　a　dark　vengeful　streak　in　the　man。
　When　the　last　chord；　heralding　moon…set；　had　faded　into　silence；　Lars　Dahl　set　the　instrument　down　carefully　and；　turning　on　his　heel；　stalked　away。　There　were　murmurs　of　approval　and　regret；　even　anger　in　some　faces；　a　more　plimentary　reaction　to　the　beauty　of　what　they　had　been　privileged　to　hear　than　any　wild　applause。　Then；　people　began　to　talk　quietly　in　little　groups；　and　one　of　the　guitars　tried　to　repeat　one　of　the　deceptively　simple　threnodies　of　Lars's　position。
　With　a　glance　to　be　sure　no　one　was　observing　her；　Killashandra　rose　to　her　feet　and　slipped　out　of　the　flickering　torch　light。　Adjusting　her　eyes　to　the　night；　she　saw　movement　off　to　the　right　and　moved　toward　it；　almost　turning　her　ankle　in　one　of　the　footprints　that　Lars's　angry　passage　had　gouged　in　the　soft　sand。
　She　saw　his　figure　outlined　against　the　sky；　a　dark　tense　shadow。
　〃Lars　。　。〃　She　wasn't　sure　what　she　could　say　to　ease　his　distress　but　he　shouldn't　be　alone；　he　shouldn't　feel　his　music　had　not　been　appreciated；　that　the　totality　of　the　picture　that　he　had　so　richly　portrayed　had　not　e　across　to　his　listeners。
　〃Leave　me　…　〃　his　bitter　voice　began；　and　then　his　arm　snaked　out；　and　catching　her　outstretched　hand；　pulled　her　roughly　to　him。　〃I　need　a　woman。〃
　〃I'm　here。〃
　Holding　tight　to　her　hand；　he　pulled　her　into　a　lope。　Then；　pushing　at　her　shoulder　with　his；　he　guided　her　at　right　angles　to　the　beach；　up　toward　the　thick　shadow　of　the　polly　grove　on　the　headland；　near　where　she　had　beached　that　morning。　When　she　tried　to　slow　his　headlong　pace；　his　hand　shifted　to　her　elbow。　His　grip　was　electric；　his　fingers　seemed　to　transfer　that　urgency　to　her　and　anticipation　began　to　course　through　her　breast　and　belly。　How　they　avoided　running　into　a　polly　tree　trunk；　or　stumbling　over　the　thick　gnarled　roots；　she　never　knew。　Then　suddenly　he　slowed；　murmured　a　warning　to　be　careful。　She　could　see　him　lift　his　arms　to　push　through　stiff　underbrush。　She　heard　the　ripple　of　a　stream；　smelt　the　moisture　in　the　air；　and　the　almost　overpowering　perfume　emanating　from　the　creamy　blossoms　before　she　followed　him；　pushing　through　the　bushes。　Then　her　feet　were　on　the　coarse　velvet　of　some　kind　of　moss；　carpeting　the　banks　of　the　stream。
　His　hands　were　urgent　on　her　and　the　initial　physical　attraction　she　had　felt　for　him　was　suddenly　a　mutual　sensation。　He　put　her　at　arm's　length；　staring　down　at　her；　seeing　her　not　as　a　vessel　from　which　he　expected　the　physical　relief；　but　as　a　woman　whose　femininity　had　aroused　an　instinctive　and　overpowering　response。
　〃Who　are　you；　Carrigana？〃　His　eyes　were　wide　with　his　amazement。　〃What　have　you　done　to　me？〃
　〃I've　done　nothing　yet；〃　she　replied　with　a　ripple　of　delighted　laughter。　No　one　else　had　awakened　such　a　response　in　her；　not　even　Lanzecki。　And　if　Lars　had　somehow　sensed　the　crystal　shock　in　her；　so　much　the　better：　it　would　enhance　their　union。　She　had　been　celibate　far　too　long　and　he　was　partly　to　blame：　the　consequences　were　for　both　to　enjoy。　〃Whatever　are　you　waiting　for；　Lars？〃
　Chapter　11
　A　light；　almost　tender；　finger　touch　on　her　shoulder；　just　where　the　star…knife　had　sliced　her　flesh；　roused　Killashandra　from　the　velvet　darkness　of　the　deepest　sleep　she　had　ever　enjoyed。　She　felt　weightless；　relaxed。　Despite　her　having　led　an　uninhibited　private　life；　Killashandra　was　inexplicably　possessed　by　shyness；　a　curious　reluctance　to　face　Lars。　She　didn't　want　to　face　him；　or　the　world；　quite　yet。
　Then　she　heard　the　barest　ripple　of　laughter　in　the　tenor　voice　of　her　lover。
　〃I　didn't　want　to　wake　up　either；　Carrigana。。。〃
　Loath　to　perpetuate　any　lies　between　them；　she　almost　corrected　the　misnomer　but　she　found　it　too　difficult　to　overe　the　physical　languor　that　gripped　her　body。　And　an　explanation　of　her　name　would　lead　to　so　many　more；　any　of　which　might　fracture　the　stunning　memory　of　the　previous　night。
　〃I've。。。　never。。。〃　He　broke　off；　his　finger　tracing　other　scar　lines　on　her　forearms　…　crystal　scar　（and　how　could　she　explain　those　at　this　point　in　a　magical　interlude）　…　down　to　her　hands　where　his　strong　tapered　fingers　fit　in　between　hers。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　did　to　me；　Carrigana。　I've。。。　never。。。　had　a　love　experience　like　that　before。〃　A　rueful　laugh　that　cracked　because　he　couldn't　keep　it　soft　enough　to　match　his　whisper。　〃I　know　that　when　a　man's　been　troubled；　a　normal　reaction　is　to　seek　sexual　relief　from　a　woman　…　any　woman。　But　you　weren't　just　'any　woman'　last　night；　Carrigana。　You　were。。。　incredible。　Please　open　your　eyes　so　that　I　can　see　you　believe　what　I'm　saying　…　because　it　is　true！〃
　Killashandra　could　not　have　ignored　the　plea；　the　sincerity；　the　soul　sound　in　his　voice。　She　opened　her　eyes。　His　were　inches　away　and　she　was　gripped　by　an　overpowering　surge　of　love；　affection；　sensuality；　empathy；　and　passion　for　this　incredib1e　and　talented　young　man。　Relief　was　mirrored　in　the　very　clear　blue　of　his　eyes：　a　morning…lagoon…in…sunlight　clear　blue；　as　vivid　as　the　sea　could　sometimes　be。　Relief　and　the　sudden　welling　up　of　tears。　With　the　shuddering　sigh　that　rippled　down　his　body；　so　close　to　hers；　he　dropped　his　head　to　the　point　of　her　shoulder；　just　above　the　knife…scar。　When；　at　length；　he　confessed　that　he　had　caused　it；　she　would　willingly　forgive　him。　Just　as　she　was　willing　to　forgive　him　her　abduction；　for　whatever　marvelous　reason　he　might　submit。　After　last　night；　how　could　she　deny　him　anything？　Perhaps　last　night　had　been　such　a　unique　bination　of　emotional　upheavals　that　a　repetition　was　unlikely。　The　prospect　made　her　smile。
　As　if　he　sensed　her　responses　…　he　had　certainly　sensed　them　last　night　…　he　lifted　his　head　again；　anxious　eyes　searching　her　face。　She　saw　that　he　was　not　unscathed；　for　his　lower　lip　was　red　and　puffy　as　he　tried　to　echo　her　smile。
　Then　she　chuckled；　tracing　the　line　of　his　mouth　with　an　apologetic　finger。
　〃I　don't　think　I　can　ever　forget　last　night　happened；　Lars　Dahl。〃　Would　she　ever　find　adequate　words　to　record　this　on　her　personal　file　at　Ballybran？　She　let　her　finger　drop　to　his　jaw。　His　grin　became　more　self…confident；　and　his　fingers　squeezed　hers　lightly。　〃There's　one　problem。。。〃　His　face　tightened　with　concern。　〃How　long　will　it　take　us　to　recover　to　try　it　again？〃
　Lars　Dahl　burst　out　laughing；　rolling　away　from　her。
　〃You　may　be　the　death　of　me；　Carrigana。〃
　Once　again　Killashandra　ardently　refretted　using　that　particular　pseudonym。　She　desperately　wanted　to　confess　everything　and　hear　her　own　name　on　his　lips；　in　his　rich　and　sensual　voice。
　〃Like　last　night？〃
　〃Oh　my　precious　Sunny；〃　he　replied；　his　voice　altering　from　spontaneous　laughter　to　urgent　loverliness　as　he　rolled　back　to　her；　his　hand　gently　cupping　her　head；　fingers　stroking　her　hair；　〃it　was　almost　a　death　to　leave　you。〃
　That　he　might　be　quoting　some　planetary　poet；　she　discarded　as　unworthy。　Her　body　and　mind　echoed　the　sentiment。　Their　exhausted　sleep　had　been　like　a　little　death；　it　had