amc.killashandra-第31节

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　〃Carrigana！〃　Keralaw　paused　in　serving　a　family　group　and　waved　one　arm　energetically　to　catch　their　attention。　〃I'd　no　idea　where　you'd　…　〃　She　halted；　eyes　goggling　a　bit　at　the　garland　about　Killashandra's　neck；　staring　at　Lars's　matching　one。　Then　she　smiled。　She　patted　Killashandra's　arm　approvingly。　〃Anyway；　I　put　your　carisak　with　mine　on　the　float　to　the　Ridge。　Will　I　see　you　two　there？〃　Her　manner　bordered　on　the　coy　as　she　handed　them　cups　from　the　bag　at　her　side；　and　poured　the　hot　soup。
　〃After　we've　sailed　the　Pearl　to　the　Back；〃　Lars　said；　easily　but　Killashandra　thought　his　expression　a　trifle　smug；　as　if　he　liked　surprising　Keralaw。　He　blew　on　his　soup；　taking　a　cautious　sip。　〃As　good　as　ever；　Keralaw。　One　day　you　must　pass　on　your　secret　recipe。　What'll　Angel　do　in　a　crisis　without　you　around　to　sustain　us！〃
　Keralaw　made　a　pleased　noise；　giving　him　a　dig　in　the　ribs　before　she　sidled　up　to　Killashandra。　〃You　did　better　on　the　shore　than　I　did　from　the　ship！〃　she　murmured；　winking　and　giving　Killashandra　an　approving　dig　in　the　ribs。　〃And；〃　she　added；　her　expression　altering　from　bawdy　to　solemn；　〃you're　what　he　needs　right　now。〃
　Before　Killashandra　could　respond　to　that　cryptic　ment；　Keralaw　had　moved　off　to　the　next　group。
　〃With　Keralaw　in　the　know；〃　Lars　said　between　sips；　〃storm　or　not；　the　rest　of　the　island　will　be　informed。〃
　〃That　you　and　I　have　paired　off？〃　Killashandra　gave　him　a　long　stare；　having　now　decided　what　the　special　blue　garlands　must　signify　in　island　custom。　It　was　presumptuous　of　him；　but　then；　he　was　also　presuming　her　acquaintance　with　island　ways。　The　account；　when　rendered　from　her　side；　was　going　to　be　heavy。　〃You're　remarkably　well　organized　here。。。〃　She　let　her　sentence　dangle；　implying　that　she'd　been　elsewhere　to　her　sorrow。
　〃Angel's　not　often　in　the　direct　path；　and　the　storm　may　veer　off　before　it　hits；　but　one　doesn't　wait　until　the　last　moment；　not　on　Angel。　Father　doesn't　permit　inefficiencies。　They　lose　lives　and　cost　credit。　Ah；　Jorell's　back。　Hang　on　to　your　cup。　We'll　need　them　later。〃
　The　harbor　skip　waited　for　them　and　its　other　passengers　in　the　choppy　waters。　Lars　bent　to　rinse　out　his　cup　and　Killashandra　followed　suit；　before　swinging　over　the　gunwales　of　the　water　taxi。　Willing　hands　pulled　them　aboard。
　There　was　a　lot　of　activity　on　those　ships　still　left　in　the　harbor；　but　many　had　already　started　for　the　safety　of　the　protected　bay。　Lars　chatted　amiably　with　the　other　passengers；　naming　Killashandra　once　to　everyone。　The　approaching　storm　worried　them　all；　despite　the　well…drilled　exodus。　It　was　considered　early　in　the　season　for　such　a　big　blow：　odds　were　being　given　that　it　would　veer　west　as　so　many　early　storms　tended　to　do：　relief　was　felt　that　neither　of　the　nearer　two　moons　was　at　the　full；　thus　affecting　the　height　of　the　tides。　The　pessimist　on　board　was　sure　this　was　the　beginning　of　a　very　stormy　winter；　a　ment　which　caught　Killashandra's　interest。　Winter？　As　far　as　she　knew；　she'd　arrived　in　Optheria　in　early　spring。　Had　she　missed　half　a　year　somehow？
　Then　the　taxi　pulled　alongside　a　sleek…lined　fifteen　meter　sloop…rigged　ship；　and　Lars　was　telling　her　to　grab　the　rope　ladder　that　flopped　against　its　side。　She　scrambled　up；　almost　falling　over　the　life…railing；　which　she　hadn't　expected。　Then　Lars　was　beside　her；　cheerfully　shouting　their　thanks　to　Jorell　as　he　deftly　hauled　the　ladder　inboard　and　began　to　stow　it　away。
　〃We'll　rig　the　cabin　before　we　sail；〃　Lars　said；　nodding　astern　toward　the　hatch。
　Killashandra　didn't　know　much　about　ships　of　this　class　but　the　cabin　looked　very　orderly　to　her；　arranged　as　it　was　for　daytime　use。　She　went　to　the　forward　cabin；　and　decided　that　she　had　been　in　the　top　right…hand　bunk。　She　turned　back；　to　approximate　the　view　she　would　have　had；　and　decided　that　the　Pearl　Fisher　had　conveyed　her　to　that　wretched　little　island。
　〃Update！〃　Lars　said　as　he　came　down　the　panionway；　talking　to　the　handset。　He　listened　as　he　did　a　cursory　inspection　of　the　nearest　cupboards；　smiling　as　he　turned　toward　her。　〃Alert　me　to　any　changes。　Over。〃
　He　put　the　handset　down　and；　in　one　unexpected　sweep；　hauled　her　tightly　into　his　arms。　His　very　blue　eyes　gleamed　inches　above　her　face。　His　face　assumed　the　expression　of　a　sex…mad　fiend；　his　eyes　wide　in　exaggerated　ferocity；　as　he　bent　her　backward　in　one　arm　his　other　hand　stroking　her　body　urgently。　〃Alone；　at　last；　m'girl；　and　who　knows　when　next　we　have　the　privacy　I　need　to　enjoy　you　to　good　advantage。〃
　〃Oh；　sir；　unhand　me！〃　Killashandra　fluttered　her　eye　lashes；　panting　in　mock　terror。　〃How　can　you　ravish　an　innocent　maid　in　this　hour　of　our　peril？〃
　〃It　seems　the　right　thing　to　do；　somehow；〃　Lars　said　in　a　totally　different　tone；　releasing　her　so　abruptly　she　had　to　catch　herself　on　the　table。　〃Curb　your　libido　long　enough　for　me　to　make　the　bed　you're　about　to　be　laid　in。〃　He　flipped　the　table　onto　its　edge；　gestured　for　her　to　take　the　other　side　of　the　seat　unit　which　pulled　out　across　the　deck。
　Simultaneously　they　fell　onto　the　bed；　and　Lars　began　his　assault　on　her　willing　person。
　The　summons　of　the　handset　brought　them　back　to　reality　that　had　only　peripherally　impinged　on　their　activities。　Lars　had　to　steady　himself　in　the　lurching　ship　to　reach　the　handset。　He　frowned　as　he　heard　the　update。
　〃Well；　beloved；　I　hope　you're　a　good　sailor；　for　it's　going　to　be　a　rough　passage　around　the　wing。　That　storm　is　hurrying　to　meet　us。　Neither　a　veer　nor　a　pause！　Grab　the　wet　weather　gear　from　that　cupboard。　Temperature's　falling　and　the　rain's　going　to　be　cold。〃
　Fortunately　Lars　gave　clear　instructions　to　his　novice　crew　and　Killashandra　coped　with　her　tasks　well　enough　to　gain　his　nods　of　approval。　The　Pearl　Fisher　was　fitted　to　be　sailed　single…handed；　with　the　sheet　lines　winched　to　the　cockpit　and　other　remotes　to　assist　in　the　absence　of　a　human　crew。　Lars　beckoned　Killashandra　to　join　him　in　the　stern　as　the　anchor　was　lifted　by　remote。　Another　hauled　the　sloop's　mainsail　up　the　mast；　Lars's　pennon　breaking　out　as　the　clew　of　the　sail　locked　home。
　The　wind　took　the　sail；　and　the　ship；　forward；　out　of　the　wide　mouth　of　the　harbor；　which　was　now　clear　of　all　craft。　Nor　did　there　seem　to　have　been　anyone　to　notice　their　delay。　The　beach　was　empty　of　people。　The　shuttered　shops　and　houses　had　an　abandoned　look　to　them。　The　tide　was　already　slopping　into　the　barbecue　pits　and　Killashandra　wondered　just　how　much　would　be　left　on　the　waterfront　when　they　sailed　back　into　Wing　Harbor。
　Killashandra　found　the　speed　of　the　Pearl　Fisher　incredibly　exhilarating。　To　judge　by　the　rapt　expression　on　his　face；　so　did　Lars。　The　fresh　wind　drove　them　across　the　harbor　almost　to　its　mouth；　before　Lars　did　a　short　tack　to　get　beyond　the　land。　Then　the　Pearl　was　gunwale　deep　on　a　fine　slant　as　she　sped　on　a　port　tack　toward　the　bulk　of　the　Wing。
　It　was　an　endless　time；　divorced　from　reality；　unlike　cutting　crystal　where　time；　too；　was　sometimes　suspended　for　Killashandra。　This　was　a　different　sort　of　time；　that　spent　with　someone；　someone　whose　proximity　was　a　matter　of　keen　physical　delight　for　her。　Their　bodies　touched；　shoulder；　hip；　thigh；　knee；　and　leg；　as　the　canting　of　the　ship　in　her　forward　plunge　kept　Killashandra　tight　against　Lars。　Not　a　voyage；　she　realized　sadly；　that　could　last　forever　but　a　long　interval　she　hoped　to　remember。　There　are　some　moments；　Killashandra　informed　herself；　that　one　does　wish　to　savor。
　The　sun　had　been　about　at　the　zenith　when　they　had　finally　tacked　out　of　the　Wing　Harbor。　It　was　westering　as　they　sailed　round　the　top　of　the　Wing　with　its　lowlands　giving　way　to　the　great　basalt　cliffs；　straight　up　from　the　crashing　sea；　a　bastion　against　the　rapidly　approaching　hurricane。　And　the　southern　skies　were　ominous　with　dark　cloud　and　rain。　In　the　shelter　of　those　cliffs；　their　headlong　speed　abated　to　a　more　leisurely　pace。　Lars　announced　hunger　and　Killashandra　went　below　to　assuage　it。　Taking　into　account　the　rough　water；　she　found　some　heat　packs　which　she　opened；　and　which　they　ate　in　the　cockpit；　panionably　close。　Killashandra　found　it　necessary　to　curb　a　swell　of　incipient　lust　as　Lars　shifted　his　long　body　against　hers　to　get　a　better　grip　on　the　tiller。
　Then　they　rounded　the　cliffs　and　into　the　crowded　anchorage　which　sheltered　Angel's　craft。　Lars　fired　a　flare　to　summon　the　jitney　to　them；　then　he　ordered　Killashandra　forward　with　the　boat　hook　to　catch　up　the　bright…orange　eighty…two　buoy　to　starboard。　He　furled　the　sail　by　remote　and　went　on　low…power　assist　to　slow　the　Pearl　and　avoid　oversailing　the　buoy。
　Buoy　eighty…two　was　in　the　second　rank；　between　two　small　ketch…rigged　fisherboats；　and　Killashandra　was　rather　pleased　that　she　snagged　the　buoy　first　try。　By　the　time　Lars　had　secured　the　ship　to　ride　out　the　blow；　the　little　harbor　taxi　was　alongside；　its　pilot　looking　none　too　pleased　to　be　out　in　the　rough　waters。
　〃What　took　you　so　long；　Lars？〃
　〃A　bit　of　cross…tide　and　some　rough　tacks；〃　Lars　said　with　a　cheerful　mendacity　that　caused　Killashandra　to　elbow　his　ribs　hard。　He　threw　his　arm　about　to　forestall　further　assaults。　Indeed　they　both　had　to　hang　on　to　the　railings　as