[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

rhythm of their bodies, thighs and buttocks and tail meeting in hard
slaps in counterpoint.
75
FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
Suddenly Étienne s eyes grew huge, wild with panic.  No& oh,
dear God, no! He tore himself free and flung himself away from
Philippe just as the creeping overgrowth of stone reached his
thighs. With a whimper, he curled into a tight ball, face buried in
his hands, as the stone overtook him and rendered him lifeless
again.
Dismayed, Philippe crawled to him and draped an arm around
the statue curled on the stones. Tears fell on Étienne s gray
shoulder, but unlike the old tales, they had no effect on the
enchantment.  A single moment more, mon amour, and we would
have done it. My poor Tien& 
Dawn gilded the limestone, painting the grays and silvers of
night with warmer pigments. The heavens continued to turn. There
would be another night and another chance.
76
FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
CHAPTER 7
SWEET AND BITTER
He thought he understood Étienne s sudden alarm that
morning. The flaw in their strategy had been that the rising stone
could have trapped Philippe inside. He had been about to suggest
that Étienne lift off so Philippe could finish him off with hands and
tongue when fear overtook him.
Étienne s passionate demands had overridden sense. There
were, of course, several better ways to accomplish a well-timed
climax without endangering either private parts or pride. Now he
suspected his greatest challenge would be in coaxing Étienne into
trying again. It remained to be seen whether the man s pride or his
growing despair would prove their greatest enemy.
Painting proved nearly impossible that day as exhaustion
77
FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
overtook him. Twice he nearly lost his seat on the scaffold when
his eyes slid shut. Father Gervais ordered him down and gave him
a stern lecture about working while ill. The old priest marched him
back to his cell at the refectory where Father Anseau tucked him
into bed with a mug of warm milk with chamomile and honey.
 For your nerves, Philippe. Father Anseau told him.  Your
humors are out of balance and you must rest.
There was sense in this, of course. Philippe dutifully drained
the mug and drifted into a muddled sleep where the stone angels
and saints he painted left their perches on the doorway to converse
with him in the nave of the church. St. Gentian, speaking through
the decapitated head held in his hand, said he did not like the
labyrinth.  A man shouldn t be forced to walk in corkscrews. Bad
for the digestion.
When he woke, tangled in his blanket and damp with sweat, the
little window in his cell showed him the rose and orange tints of
sunset. He scrambled up, heart pounding. Étienne would be waking
and he would arrive too late to comfort him through his change.
No help for that now.
He raked his hands back through his hair and forced himself to
calm. Étienne had survived for a number of years without him;
somehow, he would muddle through a few more minutes alone.
Father Anseau had left water in the ewer for him and he used it to
wash before he dressed in clean clothes. If he managed things
better, this might be the last night he spent with Étienne, so he
approached it with a melancholy sense of occasion.
Once more, he made certain no one watched as he turned to
take the tower stairs. Once more, he labored upward, step and drag,
though he was better rested this time, hastening his clumsy
progress.
78
FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
As he had feared, Étienne s transformation back from stone
was already complete. The scarlet cloak lay puddled near the far
wall, presumably with Étienne curled up beneath it.
With a soft sigh, he put his bag down and settled next to the
scarlet lump.  Tien?
An inarticulate grunt answered him.
 Does something cause you pain?
Étienne s baritone rose hoarse and weary from under the
velvet.  I spent all day with a damned stone erection. Yes, by God,
it hurts.
 I thought you felt nothing while you re stone.
 It didn t hurt then. But the fool thing was still mast straight
when I changed.
 Hmm. Not the most comfortable waking erection, I m sure.
He patted Étienne s shoulder.  Though think on this: most men
might claim to be rock hard. You truly are.
A strangled sound came from the cloak nest and then Étienne
fell silent for a long moment.  You re angry with me, aren t you?
 What reason would I have?
 My& failure yester eve.
Philippe conjured up his driest tone to say,  Well, yes, I m
furious that you thought to protect my poor cock from being
snapped off.
The cloak rustled and Étienne s head emerged, his forehead
creased in obvious puzzlement.  You re not angry?
 You re muddled from your last change, so I won t accuse you
of being dense. He smoothed a hank of hair from Étienne s face.
 But I will be angry if you tell me you ve given up after one
failure.
Green eyes flashed up at him.  Never.
79
FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
Relief surged through Philippe. Better that stubborn will than
the despair he had so feared. With a little smile, he gathered
Étienne into his arms to sing to him. Se li maus c amours envoie
was meant for a tenor, but was equally beautiful sung a full octave
lower.
Étienne closed his eyes to listen, arms wrapped around
Philippe s neck. When it was finished, he heaved a trembling sigh.
 Philippe, I am so weary.
 I know, cher. Rest a bit. You might even sleep until
midnight.
Tired he might have been, but Étienne soon became restless,
rising to pace the stones.  I have forgotten what it is to be hungry.
The statement caught Philippe unaware. He nearly told Étienne
that was a good thing, never to feel the gnawing wolf of hunger in
one s belly, but the bitterness in Étienne s voice stopped him.
 What would you like most to eat, when you are hungry again?
Étienne flung his arms wide.  Any damn thing! A crust of stale
bread would do. A bit of moldy cheese. He turned and came back
to Philippe.  Rissoles. A good batch of pork rissoles, with the
onions chopped very small, and the pastry light and thin.
 A worthy ambition, Philippe said with a grin.  You make me
hungry with your wishing.
 Have you often been? Étienne knelt beside him and took his
hands.  Hungry?
 Soldiers are forever hungry, you know that. But I have not had
a day without a meal in many months.
Étienne leaned forward to press his lips to Philippe s in a
searching, tender kiss. What is it you truly ask, Tien? Would you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]