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Deveraux, Jude - The Lost Woman

Page 8

by Tere


  The boat weighed anchor. Regan, too much excited to eat and too peculiar to leave the palace at least a little while, not it was aware of the pallor crecien­te of David nor saw it swallow constantly. When it excused itself Regan smiled and remained where it was. By enci­ma of men who hoisted the candles, flew boisterous gulls. The balance of boat remembered to him that they were on the verge of undertaking a trip, that with that movement she initiated a new life.

  -- happy Pareces -- Travis observed its side.

  Regan had not heard raise it the stairs.

  -- Yes, I am it. What make those men? Adon­de they take that stairs? Where they are the other pasaje­ros? Their staterooms are like ours or they have distin­tos colors?

  Travis smiled and began to tell him everything to him what it could on the boat. It was a brig of twenty-four ca­ñones; these were necessary to maintain the pirates remote. The other passengers went in lower deck, in the middle of the ship. It did not speak to him of the little ventilation that was in that section nor of the strict rules that impo­nían the little movement of the passengers. Only to them

  two and to Wainwright were allowed them to walk by boat at will.

  It explained to him why all the boats were painted in tones ocher. Before the North American revolution all the boats were cleaned with linseed oil, that was oscu­reciendo the wood with each last one. Whatever older it was the boat, darker was. During the war, ingle­ses they looked for to attack the darkest boats, until somebody decided to paint all the boats of the color of one new one.

  Travis indicated several areas painted of red and expli­có that almost all the internal parts, specially aque­llas near tubes, were painted of that color so that the crew became accustomed a he and not outside imprisoned of the panic when, in a battle, one was surrounded by red of the blood.

  -- Where you have learned all that? -- Regan asked with interest.

  -- Someday I will have hablarte of the time that I happened in the whaling one, but now we are going to eat something. To, less sure than you do not want to eat.

  -- Why it would not have to want to eat? It has passed much time from the breakfast.

  -- Temi'a that had infected you the indisposi­ción of your friend. If I am not mistaken, all the other pasa­jeros are disturbed.

  -- Truely. Oh, Travis, I must see if I can help them.

  Travis took it from the arm before it arrived at stairs.

  -- You will be able to help them later. Now you are going to eat and a to rest. You have had a long day.

  Perhaps Regan yes was tired, but also esta­ba it is satiated with the orders of Travis.

  --No I have appetite, and I can rest later. I will go a to help the other passengers.

  -- Because I say that you will obey to me, so that she will be better than you are decided.

  Regan watched it, furious, without moving. Travis incli­nó and it warned to him in low voice:

  --O beams which I say to you or I take to you down by fuer­za in front of all the crew.

  It invaded an impotence sensation. How it could to reason with that man? How it could make him understand that for her it was important to feel useful?

  When it directed a hand towards the shoulder of Regan, this one turned on its heels and, quickly, it lowered the esca­lera and it entered the stateroom. One seated next to the window and one made an effort not to cry. It was not easy to conserve its dreams to get to be a respected lady when they issued orders to him as if she was a creature.

  Moments later, Travis arrived with a loaded tray of food. It prepared the table in silence and soon it went to seat next to Regan.

  --La has supper is ready.

  She tried to take it from the hand, but it retired it.

  —¡Curse! -- Travis exclaimed, to the time that was put of foot of a jump --. Why you remain there as if it finished of golpearte? only that I said it was that it did not think that you had to lose the supper and a little rest to ayu­dar to people who not even you know.

  —¡I know SARAH! -- Regan --. talked back And you did not say that it agreed to me to rest; you said that it had to rest. You never suggest nothing, you always demand everything. It was never happened to you that I have own mind? You had to me prisoner in England, not even you let to me show me to the door, and now you have prisoner to me in this camaro­te. Why you do not tie to the bed or me you chain to the table? Why you do not admit what I am for you?

  Different emotions happened through the attractive face of Travis, but the one that predominated it was the confusion.

  --Te I explained why you could not quedarte in Inglate­rra. I even asked that boy who was with you if he knew you. The boat still it had not weighed anchor and, if it were me saying, it could llevarte with your family. More tears went to the eyes of Regan. To think that she it had thought that Travis was jealous, when the only thing that it wanted was another one opportunity to undo of her...

  -- Disculpa that is a so heavy load for you -- it talked back with arrogance --. Perhaps you would have to throw me by the hut for evitarte so many annoyances.

  Overwhelmed, Travis could not but watch it.

  -- Although it gets to live thousand years, I never believe that I will understand your way to reason. Why you do not eat something? Later, if you want, you I will take down and you will be able to pass all the night maintaining heads navigated.

  It seemed so tender, its great so transpa­rentes eyes, requesting to him, making an effort to please it... How it could explain to him that what it wanted was liber­tad to choose, the right to take her own ones decisions? Tio wanted to demonstrate itself to itself and his that it was worth something.

  It accepted the hand of Travis and it allowed that the condu­jera to the table, but it seemed incapable to improve its spirit. Juice with the food in plate and as soon as it proved it. Trata­ba to pay attention to which Travis said but logra­ba not to concentrate itself. It could not let think about that duran­te all his life had been prisoner of somebody, in which never they had allowed him to take a single decision.

  -- Bebe your wine -- Travis suggested smoothly.

  Regan, obedient, drank all the glass and felt that em­pezaba to relax. Soon it seemed to him natural that Travis took it in its arms and it took to the bed. While she undressed it, it already was half-asleep. Even when esta­ba already undresses and Travis began to kiss the neck to him, mucha­cha it smiled and it fell in a deep dream.

  When seeing that Regan needed so much to sleep, Travis it wrapped, it took a cigarette and it raised to smoke it to the cover.

  -- All good?

  Travis became and found to the captain after him.

  -- Creo that we will obtain it.

  The captain observed Travis, supported in the handrail, with a long cigarette in the mouth.

  -- What happens, boy? it asked to him with serie­dad. Travis smiled. The captain had been friend of his pa­dre During years, until this he died of rage.

  -- What you know on the women?

  -- No man knows much -- capi­tán responded, treating about not smiling; one was glad of which proble­ma was not serious --. Moan not to have gotten to cono­cer to your wife. They have said to me that she is one beauty.

  Travis observed its cigarette and took a little while in res­ponder.

  --Mi it handcuffs, yes. It is only that it costs to understand it to me.

  Travis was not man to make secrets, and that was everything what would say. One straightened up and it changed of subject.

  -- Crees that the furniture will be well in the warehouse?

  -- They would have to be it -- captain --. responded But it stops what you need more furniture? You will not have added another wing to that mansion that you have, or yes?

  Travis laughed between teeth.

  --No. At least, I will not do it until it has cin­cuenta children to occupy all the quarters that I have. The furniture is for a friend. Although yes I bought earth. This year I will seed more cotton.

  —¡More! -- the capta
in exclaimed, and soon he indicated the cover that they had before them --. This is all the space that I need. It would not know what to do with... how many hec­táreas of earth you have now?

  -- One hundred sixty, more or less.

  The captain sent an incredulity bellow.

  -- Espero that your wife is good housewife. Your mother it needed all its talent to handle that place, and you have almost duplicated it from the death of your father.

  -- It will be able with the work -- it responded with confidence --. Good night.

  Of return in the stateroom, one undressed, pensativo. Soon one lay down and it attracted Regan towards himself.

  --La question is if I will be able with her -- she murmured before to fall asleep.

  Regan took twenty-four hours in des­cubrir exactly that Travis was all the right about the desa­gradable that was to take care of a disturbed people. From very early in the morning to high hours of night did little more than to clean to the vomit of people and its perte­nencias. passengers were too ill

  in order to maintain the head on the porcelain earthen bowls that she approached to them and to think where she was going to stop the con­tenido one of his stomach. The mothers were tended in their narrow bunks. To its side, children cried, while Regan and other two women cleaned, tried to conso­lar them and interminable hours worked hard.

  As if the decomposition was not sufficient, Regan consternó when seeing the conditions in that that people traveled. There were three dormitories: one for pairs casa­das and two for unmarried men and women, and discipli­na to very maintain to these last era estric­ta separated. To girls did not allow themselves to speak them with their brothers, nor to the parents with his daughters, and in those prime­ros days of indisposición all worried about his relatives.

  In each dormitory there were many rows of camas­tros small and hard. In the narrow corridors the properties are apiña­ban of passengers: trunks, boxes, paque­tes, baskets, that contained not only clothes and that they would also need in the New World but the food for the trip. Part of that food it began to be disturbed, and the scent aggravated nauseas of passengers:

  Regan and the other women circulated around cama­rote feminine, trying to happen over the trunks and giving many roundups a each step.

  When it returned to its own stateroom, that in comparison it seemed a palace, she was more exhausted of which had hoped.

  Travis left its book immediately and it took it in his arms.

  -- Was difficult, love? -- it whispered.

  Regan only could agree against the chest of Travis it contents to be near somebody so healthy and strong, to be far from dirt and the poverty that had seen that day.

  One leans against him, average sleepy, and as soon as per­cató when Travis left it in a chair and it went to open puer­ta. Not even it bothered in opening to the eyes when hearing a chapo­teo of water. After all, it was almost only that had heard in all the day while it washed clothes, diapers and earthen bowls.

  It smiled with delight and one relaxed when Travis empe­zó a to undo the dress to him. He was pleasant that would aten­dieran it to her after to have spent the day taking care of to the others. When Travis raised it, it undresses, in its bra­zos, one was glad of which it took it to the bed, but when sin­tió hot water was on the awares quickly.

  -- Necesitas a bath, my young olorosa -- Travis said, laughing, when seeing the surprise of Regan.

  The hot water, in spite of being water of sea, was delicious, and Regan recostó and left Travis washed it.

  --No I understand to you -- Regan said, observing it, sin­tiendo how their strong and enjabonadas hands crossed their body.

  -- What is necessary to understand? I will say to you what you want to know.

  -- Hace weeks would have thought that hom­bre that it kidnaps people would have to go to the jail, but you...

  --Yo what? Kidnapping kids, I violate them, but no I mistreat them? In any case, not quite often -- agre­gó, with a smile.

  --No -- Regan --. insisted seriously Not it beams, but I believe that you are able of any thing. I do not understand to a man like you.

  -- and to what class of man you understand? To your amiguita Wainwright? It tell me, how many men you have gotten to know? How many times you you enamored?

  It was not prepared for the answer of Regan.

  -- Once -- it responded in voice lowers --. Me enamo­ré once, and I do not imagine that it returns to happen.

  Travis observed it a little while; it saw the form in that his eyes smoothed with a distant expression and the comisuras of their mouth they curved slightly.

  In a while Regan thought about Farrell, in how him it had proposed marriage, and right away sobresal­tó when Travis threw the soap to the water in front of its eyes.

  -- Termina single you, or hopes that it comes to do it your loved -- gruñó, and left with portazo.

  Regan smiled, thinking that to the aim it had put it jealous. It left the bathtub and it began to dry itself. Perhaps it thought that

  good fuera that Travis included/understood that was not úni­co in its life, that existed other people in the world. When they arrived at America perhaps and their ways separated, would not be so safe that it could not to arre­glar them to it single to find a man like Farrell, somebody that lands on water it and no a creature considered ignorante. One put suddenly in the bed and it felt very single. Farrell did not love it; only it had wanted it by his money. His uncle did not want it either, and Travis, that strange, arrogant and good man, had left in clear that only que­ría at the moment. Single, tired, hungry, desdicha­da, lay down to cry.

  When Travis took it in its arms, it clung to him, afraid of which it also went to leave it.

  -- Barren, sweet, tranquilízate. Now these out of danger -- Travis whispered, but when the lips of Regan unie­ron to his, left to think about consoling it.

  Regan did not know that it had to the disease that all the day and to its sensation of solitude had surrounded, but she was hungry of Travis. It did not think that it had prisio­nera nor that would have at least to be obstinate like lover. The only thing that thought was that it needed it with desperation, it needed that it embraced it, lands on water it, it made it feel par­te of the world and no a useless appendix.

  With boldness, it introduced the fingers under the shirt of Travis and made jump a button. The hair of its chest him recor­dó his masculinidad. The fingers of Regan explored, not with smoothness but with firmness, even with rudeza, the tex­tura of its skin, that increased its calidez before that contact. Travis I leave it on the bed and the rest separated for quitar­se from the clothes. It had the ignited eyes and the inflamed mouth. When one became and the bed seated on the brink of madness to take off the boots, their wide and muscular back que­dó at the mercy of Regan. The girl him mordisqueó the shoulders while his nipples cleared the back to him with a slight and electrizante touch. Soon, his lips lowered by the deep curve of the bones, kissing, caressing, savoring its skin. With the thumbs to the flanks and the yolk of the fingers on the ribs of Travis, Regan him

  it caressed the back with its body. The depressions pro­fundas of muscles, the force of Travis, now so apla­cado under his caresses, were intoxicating and they gave a sensation him of being able.

  It kissed the lobe to him of the ear, gave slight bites him and soon it emitted a serious and seductive giggle. With a single fast movement, Travis became, it took it in its bra­zos and it was on her. Regan was so anxious like him, and more than list,

  Travis was blinded by the boldness of the girl and by once, it was not contained by consideration or not to hurt the sensitivity of she. It treated the ardor and the passion yet that felt, moving with force, masajeando the rumps to him with the hands, embracing it more and more.

  When at the aim tempes­tad arrived the relief like one from éxtasis, slowly, little by little, were left trembly and weak exhaus­tos.

  -- What you have done to me? -- Travis whispered, abrazán­dola with a forc
e so that it threatened to choke it.

  Regan only followed obstinate him, too much tired in order to think. Soon per­cató of which fell in a deep dream and not Travis it followed inclined on her, obser­vaba, caressed he to him hair, it covered it better with sába­na. But in its dream it even felt its arms that surrounded it, its strong body to its side and the dulzura of its breath next to its ear. One moved slightly, it was on the awares, it outlined a dozed smile, it accepted of good degree the smooth kiss of Travis and returned to smile when it supported the head jun­to to hers and one fell asleep as well.

  The following day was a repetition of same traba­jo hard and oloroso to help the descompues­tos passengers. At dusk, Travis said to him that it go to the stateroom to rest or would not be of aid stops nobody. The tone of its voice, always issuing orders, did that Regan him dije­ra exactly what it thought of him.

  -- You could help instead of being holgazaneando in

  the cover.

  ---Holgazaneando, in?-- - Travis smiled, with that mocking semismile that as much irritated it.

  Regan repaired for the first time in the shirt of algo­dón dirty and dunked of sweat and in the comfortable trousers that arrived to him at it rolls, inserted in leather boots blan­do. Suddenly several clarified themselves things for Regan, like, for example how Travis could pay camaro­te prevailed. It was obvious that, in exchange for the passage, it had to work.

  -- In what I can help? -- it asked --. Although if delays that it wipes dirty mouths, I notice to you that I will not do it.

  If Travis had to work in exchange for the passage, she also, and it was impossible to rest.

  -- This morning two of the supe­riores bunks fell. I spoke with the crew, but they were ed ***reflx mng of my.

  -- Surely they were ed ***reflx mng because they do not know by dón­de it takes a hammer. What plus?

  -- young Necesitamos somebody that takes care of cough greater. I thought that perhaps you could look for Trum-bull SARAH. For days no I see it.

  -- SARAH is occupied -- it responded very laconically -- but perhaps I can help with the other problems.

 

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