Chapter 9

It didn't take Carol long to adjust to the new life she'd been handed by Charlotte. In six weeks she felt and acted as though she'd been born in the lap of luxury. It seemed to her that all of her senses, all of her nerve endings had suddenly come alive. Every day was a joy that made her tingle with excitement and anticipation.

She went swimming, horseback riding, camping, to the movies, visited the town with Charlotte. One time they'd flown back to New Orleans and spent two wild days on a shopping spree. She had beautiful clothes, the use of numerous cars, the pleasure and luxury of sleeping late. If she allowed herself, she was convinced that she could become quite spoiled. Quiet evenings were spent reading or watching television. If she felt lonely, she would take walks around the plantation, visiting and talking to the hands and the laborers working the tobacco fields. Bess, the cook, was fun to be with, and Cora, the maid, amused her. Outside of that, she rarely saw anyone. But she didn't miss seeing a lot of people. She'd had her fill at the club. It didn't much matter about friends, she'd never had many before.

One thing puzzled her ... annoyed her. That one thing was Cal Hardin, the overseer. He rarely spoke to her. He only stared. Whatever it was she felt about that look of his confused her. It seemed every time he glanced at her he hid behind a smug smile, as if he were possessed with some kind of deep, dark secret.

Carol took the cover off of the electric typewriter and turned it on. She dismissed Cal Hardin from her mind.

Her thoughts turned to Charlotte. It was fun working for her. She'd mastered typing and had become quite useful. Indeed, now she felt like she deserved the big salary Charlotte paid her. She'd learned a lot in the six weeks she'd been attending business school in town. Enough to believe she'd turn into an A-l secretary.

After completing six carbon copies of legal work, Carol shuffled the papers and put them on Charlotte's desk.

It was strange not having Charlotte around. She missed the woman and hoped her trip to New York would be over soon. There was a little too much quiet in the office for her. Charlotte always was good company.

She sighed, decided there wasn't really any work to do and put the cover back on the typewriter. She straightened out some folders, put some papers that needed Charlotte's attention on the desk and left the study for her room.

Three shrill rings sounded. She picked up the house phone.

"Hello."

"Miss Lord, this here's Bess. What would you like for dinner?"

"I'm not hungry, Bess. I'll make a sandwich later. Don't worry about me."

"Yes, Miss. Just wanted to know. I thought I'd go into town and catch me that movie at the Grand. Is that all right? It's Steve McQueen. I never miss none of his films."

"Go ahead. Have fun."

"Okay. Thank you, Miss Lord. I'll leave all the fixin's so's you can make a sandwich."

"Bye, Bess." Carol put the phone back in its cradle, lay down on the bed, and within seconds fell into a deep sleep.

The sound of a car, its wheels burning rubber as it took off, aroused Carol from her sleep. She looked out of the window. It was Bessie Mae, on her way to the movie. Carol looked up at the sky. It was getting dark and the evening was going to be beautiful. She opened the window wider and stared out. From the corner of her eye she caught the blurred figure across the lawn. It was Cal Hardin. In shorts. Obviously, he'd been sunbathing and had fallen asleep. In the fading light of day she watched him cut his way across the lawn towards his shack. Even from here she could see the muscles of his buttocks, powerful muscles flexing rhythmically as he walked. The powerful swells of his calves held her eyes. She caught her breath and was about to pull her gaze away when she saw him turn and look up at her. Too late. He had seen her.

He made his way toward the mansion. Now, at half the distance, he stopped, folded his arms and stared up at her.

Mesmerized, Carol watched.

He lowered his shorts, exposing a mass of dark hair. Slowly, deliberately, he brought the shorts even lower.

Carol stared, not wanting to look, but feeling trapped, almost hypnotized. Now her eyes opened even wider as Cal's already erect penis sprang free from the shorts. Completely naked, he again folded his arms. When he spread his legs, his testicles bounced against the inside of his thighs. Still staring at her, he reached down and clutched his penis. He held it-and it was still far longer than the breadth of both his hands.

Desire surged through Carol in mounting waves.

In one quick movement, Cal bent down, pulled up his shorts and strode across the lawn to his house. Once inside, he closed the door. A second later there was a light in his room.

Carol left the window and walked over to the bureau. She picked up a cigarette and placed it to her lips. When she lit it, she noticed that her hand was shaking.

Damn him. Damn that man. He's an animal!

She took a long drag on the cigarette and quickly turned and walked past the hall and down the stairs. She went to the bar and poured herself a drink. After she downed that, she poured another, and still another.

"Damn degenerate," she muttered aloud. "If he thinks I'm attracted to him, he's got another think coming."

She snubbed out the cigarette and paced the floor. That's what he was doing all the time. That's what was behind that silly smile of his. He was waiting for Charlotte to leave. Waiting to see if she would throw herself at him. Well it didn't work!

The drinks were getting to her. She threw back her head and laughed. Cal Hardin. Hard-on would be more like it.

She went over to the hi-fi set and turned it on. The room flooded with music. She poured herself another drink. Suddenly, she felt very much alone and wished that Charlotte were back.

As she brought the glass of liquor to her lips, a shock of pleasure churned through her when the vision of Cal Hardin's nude body filled her mind.

Putting the glass down, she stared at the tall bud vase with a single rose in it, sitting on the bar top. Suddenly her vision blurred and the vase turned into a phallus. It wavered before her eyes and slowly took the form of a penis. It became thick and muscular and long. With veiled eyes, Carol stared in wonder as the pulsating object grew longer and longer ... glistening ... tempting ... powerful.

Her hand reached out and grasped it. The blurring vanished, and her vision returned to normal. She was holding the vase in her hand, her lips close to the rose petal.

She pulled back in shock, slammed the vase down on the bar top and quickly poured herself another drink.

The telephone startled her. She swung off the barstool and went to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Carol. Charlotte here."

"Charlotte. Oh, when are you coming home?"

"That's the reason I'm calling. I have to stay longer. Maybe three more days. The stockholder's meeting is taking forever. I'm sick about it."

"Damn it," Carol said.

Charlotte, pleased by the girl's reaction, laughed. "It feels good to be missed," she said.

"And I do. Oh, boy, do I."

"I bought you a gorgeous coat. They're sending it out to you tomorrow. And I-"

"I don't care about all that. Just come home," Carol said, sounding almost desperate.

"Is anything the matter?" Charlotte asked.

"No." Carol wanted to tell her about Cal but realized it could break up a strong relationship. Besides, Charlotte truly needed Cal. He was literally running the plantation. And what in hell was she anyway that she couldn't handle herself? She wasn't a silly little virgin. "Nothing's the matter," she said.

"I miss you, Carol."

"Same here."

"All right, dear. I'll speak to you very soon. 'Bye."

" 'Bye."

Carol put the phone down. Three days! An anticipatory fever slowly warmed her body.

It was then that Carol knew she would never be able to fight the magnetic spell of Cal Hardin.