Chapter 6
Dan drove back from Deanebury faster than usual; but no matter how he hurried, he couldn't make time. It was blazingly hot, and it seemed as if every car and truck on the road were conspiring to delay him. When he reached the turnoff to Windover, he was dripping. He had shed his coat on leaving the office. Now he stopped beside the road, took off his tie, unbuttoned his collar, and rolled up his sleeves before going on.
Reaching home at last, he found two cars in the driveway. One belonged to Alan Hunt, a master at the boys' boarding school. The place was officially closed, but a few seniors who had failed were staying on to be tutored for autumn examinations, and Alan had elected to teach in the summer session. Because his hours were short, he was free almost every afternoon for tennis or swimming. Leona liked him. "He's young," she told Dan, "and terribly amusing. He was the only really nice person at your housewarming."
Your, Dan thought; that was because she had been bored. He had thought the afternoon was a success. "Everyone enjoyed themselves," he said. "Of course the people who give the party never have much fun."
"Well, I didn't," she said sharply. "If that's Windover's idea of gaiety, let's move back to New York. They were like visitors at a museum. They stood around in little groups, whispering, or else they walked through the rooms and stared at things. The didn't even drink the punch-three-quarters of it was left."
"Young Hunt did fairly well by it," he said. "As for the others-they were shy, I suppose. Christina helped, didn't you think?"
Leona shrugged. "Did she? I wouldn't know. Well, it's over, and we won't have to do it again, thank heaven."
All the same, the party had given her a social impetus. She was seeing more people, playing golf and tennis or bridge. When Dan got home there was almost always a car in the driveway. It was often Alan Hunt's; Dan was rather tired of finding the boy swimming in the pool or lounging in the garden, quite frankly waiting for his host to come home and give him a drink. Now, seeing the two cars, Dan frowned, wondering who else was here.
They were all on the terrace-Leona in a bathing suit, Alan Hunt in flannels, and a small thin man in shorts who was introduced as Philip Malone. "He's a writer," Alan said, "and a newcomer to Windover, like yourselves."
Leona laughed. "Don't you dare call Dan a newcomer!" He's frightfully proud of having lived here since he was in diapers. In fact, he's practically a native." She turned to him. "Have a drink, darling? We didn't wait for you today-we were much too thirsty."
As Philip Malone talked, it was plain that he had satisfied his thirst quite thoroughly. He talked a great deal, and very positively, about Windover and what he thought of it. And the more he talked, the less Dan liked him. Presently Dan said, "If you'll excuse me, I'll take a swim. It was scorching at the plant, and the drive home was worse."
"My husband's an engineer," Leona told Philip Malone. "I used to think that engineers lived in exciting places like Brazil or Persia, but we seem to have landed here. Still, it has certain compensations." She smiled at Alan, and Dan, who was turning to go into the house, intercepted her glance and felt a swift, unreasoning annoyance.
The cool water helped his mood, but as he floated lazily, his eyes on the sky, he wondered why she seemed to enjoy needling him. She hardly ever did it when they were alone; it was as if the presence of others awoke some resentment in her, some obscure anger at him. He didn't mind being called a native; in fact, he'd rather be a native of Windover than of any place he knew, but the way she said the words turned them into a spiteful little dig. Lately, especially when she was with Alan, she delighted in opposing Dan, and in laughing at him. He wished the boy weren't going to be around all summer, dropping in every day, wasting Leona's time, and having the tactlessness to stay on after Dan got home. A man wants to see his wife alone once in a while, he thought.
He climbed out of the water, got a cigarette, and stretched flat on the grass. It was peaceful down here at the foot of the garden, with the leaf-shaped green pool reflecting the golden light in the sky. He lay smoking and trying to think of nothing, until he heard the cars drive away; then he got up and went slowly back to the house.
Dinner was a cold meal, left by Rosa, one of Pete Romano's many relatives, who came to clean and cook three days a week. As they sat lingering over raspberry sherbet, Leona said, "Phil Malone wants us to come out to his place for awhile."
"Tonight? But we've just seen him."
"You haven't," Leona said. "It was awfully rude of you to disappear like that and not come back. That's one reason why I think we ought to accept his invitation. They say he's done rather amusing things with a big old barn."
"Let's not go," Dan said. "You can overdo things, especially with a stranger."
Leona looked at him between candles. "Meaning that I'm overdoing Alan. Of course he's not a stranger, now, but-"
He said carefully, "I think you're seeing a good deal of him. He's been here every day this week."
She shook her head. "On Wednesday I met you at the plant and we had dinner with the Deanes."
"Almost every day, then. I don't mind, but-"
She cut through his words. "But Windover's a small town, and we must avoid gossip, especially when we've just come here to live. I know all those stale old arguments, and they don't make sense."
Dan said nothing, and after a minute she went on, more quietly, "Speaking of people, Mrs. Harwood came to call today."
"Really? What did she have on her mind?" . Leona laughed. "I don't know-I didn't see her. Alan and I were in the pool. We heard someone drive in, and we hid under water, and then the car went away. Afterward, I found Mrs. Harwood's card." She laughed again. "I hope Rosa didn't tell her I had a caller already."
"Of course she saw his car," Dan said.
Leona's eyes gleamed with amusement. "I never thought of that. I suppose it will be all over town."
"And she might have walked through the garden and seen you and Alan in the pool. Really, Leona-"
"Really, Dan!" She mocked his tone. "What will people think?"
As he got up, she came around the table and slipped her hand through his arm. "Don't be cross, Dan."
"I'm not. But you must be-" He stopped. What could ne say? More discreet? More sensible? But Leona was neither, and she never had been. He had fallen in love with her because she was child-like and gay, because she symbolized the easy, lighthearted life he had never had at home.
"Well?" she was saying. "What do you want me to be?"
"More grown up," he said. She nodded like an obedient child. "And now," her eyes brightened, "now shall we go over to Phil Malone's?"
"No."
"Didn't you like him?" He shook his head. "Why not?"
"Because he's an egotist."
"Most writers are," said Leona. "And he writes good stuff. But I don't suppose you've read it." She stood looking at him. "You've changed," she said. "Ever since we came here, you've been different. You never used to be so critical of people." As she turned away, he saw that her face had changed. It hadn't hardened, exactly; it had simply become bored, indifferent. Her voice, too, was indifferent as she said: "Well, if you won't go to Phil Malone's, I'll have to call Alan, because he was going to stop for us."
Dan sat on the terrace. As he lighted his third cigarette, he thought that Leona was taking an endless time at the telephone. I must be tired, or in a bad mood, he told himself. J don't think I've changed. She's the one who's up and down, like mercury. She hadn't wanted to come to Windover, and then, suddenly, Windover was the one place in the world for them; she had made extravagant fun of the house-and then had plunged into elaborate plans for redecorating it. Now that it was done, she laughed at it again, and Windover was utterly deadly. And yet he had married her because she was feminine! He thought, Am I impossible to please? What do I want, anyway?
Leona came back. "I called Mrs. Harwood and told her I was sorry to miss her. She wants to put me up for the Garden Club. That means I've made the grade socially, doesn't it?"
He laughed. "Of course. I hope you accepted with pleasure."
"No," she said rather sharply, "I didn't. I told her that I'd think about it. I don't want to join, and get involved in all those stupid things. There's only one meeting a month, but they'll put me on committees to preserve wild flowers and exterminate ragweed."
"After all, Leona, you have to do something in Windover."
"I won't be a club woman-yet," she said. He was silent. "Do you think I should?"
He said slowly, "You must do what you want, I suppose."
Leona sighed. "I'm not sure what I want. She wandered to the steps. "Let's go to the movies."
He was much happier sitting here in the cool darkness and breathing the fragrance that drifted up from the garden. "What's that smell-some flower?" he asked.
"Nicotiana," she said. "It blooms at night. Pete told me. He made a list for me to memorize so that I could impress Mrs. Harwood and the other garden club women." She added complacently, "It worked, too, didn't it?"
Dan laughed. She was a child. He got up. "Are you quite sure you want to go to the movies? It will be stifling in that little auditorium."
"We can always come home, and get in the pool. Come on."
He followed, slowly. Her words echoed in his mind. "I'm not sure what I want." Neither was he. But as he watched her delicate profile in the half-darkness of the movie theater, he thought that he was closer to finding out than she was. For him, the answer lay in his work and in the country-in Windover; for her in parties and people. Which one was right?
And then it was the following afternoon.
It had started simply enough.
Leona was bored, unsettled, and filled with anxiety. She hated moods that she couldn't deal with. She felt the beginnings of a first-class bout of the blues coming on, and it was the last thing in the world she wanted.
She was alone, and it bothered her. Leona was a big city girl in a lot of ways; being alone never bothered her before. But ever since the move to Windover, she had realized that the solitary hours while Dan was gone were the hardest to get through.
Leona found the bottle of wine at two o'clock in the afternoon. It was three-quarters filled, left over from dinner the night they'd opened the second bottle.
She poured out a glassful and smirked. Here she was, drinking by herself in the early afternoon. Classic housewife's syndrome, she thought.
After two glasses, she felt much better. Perhaps she should do this every day, she thought. That way, when Dan got home after work she'd be in good spirits, eager to be his companion and share his troubles and woes.
Leona giggled.
Then of course there was that cute Alan Hunt. Leona knew exactly what Alan was after, and it thrilled her to know that a man other than her husband desired her so openly.
He was handsome, too. Educated, charming, a bit arrogant perhaps, but Leona had always liked arrogant men. As she thought about Alan Hunt, she found herself pouring a third glass of wine. She felt wonderful, carefree and totally at peace with herself.
She drank half the glass of wine and then stood up. Leona walked into the bedroom, conscious that she was a bit dizzy. She giggled again, and as she entered the bedroom she caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror.
Just what does he see in me? Leona wondered to herself. After all, a man like Alan Hunt had his choice of girls, yet he persisted in his interest in her.
She slowly undressed, staring at herself in the mirror. She was smiling, and as the last of her garments fell to the floor, she placed her hands on her hips and turned slowly before the mirror.
Her legs, she thought, were always her best feature. They were long and very shapely, trim knees and ankles, well-developed calves, smooth, full thighs that bordered on being too heavy but weren't.
She turned, eying her reflection. Her buttocks were trim and rounded, her waist pinched just right. Her breasts were those of a young girl, without a trace of sagging.
Her face had always been pretty in a conventional sort of way, and her thick hair added a bit of character. She was all right, Leona thought, and Alan Hunt was lucky she paid him any mind at all.
Leona felt dizzy again and lay down on the bed. She drifted off, a smile on her lips. Alan Hunt was there, smirking at her as she lay on the bed. She was suddenly aware of her nakedness and made a move to cover herself. With one strong hand Alan Hunt stopped her. "Don't cover up," he said. "I like you this way. You should never wear anything. That way you'll always be ready for it," he said.
Leona was flushed with excitement. What was he doing here? How dare he appear in her bedroom that way? What if Dan came home early?
His hand was hot on her. He cupped her breast and pinched her nipple so hard that she cried out in pain, and he just laughed. "You're so hot you don't know what to do," he said.
He began undressing, carefully folding his clothes, then turned to her. She gasped when she saw the size of his tool-it appeared to be ten inches long, thick as a baby's arm.
He stroked it as Leona watched with openmouthed amazement. "Not bad, is it?" he said. "More than you expected from an instructor at a boys' boarding school."
"You must leave," Leona managed to say.
Alan Hunt laughed as he walked toward the bed. "I didn't drive all the way out here just to leave," he said. "It's about time you had a good roll, and I'm just the boy to give it to you."
Leona tried to run from the room but Alan Hunt caught her by the arm and easily threw her back onto the bed. "Relax, Leona," he said. "It's what you want."
She shook her head, denying his thoughts, but her eyes remained fixed on the monstrous tool that he held loosely in his hand.
Leona licked her dry lips, flicking out her tongue, and Alan said, "You look hungry." He danced until he stood beside the bed, his enormous cock directly in front of Leona's mouth.
With a moan of passion she grasped the thick shaft and settled the swollen head between her lips, sucking eagerly, bobbing her head as she tried to take more of his hard length into her mouth.
She heard Alan laugh and then he pulled her mouth free of his cock. "I can get that any time," he said roughly. "I want more from you!"
She stared at him and was about to tell him once again to leave, that it was all wrong, but when his hand pushed her down onto the bed, she remained silent.
What if Dan walked in? Suddenly she could no longer worry about that eventuality. All she wanted was Alan's smoothly muscular body atop her, forcing that large, hard tool between her legs.
Alan leered at her, still working his hardness with his hand. She couldn't stop staring at it-she had never supposed that men got that large, and as she watched him, Leona's hand began twitching, and Alan said, "Go ahead. Play with yourself. I'd like that!"
It was as if she had no will of her own. Her hand, now busy between her legs, was giving her more pleasure than she had ever experienced.
She splayed open her legs, allowing his eager eyes to feast on her lewdness.
Then, suddenly, Alan climbed into the bed with her, kneeling astride her, his giant tool the focus of her vision. She felt two fingers enter her, and she churned in animal heat as Alan grinned down at her.
"Just tell me when you want it," he said softly.
"Now! Now!" Leona cried, removing her hand, allowing Alan to settle between her legs.
Then he was in her, forcing his monstrous size into her, and she cried out in pain but it was pleasure as well, a brute animal sexuality that she had never known she could respond to.
She felt herself stretching to the breaking point, and still there was more, penetrating, hot, and she pulled back and tried to shake him off but he laughed in her face and pinned her beneath him, and with one sudden surge he was in all the way, filling her completely, and her orgasm made Leona shriek out in hot wanton pleasure as a deep animal growl escaped Alan's constricted throat.
And then she was suddenly awake, alone in her bedroom, drenched with perspiration, her body still quivering from her phantom lover's attention. Her arousal had been complete and she smiled as she realized it had all been a dream, a harmless dream, and then she heard the front door bang shut and Dan's husky voice calling her name.
"Be down in just a minute," Leona called out.