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robably she was too innocent。 One minute she gave that impression； the next she seemed advanced for her young years。
He felt her eyes following him as he made his way to the counter； joined a short queue； his flesh tingling； his heart pounding wildly。 He thought of her naked。 No； she was probably a virgin； so innocent； so naive and yet。。。
'Thanks；' she accepted the tall…stemmed glass which he handed her； sipped it delicately。 A furtive glance around her； taking in the throng of tourists； a brief narrowing of her eyes followed by an expression of。。。 relief！ A little shiver ran up Sabat's spine and again those questions were screaming out to be asked。
'I've heard of you； Sabat；' a half…smile twitching her pert lips。
'Oh；' he watched her steadily。 'My infamy has spread across the continent。'
Tame is hard to hide；' she laughed； a sound that was musical； disarming。 'Your photograph was in the French papers some months ago。 You're the detective who cracked some awful political conspiracy； people pretending to be vampires and all those horrible kind of things。* I am right； aren't I？'
'Yes and no；' he dropped his gaze for a moment。 'I'm not a detective； I just got caught up in that business。 A guy who thought he was Hitler reborn； somebody I knew a long time ago。 I'm in Switzerland to convalesce； though。 No other reason。' As though he had to reassure her； destroy a lingering suspicion in her mind。
'I believe you。' She stared down into her wine； suddenly serious as though she had something to tell him； a confession of some kind maybe。
He waited patiently。 If she decided to confide in him she would； if not she would remain silent。 She was that kind of girl。
'I'm running；' she put it as simply as that； sighed as though she had got a weight off her mind。
'From whom？' he spoke softly； showed no surprise。
'A lot of people；' her lower lip trembled slightly。 'My family。 My religion。 The Surete。' The dark eyes regarding him had misted over and he thought that she was close to breaking down。
'You can tell me about it if you want to；' he took a liberal drink of his wine。 'But if you don't then it won't make any difference。' He knew she would。
I'd like to；' she tried to smile； 'and possibly you will understand。 You see； I was sent to a convent at Aix…en…Provence when I was eight and I suppose for the next ten years I was reasonably happy。 My parents own a vineyard and they seem to be obsessed with a desire to protect me from the rest of the world。 They had made up their minds that I should bee a nun and I was conditioned not to think otherwise。 It is easy to brainwash a child。 I was brainwashed all right and then。。。 then something happened。。。'
She looked away； glanced all round the spacious room before bringing her eyes back to meet Sabat's。 'I can't really explain it； Sabat； but I got this sudden feeling that I was being duped and that。。。 that I did not believe in God。 My vows； my prayers； they were all meaningless recitations that I went through in the same way that one recites a poem in class without any thought to the words。 I knew I had to get out but it was no good trying to explain to the Mother Superior。 I would have been reprimanded； possibly even punished。 So I left a letter the night I。。。 escaped。 I renounced my vows and 。。。 and fled！'
'But France is a free country；' Sabat's forehead crinkled。 'Nobody could stop you； take you back。 It is certainly no concern of the Surete。'
'Well you may think so；' she shook her head slowly。 'But my father is a very powerful man； one of the richest men in France。 If he wants me found and brought back then the Surete and any private detective he employs will hunt me down mercilessly and it will be made worth their while。'
'Why did you e to Switzerland？'
*I have friends here；' she replied。 'At least； I know some people in Lucerne whom I think might help me but there is some doubt where their loyalty lies。 Doubtless my father is offering a big reward and money can change people。'
'So you paused for a breather in Interlaken。' Sabat cast his eyes around the room but nobody seemed to be paying any attention to them。 They had no reason to。
'And fortunately I met you。 I recognised you on the train from Wengen and I thought that you might be the one to help me。'
Sabat nodded slowly。 His erection was beginning to ache； it was a long time since he had last had a woman。 Too long。 Manna from heaven； or rather； Madeleine Gaufridi from Aix…en…Provence。
'I'll help you。' he smiled。 'I have a room at the Hotel Jungfrau in Interlaken。 I guess we'd better spend the night there and see what tomorrow brings。'
Td like that；' she laughed softly； and Sabat wondered just how naive she was。 Tonight he would find out。
Sabat stared out of the bedroom window； saw the lights of Interlaken reflected in the still waters of Lake Brienz。 Behind him he heard the faint rustle of clothing as Madeleine undressed。 He restrained his eagerness to turn around。 There was only one bed and they had the whole night ahead of them。 There was no hurry。
He tried to appear casual when finally he turned back to the room and saw Madeleine。 He had expected to find her wearing some form of night attire but instead she was stark naked。 She lay there on the bed； eyes closed as though she might be asleep； legs stretched straight out so that he had only a partial view of the inside of her thighs。 Tantalising。 No； not Madeleine。 Just innocence； maybe she didn't realise。
Sabat had already started to undo his shirt buttons when her eyes flickered open。 No hint of embarrassment； just an expression that was a lot older than that of an eighteen year old girl fresh out of a convent。 His gaze fixed on her small shapely breasts； pink nipples that stood erect and firm as though they had already been fondled and aroused； slid slowly down her smooth flat stomach； came to rest on that mysterious V of dark fluffy hair that seemed to be trying deliberately to hide that which lay beneath it。 A faint movement of those legs； opening a fraction but not enough to enable him to see any further between them。 Teasing。 No； it was coincidental； Madeleine had been the victim of a totally sheltered upbringing so that she did not understand。 His fingers trembled as they hastened to undo the remaining buttons； tugging his shirt off and exposing a muscular torso that had somehow withstood the ravages of his illness。
For one brief moment he experienced a twinge of self…consciousness as he slid his trousers down； thought that maybe he ought to turn away； not because of any inhibitions on his own part； but because this simple young girl had almost certainly never seen a 。。。
He started； saw her hand reaching out for his； clasped it and felt himself being pulled gently but firmly towards the bed。 Her head was upturned to meet his on the pillow； her lips soft and moist as they pouted at him playfully。 A kiss that said more than any kiss could have done； her tongue pushing forcibly into his mouth then withdrawing and urging his own to push into her； an embrace that had certainly not been learned at the convent in Aix…en…Provence。
'Tell me； Sabat；' she drew back； a sudden thoughtful expression on her features； 'is it true what the papers said； that you perform exorcisms？'
He stiffened； a sudden hammer blow when he was at his weakest； a lie impossible without being detected。 'It is true；' he nodded。 'Or at least； it was。'
'Why not now？'
'Shall we say it is because of my illness。 I'm not er。。。 not myself。'
'Oh！' a blank expression。 'Will you。。。 will you ever be able to do them again？'
'I。。。 don't know；' his eyes narrowed。 'Why？'
'Nothing really。 Just curious； I suppose。 You fascinate me。'
He stiffened as he felt her hand smoothing down his body； sensuous fingertips that had one destination in mind； making him shudder and groan softly when they got there。 In that moment he realised that her innocence was a facade； the way she pushed and pulled； then wriggled down so that she had an unrestricted view of the lower regions of his body。
'Why 。。。 why are you like 。。。 this； Sabat？' her fingers squeezed and brought a sharp gasp from his lips。
'Because I've been circumcised；' he grunted and in those few seconds destroyed his myth concerning her virginity。
'Why？'
'Because 。。。' he could have said； 'because I'm Jewish' or 'because my parents thought it was the thing to do' but instead he said； 'it's an extra precaution when you're carrying out a service of exorcism to ensure that no particle of dirt which might harbour an evil entity hides beneath the foreskin。'
'Oh； I see。'
He felt her tongue starting to flick and jab； her fingers still stroking sensuously。 Damn it； it was one long interrogation but he didn't give a sod so long as。。。
The light was out； just the glow of the street…lamps from outside； her naked body silhouetted against the wide window； a cavort