"Smith, Wilbur - Sunbird" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Wilbur)

"You've shown him?" She turned and came to me, stooped to kiss me on the
lips easily and naturally, with not the least sign of revulsion, and
then she stepped back and smiled full into my eyes.

Every time she does that she makes me her slave for another hundred
years.

"What do you think of it, Ben? Is it possible?" But before I could
answer Louren had slipped his arm about her waist and they both smiled
down at me.

"He's doing his nut. He's frothing at the mouth and doing back flips. He
wants to rush into the desert now, this minute." Then he pulled Hilary
to him and kissed her. For a long minute they were oblivious of my
presence as they embraced. They are, for me, the epitome of beautiful
woman and manhood, both of them tall and strong and well-favoured.
Hilary is younger than he is by twelve years, his fourth wife and the
mother of only the youngest of his seven children.

In her middle twenties she has the maturity and poise of a much older
woman.

"Give Ben some lunch, my darling. I'll be home late. " Louren pulled
away from the embrace.

"I'll miss you," Hilary said.

"And I you. I'll see you Monday, Ben. Cable Larkin if you think of
anything special we will need. So long, partner." And he was gone.

Hilary took my hand and led me out on to the wide flagged Patio.

Five acres of lawn and dazzling flowerbeds sloped gently down to the
stream and artificial lake. Both tennis courts were occupied and a
shrieking mob of small near-naked bodies thrashed the water of the
swimming-pool to sun-sparkled white. Two uniformed servants were laying
out a cold buffet on the long patio trestle-table, and with a small
squirming twinge of dread I saw a half-dozen young matrons in tennis
dress sprawled in the lounging chairs beside the outside bar.

They were flushed with exertion, perspiration dampened the crisp white
dresses and they sipped at long dewy, fruit-laden glasses of Pimms No.
1.

"Come," said Hilary, and led me towards them. I steeled myself, trying
to draw myself up to an extra inch of height as we moved towards the
group.

"Girls-we've got a man to keep us company. I want you to meet Dr.
Benjamin Kazin, Dr. Kazin is the Director of the Institute of African