special thing. And as he kissed her, their mouths moistly exploring, pressing, widening, he realized Alison was trembling, gripping him with a strength that was more than a desire to be taken. Yet it was not fear; there was no hesitancy, no holding back, only anxiety.
He lowered her gently to the bed; as he did so, she unbuttoned the silk blouse and guided his hand to her breasts. She closed her eyes as he caressed her and whispered.
'It's been a terribly long time, Alex. Do you think Whitehall could wait a while longer? You see, I don't think I can.'
They lay beside each other, naked, under the soft covers. She rose on her elbow, her hair falling over her face, and looked at him. She traced his lips with her fingers and bent down, kissing him, outlining his lips now with her tongue.
'I'm absolutely shameless,' she said, laughing softly. 'I want to make love to you all night long. And most of the day... I'm parched and I've been to the well and I want to stay here.'
He reached up and let her hair fall through his fingers. He followed the strands downward to the swell of her body and cupped her left breast. 'We'll take the minimum time out for food and sleep.'
There was the faint ring of a telephone. It came from the direction of the connecting door. From his room.
'You're late for Charles Whitehall,' said Alison. 'You'd better go answer it.'
'Our goddamn Sir Noel.' He climbed out of the bed, walked rapidly to the door, opened it, and went into the room. As he picked up the telephone, he looked at the drawn curtains of his balcony doors; he was grateful for Alison's experience. Except for his socks - why his socks? -he was naked.
'I said twenty minutes, Mr McAuliff. It's nearly an hour.' Whitehall's voice was quietly furious.
'I'm sorry. I told you "thereabouts." For me, an hour is "thereabouts." Especially when someone gives me orders at this time of night and he's not bleeding.'
'Let's not argue. Will you be here soon?'
'Yes.'
'When?'
'Twenty minutes.' Alex hung up the telephone a bit harder than was necessary and looked over at his suitcase. Whoever was on the other end of that line knew he was going out of the room to meet someone who had tried to issue him orders at three o'clock in the morning. He would think about it later.
'Do you know how positively handsome you are? All over,' said Alison as he came back into the room.
'You're right, you're shameless.'
'Why do you have your knee socks on? It looks peculiar.' She sat up, pulling the sheet over her breasts, and reached for the cigarettes on the night table.
'Light me one, will you please? I've got to get dressed.' McAuliff looked around the bed for the clothing he had removed in such haste a half hour ago.
'Was he upset?' She handed him a cigarette as he pulled on his trousers and picked up his shirt from the floor.
'He was upset. He's also an arrogant son of a bitch.'
'I think Charles Whitehall wants to strike back at someone, or something,' said Alison, watching him absently. 'He's angry.'
'Maybe it's recognition. Not granted to the extent he thinks it should be.' McAuliff buttoned his shirt.
'Perhaps. That would account for his dismissing the compliments.'
'The what?' he asked.
'His little entertainment downstairs tonight was frighteningly thought out. It wasn't prepared for a nightclub. It was created for Covent Garden. Or the grand hall of the United Nations.'
He tapped gently on Whitehall's door, and when it opened, McAuliff found the Jamaican dressed in an embroidered Japanese hopi coat. Beneath the flowery garment, Whitehall wore his flared pin-stripe trousers and velvet slippers.
'Come in, please. This time you're early. It's not yet fifteen minutes.'
'You're obsessed with time. It's after three in the morning; I'd rather not look at my watch.' Alex closed the door behind him. 'I hope you have something important to tell me. Because if you don't, I'm going to be damned angry.'
The black had crossed to the bureau; he picked up a folded piece of paper from the top and indicated a chair for McAuliff. 'Sit down, please. I, too, am quite exhausted, but we must talk.'
Alex walked to the armchair and sat down. 'Go ahead.'
'I think it's time we had an understanding. It will in no way affect my contributions to the survey.'
'I'm relieved to hear that. I didn't hire you to entertain the troops downstairs.'
'A dividend,' said Whitehall coldly. 'Don't knock it;