He closed the door and went up the stairs. At the top he turned into one of the dressing rooms.
Arabella lay on the bed.
She was naked.
How lucky I am, he thought.
He closed the door and locked it, then turned back and smiled at her. ‘I wish I had a painting of you like this,’ he said.
‘Heaven forbid.’
He sat on a chair and took off his boots. ‘I could paint you myself. I used to draw, when I was a child.’
‘What if someone saw the picture? The news would be around town in a flash.’
‘I’d hide it in a secret place, get it out at night, and look at it by candlelight.’ He took off his coat, waistcoat and breeches. ‘Wouldn’t you like a picture of me?’
‘No, thanks. I want the real thing.’
‘I was never a pretty boy.’
‘It’s the feel of you I like.’
‘So you want a sculpture?’
‘A life-size statue, complete with all details.’
‘Like that famous Italian statue?’
‘You mean Michelangelo’s David?’
‘If you say so.’
‘Absolutely not. It’s got a tiny little willy, all shrivelled up.’
‘Perhaps the model was cold.’
‘My statue would have your nice fat knob.’
‘And where would you hide this work of art?’
‘Under my bed, of course. Then I’d take it out, like you with the picture.’
‘And what would you do while you were looking at it?’
She put her hand between her legs and stroked, the dark-red hair showing between her fingers. ‘This.’
He lay beside her. ‘Fortunately, this morning we have the real thing.’
‘Oh, yes,’ she said, and she rolled on top of him.
They had been lovers since the night of the Assize Ball three years ago. Kate’s shop was their regular rendezvous. They were in love, but they could not marry, so they took what happiness they could. Spade felt little guilt. He could not believe that God would give his children overwhelming sexual desires then torture them with frustration. As for Arabella, she seemed not to think about sin.
They were discreet. They had gone undiscovered all this time, and Spade thought they could probably carry on indefinitely.
Afterwards, when they lay on their backs, side by side, panting, she said: ‘I was never like this, you know. The way I talk to you...the things I do.’
‘You surprised yourself.’ She had surprised him, too. He was younger, and lower class, and she was married.
