Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(85)

"By not picking blueberries, that's for sure." He took her hand. "Want me to carry that?"

"I'm fine."

"Say something in English."

"I'm hungry," she complied in English.

"Something else." He smiled.

She tutted.

"Something else," he repeated, squeezing her hand emphatically.

In English, she asked, "Do you ever went todoghouse ?"

Alexander didn't understand. "A doghouse--"

He understood. "Tania..." He laughed. "It's thecathouse ."

"Oh." She blushed. Alexander pulled her to him.

"Careful with the blueberries," she said in English. "Don't spill my full backet."

"Okay." Alexander shook his head. "And it'sbucket ." Balling up her hand into a fist, he brought it to his lips.

At the cabin, Tania immediately perched down to pick through the blueberries while Alexander went for a swim. Drying off, Alexander stood in front of Tatiana, buckets between her parted legs. She looked up at him expectantly. He extended his hand.

After they had finished making sweet slow afternoon love, and she was cradled in his arms, he said, "Yes, I've been to a cathouse. A long time ago."

She shuddered briefly, not looking at him. "Often?"

"No, not often."

"Didn't you ever--all those skanks have been with so many men. Do they even wash in between?"

Alexander smiled at her innocence, at her blinding blondeness. "Not all women can be untrampled snow like you," he said. He paused, slightly shuddering himself. "I'll never go again, all right?"

She looked at him, puzzled. "Why would you?" she asked, her expression full of love, full of faith. "You're married now. To me." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"I know who I'm married to." He thought a moment. "Besides," he added slowly, "I was very careful. I always wore a safety sheath."

"A what?"

Oh, dear God. "A false scabbard," he said. She was heartbreaking. "Over the sword."

Tatiana was thoughtful. "When you sayalways ..."

"Always."

"Notalways , right?"

"Always, Tania. How can you not believe me? A second ago you didn't even know what--"

"Shura."

"What?"

"Not always," she said firmly, propping herself up on her arm. "You don't wear one with me."

Alexander smiled. "Why would I?" He took her in his arms. "Why should I?" he whispered.

"Wait, wait!" She disentangled herself. "Are you telling me that you were never uncovered..."

"That's what I'm saying."

"Never?"

"Never."

"I don't believe you."

Alexander laughed. "The truth is not dependent on your belief, Tania."

"All those women, all those good-time girls, all those garrison hacks, not a single one?"

"Particularly not them."

"But Shura, you--" She paused. "You must have needed quite a lot of them." She smiled. "Scabbards, not girls."

He smiled back.

"What did you do when you ran out?"

"I stayed away until I got some more."

Tatiana was very quiet. "What about Dasha?"

"What about her?" Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"With her, too?"

"Tania, with everyone."

"Shura..." Tatiana jumped on him, hugging him to kill the alive. She was shaking him. When she lifted her face from his neck, tears were in her eyes. "You're such a beast. How could you have not told me this for five whole days? And after I told you all about me in the first five minutes."

He grinned, his hands running up and down her bare back. "You never asked."

She shook him again. He stroked her arms, her neck, her lips. Caressing her, he watched her face, her closed eyes, her slightly parted mouth. "Say something in English."

"No," she said. "But now I am going to go and make you blueberry jam."

"Great," Alexander muttered, watching her hop down. "Can't wait. Much better than abit of fresh ."

Tatiana turned to him and smiled. "Shura," she said in halting English, "show me yourmarriage bait ."

Alexander laughed. "Tania, come here. Please. Forget the blueberries."

"What did I say now?" she said, coming back, kneeling in front of him and smiling.

"It's notmarriage bait , it's thewedding tackle . And here it is." He smiled. "But stop using your English as a source of comedy on our marriage rack. Touch me."

Fondling him and grinning, she said in English, "All right, you well drawn soldier."

"Tania...oh, no." His stomach was beginning to hurt. "Stop, I said. You're killing me."

"Come, give mea slice of tail ."

"Tania!"

"What?" she said, her eyes twinkling.

"I don't giveyou a slice of tail!"