“I don't doubt that for a minute, Mister Lompret, and I would call it an honor, if you, kind Sir, would show up at my next reception. I will be glad to serve you personally.”
“And I, dear Lady, am equally as honored to accept your kind invitation.”
No one was more curious that afternoon of Donna de Corriero's reception than her sister, Florentine Vaudrez. She almost burst with curiosity, nearly jumping up from her seat when the servant announced Michael Lompret.
She saw a man of the world, extremely good looking, who greeted the lady of the house with mannered, formal politeness. Even Florentine, who knew all the details of their love bouts, would never have guessed that Michael Lompret and her sister knew each other intimately.
After he had left, the two sisters looked at each other.
“A well brought up young man, your Michelangelo,” Florentine said, slightly spiteful, adding hastily as Julia's eyes flared up, “Who knows? Maybe fate works better than our hideout on the Rue Charles V.”
“I think it does, though our love nest is a brilliant invention.”
“Isn't it, ladies?” Dorothy was eager for praise. “Neither one of you has been bored since we started this.” And she emphasized the word “we.”
“You are positively right, my dearest girl,” Julia said, glad that Dorothy did not seem to be angered, “and since you have helped your mistress above and beyond the call of duty, I bequeath to you the complete wardrobe of Madame Pomegranate Flower, who just last week, had to return to her social duties in far-away Andalusia.”
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
“Next week my dear big bad wolf, I am going to the Pyrenees,” Julia de Corriero said one morning when she awoke in Michael's arms.
“You are going away? You mean we are not going to see each other again?”
“Who said anything about not seeing each other? Aren't you as free as I am? Who is there to prevent you from following me in a couple weeks? I have an old castle down there which needs restoring. It is positively loaded with old paintings, and what is more natural than that you supervise the restoration? Besides, I am getting a little tired from the busy life in Paris. I want to leave my sister alone in our love nest and moreover, the castle is so faraway from the hustle and bustle of society that nobody, I am sure, will pay us a visit.”
“Well, in that case, darling, I am not going to wait fourteen days. I'll follow you within a few.”
“Fine, that's a date,” she said as she opened her thighs to allow Michael Lompret full entrance with his big, throbbing prick.
Meanwhile, in Florentine's part of the building, near disaster struck. She was cavorting with Maxim de Berny, who was mumbling words of endearment to his Lady Evergreen whenever his mouth was not busy searching for her little clitoris.
He had just aroused a tremendous orgasm in his paramour and was coming up for air, when Evergreen's mask slipped and, utterly flabbergasted, Maxim recognized her. “My dearest Lady… you… you…”
“Oh, my God! Yes, it's me! That stupid mask was smothering me. I do hope that you will not use your knowledge to compromise me.”
“Me? Compromise you! What do you take me for? But let me tell you that women sure have a knack for making things complicated. I have longed for you ever since that night…” here he stopped, because he did not want to bring up certain things which Florentine might want to forget.
“It would have been so much easier to protect you without all these sphinx secrets,” he continued.
“What do you mean?”
“Isn't that easy to understand?”
“No, not unless you explain yourself.”
“Don't you understand? The members of the Club de Topinambours have taken it upon themselves to find out who these two mystery women are. After all, both de Paliseul and I have told them about our first adventure. Since then, I have denied knowing anything more. I did not want to give up my love because of the curiosity of some members of my club. And, let me tell you, my dearest, these members are like bloodhounds, sniffing throughout Paris to pick up the trail. Why didn't the two of you trust the honor of two gentlemen?”
“In the first place, it was so amusing…”
“And in the second place?”
“What if we had not been so compatible?”
“I see, you mean if we had been like de Paliseul and Pomegranate?”
Florentine answered by nodding her head.
“And if I may ask, who is this dark Andalusian women?”
“Her secrets are not mine. I do not have the right to tell you.”
“Well, darling, you are right as far as that is concerned. But, now that I know your identity, the big problem remains-how to lead our bloodhounds on a wrong trail.”
“How do you want to do that.”
“Let me think about something.” Maxim gave her a reassuring kiss, his hands lingering upon her beautiful golden fleece.
“In whose name is this house?” he asked after several minutes.
“Felicitas'.”
“The Negro woman?”
“Yes.”
“And this precious woman is as much a Negro as I am, I dare presume?”
“You are right. But she is a very, very trustworthy servant.”
“That I have noticed. In whose service is she?”
“Pomegranate Flower's.”
“I think I have a good idea. Why don't we send de Paliseul an invitation from the Sphinx. He will be overjoyed to hear from his Pomegranate Flower, and undoubtedly tell everyone in the club about his new invitation. Then I will suggest to use this opportunity to uncover the secret of the two beautiful women. And you, my dearest, will have to make some arrangements with Felicitas, in whose name this house is registered, to give our friend de Paliseul a fitting reception.”
“That sounds very exciting!”
“Fine! Then we will create a complication our friend shall never forget!”
“What a great idea!”
“But you must promise to help me!”
“Of course!”
“Great! Let's start- the comedy tomorrow.”
They went into several details, not forgetting that they had gotten together to make love. When Maxim left, he had given Lady Evergreen more than ample proof that her trust in him had not diminished his love for her. Ten minutes after he had gone, Florentine was still recuperating from her last orgasm.
It was around four the next afternoon when de Paliseul excitedly waved his invitation before the members of the club. He was overjoyed.
“What are you waving there,” Maxim asked him.
“That Pomegranate Flower has finally changed her mind,” de Paliseul exclaimed.
“Bah! Pooh! Bullshit,” were just a few of the words that could be heard from the membership.
“See? It's the sign of the sphinx,” said de Paliseul, furious that his fellow members did not believe him.
“Do you remember your promise, de Paliseul?” Maxim asked innocently.
“I sure do, and I aim to keep it!”
“And we shall be very happy, once and for all, to lift the veil of secrecy which hides the ladies Evergreen and
