CHAPTER

TWO

I had been at my aunt's house a little more than a day and I already found myself deeply involved in what struck me as the most bizarre situation it had ever been my lot to experience. Here I was, a free man, able to leave the house whenever I wished, yet too fearful to do so and not even contemplating failing to appear at my aunt's room at the appointed time. It was rather like a boarding-school boy having a date with the Headmaster, knowing that it wasn't going to be at all pleasant.

When I reached Aunt Maria's room I walked in and stood in the middle of the room, too indecisive to know what to do or how I should handle the situation. But my aunt had no such hesitation.

'I thought we were likely to be friends,' she began. 'But already you have put yourself on the other side, meeting the girls in secret. I am gravely disappointed as I felt sure that you respected me, if nothing else.'

'I do respect you,' I said. Perhaps I had let her down but there was no doubt that whatever I thought about the way she treated the girls she was a woman I could not but help having res-

pect and admiration for. I didn't understand her relationship with the girls, but I found her personality attractive and stimulating. Dominating, too, but that was something I always found engaging, perhaps because I was a somewhat indecisive person myself. Whatever had happened that afternoon, and however wach I disagreed with the way she had treated the girls, I somehow wanted to keep my friendship with my aunt.

My aunt appeared to be impressed with my words.

'If you mean that, Edward, then there is hope for us. But I wonder how you would fare if I put you to the test? Last time you let me down, you know.'

'It may appear so to you, Aunt Maria. Be that as it may, but you may rest assured that if you put me to the test again I shall not fail you.'

"That is most interesting. I still wonder how far I could command you before you disobeyed me, ,' she said looking at me questioningly, almost as if she wanted to challenge me and get me to accept the challenge.

I felt a strange compulsion to get her to challenge me.

There was no doubt that I had fallen under the dominating nay, fascinating sway of her personality and I wanted to prove myself, almost to prove myself worthy of her. Little did I realize what she had in mind for me.

To my utter amazement she said, 'All right.