He did not notice her odd tone or he might have suspected that Louella Leota was not as entirely reconciled to her new life as she pretended to be. Although John Rott was famous for his caution, which was a necessity in his nefarious business, he acted solely from impulse with Louella. Desire made him blind. Never had a woman so affected him, though he dealt in women. They were his stock in trade. He was a prosperous merchant who had suddenly grown to love one of the objets d'art which he kept for sale.
Rott had ordered dinner to be served in a small private dining room on the second floor of the Inn. "Here we can be alone," he said, "and if we desire a bit of affection, there is no one to be dismayed. I'll have the waiter bring everything at once and then I'll tell him to keep away until I ring."
"That'll be fine," said she, "and I can wait on you exactly as though I were your wife, serving supper to you in our own home."
"Hell, I'm glad I brought you here!" he cried. "You're a grand girl. I was a damn fool to share you with anybody. I should have kept you for myself."
"Is it too late to change?" she asked demurely.
Not till the waiter had deposited all the food on the sideboard did he even kiss her. Then when the man had gone, John Rott seized Mary in his arms and kissed her passionately.
"God, I never loved you more!" he muttered.
For a moment she permitted him to kiss her at will. Then she pushed him gently away. "The soup will be getting cold," she said.
"Hell with the soup!"
"Hell would warm it."
"I'm crazy about you."
"I'm crazy about food. I'm starving."
"And I'm starving for love."
"Why not save the love for dessert?" "You belong to me! And what I want I take."
Mary laughed softly. "That's cheaper than buying it," she said. "Cave man stuff is very appealing. I don't object to such tactics as long as I don't cave in."
13
