WHEN the faintest sound of a footfall had died away, Jamie settled back in his niche in the rock, drew his wrappings around him, and turned his face in the direction of the sea, the face that had been held between a pair of strong, impetuous woman’s hands, the face that had been showered with wholly impersonal caresses merely as an expression of release from a thraldom of shame. He had been paid in the coin of the realm of womanhood most desired by men, therefore most frequently offered by women in extremity.

Jamie sought among his clothing and found a handkerchief. He pulled it out and carefully wiped his face. There was nothing about the clammy, salty kisses he had received that he wished to perpetuate, not even the memory of them, because the girl who gave them had not meant them for him personally. She had bestowed real kisses elsewhere. These were the first available expression of thankfulness for freedom, freedom to lift up her head, freedom to face the world, freedom to go on with her life in such a manner that the ever-ready “finger of scorn” need not be pointed at her.

Jamie grinned dourly as he scoured his face. ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/147 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/148 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/149 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/150 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/151 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/152 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/153 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/154 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/155 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/156 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/157 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/158 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/159 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/160 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/161 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/162 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/163 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/164 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/165 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/166 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/167 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/168 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/169 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/170 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/171 ​Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/172 ​had the mane of silken hair, who had the keen brown eyes, who had the firm breasts, the capable hands, the mellow, luring voice, that Jamie always had imagined would be exactly what he would want when he met the woman who would be the one woman of all the world to him.