"Morning, McLean!" Mandy intoned sweetly. He returned her greeting,trusting she had slept well. She had indeed, she told him. Like a baby. Herbrow fur...owed for an instant.She turned to the buffet, pretending to examine the contents of the covereddishes, but constantly glancing sideways and smiling up at McLean, sayingnothing, hoping to disconcert him. He remained impassive, staring over herhead, but occasionally darting her a look.She detected a slight smile playing at the corner of McLean's. " It calms me when I am troubled. " confessed Peter. His guest did note the fair skin of the man, relatively unblemished by pocks nor touched by but a slight growth of facial hair. Though a few wrinkle line about eyes and mouth betrayed the thirty seven years, the entirety reflected a youthful appearance. " Are you troubled, sir? " requested the physician, affecting the soothing voice he'd used so often. Franstein frowned at the question but braved a response. " It worries my... wife, that I. I'm not That stupid.Which is why I'm trudging across the snow to the lean-to by the trees next to the cliff, unarmed ... except for a silenced CZ 70 ... I hadn't mentioned that I was taking it, just in case. I may be gullible but I'm smarter than that.I put some wood on the fire, cleared my throat and backed off a couple of feet.The furs wiggled a little, a head stuck out. Her eyes got big ... my eyes got bigger.I knew I should have made one of the girls come instead.Our observer was a girl,. If he died today, she would be licking the prick of his successor within the hour, given half a chance.She was duly prepared and brought into the Ruby Palace and down to the torture chambers. Once there she was stripped of her abaya, harem dress, slippers and every trace of adornment. Her jewellery was removed, and even her lipstick was wiped off. As she stood shivering slightly she looked round the room and quickly recognised it for what it was, a torture chamber. The nipple clips, clamps and.