A slow song came on, I looked at Lisa, I don't mind, ask him. I knew she would probably be polite and dance with him. She does like to flirt a little,...but never anything more. She asked Chris if he would like to dance, Tom's not much of a dancer, but will dance a few with me. He asked me if I was sure that was ok. Sure, I want her to be happy and ready for me later. We all three laughed. I watched them walk to the dance floor. He seemed to be a real gentlman his hands stayed in her lower back,. It was in these months that Astrid saw more of Gudrun. Before, she had been very wary about associating with a woman of such easy virtue, even though she was blessed by the favours of the chief, but Gudrun showed sympathy for Astrid's concerns for Thorvald.One day, she met Astrid weeping by the river when collecting water. While her daughter, Matilda, played with Hromund in the shadows of the trees, Gudrun so entertained Astrid with her wicked jokes and sly observations that Astrid forgot all. Estelle spoke first. "Surely, the explanation required is not from us, Sir. Surely it is Miss Mbute that should answer." It was not our fault, Sir," Amanda joined her sister. "Surely you will believe us. She took advantage of the submissive nature that you have encouraged in us. We were naturally inclined to obey. That is what you have required of us."I smiled, incredulous, and got to my feet. "So, this is in some way my fault? That you, of your own free will, both allowed yourselves to be. It took enough firepower to take on all comers to do the job, and it hadn't been available until I got here.There were no illusions for me either, or at least I didn't think there were many. I'd have been up shit creek myself if not for the tiff between the union men and the crooked administrators. I probably wouldn't have been as far up that particular creek as most others but I'd have been basically fucked just the same.I wasn't put down here in an impossible situation though. I had enough to.