Antoine smiled. Her words, her gestures, her every move was suggestive of sex, and had been since the first day she had walked into this house on the arm of Uncle Gaston better than a year ago, replacing his former mistress. Her capacity had been obvious, her duties nil… except to cater to the master's personal and private needs… whatever they might be. Antoine only knew that he didn't blame his Uncle; after all, he was human and Aunt Yolande had been ill for at least a dozen years; a man had to have a woman, and Ginny Novak was very much that.

He, himself, had never touched her sexually… had hardly ever laid a hand upon her, but in all honesty he had wanted to many times, and from her actions… just the way she would hang onto him, or brush her breasts against him teasingly as she was doing right at that moment, he felt certain that she would be receptive. But once again, his loyalty to the man who had befriended and raised him would never permit him to commit such an act. Ginny Novak was his uncle's toy, and although Antoine too-often could barely tolerate the little man's cruel and abusive treatment of her in public, he bit his lip and kept his place. After all, if she didn't like it, she could always go back to the States where she came from.

Now, as he watched her, she looked about the room until her eyes found what they sought.

"Ah, so there the little czar is," she said with obvious distaste. "And with your Madeleine, of course."

"Of course…? Why do you say it like that?" Antoine questioned, her derisive tone provoking him.

"Did I say it wrong? I'm sorry, darling. Probably just the natural, unrefined farmer coming out in me. Nothing more crude than a half-drunk, corn-fed girl, they say."

Antoine grinned and she moved around until her back was to Uncle Gaston and Madeleine, then he saw the almost immediate, serious expression that sobered her attractive face. It surprised and puzzled him simultaneously.