However, she recalled now, that before ever realizing the extent of his evilness, she'd convinced herself to willingly carry out her part of their bargain. A girl had to be prepared to pay a price for such an extravagant life as she sought… an American husband… living in the States… and all of the little luxuries that were actually considered necessities in that great country… besides, it was not as if she had never known Jean Louis Blanchette, son of the avocat who had lived upon the hill and who was betrothed to Docteur Laprise's daughter, Francine. Jean Louis had punched away her virginity with his stubby little penis, and together they had discovered many exciting things in the ways of love, but with him it had been so titillating and romantic, while Keel had made her nausee even with the numbing of the wine…

He had registered them into a seedy motel at Riviere du Loup even before the sun had set… had bought wine and poured into the cloudy tumblers that set in a tray on the scarred bureau before removing his coat. Then, he'd smiled and said: "Take off your things, my dear. This is home."

She'd made a tight little smile of her own in response and removed her coat obediently while he took it to hang in the open closet. He ogled her then, in the ruffled and ribboned pink-gingham dress her mother had made for her, licking at his lips, the gentleness she had seen earlier abruptly gone from his eyes, leaving only exigent lust which had added even more ugliness to his carnal face.

At that moment she had wanted to get away from him, at least temporarily, and she'd walked past him toward the tiny bathroom. He came up behind her before she could reach the door, putting both hands on her firm, young buttocks. She'd frozen, sucking in a short breath.