She knew she had a fifty-fifty shot with this man, and the odds were probably a lot worse for her than they were for him. And when he lifted her muzzle away from him with a coldness that sparked a familiar flame, she found that she had lost this match. Cold, harsh men were the kind who know what to do with a woman as precocious as her and she felt at a loss with a man as gentle as she assumed Vasiliy was. Gentle touches did not light a fire for her as a man with a stiff hand and a domineering personality. She often times felt small pangs of guilt for the men with a calm, gentle personality; it was far too easy to take advantage and manipulate a man who had a one track mind and a self absorbed attitude.
Isabella almost felt bad for him, for the struggle he was surely having in his head. His words came broken, uncertain and she knew that she was not walking away victoriously from this. The coldness in his voice had given that away. It was time to bow out from this dangerous game with her dignity and secrecy intact. Vasiliy seemed confused, though he, too, seemed to wonder what she was. Perhaps it was better he did not know what she was, for it would make trading in the future that much easier. Him knowing what she was and what she did for her possessions would only mean sour glances and cold words. And it was better to win with a man who doled out sugar instead of salt.
Delicate white hands shot up to touch her lips in surprise. "O-Oh!" she stuttered, her true self sniggering in the back of her mind. "No, I.. oh, mon Dieu..," she trailed off, looking away from the man with a modesty she had not held true in a long time. She looked back at the merchant with a sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry if it sounded like.. oh, I'm sorry." Isabella disliked this part of herself, the lying innocent woman. Perhaps Salsola was truly the place for her. ".. Just do what, monsieur Vasiliy?" she said, peering up at the Russo, curiosity replacing the sadness in her eyes. Perhaps she had salvaged the situation
Photo courtesy of john curley. Table by Kitty.
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