Chapter Five
Midday, afternoon and evening following the session in the library drifted aimlessly. The half-dozen stranded on Marquis Island seemed lost to its world. Curiously, after several days of gloom, the sun broke through the clouds warming the tiny island the way the tropics should be warmed by a tropical sun. Returned to its more natural pleasantness, the island beckoned its guests outside with gentle breezes and a good-natured smile in the branches of the hovering palms. Delighted by the change of weather, the party moved happily into the fresh air.
While the three slaves remained collared and naked, it didn’t seem to matter as much with blue sky overhead and the heat to dry the dampness from their bones. Two days before, Marquis’ long stretch of white sandy beach had eluded t
