Crimson by Shirley Conran Page B

passive, with head bowed, she looked meek and acquiescent, but both she and Billy knew the secret passion that lay behind her lowered eyes.
    Only once more did Elinor protest at being dressed as a child. Standing ready for bed, wearing only a white frilled pinafore and long black stockings, she said hesitantly, “Billy, I don’t mind dressing like this sometimes, but must I do it always? We never seem to do anything else!”
    “And why not?” Billy lay on his back, both arms behind his head. Elinor looked at the blond hair glinting in his pale armpits and on his upper chest; below the nipples, his body was hidden by rumpled sheets.
    “Because … because … I feel you’re behaving like a strict father with his little daughter … and that would be wrong, wouldn’t it, Billy?”
    “It would certainly be incestuous.” Billy stretched his arms in a yawn.
    “But what does a little more corruption matter?” “Corruption?”
    Elinor stared.
    “Certainly,” Billy said.
    “The delights of the flesh to which you are so addicted are viewed by the world as corrupt behaviour. Ask any decent woman.”
    “What do you mean? Surely what we do is normal between a man and his wife?” “Normal? You know perfectly well, Elinor, that ladies, find the sexual act distasteful. The things that you and I get up to are considered unspeakably degrading, and would shock any decent women.” He laughed.
    “No respectable woman enjoys the sexual act only whores.”
     
    “But … but … you showed me all those things.” Because you clearly enjoyed them, my dear. You always wanted what I offered. I did nothing against your will. You clearly have the heart of a whore. You enjoyed every perversion that I.offered you. You positively shook every time I touched you. You love it all.”
    “But … what are these perversion sT Slowly and deliberately Billy listed the acts of eroticism in which he had encouraged his wife to participate, clearly enjoying her confusion.
    He smiled again.
    “Don’t worry, Elinor. I enjoy your depravity. But we’d better keep it a secret, hadn’t weT “Depravity?” Elinor stammered.
    He laughed.
    “I think you’re more depraved than I am, darling. But if you don’t agree, then why don’t we ask other people for their opinions.” Her frightened expression aroused him so much that he carefully repeated his accusation. Observing Elinor’s guilty, crimson face, Billy suspected that in the future he would be able to manipulate his wife in any way he wished, and get her to agree to do anything he requested, simply by hurling this suggestion at her.
    Elinor was simply unable to resist the temptations offered by Billy. And of course, she did not dare resist, although she now felt bitterly ashamed of the physical desires of her body and her willing capitulation to Billy’s domination. With some success, she made excuses to herself. I didn’t want to do it, but Billy made me do it, and he’s my husband, and I must obey him.
    Tom between her pleasure and the resultant shame, Elinor felt her guilt steadily grow. And increasingly Billy manipulated, dominated, and exploited her.
    Hidden beneath his apparent sophistication lurked the little boy who enjoyed pulling the wings from moths. At in, Billy was still a bully who found pleasure in dom ion
    Sometimes in the street Billy asked Elinor if she had noticed some young girl’s fine eyes or long legs. Aloud he wondered what it would be like to caress her. He enjoyed seeing Elinor’s jealousy, which she thought she hid so well, as he developed these erotic daydreams.
    What he said he would Eke to do to the girl, Billy later did to Elinor, whispering further erotic details as he touched her. He told Elinor that both men and women fantasized in this way.
    “Stop being a stupid farm girl, and acquire a little more sophistication in these matters,” he ordered.
    And Elinor acquiesced. Against her will, she became fascinated by his erotic fantasies, and eventually