colorandsoftash-blondhair.Herskinwasfreshandgoldenasthoughshehadbeendippedinhoney.Herfigurewasstunning,withgenerous,firm,youngbreasts,asmallwaist,roundedhipsandlongshapelylegs,withdelicateankles.Hervoicewasdistinctive,softandmellifluous.Therewasastrong,smolderingsensualityaboutNoelle,butthatwasnothermagic.Hermagiclayinthefactthatbeneaththesensualityseemedtolieanuntouchedislandofinnocence,andthecombinationwasirresistible.Shecouldnotwalkdownthestreetswithoutreceivingpropositionsfrompassersby.TheywerenotthecasualoffersthattheprostitutesofMarseillereceivedastheirdailycurrency,foreventhemostobtusemenperceivedsomethingspecialinNoelle,somethingthattheyhadneverseenbeforeandperhapswouldneverseeagain,andeachwaswillingtopayasmuchashecouldaffordtotrytomakeitapartofhimself,howeverbriefly.
Noelle’sfatherwasconsciousofherbeauty,too.Infact,JacquesPagethoughtoflittleelse.HewasawareoftheinterestthatNoellearousedinmen.EventhoughneitherhenorhiswifeeverdiscussedsexwithNoelle,hewascertainshestillhadhervirginity,awoman’slittlecapital.Hisshrewdpeasantmindgavelongandseriousthoughttohowhecouldbestcapitalizeonthewindfallthatnaturehadunexpectedlybestoweduponhim.Hismissionwastoseethathisdaughter’sbeautypaidoffashandsomelyaspossibleforNoelleandforhim.Afterall,hehadsiredher,fedher,clothedher,educatedher—sheowedhimeverything.Andnowitwastimeforhimtoberepaid.Ifhecouldsetherupassomerichman’smistress,itwouldbegoodforher,andhewouldbeabletolivethelifeofeasetowhichhewasentitled.Eachdayitwasgettingmoreandmoredifficultforanhonestmantomakealiving.TheshadowofwarhadbeguntospreadacrossEurope.TheNazishadmarchedintoAustriainalightningcoupthathadleftEuropestunned.AfewmonthslatertheNazishadtakenovertheSudetenareaandthenmarchedintoSlovakia.InspiteofHitler’sassurancesthathewasnotinterestedinfurtherconquest,thefeelingpersistedthattherewasgoingtobeamajorconflict.
TheimpactofeventswasfeltsharplyinFrance.Therewereshortagesinthestoresandmarkets,asthegovernmentbegantogearforamassivedefenseeffort.Soon,Jacquesfeared,theywouldevenstopthefishingandthenwherewouldhebe?No,theanswertohisproblemwasinfindingasuitableloverforhisdaughter.Thetroublewasthatheknewnowealthymen.Allhisfriendswerepiss-poorlikehimself,andhehadnointentionoflettinganymannearherwhocouldnotpayhisprice.
TheanswertoJacquesPage’sdilemmawasinadvertentlysuppliedbyNoelleherself.InrecentmonthsNoellehadbecomeincreasinglyrestless.Shedidwellinherclasses,butschoolhadbeguntoboreher.Shetoldherfatherthatshewantedtogetajob.Hestudiedhersilently,shrewdlyweighingthepossibilities.
“Whatkindofjob?”heasked.“Idon’tknow,”Noellereplied.“Imightbeabletoworkasamodel,papa.”Itwasassimpleasthat.
EveryafternoonforthenextweekJacquesPagewenthomeafterwork,carefullybathedtogetthesmelloffishoutofhishandsandhair,dressedinhisgoodsuitandwent