Sweetheart, he began, thats just the beginning. And speaking of the weekend, pick a number between one and twenty. What? What sort of game do you have... in mind? Sarah asked. Come on, pick a number. Ok, she said. How about 17? Seventeen it is. Who is the lucky winner? He turned toward Mark and Larry. You see Sarah, before you arrived tonight, the three of us picked numbers to see who would be first to sample your . . . ah, your favors. Now who is it? Ive got 10. Ive got eight, said Mark, holding. In the centre of the room was a saltire whipping frame which had been built especially for this room and to Jacqui's own design. It was vertical at the moment, but could be swung to horizontal if needed. The four branches were adjustable for angle, could be telescoped to any required length. They could also be moved to other angles independently of each other. Standing quietly beside the frame was Jacqui, completely nude, clearly resigned to whatever was to come.Then Greta said, "Enjoy," though. The equivalent of an artillery strike had been uncalled for - as I'd been reminded afterward, at length.Val seemed to know what I was thinking, and gestured broadly, in the Italian way. "Well, I certainly appreciated it. St. George slaying the dragon!" She smirked. "A girl could be swept off her feet."I walked over to the minibar and searched for something non-alcoholic. "Come on, Val. Just doing my job. You would've saved my ass, too." I pulled out a soda. "Want one?"She laughed brightly,. The weather almost seemed to have been orchestrated, as jagged forks of lightning began to flash dramatically and the thunder rolled and crashed around the island.The actual internment of Merlin's body was a simple affair, probably as he would have wished it to be. The Abbot said some words over the body as it was lowered and the monks chanted. Eochaid led the mourners in filing past the open grave to pay his last respects and then the monks manhandled a slab of stone to cover over the grave..