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d knew a good deal about her from the immigration form； one among a hundred； which he had been studying that morning。 Her name was Dominetta Vitali。 She had been born in Bolzano in the Italian Tyrol and therefore probably had as much Austrian as Italian blood in her。 She was twenty…nine and gave her profession as 〃actress。〃 She had arrived six months before in the Disco and it was entirely understood that she was mistress to the owner of the yacht； an Italian called Emilio Largo。 〃Whore；〃 〃tart；〃 〃prostitute〃 were not words Bond used about women unless they were professional streetwalkers or the inmates of a brothel； and when Harling； the missioner of Police； and Pitman； Chief of Immigration and Customs； had described her as an 〃Italian tart〃 Bond had reserved judgment。 Now he knew he had been right。 This was an independent； a girl of authority and character。 She might like the rich； gay life but； so far as Bond was concerned； that was the right kind of girl。 She might sleep with men； obviously did； but it would be on her terms and not on theirs。
Women are often meticulous and safe drivers； but they are very seldom first…class。 In general Bond regarded them as a mild hazard and he always gave them plenty of road and was ready for the unpredictable。 Four women in a car he regarded as the highest danger potential； and two women as nearly as lethal。 Women together cannot keep silent in a car； and when women talk they have to look into each other's faces。 An exchange of words is not enough。 They have to see the other person's expression； perhaps in order to read behind the other's words or to analyze the reaction to their own。 So two women in the front seat of a car constantly distract each other's attention from the road ahead and four women are more than doubly dangerous； for the driver has to hear； and see； not only what her panion is saying but also； for women are like that； what the two behind are talking about。
But this girl drove like a man。 She was entirely focused on the road ahead and on what was going on in her driving mirror； an accessory rarely used by women except for making up their faces。 And； equally rare in a woman； she took a man's pleasure in the feel of her machine； in the timing of her gear changes； and the use of her brakes。
She didn't talk to Bond or seem to be aware of him； and this allowed him to continue his inspection without inhibition。 She had a gay； to…hell…with…you face that； Bond thought； would bee animal in passion。 In bed she would fight and bite and then suddenly melt into hot surrender。 He could almost see the proud； sensual mouth bare away from the even white teeth in a snarl of desire and then； afterward； soften into a half…pout of loving slavery。 In profile the eyes were soft charcoal slits such as you see on some birds。but in the shop Bond had seen them full face。 Then they had been fierce and direct with a golden flicker in the dark brown that held much the same message as the mouth。 The profile； the straight； small uptilted nose； the determined set of the chin； and the clean…cut sweep of the jaw line were as decisive as a royal mand； and the way the head was set on the neck had the same authority…the poise one associates with imaginary princesses。 Two features modified the clean…cut purity of line…a soft； muddled Brigitte Bardot haircut that escaped from under the straw hat in an endearing disarray； and two deeply cut but soft dimples which could only have been etched by a sweet if rather ironic smile that Bond had not yet seen。 The sunburn was not overdone and her skin had none of that dried； exhausted sheen that can turn the texture of even the youngest skin into something more like parchment。 Beneath the gold； there was an earthy warmth in the cheeks that suggested a good healthy peasant strain from the Italian Alps； and her breasts； high riding and deeply V…ed； were from the same stock。 The general impression； Bond decided； was of a willful； high…tempered； sensual girl…a beautiful Arab mare who would only allow herself to be ridden by a horseman with steel thighs and velvet hands； and then only with curb and saw bit…and then only when he had broken her to bridle and saddle。 Bond thought that he would like to try his strength against hers。 But that must be for some other time。 For the moment another man was in the saddle。 He would first have to be unhorsed。 And anyway； what the hell was he doing fooling with these things？ There was a job to be done。 The devil of a job。
The MG swept out of Shirley Street on to Eastern Road and followed the coast。 Across the wide harbor entrance were the emerald and turquoise shoals of Athol Island。 A deep…sea fishing boat was passing over them； the。 two tall antennae of her twelve…foot rods streaming their lines astern。 A fast motorboat came hammering by dose inshore； the water…skier on the line behind her executing tight slaloms across the waves of her wake。 It was a sparkling； beautiful day and Bond's heart lifted momentarily from the trough of indecision and despondency created by an assignment that； particularly since his arrival at dawn that day； seemed increasingly time…wasting and futile。
The Bahamas； the string of a thousand islands that straggle five hundred miles southeast from just east of the coast of Florida to just north of Cuba； from latitude 27o down to latitude 21o； were； for most of three hundred years； the haunt of every famous pirate of the western Atlantic； and today tourism makes full use of the romantic mythology。 A road…sign said 〃 Blackbeard's Tower 1 mile 〃 and another 〃 Gunpowder Wharf。 Sea Food。 Native Drinks。 Shady Garden。 First Left 。〃
A sand track showed on their left。 The girl took it and pulled up in front of a ruined stone warehouse against which leaned a pink clapboard house with white window frames and a white Adam…style doorway over which hung a brightly painted inn sign of a powder keg with a skull and crossbones on it。 The girl drove the MG into the shade of a clump of casuarinas and they got out and went through the door and through a small dining room with red and white checked covers and out onto a terrace built on the remains of a stone wharf。 The terrace was shaded by sea…almond trees trimmed into umbrellas。 Trailed by a shuffling colored waiter with soup stains down his white coat； they chose a cool table on the edge of the terrace looking over the water。 Bond glanced at his watch。 He said to the girl； 〃It's exactly midday。 Do you want to drink solid or soft？〃
The girl said； 〃Soft。 I'll have a double Bloody Mary with plenty of Worcester sauce。〃
Bond said； 〃What do you call hard？ I'll have a vodka and tonic with a dash of bitters。〃 The waiter said； 〃Yassuh〃 and mooched away。
〃I call vodka…on…the…rocks hard。 All that tomato juice makes it soft。〃 She hooked a chair toward her with one foot and stretched out her legs on it so that they were in the sun。 The position wasn't fortable enough。 She kicked off her sandals and sat back； satisfied。 She said； 〃When did you arrive？ I haven't seen you about。 When it's like this； at the end of the season； one expects to know most of the faces。〃
〃I got in this morning。 From New York。 I've e to look for a property。 It struck me that now would be better than in the season。 When all the millionaires are here the prices are hopeless。 They may e down a bit now they're gone。 How long have you been here？
〃About six months。 I came out in a yacht； the Disco Volante 。 You may have seen her。 She's anchored up the coast。 You probably flew right over her ing in to land at Windsor Field。〃
〃A long low streamlined affair？ Is she yours？ She's got beautiful lines。〃
〃She belongs to a relative of mine。〃 The eyes watched Bond's face。
〃Do you stay on board？〃
〃Oh； no。 We've got a beach property。 Or rather we've taken it。 It's a place called Palmyra。 Just opposite where the yacht is。 It belongs to an Englishman。 I believe he wants to sell it。 It's very beautiful。 And it's a long way away from the tourists。 It's at a place called Lyford Key。〃
〃That sounds the sort of place I'm looking for。〃
〃Well； we'll be gone in about a week。〃
〃Oh。〃 Bond looked into her eyes。 〃I'm sorry。〃
〃If