She checked herself in the mirror. She was wearing her silk robe, under which she had on a basque and a pair of stockings. They all liked this look, she thought, especially Carl. She thought it looked ridiculous, especially with the high heels, but then there was nothing about the male sexual appetite that surprised her anymore. She felt the neck of the champagne bottle—good, it was still cold. There was a large plate of cold meats and pickles next to it—she had guessed Carl would be hungry after his train ride.

She opened the door, and there was Strasser, looking a little unkempt.

“Why, you look as though you’ve just spent half the night on a troop train.”

“Hell on wheels,” said Strasser, before checking her up and down. “But well worth it.”

She reached forward and grabbed him by the belt and pulled him into the room. Then she kissed him hard, and pushed herself into him.

“It’s good to see you again,” she said.

“Thank you for persuading me to come.”

“You had no choice!”

“I know. You were very persuasive.”

Leni let go and walked into the room.

“Why don’t you open that bottle of champagne?” she asked. “And there’s some food for you—I didn’t know whether you would have got the chance to eat this evening.”

“You’re right—I didn’t. But first, I’d like to eat something else.”

Strasser smirked.

“Be my guest,” she said, and turned her back on him.

She walked over to the bed, knowing that Strasser would be admiring her behind. It was his mouth she felt first, kissing the back of her neck. And then his hands on her breasts, caressing them roughly at first, and then pinching her nipples through the silk of her robe and the lace of her basque. She pressed her buttocks into his groin, feeling him getting hard.

Strasser didn’t say a word as Leni bent over the bed. Instead, she could hear him unbuttoning his breeches, and then the sound of them falling to the floor. She felt his hands on her buttocks, squeezing them, and then hitching up her robe. He pulled her panties to one side, and then forced himself inside her, gripping the fronts of her thighs, slamming her body onto his groin.

Within no longer than two or three minutes, he had come. Leni was glad. Now that he had done so, he would be more relaxed, more malleable. Besides, she couldn’t have faced a long-drawn-out session—it would have made her feel too guilty.

“I couldn’t stop myself,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter,” she smiled. “We’ve got all night. That was just an aperitif.”

Strasser laughed.

“Talking of aperitifs,” he said, “I might open that champagne.”

“Please do…. By the way—would you like a bath?”

“Why? Do I need one?”

Leni nodded slowly and coquettishly.

“Just a little hint of troop train.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be. I’ll run it for you.”