Temptations of Pleasure Island Read Online Free

poor man’s plight was concerned.
    Sarah decided she would risk telling Cosima what she thought. “It seems to me that your people take gambling so … seriously.”
    “It’s just good sport!” Cosima cried. “Didn’t they have things like this in your world?”
    “Yes, they did.”
    “Well, it’s all the same, then. It’s just for fun.”
    Sarah did not agree that the gambling part was just fun, but she said no more.
    “Come, girls. Let’s go shopping,” Cosima said gaily.
    And shopping they did go. For the next two hours, Sarah and Abbey were taken on a whirlwind tour of shops. The princess could not spend her winnings fast enough. She bought seven pairs of shoes.
    Sarah was amazed. “Don’t you have any shoes?”
    “Oh, certainly. I have more than three hundred pairs.”
    “Three hundred pairs! Then why do you need more?”
    The princess appeared bewildered that she should ask. “Oh, I don’t know. Some people collect some things, and I collect shoes.”
    From then on, Sarah watched in silence as the princess spent all the money that she had won. She had boxes of clothes and shoes—including some she had bought for Sarah and Abbey.
    Abbey, of course, was terribly excited. She whispered, “Isn’t this wonderful, Sarah?”
    “It’s wonderful for the winners,” Sarah said quietly.
    “I can’t wait to put on my new clothes. That ball is going to be fabulous.”
    The ball was indeed fabulous, if fabulous meant expensive parties. Josh stood to one side with Wash and Reb, watching the activity. The ballroom was packed with young people and older people as well. The women’s bright dresses—reds, yellows, greens, blues—made a kaleidoscope of color. The music came from orchestras that were posted high on balconies. It appeared to Josh that all the Sleepers were stunned by the lavishness of it all.
    “This is some set-to, ain’t it, now?” Reb marveled. “I been to two county fairs and three snake stompin’s,” he remarked, “but I ain’t ever seen nothing like this.”
    Wash had just come back from the refreshment table, and he had both hands full. “I don’t know what all this stuff is, but it sure does taste good! It’s all free too.”
    “No, I don’t think it is free,” Josh said. “Somebody’s got to pay for it.”
    “Well, the king pays for it, I guess.”
    “And where does the king get the money to pay for it?” Dave asked with a crooked grin.
    “Never thought about it,” Wash said.
    “He taxes the people.”
    “That’s right,” Josh put in. “So no matter whether the people are here or not, they pay for these fancy balls.”
    “Looks like they have some kind of special entertainment coming up again,” Dave said.
    This time it was a juggler, who was marvelous indeed. He kept at least twenty balls in the air at the same time. At other times he threw lighted torches and caught them, seemingly with ease.
    Following this there was a short play, then more dancing.
    “This is just wonderful, isn’t it, Sarah?” Abbey had been conversing with a tall, blond-haired young man.
    Sarah said, “I can see it’s going to be very tiring. We’ll be ready for bed tonight. Early.”
    But they did not get to bed early. Food continued to be brought in, the entertainment continued, the ball went on, and it seemed as if it would go on until morning.
    Finally Josh found Sarah and said, “I can’t take any more of this, Sarah. I’m falling to pieces, I’m so tired.”
    “So am I.”
    “We’d better pull our people out of here.”
    “I expect you’re right. From what the princess said, there’ll be another day at the arena tomorrow—and another party tomorrow night!”
    “They’ve scheduled events I never even heard of,” Josh groaned. “Even worse than cat climbing. And these people bet on everything!”
    Josh soon found that all the Sleepers were ready to go except Abbey. She protested, but he insisted. “Tomorrow’s another day, Abbey. There’ll be another ball to