Senta grasped her face in both hands as she stared at the photograph hanging above Zurfina’s bed.  What could she have been thinking?  Photographs were by their very nature limited to black, white, and shades of grey.  This picture however had been hand colored over the image, so that the result was much more real than a painting.  In front of a lush green forest backdrop was a Mirsannan divan with long wooden legs and large lazy padded arms but no back.  Reclining across its width, one arm draped over the end, one leg bent lazily at the knee was Zurfina, naked, not even a feather boa, silk stockings, or a piece of jewelry to clothe her.  And lying across the divan in the other direction, in a mirrored pose, was Senta—just as naked.  Her front bits were hidden behind Zurfina’s flaring hips, but her bosoms were right there for God and everyone to see.

“Well honestly, Pet, I’m chuffed.  I don’t think it could have come out any better.”

“I…”

“You love it too.”

“I… somehow thought that painting over it would… obnubilate it… a bit.”

“Why would we want that?  Look how lovely you look.”

“No one can ever see this,” said Senta.

“No one will see it.  It’s here above my bed.  Who could possibly see it?”

“Every man in Port Dechantagne.”

“Cheeky twonk!  I’ve been virtually celibate these last few years.”

“Well, now you have a reason to stay that way.”

“Quite the reverse.  I think viewing this picture might add to the… flavor of a gentleman’s visit.”

“Eww!”

“Isaak appreciated it.”

“Eww.  You mean Isaak Wissinger?”

Zurfina nodded.

“Double Eww!”

“Well, surely you’ll show it to…” Zurfina snapped her fingers, searching her memory.

“Graham.”

“Yes, surely you’ll show him?”

“No.”

“But didn’t he propose marriage?”

“How did you know about that?”

Zurfina cocked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, alright.  You know every intimate detail of our conversation but you can’t remember his name.  But, no, he didn’t propose.  We’re just promised.  And no, I’m never going to show him this picture.”

“He will see your fanny eventually.”

“Of course he will, but he doesn’t need to see yours.”

“I think Smedley would like it as well.”

“Bloody hell!  That’s just disturbing.  You will hide this whenever you have anyone, man or woman, in this room.  Cast one of your famous obfuscations on it.  Otherwise… I’ll pinch you… hard.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Watch me.”

“Fine.  It seems such a waste to have this wonderful picture if I’m the only one who gets to see it.”

“You should have thought of that before you talked me into posing with you.”

“Well, enough of this,” said Zurfina, stepping across the room to her dresser and opening the top drawer.  “I have something for you.”

She returned with two small identical hand mirrors.  Handing one of them to Senta, she said. “These will allow us to communicate and to observe.”

Senta examined her mirror.  It seemed unremarkable.  “Uuthanum,” she said.

The image in the mirror changed from one of her face to a view looking down upon Zurfina from above and in front.  She could see her own legs in the corner of the glass.

“You see?” said Zurfina, looking up and therefore out of the mirror, though not quite meeting Senta’s eyes.