Tea's eyes tried to absorb all that she saw inside. It was certainly one of the most opulent and stunning interiors she had ever seen. Lavish paintings hung on the walls and the furnishings were exquisitely carved in rich tones of mahogany and oak. A huge staircase curved around up to a landing with an extremely long balcony open to the first floor. One large painting caught her eye as she passed by.

"That's Victor Lord, our father." Victoria said seeing that Tea had stopped to gaze up at the imposing figure in the painting.

"He's a very handsome man" remarked Tea who saw at once the resemblance between the father and son.

"Yes, very handsome. Todd is like him in many ways. He died years ago. It's just Todd and me now."

After Victoria had showed her around the first floor, she led her up to an upstairs bedroom.

"You're to be a guest here, I take it. I know my brother well, and I know he wants you to be here for a reason, so it's settled. You can have this room and rest up some if you like. I'll have Ellen bring up the tea. You do look a trifle exhausted, my dear." Tea nodded wordlessly, admitting to Victoria and herself that the events of the day had exacted a toll on her energy. She walked over to the bed and sank down onto it after Victoria had left. It was a large carved mahogany bed with a headboard that seemed to stretch to the ceiling, and in the middle of the headboard was a carved lion's head. She dropped back into the luxurious texture of the tapestried bedspread, her eyes half-closing.

Light was filtering through the heavy curtains of the room, the rays caressing her face. Her senses began to awake gradually, and she felt a presence somewhere near her. Through slitted lids she saw him standing only a few feet away from her. He had an expression of wonder in his eyes, and he stood rigidly before her seemingly lost in thought. Inside her body she tingled as he continued to pass his eyes over her. I must keep very still. She tried to peek again to see him, but he had vanished as suddenly as he had appeared to her in the forest. Her lids began to get heavy again and she fought her need for sleep as she thought of him. Was he to be important to her somehow? I'm so tired. When will this all end? As soon as I can I'll leave here and go into hiding.

Tea awoke with a start to see that darkness had settled languidly over the room. How long did I sleep? She noticed that a jug of tea and a small tray of wafers had been set on the table by the bed. Everything seemed eerily quiet and she rose from the bed stretching out her arms. She walked to the window and moving the curtain, peered through the panes. It was night. She must have slept a long time. Turning back, she poured herself a small cup of tea and bit into a wafer. Her hunger had virtually gone unnoticed with all that had happened and she realized just how deprived she had been. Finishing up the rest of the wafers, she went to a dresser and stared at the form in the mirror. There she stood with her honey hair caught up in a small bun and the rest of her tresses hanging down her back. Her face was pale but with a bit of pink color and her doe-like eyes blinked back at her. The Lords have been kind, but I don't want to answer any questions now.

She smoothed her hair down a bit with her hands and looking down noticed the mud stains on the bottom of her floor-length dress. She was a mess indeed, but there was no time to worry about that.

Opening the door to the room, she walked out into a hallway. She couldn't remember the way downstairs..this way? She turned down another corridor, which became darker as she gingerly made her way through it. A slight movement caused her to stop in her tracks.

"Are you lost?" a voice said in the blackness. He was only inches away from her - facing her and all she could really see at first were his eyes. As her eyes widened a bit to take in his shape, she could hear him breathing quietly. He smelled of a wood musk, which was quite intoxicating. Looking at him in the shadows, she saw his lips start to move again and she couldn't take her eyes off them.

"I guess I am," she managed to say with difficulty, every muscle in her body tensing. Just as she had done, his eyes settled on her mouth and his breathing began to speed up. Without warning, his long arms grasped hers and pulled her into him. Her mouth parted to meet his mouth crushing into hers. She tasted a pleasure that she had never known, allowing him the liberty to fully explore her surrendering lips. Her hands had involuntarily moved around his sides - holding him to her as if he were a liferaft. I don't even know you and I'm letting you do this! He released her momentarily and lifted his lips, and she tried to pretend she had not been indiscrete with someone she had just met.

"Please, sir," she faltered knowing her protests were a sham. He smiled as he saw her need to maintain some dignity and once again seized her - this time his lips found a spot on her neck.

"Stop at once or I'll scream!" she managed to push him away. Her heart was beating wildly and she could just imagine how her eyes were betraying her.

"Who are you?" he asked next as he resignedly stopped.

"Someone whom you obviously think is a loose woman now," she said in a venomous tone.

"You think I'm in the habit of kissing women in the corridor of my home?" he asked, amused at her frustration.

"I don't really know or care what you do in the privacy of your home, sir, but you merely caught me off guard and in a weakened state. Or was that your intention all along?"

"You don't know me at all, and I can't tell you why I just did that. I..I didn't know it was going to happen," he spoke uncomfortably.

"You're right. I don't know you and you had no right..no right at all! She turned away from him so that he wouldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know what was happening and confusion was setting in rapidly. That kiss was more than just a kiss. She had felt a connection to him. She didn't dare look into those penetrating eyes again or she was certain she would be at his mercy.

He seemed to become sympathetic to her distress, and touched her shoulder lightly.

"You're right. I didn't. I'm sorry..you're just so.." The tone he said this in was so imploring that Tea couldn't resist turning toward him again. His eyes had opened wider than before and a softness had settled in them. "Tell me..he asked with a pleading quality..tell me who you are!"

"My name is Tea," she said and the words echoed with strength and conviction in the stillness.

The clock in the suite chimed three times, and Tea woke up abruptly. I remember the dream! That kiss was so real...if only...She shook her head in disbelief that everything in her dream had been so vivid. Just wanting a little romance. Nothing more. But the lie she told herself was that she could live without him. Her dream was the reality. Todd was there with me. Whether in my dreams or in my life, I can never escape my love for him!

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