Where Secrets Lie

"It's still a few days away. Is it really necessary for you to be here now?"

"How are you not getting this?" she asked, annoyed. "I am staying here until the party. Did you not drink from that female that was in here? I think you need to feed. You don't seem like yourself."

"I'm fine. See Henry, and he will get you all set up." He hurried Hannah out and slammed the door behind her.

On the other side of the mansion, Kara tried sneaking back into her room, but she failed. She cringed at Kate's voice calling to her from across the room.

"I see that you have made up with Michael," she said.

Kara cleared her throat. "You scared me."

She peered at Kate from across the room, not wanting an argument to start, and luckily, it didn't. Amy walked in soon after Kara. Her usual chipper mood broke the tension.

"Oh, good, you guys are here. Guess who just arrived today?" she asked.

Kara guessed she was talking about the strange lady that interrupted her beautiful morning, but the look on Kate's face made it clear she had no clue.

"Hannah." Amy gave Kara a knowing glance.

Kate also looked at Kara, smiling. "Hannah, how is she doing these days I wonder?"

"I have no idea, and I could really care less." Amy laughed. "She's such a bitch. I guess that's why you two get along so well."

Kate recoiled at the insult but didn't discipline Amy's disrespect. Day by day, Amy grew bolder and bolder in her interactions with her previous best friend. She no longer accepted Kate's abuse with a smile on her face. Kara approved of the change.

"I believe I just met Hannah. She wanted a private meeting with Michael. Who is she?"

Kara's ignorance thrilled Kate. "You don't know?" She practically squealed.

"Don't. Michael should tell her," Amy scolded.

Kate took offense to the scolding. "What? Is it wrong for me to assume that Michael would tell his favorite servant that he was engaged to be married? Oh, he didn't? Poor Kara." Kate pouted in faux sympathy.

Amy's words fell on deaf ears, and Kate continued blabbing. "How else did you think the clans were merging? A contract?" She laughed.

Kate continued mocking Kara, but her voice drifted into the background, sounding more like white noise as Kara's mind struggled with this new information. She tried to wrap her mind around everything, but she couldn't. He couldn't be engaged. After everything they shared, he wouldn't do that to her. He would have at least told her. Her stomach lurched.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked then shot a disapproving look to Kate.

She sat down on the couch to catch her breath "I'm fine."

She looked up in time to see Michael walking in the door. "What's wrong?"

Kara stood up "Nothing."

Michael knew it was a lie but didn't press the matter. "I need to borrow Kara for a moment if you girls will excuse us."

"No problem," Amy said, still watching Kate from the corner of her eye.

"I'm sure you have a lot to talk about," said Kate, an evil grin planted on her face.

Michael led Kara to the garden. She sat down on an iron bench surrounded by grass and poppies. Michael sat down beside her and placed his hand on her thigh, but she pushed it away.

"So," she said, "what do you want to talk about? Is it the fact that you're getting married and somehow forgot to mention it to me?"

Michael threw his head back and sighed. "I apologize. I meant to. I just thought I would have more time."

Kara held back tears. "It was over before it even started." Kara hated the fact that Michael looked so hurt by her words. This would be much easier if he was angry at her.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked, looking confused.

"I don't understand. Why would you say all of those things last night if you knew you were getting married? I thought we were done with these games!"

Michael looked like a scolded puppy, and for once Kara felt like she was the one being cruel in their relationship.

"You don't understand. It's just business. Even if I'm married to Hannah, I won't share a bed with her. We can still be together."

"No, Michael, you're the one who doesn't understand. Even if I stayed with you, I would always come second to your wife. I don't want to be a concubine! That's not how I want to live."

Michael's demeanor turned from that of a scolded puppy to a rabid hound. "Fine, have it your way, but eventually you are going to have to accept that everything you learned in your world doesn't apply to this one," he said brusquely as he left her there alone, deep in thought.

She immediately regretted her decision to speak to him in such a harsh way. She didn't want things to end just when they were finally going well. She saw so much promise in him that morning. She was getting tired of the emotional ping pong game that she'd been playing since she arrived at the Caswell mansion.

From the balcony of Michael's servant's room, Hannah and Kate looked down at the garden, watching the scene unfold. Hannah seemed more curious than disturbed about what she witnessed. "Who is she?"

"Can't you tell? She's Michael's favorite."

Hannah glared at Kate. "Obviously."

The two girls walked across the room and sat down on the couch, wine glasses in hand.

"So, tell me, Kate, do I need to be worried about this girl?"