Is anyone still reading this? Is what Iceani said about the review bot the reason I haven't gotten reviews? Folks, in case you didn't know I took down the note and added a chapter on Monday, so please read the previous chapter, or this one won't make much sense. I know that y'all are probably mad at me but PLEASE review. Or I'll take this story down, finish it in my own time then send it to Karen's site to post – and folks if I do that I WILL take my dear sweat time. I'm sorry this has taken a long time to write but I get a little peeved when I don't get reviews.
Chap. 19 – Sight
When they entered the main ball room, Luka led Sarah onto the dance floor, and discretely away from Dovidi. He had noticed before that she seemed tense, her facial expression and voice too composed and controlled to be natural. "Um Luka." Her manor had changed quite suddenly, she had stopped dead in her tracks a 'deer caught in headlights' look plastered on her face. "I just remembered something, I don't know how to waltz." Unable to restrain himself Luka let out a small laugh. When she turned a glare on him he immediately straightened his face though something seemed to tug unbidden at the sides of his mouth.
"My apologies Ms. Pezzini, I never thought of you as the type who didn't wouldn't know something as trivial as how to waltz." When her glare hardened, Luka realized that he'd chosen the wrong words. "None the less, you're a quick study, I'll teach you." Giving her his most charming smile, Luka led her in a waltz, and after a few false steps, Sarah was able to 'waltz' without stepping on Luka's feet – at least accidentally. A dance later she was able to follow his steps and the movement of the crowd without giving it her complete concentration. "Now then Sarah, would you mind telling me what's wrong?"
"What?" Sarah had been glancing around the ballroom for Callie, bothered by their parting. Luka's words had taken her by surprise – were her emotions really that transparent? Thinking fast she found the half-truth that was easiest to tell. "Mr. Iron's gave me a ring today to support the alibi of my recently dead fiancé… I just learned that it belonged to Callie's mother."
At the mention of Callie, Luka's eyes lost their laughter, and the hand around Sarah's tightened slightly. Sarah tried to smile reassuringly, but failed miserably. "It's all right." Luka spoke the words, but inside his heart churned, wondering just how his brothers were progressing in their search for her. Discomforted by Luka's mood, Sarah moved her eyes elsewhere, at last she spotted Callie's form talking to a man that leaned against a pillar.
"What?" Sarah felt the breath drop out of her lungs as her mind identified the man as Jake, when she blinked, he was gone, as was Callie. Shaking her head she stepped back from Luka and excused herself, choosing to ignore his inquiring gaze. When Sarah reached the refreshment table she found Dovidi had just stepped up besides her, and though in turmoil forced herself to smile. "Mr. D'angitino."
"Ms. Pezzini, I do hope you're enjoying yourself this evening?" Not waiting for her to reply he took a sip of punch and continued. "I just finished an interview which went rather badly, I'm afraid that reporter didn't like me very much after I made him wait half an hour. Pity really, but enough of that. I noticed you were dancing with Mr. Giamano, are you business acquaintances?"
"No." Sarah smiled into her cup seeing Dovidi's face tighten just the slightest beneath his cool composure. "Luka and I are friends, we met almost a year ago in New York." Sarah smiled into her cup as Dovidi's eyes flashed with something akin to worry, seeing that her part was played Sarah excused herself and returned to the roman gardens, hoping to clear her head with a walk, just as she reached the outside the entire manor plunged into darkness.
***
Erik bypassed Dovidi's security using his laptop, he had created attached an untraceable link interface to Dovidi's computer. Unfortunately it would only stay anonymous if he finished what he had to do in thirty seconds or less, as his watch beeped in warning he swore, downloading what little he could before withdrawing from Dovidi's system with only three seconds to spare. Not bothering to cheek what he'd retrieved he turned on his ignition, knowing that a block away the power had just flicked back on in Dovidi's Manor.
***
In another of Dovidi's gardens Ian wound his way towards the heart of a labyrinth made in hedges and rose vines. Arriving there he found Callie standing waiting for him, a cloak clutched tightly about her shoulders. Frowning Ian walked up to her, her back was turned to him, so he could not see her face, or even guess what was wrong. When at last he was close to her, she turned, ice in her eyes "Why didn't you tell me?" Callie's voice was cold, and had an edge to it that he'd never heard before. "How could you let her fall into his trap? Why didn't you protect her?" Pain and furry mixed in her eyes, and in his heart Ian heard her unspoken words: 'why didn't you protect me.' He wanted to put his arms around her, but her expression forbade that, and like he had so often done in the past, he forced back hi pain.
"I'm sorry Sis, I couldn't do anything because I didn't see it happening. I honestly didn't know" Callie bit her lip, unable to speak coherently. "She needs our help Callie, desperately so." When she didn't reply he struck low, knowing it was the only to get through to her. "Your mother wouldn't want another woman to suffer like she did Callie, you know that." After a long silence greeted that comment, and at last she assented.
"So what do we do?"
***
Around midnight Colleen put away Sarah's dress and Jewelry, drawing a warm bath as she did so. Sarah had returned sick of the social games she'd been forced to play. Tumults of confusion ran through her from all the things that she had and hadn't seen tonight. From her meeting with Callie to the thirty-second power outage she'd witnessed. Wearily she dropped into bed after showering, completely ignoring the bath, falling immediately into the oblivion of sleep.
It was hours later when Kenneth silently wheeled himself into her room, standing up with some difficulty he leaned against her bedpost and watched her sleep. As he stood there a tear rolled down her cheek, the only visible sign of her nightmares. Almost tenderly he leaned forward and wiped it away, in sleep she showed no resistance, the layers of anger and boldness she wore as masks vanishing. Leaving her venerable, her pain obvious, heartbreaking in it's own way. Leaning slightly closer he kissed her forehead. Then straightened and returned to his wheelchair, as he left he uttered a few words, and even is sleep, then penetrated the haze of Sarah's mind. "Goodnight my sweet Elizabeth. I've missed you."
