Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They are the property of Hajime Kanzaka and Shoko Yoshinaka.

Chapter Eight

When Zelgadis said goodnight to Lina in front of her bedroom door after dinner and cards, he was only thinking about how much trouble their engagement party was going to be. He had given up thinking about Rezo. To him, the situation looked pretty clear cut. Rezo had met Lina at some time and some place. Zelgadis didn't know many of Rezo's dealings, so it didn't really surprise him that Rezo had perhaps been in her society before. Rezo had obviously tried to court her – with little success. Of course Rezo wouldn't have any luck trying to court Lina. Lina was so anti-society that there didn't seem to be any possibility that it could have worked out. Zel was only a little stunned that Rezo had been interested in her in the first place. It seemed that Rezo was still a little cut up about the rejection, but Zel decided not to let that bother him. Best of all, their mother didn't seem to realize that there had ever been anything going on between Rezo and Lina. Well, nothing had been going on, but she knew nothing of the attachment – which was all Zel needed to be happy. He knew that Lina had not done anything to shame their situation, even if Rezo and Lina's past came out. From the way she had spoken to Rezo she indicated that she had always been repulsed by him, so Zel didn't have to worry that she had shared any firelight kisses with his brother. That was a comfort.

With those thoughts, he put the whole problem out of his mind and focused on the engagement party, which his mother said would come off by the end of the following week. He and Lina would be very busy helping prepare for that, and they would have to spend a great deal of time in the company of his mother. It would be more important than ever to appear ladylike (in Lina's case) and in love (in his case).

Lina didn't say anything at the door, but looked at him with examining eyes. "Is there anything you want to say to me?" she asked.

Zel furiously scanned his brain wondering if there was something that he ought to have consulted her on and had not, but couldn't think of anything. He suddenly remembered that he had not praised her on her appearance that night, and instantly said, "You looked lovely tonight Lina." He took her hand in his and kissed it politely.

From the expression on her face, he instantly knew that he had not said the thing she was fishing for. She now looked slightly angry as well as puzzled.

"I'm sorry, have I failed in politeness somehow?" Zel asked.

"Not in politeness, no," she said, taking away her hand and entering her bedchamber.

Zel stood at her door for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck, wondering how he had upset her. Suddenly, he heard the lock on the door click into place. He was a little surprised that she had thought to lock her door, but decided that it was her choice and walked away.

In his own room, he thought carefully about what he must have done to upset her as he undressed. If she was angry at him, she had not revealed it at all during the evening's events. She had acted the perfect lady the entire time and shown her preference for him flawlessly. He had even been beginning to believe that she really did care for him, but then when he spoke to her at the door; it was plain to see that she was only a very clever actress, who had even been able to fool the one person who knew it was an act. Well, Zel was at least satisfied that their plan would go off well – if at least he, Zelgadis, didn't mess it up. He would have to arrange for a time for him to speak to her alone the next day, so that he could do whatever was necessary smooth things over with her.

Zel turned off the lamp. He might as well go straight to sleep. He hadn't slept much the last few nights, as he had kept himself up late and then roused himself early each morning. He pulled back the bed sheets and climbed into bed. The room was very dark, as the housekeeper had closed the heavy bedroom curtains. Miss Amelia would probably send some manservant in to wake him up early again. Oh well, at least he hadn't made his mother angry by being late for the breakfast table.

Zel closed his eyes, but he felt like he had hardly slept when he heard those heavy curtains being pulled aside. He opened his eyes, ready to spring out of bed, even though he felt like he needed several more hours sleep. But the room was still in darkness, except for the moon light that was now coming through the window panes and highlighting the young woman leaning against the curtains.

"Lina," he said quietly. "What are you doing here?" He wouldn't allow himself to panic, but he had never had a woman in his bedroom before. He couldn't permit himself to look inexperienced, but looking surprised at her entrance couldn't be bad.

"Look," she said, quite firmly, bringing her hands together in the moonlight, so they looked to Zel like the hands of a porcelain statue. "I want to know why you didn't tell me that Rezo was your brother."

Zel moved the sheets and sat up in his bed with his feet on the floor. "I didn't know that I needed to tell you that. I was astonished that you knew him at all."

"Why didn't you come in and stop him from talking to me like that, since you were obviously listening at the door?"

"I sent the housekeeper in, at what seemed like a good time," Zel answered.

"Look Zel, I have had enough trouble with Rezo Greywers to call this whole thing off right now and head back out with the gypsies," Lina said. The way she put her lips together after speaking showed that she was deadly serious about what she said, and she had never looked as beautiful to Zel as she did just then.

"Look Lina," Zel started out, trying to sound every bit as serious as she did, and being incredibly successful. It was easy if he just let himself fall into Colonel Mode. "What is it you want to find out from me? I had no idea that you had any connection to my brother whatever. I don't see how it could hinder our plans one bit. If you don't want to see him – I'll keep him away from you. If it makes you feel better to lock your bedroom door for as long as you stay here – feel free. I realize this is something neither you nor I anticipated, so we might as well just figure out a way to deal with it. I'm totally content to just let things slide – and as I stood outside of the sitting room while you held your own telling Rezo off – pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary. If you would like me to do something different, I would be more than willing to comply."

"Really?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. "You'll handle this any way that I like?"

"Of course," he answered readily.

"What about Luna?" Lina asked suddenly.

"What about Luna? How does she figure into this at all?" Zel asked.

"Luna knows that Rezo was courting me – or at least that he was trying to before I ran away with the gypsies. I understand that she's staying over at the Ut Copt mansion. When she hears of this, I don't know if she's going to tell the entire town the story."

Zel suddenly remembered his prior assessment of Rezo and Lina's relationship. What if something transpired between them that might cause some embarrassment to Lina now? This thought almost sent him into a panic. "Is there anything that happened that the whole town can't hear about? This isn't going to turn into a scandal, is it?"

"Are you too gentlemanly to ask me exactly what you're thinking?" she asked with a wicked smile.

"No," Zel said sternly.

"Then ask me!" she demanded.

"Were you in love with him?" he asked, realizing perfectly well that the question she was asking him to ask was if she had slept with Rezo or not, but Zel couldn't ask that question. To him, it wasn't a matter of whether or not he was a gentleman, but whether or not he wanted to know the answer.

She backed up and came in contact with the wall. "Zel," she whispered. "Why aren't you ready to believe the worst of me? You really have no reason to try and protect me from what anyone might say of me." Her lips trembled like she might start to cry.

Zel moved to get up, hoping to be able to comfort her, but she motioned for him to stay sitting, and dried her own tears.

"There is no scandal involving Rezo and I; at least, not one that I know about. I'm just a little taken back by your attitude towards me. I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have come in here to take your head off. I just keep on thinking that you are just like every other aristocrat I have ever met – that you care so much for what everyone is saying about everyone. Then when I am positive I have you all figured out you ask me if I was in love with Rezo instead of if your plan will be destroyed because of some past misbehaviour with your brother. Well, let me tell you – I was never in love with Rezo. I never let him even touch me. I wouldn't dance with him when he asked me, and I wouldn't let him kiss my hand even. I thought this was a clear message that I was not interested, but it only seemed to draw him in more. I doubt very much that very many woman have treated him like I did, but I could see that he wasn't a good man for me."

"That's fine Lina. You don't have to say anymore," Zel said quietly.

"No," she said frantically. "You don't understand. He wouldn't leave me alone. He came to the house nearly every day, he brought me gifts, and he wouldn't give up – no matter what I told him. He was part of the reason I ran away with the gypsies. I couldn't stand it anymore. It was like he was obsessed with getting me."

"Lina! That's enough – you're getting hysterical," Zel said, jumping to his feet and pulling her into his arms. "Don't make yourself unhappy. I'll stay by your side all the time if necessary so you never have another moment alone with him. That is what is bothering you, isn't it? That you were left alone with him?"

She nodded against his nightshirt, and he cradled her head close to him.

It had never occurred to Zelgadis that Rezo could behave in such a way towards a woman, but after Zel gave it some thought, it didn't seem entirely impossible. Rezo did have a way of becoming unusually fixated with certain objects and hobbies.

"Has Rezo got a key to my door?" Lina asked, seeming to calm down a little. "I couldn't sleep in that room, thinking that he might be able to come in."

Zel shook his head. "I'm sorry Lina. I think he does have a key to your room, and every other room in the house. But don't worry," Zel said, thinking up a plan. "I'll take off the door knob to my dressing room and put it on your room, so that even if he does try to come into your room, he'll have a devil of a time figuring out which key."

"Will that really be enough to keep him out?" she asked seriously.

Zel had never thought that his brother could cause such anxiety in a person before. He was quite stunned. But he wanted to make Lina feel better. "Then, tomorrow, I'll go relieve him of the master set of keys. Will that satisfy you?"

She nodded.

"Good," he said, putting his fingers in her hair and pulling her close to him again. Her arms were around his torso, and heaving of her chest with her breath had become more regular. Zel had never experienced this kind of closeness with another person, and he was amazed at how easy it came to him. He had never seen it in his nature to be able to be so gentle, but when it came to touching her, he couldn't be anything but gentle. What he really wanted to do was pick her up and slide her into his own bed, so that he could keep on making her feel safe, but he had to return her to her own room or there would be trouble in the morning. For a moment, he was desperately glad that their wedding was only two months away, and then he remembered.

That it was all a lie.

Author's Notes: Thank-you everyone who reviewed. You really make me want to keep writing. Thank-you again for your support. Don't worry - there's lots more to come.