20

A/N: Sorry! Here you go fantastic, deserving people. In my defence, I broke myself... Love you!


Richard rolled over as he woke up and was relieved to find Kate in bed beside him. She sat up and looked down at him.

"You have to go."

"I know. Come to our house early?" he asked groggily.

"I have to anyway. But I'll be with Alexis. You can get some writing done."

He yawned. "At least I have plenty of inspiration."

Kate made a face. "I hope you're just talking about the crime solving."

"Of course. What else would I be talking about?"

She grinned at his innocent face and he waggled his eyebrows at her, hauling himself out of bed and pulling her with him. He kissed her and she sighed as she had to move away.

"Not now. Alexis will be up early because of the tea thing. You really have to go."

"I should get you some coffee."

"I'll get it myself." She handed him his shirt and he dressed quickly then gave her one last kiss before climbing out of the window. Kate watched him leave with a mixture of lust and relief. She wanted him, but she felt strange after the dream. Not as strange as she had done, but still odd. She began to wash and dress in something appropriate for the tea party. Lanie brought her some coffee. Kate wondered if she should tell her friend about the dream but in the end she decided not to.

She had heard about women getting dreams about having a child when they were pregnant. In a way she didn't want to talk about it because she didn't want to give it the opportunity to feel any more real than it already did. She was not going to have a baby. She knew her body, she knew how small the risk had been. She bit her lip. If she made Richard stop now it would be almost two weeks before it was safe again. She sighed. She was a grown woman, two weeks shouldn't bother her. She wondered if she could ask him to find some kind of protection but it was all very unreliable, from the rumours she had heard. Or she could ask him to... She groaned. She had a feeling he might gloat. A lot. Especially since he hadn't gloated when he found out about her fantasising with his book.


Richard staggered down the stairs to meet a very nervous looking Alexis.

"Dad! Finally! But... you look terrible – did you get any sleep?"

"Not much. I was... working. Are you alright, honey?"

"Yes, fine," Alexis said, sounding anything but. "I just..." she brushed at her dress and tugged at a loose strand of hair. "I really want them to like me."

"They already like you."

"No... we've been to one party, Dad, and some of the girls coming today weren't even there."

"Wait... how many people did you invite?"

"Uhm... about six?"

"What do you mean, 'about'? Don't you know how many are coming?"

"I.. I said they could bring friends if they wanted to."

"Oh..." Richard was becoming more and more glad that his presence was not expected at this gathering. "Well I'll be in my room writing if you need anything. Have you ordered the tea?"

Alexis made a face at him. "I ordered it yesterday morning. It's fine, it will all be ready, I've spoken to Grams and the servants and... when will Sara be here?"

Richard only just managed not to say 'Who's Sara?'. "She'll be here soon. When did you ask her to arrive?"

"Half past nine."

"Then she will arrive at half past nine. It's just nine now. Are you sure you're alright?"

Alexis bit her lip. "I... They'll like me, right?"

Richard pulled her into a hug. "Of course they will. And if they don't, all that says is that they have terrible taste, and we never need to see them again."

Alexis frowned but allowed her father to hug her. "I don't want them to think I'm just some silly country girl who doesn't know anything."

"They won't. You probably know more than all of them put together."

"That's not true. And I don't know anything about London fashions or parties or what to talk about at a tea party..."

"Clothes. Women love talking about clothes."

"I don't know anything about clothes."

"Alexis, think about your grandmother. Of course you know about clothes."

Alexis smiled. "I suppose I might have a few things to say. And we can talk about Sara's dress from the other night!"

"Check with Sara, but I'm sure that will be a wonderful topic."

"Will you stay to greet everyone when they arrive?"

Richard grinned. "Because I'm famous?"

"And because I want you to see Sara."

"Oh?"

"I... I want to ask you something about her. She's so fantastic... but somehow mysterious."

"What do you mean?"

"She's so much like us. Different. She has different priorities. And she knows how to fence. And she doesn't seem very Russian, even though she's from there."

Richard didn't know whether to be proud or worried. He thought Alexis' detecting skills were adorable, but at the same time, he didn't want her to work out Kate's secret before Kate was ready to tell her.

"Don't you think she's a mystery, Daddy?"

"I suppose so. But I've always liked mysterious women."

"You like solving them. The mysteries, I mean."

"I do."

"I think you should solve Sara's. I think she wants you to."

Richard looked hard at his daughter. "What is this that I'm seeing in your eyes? That's not just curiosity about Sara."

"I..." Alexis blushed.

"Go on, you know you can say anything to me."

"Don't tell her?"

"Of course not."

"I... I think she likes you."

"She's our friend. I would hope that she would like me."

"No. I mean I think she... likes you in another way."

Richard chuckled. Alexis sighed.

"I probably just read it wrong. I don't know anything about-"

"No, no, that's not why I laughed. I just laughed because you're so sweet about it. Maybe she does want our friendship to be something more."

"Do you want it to be?"

Richard looked at her. "Would you mind if I did?"

Alexis paused. "Yes."

"Yes?" Richard asked in surprise. "Why? I thought you liked her."

"I do. I like her a lot. Which is why I don't want her to be one of your... whatever you call them. Brief encounters."

"Alexis. I would never treat her that way."

"Why not? You've treated plenty of women that way."

"Lex... it's complicated. I stopped doing that a while ago, and I never did anything with a woman that she didn't completely agree with. The lack of... relationship development wasn't ever just my decision – it was always mutual."

"I just... I don't want to not see her any more. Promise me you won't do anything to make her not want to see us?"

Richard knew he had to answer straight away, and he had to promise. He couldn't help feeling a little afraid. He knew that Kate was unstable, that she might want to end things with him and that would make maintaining their friendship difficult. Even though they still said they were just friends now. He groaned inwardly as he promised his daughter. "I promise. She'll be our friend forever."

Alexis smiled. "Good. Now go and get dressed, she'll be here soon. You have to help us rearrange the parlor."

"Rearrange... Why do we need to rearrange the parlor?"

"To make a circle, so we can all talk."

"It's already in a circle. Pretty much."

"No it's not. And we need to move the tables... Trust me, Dad. We have to rearrange it."

"Why didn't you have the servants do it?"

"I wanted Sara to tell me where to put everything. Ryan's going to help."

"Right," Richard said, retreating upstairs and wishing he could stay there until this whole fiasco was over.

Kate arrived just as he disappeared. Alexis threw her arms around her friend.

"Sara!" she said happily. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I'm so glad to be here," Kate said, and if her enthusiasm was a little faked, Alexis didn't notice. Martha glided into the room, sparkling with jewellery as always.

"Good morning my dears. Alexis, you look frazzled. And Sara, you look exhausted. What on earth have you two been doing?"

"Worrying," Alexis answered. Kate let this answer be for her as well. After all, it was actually all too true. Martha narrowed her eyes at 'Sara' but said nothing at that point. She waited until after the parlor was finished. Alexis went upstairs to fix her hair and Richard went back to his room to 'write'. Martha had Kate cornered.

"I know what you and Richard are doing. And I don't disapprove. But be careful, darling."

Kate smiled. "I'm glad you don't disapprove. But I don't think I have anything to worry about. How did you know?"

"Mothers always know these things. I knew as soon as I saw him look at you, even in an ordinary dress, that he would have you within the week."

"So he... he always 'gets the girl'?"

"Oh yes. I mean, when he wants to."

"You don't give women much credit for resistance."

"When it comes to my son, experience seems to suggest he is difficult to resist. I wouldn't know. I know you made the decision yourself, you're intelligent and sensible... but do be careful. Alexis loves you. Don't let him break your heart."

"I assure you, my heart is not involved," Kate said, feeling a little defensive.

Martha winked. "Well don't break his, either."

Kate laughed. "I think you have it the right way round, now. Perhaps you should tell him to be careful."

"Perhaps I should. But you seem fairly harmless."

Kate was saying it before she could stop herself. "I don't know. They call me the black widow."

Martha's eyes widened, but she said nothing. Then she smiled. "As I said, the mother always knows. I looked you up. I knew Sara Katayev was an alias. But in this day and age, young people are free to be whoever they want to be. Does he know?"

Kate nodded. "I couldn't hide it. Not when..."

"You're an honest woman."

Kate had to laugh. "I'm anything but."

"I don't mean you've never told a lie. But... you do the right thing. You do good. You don't enjoy hiding yourself."

"I have to do it. Anything else would be too dangerous, for everyone around me."

"I don't doubt it. Are you going to tell Alexis?"

"I... I don't know. I want to but-"

"You also want to protect her."

"Yes."

"Well... it's a difficult decision and I wouldn't dream of interfering. But let me tell you this. Alexis is a capable, clever girl. Not only does she believe herself fully able to protect herself, she also believes she must protect her father. And if I smelled a rat, so to speak, she is going to have smelled it too."

"So she might work it out?"

"No. I don't think she would allow herself to believe you are the woman she has been dreaming of meeting. But she'll work out something, and if she doesn't know the truth, she will suspect the worst."

Kate heard Alexis on the stairs and Martha patted her on the shoulder.

"You'll do the right thing," she said.

"You sound so sure," Kate whispered. Martha winked at her and Alexis came into the room.

"How do I look?" she asked nervously.

"Beautiful," Kate said. "Not a hair out of place."

Alexis grinned. "Really?"

"Truly," Martha said. "Now. Try to calm down a little – your guests will be here soon."

Alexis sighed. "It'll be fun..." she said, sounding entirely unconvinced.


A/N: Thanks so much for waiting, and reading. Please review! Go on, I'm lonely and hurt – be my friend. Hugs and loveballs xxx