Seduction 10

By the time they had reached Maresfield, Relena was mumbling in delirium. Chinese phrases intermingled with English; nothing made sense. Heero dismounted pulling her with him as he slid down from the horse. A startled stable boy took the reins of the horse, Heero did not notice his presence.

Heero reached one arm down under Relena's legs and again lifted her. Her arms fell down heavily by her side, her head lolled back, her hair tangled, damp and messy. Heero all but ran up the steps of the house and, finding the door closed and having no arms free to open it, proceeded to kick it. It was a stout door and did not give way on the first kick. Nor the second. On the third Heero's shocked butler opened it. Heero pushed past him with his burden.

"Get the doctor quickly!" he instructed as he headed up the stairs. Heero called over his shoulder "And send a message to Sanq Hall that Miss Peacecraft is here and is unwell."

At the top of the stairs Heero hesitated. Where was he to put her? After a moments thought Heero kicked open his bedroom door. He walked quickly over to his bed and laid Relena on it. He gazed down at her. She was pale and shivering.

"..c..cold.." she moaned, deprived of Heero's body heat. Heero touched her skin. She was burning hot, her elevated temperature causing her to shiver.

Heero reached down and pulled her shoes off, discarding them on the floor. Her stockings were wet. He hesitated knowing that she needed to be put in dry things. He turned away from her and rang the bell to summons a maid. He then opened a drawer of his bureau and pulled out a night-shirt. He turned back to Relena and knelt beside her smoothing her tangled locks back from her face.

"Shhhh." He soothed "It is alright." Her eyes were wide open, looking above her to the ceiling, focused on something that he could not see. She whimpered. Heero hesitated, then pulled her upright. "I must get you dry and warm." He muttered, undoing the first ebony button on the back of her dress.

"Cousin, you might want to wait for a maid to do that." Duo was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, regarding Heero gravely. "Your housekeeper is on her way."

Heero glared at Duo, but Duo did not look away.

"You are not aiding the situation. Your housekeeper can do this, Heero. Miss Peacecraft will not thank you for damaging her reputation further."

Heero nodded and gently lay Relena back down. He took her cold hand and bought it to his lips.

The housekeeper bustled in, closely followed by a maid holding a tray of steaming tea and another with a bucket of fresh coals for the fire. The Housekeeper took one look at Heero sitting close to Relena and frowned.

"Out!" was all she said, pointing to the door.

Heero stood by the bed and looked down at the shivering Relena.

"You will be fine." He whispered to her "You are strong." He bent, ignoring his servants startled gasps, and kissed Relena on the cheek, then allowed himself to be led out by Duo. In the hall, he turned to look back inside the room, but the housekeeper firmly closed the door.

Duo took Heero by the arm and led him to his own room.

"You are soaked!" Duo commented "If you do not want to get ill yourself, I would suggest you dry yourself and get changed."

He tossed Heero a towel, which Heero caught and started to rub his hair dry.

"My clothes are all in my room." Heero commented his voice muffled through the towel.

"Use mine." Duo went to his wardrobe and pulled forth a pair of dark trousers, a jacket, waistcoat and fresh white shirt. "Do you want me to call your valet?"

Heero emerged from the towel and shook his head. "No. I can manage."

As he started to undress, Duo noticed how he kept glancing at the door.

"What happened?" Duo asked

"I found her out in the rain." Heero said, pulling off his wet clothes quickly and discarding them in a pile on the carpeted floor. He pulled on the dry trousers, buttoning them at the waist. He reached for the linen shirt, and hastily did the mother of pearl buttons up. He tucked the material into the waist of his trousers and pulled the leather braces up over his shoulders to hold his trousers up. Duo passed him a waistcoat.

"Why did you bring her here?" Duo asked again. He held up the jacket and helped Heero work the masses of white shirtsleeve into the narrow jacket sleeve.

"It was closer." Heero frowned as he pulled the jacket, and rolled his shoulders to get more comfortable in the restrictive material. He nodded his thanks to Duo, then exited the room.

Duo raised an eyebrow, but followed Heero out into the hall. Heero hesitated outside his own bedroom door and then knocked. The door opened an inch and the housekeeper peered out.

"Is the doctor here yet?" Heero asked, trying to look past the woman into the room beyond.

"No sir." She replied, moving her head to impair Heero's view.

"Let me in." Heero growled.

The housekeeper stood her ground "No sir!" she said, glaring back "You will wait until the lady is decent!". She slammed the door shut.

Heero's head jerked back to avoid his nose being hit by the solid wood of the door. He scowled at Duo, who grinned. Heero started pacing up and down outside the hall.

"Where in damnation is that doctor!" he said crossly.

"Calm down, cousin. He will be here soon enough." Duo was leaning up against the wall, his arms crossed, eyes half closed.

Heero paused in his pacing, and turned to the door again. He raised a fist to knock but before he could touch the door, it was opened. The two young maids, who were startled to find their master with fist raised, scuttled out quickly and ran down the stairs. The housekeeper once again glared at Heero and shut the door in his face.

"Dr Willerby has arrived." Duo said calmly.

Dr Willerby had just made it to the top of the flight of stairs and was quite breathless. He held in his hand a large black bag, his hands were trembling slightly. Heero turned from his bedroom door to greet the doctor.

"What took you so long?" Heero demanded.

Dr Willerby's eyes narrowed "Sir, I came as soon as I could. Now if you direct me to the patient."

Heero pointed to the room in which Relena lay. The doctor tapped lightly on the door before entering and closed the door behind him. Heero glared at the door as if by staring hard enough he could see through it. He was only distracted by a raised voice coming from the entrance hall to the house.

"Sounds like older brother has arrived." Duo grimaced. "Do you want to leave and let me deal with him?"

Heero shook his head, and turned to see the butler hurrying up the stairs closely followed by Millardo and Quatre. Heero held up a hand to silence the butler's apologies that he could not get the visitors to wait.

Millardo looked livid but waited until the butler had descended the stairs before he started to speak.

"Why the hell have you got my sister here? I receive a note to say she is ill, here of all places. What is going on?" he demanded angrily. Quatre put a restraining hand on Millardo's arm.

Heero tersely recounted how he had come across Relena collapsed under a tree in the rain. "I should ask what the hell she was doing there? Why were you not taking care of her properly?" Heero's eyes narrowed, as he demanded an explanation.

"What concern is it of your?" Millardo demanded back, his fist clenched enraged at the veiled accusation of neglect. "I told you to stay away from my sister!"

"So I should have left her there?" Heero's voice rose in volume

"You should have bought her home." Millardo took a step closer, glaring down at the slightly shorter man.

"Please, gentlemen!" Quatre stood between the two men "Miss Peacecraft is ill, and I am sure all this anger is not helping her!"

Millardo glared for a moment at Quatre, but then took a breath and stood back away from Heero, pulling his waistcoat down in agitation.

"I bought her here because it was closer." Heero said softly "I thought it better that she get dry quickly."

Millardo sneered "I have great insight into the depth of concern you show for my sister, especially after you so wonderfully demonstrated it at the ball." He again glared at Heero, but this time Heero was quick to drop his glance.

"That was inexcusable, I know." Heero said. "I am very sorry for it. My original intention was to protect her from Kushrinada-"

"Not another word Yuy!" Millardo held up his hand in disgust "I will not hear you malign a friend whose morals I trust more than yours."

Heero's head shot up at this, his face black and angry. Duo put a restraining hand on Heero's shoulder, whilst Quatre restrained Millardo. The bedroom door opening halted the imminent fight. The Doctor emerged bag in hand. The housekeeper who carefully held a small bowl in her hand that was filled with a red liquid followed him.

All four men looked at the bowl in horror. Quatre looked sick.

"You have taken her blood?" he asked, not able to take his eyes from the bowl, following its progress in the hands of the housekeeper who carried it downstairs.

"Standard procedure in cases as this." Dr Willerby said. "I shall be back in a couple of hours to check on her again."

"What!" Millardo frowned "Relena is not staying here, I am to fetch her home to Sanq Hall."

"No, no, no." Dr Willerby shook his head. "Quite out of the question. It would be extremely dangerous to move her. She must stay here."

Millardo glared at Yuy, before addressing the doctor again "What is wrong with my sister?"

"She has a high fever, probably bought on my grief of her mother's death." Dr Willerby said "She will need to be kept in a warm room, no drafts, and bled regularly to remove the impurities from her blood. Oh, and no food. Fasting and bleeding will be the best to correct the imbalance in her blood." He nodded to the men "Good day gentlemen!"

All four men watched as the Doctor climbed down the stairs.

"Truly, do you bleed someone when ill?" Quatre asked, "This cannot be correct. It is not done in my country."

"It is the way a lot of people are treated." Millardo looked worried now, his sister was more ill than he thought if they could not move her without risk.

"It is the way that Mrs Darlian was treated." Heero frowned, "I am worried-"

Millardo turned swiftly and grabbed Heero my the collar of his jacket "Do not worry about my sister. Do not even think about her." He growled.

Heero effortlessly pulled out of Millardo's grip, and glared back "This is my house. I will think of who ever I want to think of here."

"Gentlemen, please!" Quatre protested again "I think you should put your differences aside, at least until Miss Peacecraft it well."

Millardo nodded at Quatre's words, then went and tapped lightly on the bedroom door. Without waiting for a response, he opened it and entered. The door remained half-opened so that the others could see Relena from the doorway.

Millardo strode quickly to his sister's side. She was utterly white now, her lips pale, her eyes shadowed and closed. Her forehead was shiny with little beads of perspiration and she moved her head slightly in her sleep murmuring words that could not be understood. Someone had draped a towel across a spillage of blood that had stained the bedclothes. As he looked at her, her eyes opened and she looked directly at him.

"...Heero?" she asked.

Millardo frowned and shook his head "It is Millardo." He said, smoothing the top of her head. It was stifling hot in the room. As directed the windows were all shut, and curtained to prevent drafts. The fire was roaring hot. "Lucrezia wanted so much to come, but it was better that she stay at home because of the baby."

"I am cold..." Relena said shutting her eyes. She seemed not to have heard what Millardo had said. He picked up her hand in his, turning over to see a small blood stain marring the white of the bandage. He turned it back and kissed the back of her hand.

Outside Heero, Quatre and Duo watched the brother and sister. Quatre shook his head.

"That doctor will kill her if he continues to bleed her." He said quietly "She is so pale, she has no blood to spare."

"Are there no other doctors around here that can be consulted?" Duo asked.

Heero shook his head "Dr Willerby is the only one."

"Perhaps I could help." Quatre said "My health is of the utmost importance to the King of England, he does not want to jeopardise trade agreements by something happening to me. If I send word that I am unwell and need to consult with a doctor, I am sure he would send his finest physician at once." He smiled embarrassed "I do not wish to sound conceited, but that is the way of it. And perhaps we can use this to Miss Peacecraft's advantage."

Millardo had rejoined them at the door. He looked at Quatre and nodded. "Please, I would be forever indebted to you if you did arrange this. I...I do not want to loose my sister."

Millardo turned to glare at Heero.

"I know that this is your house. But stay away from my sister." He warned, "I will send her maid Catherine here with instructions to tell me if you go within six feet of her. If you do, I will kill you." With that he spun on his heels and left.

Quatre watched him depart. "I will send a dispatch at once. With luck the King will send someone tomorrow." He nodded to Heero and Duo, and walked quickly down the stairs.

Heero called after him "Use my study to write your message. I shall carry it to the King."

* * * *

Catherine arrived within an hour, to find that Heero had already departed his house for London. The butler escorted her to the room in which Relena was housed. The housekeeper had been sitting with Relena and looked pleased to be relieved of her care. It was getting dark, but no candles had been lit. Only the flickering flames of the fire illuminated the room. Catherine did not mind, she supposed that it was more restful for Relena. She could work perfectly well in the light the fire gave. However, Catherine had only just started to tidy the room of discarded clothes and bloodstained towels when the Doctor arrived.

"I know you, don't I?" Dr Willerby peered at Catherine whilst handing her his bag and instructing her to open it.

"Yes sir. I was made to Lady Helena Kushrinada." Catherine said, holding the bag steady as the doctor took out a glass bottle filled with clear liquid. He nodded as he poured a little into a carafe of wine swirling the bottle to mix the drug in.

"Dr Willerby, my Lady Helena." Catherine hesitated, putting the bag down and catching the white apron she wore in her hands, clenching the material in her agitation. "You said that she was mad. But she never appeared that way to me. Just, well, unhappy."

Dr Willerby frowned. "Catherine, my dear, there are various degrees of madness. The Lady had fallen prey to a decline. She wanted to leave her husband. Did you know that? She told me that she no longer wanted to remain with him, that he had no love for her." Dr Willerby snorted and shut his case "When has love had anything to do with marriage, especially class marriages. The fact that she declared that she wanted to leave the marital home proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kushrinada was correct. She was mad." He shook his head "Although I was surprised when he had her committed to such a, well, strict asylum."

Willerby lifted his bag and glanced once over at Relena "Remember, no sustenance. We must fast this fever from her. If she becomes agitated give her a little of this wine that I have mixed with laudanum. Otherwise nothing. I shall be back in the morning to bleed her again."

He let himself out of the door. Catherine looked over to the bed illuminated by the flickering orange flames of the fire. Relena was awake and focused on her. Catherine quickly poured a glass of wine and went to sit on the edge of the bed with her.

"Drink this." She said, slipping her arm around Relena's shoulders and helping the girl to sit upright. Relena tried to sit by herself but found that she had little strength so submitted to Catherine's assistance. Using both hands she grasped the glass shakily and bought it to her lips. She drank thirstily. The wine was rough on her parched throat and she coughed. Catherine quickly took the glass away and soothed her charge, gently rubbing her back.

Relena's head ached. Coughing made the headache intensify and she felt her temples throb. Her hands moved shakily to her head, holding it trying to make the pain disappear. Catherine gently lowered her back onto the pillows and the pain subsided a little.

"Where..?" Relena tried to ask. She was still desperately thirsty, her throat dry and sore. It made it difficult to talk.

"You are at Maresfield." Catherine answered, settling down on a chair beside the bed smoothing her skirts "Lord Yuy found you and bought you here."

Relena felt confusion. She had been dreaming of Heero holding her tight, kissing her hand and brow. Was it in fact reality? She glanced down at the bed and felt a thrill go through her. Was this Heero's bed? She smoothed her fingers over the comforter imagining how it would have wrapped around his body at night and how it now cradled hers. Her eyes widened a fraction as she noted that she was wearing what appeared to be a night-shirt ñ Heero's? She looked quickly up at Catherine who had begun to chuckle.

"Do not worry, I have it on the housekeepers authority that you were well chaperoned and that she dressed you in this." Catherine pointed to the night-shirt. "Yes, it is Heero's." she whispered "Your own clothes have since arrived, but I did not want to disturb your rest by changing you." Catherine winked "Would you like to change out of Yuy's night-shirt now?"

Relena hugged herself, feeling the cold linen tickle her skin. She shook her head and Catherine laughed "You will have to change by morning." She warned.

"I am so very thirsty." Relena said, "Not for wine, may I have some tea?" she pointed to a plain white china teapot and cup that Catherine had been drinking from. Catherine frowned.

"Dr Willerby said only wine." She said, "But I cannot see what harm some tea will do." She went and poured a cup, mixing it will a little cream and sugar. Settling back beside Relena she stirred the mixture then, using the teaspoon, fed Relena a little. Relena found the fluid very soothing on her dry mouth and smiled gratefully.

"Where is Heero?" she asked between sips.

"He has gone to London." Catherine said "Ambassador Winner has sent a dispatch requesting a physician to attend you." Catherine smiled "Lord Yuy was determined to go as he said he would be the fastest."

Relena felt sad "He did not leave then because I am here? I do not want to push him from his own house. Oh, how he must dislike me."

Catherine stopped spooning the tea and looked at Relena in some exasperation "He loves you, you silly girl!" she exclaimed, "It is so obvious to any who see him look at you."

"So why did he leave me then. If he loves me so very much." Relena felt bitter and turned her head away from Catherine to regard the flickering fire.

Catherine noisily put the spoon on the saucer and put the cup down. "Did you not hear what Dr Willerby said?" Catherine asked, "I thought you were awake."

Relena nodded, still looking at the fire. Catherine tutted and stood up, replacing the cup on the tray.

"He did not pursue you because of the madness in his family. He worries that he may fall prey to it or pass it on to his children. He does not, I suspect, wish to subject you to it." Catherine said.

Relena shook her head "Helena did not sound mad." She said, "If she wanted to be away from Kushrinada she sounds completely sane."

Catherine smiled sadly "That is not how it is perceived though. And I wonder how much Yuy actually knows. After Dr Willerby made the diagnosis Kushrinada placed Helena in an asylum. To actually have someone interred infers a greater degree of madness. And before Yuy could see his sister, she took her own life.

Relena sighed. "That does not explain why he should take a bet from Miss Catalonia."

Catherine shook her head. "No, it does not." She said "Perhaps it was just a callous bet. At first. But I saw his face before he left and I tell you now: he holds you in his highest regard."

Catherine watched as Relena, still looking towards the fire, fell back to sleep. She felt Relena's brow again and frowned. The fever had not yet broken for all her lucidity.

"Hurry Heero." Catherine murmured.

* * * *

The following morning Dr Willerby came at breakfast time and, after indulging in a couple of coddled eggs, a muffin and some tea, proceeded to bleed Relena once more.

Relena had been awake this time, but made no protest as the doctor held her wrist out. Using a little curved knife he opened the same cut that he had inflicted on her the day before. He held her arm down over the side of the bed and let the blood flow over her palm and trickle down her fingers where it dripped slowly filling up the small blood letting bowl. As he waited for the blow to fill he ordered more coals for the fire as the room was not hot enough.

Satisfied enough blood had been collected he raised her arm and applied pressure. Relena winced as he pressed against the bruise that had already started to form from the previous treatment. Once the bleeding had stopped Dr Willerby rewound the old used bandage around her wrist then felt her forehead.

"No nourishment, remember!" he said sternly to Catherine, noting a tray of food in the corner of the room.

"That is mine, doctor." Catherine said quietly. "I remembered and heeded your instruction."

"Good, good." Dr Willerby threw his knife back into his bag "I shall be back tomorrow to bleed her again. Summon me if you need me sooner."

Catherine nodded and opened the door for him to leave, closing it firmly after he had gone. She regarded her charge. Relena had looked better this morning prior to the doctor's arrival. Her temperature, whilst still high, had not been at the point to cause delirium as it had twenty-four hours earlier. However, the doctor's visit had reversed that and the girl was now pale and sweaty. Her eyes, no longer bright,

Catherine helped Relena change into a fresh night gown, high necked and decorated in deep lace that hung over the backs of her hands. Relena had protested wanting to keep Heero's night-shirt on but accepted Catherine's ministrations once she had pointed out that the sleeves of the night-shirt were now stained with blood.

Catherine had only just finished settling Relena back to bed cradled amongst clean pillows and sheets, when there was a knock on the door. Opening it Catherine found Wufei looking tired and worried on the other side. Catherine ushered him in quickly so as not to loose any of the heat that had been trapped in the room. Wufei visibly blanched at the heat, but swiftly collected himself and walked over to Relena.

"Sister?" he greeted her, bending down to kiss her forehead. His eyes narrowed when he saw the bloody bandage at her wrist.

"Dr Willerby has just been." Catherine explained.

"Dr Willerby will kill her as he did her mother." Wufei thought bitterly. He only realised that he had spoken aloud at Catherine's sharp intake of breath. Wufei was unrepentant. Having lost someone dear to him so recently, he had no intention of loosing another so soon. Especially not Relena who was so young and had not experience the joys that life could bring yet.

It was not her time.

Catherine broke the silence "Lord Yuy will bring another physician." She said "He cares for Miss Peacecraft deeply."

Wufei nodded and sat down "Yes, I have seen it in his eyes. Despite the hurt he has given her." Wufei looked at Relena "And she loves him" he smiled at his sleeping sister with affection "I shall stay here until Yuy returned. I will not allow Dr Willerby near her again. She is too weak to be bled further and must be protected.

Catherine nodded

"Tea?" she asked.

* * * *

The day went slowly. Catherine retired to sleep, as she had been awake all night. She was secure in the knowledge that Wufei would watch Relena. Wufei remained with his sister. He declined Duo's offer of company preferring to spend the hours in quiet contemplation. Relena stirred occasionally but mostly spent the time asleep, her lips sometimes moving, mumbling in her sleep. Wufei had long since removed his jacket, and sat only in waistcoat, shirt and trousers. It was an unacceptable state of dress in society, but Relena was family and she was not awake to see him.

Millardo sent word that Dr Willerby had told him to stay away least her bring infection into his own household. As much as he loved Relena, he would not endanger the life of his unborn child. He hoped that Relena would understand. Lucrezia also sent her love and affection and prayed forgiveness for abandoning her sister in law at her time of greatest need.

Duo had spent most of the day in gloomy boredom. He sat, he read, he played solitaire, he wondered up to engage Wufei in conversation but was firmly rejected. He wandered around the house, looking in different rooms trying to find something to distract him. When he gazed out of the upstairs landing window and saw a figure walking across the fields he smiled in delight, recognising it as Miss Schbeiker.

Duo rushed to his room and swiftly changed into a fresh shirt, examining his appearance closely in the mirror. Duo had only seen Hilde once since the disastrous ball, and that was at the funeral yesterday. There the young lady had easily evaded him and disappeared before the wake had come to its conclusion.

It had been frustrating. Heero had been unable to tell him any details about this interesting young lady and Relena was in no condition to be asked. Duo had almost given up hope of seeing Hilde again, yet here she was come to visit her friend armed with a huge bunch of flowers.

Satisfied that he cut a dashing figure, Duo waited at the top of the stairs. His eyes were firmly fixed on the front entrance door, waiting for Hilde to ring the bell and the butler to admit her. Then Duo would sweep down the stairs and express great surprise at seeing Hilde there. Duo grinned imagining Hilde's outraged expression, her eyes would flash and how she would be extremely angry for his impertinence. Hilde had made it so very clear at the ball that she wanted never to see Duo again. And Duo was fine with that, he was not adverse to a little hard work in the pursuit of a beautiful lady. And Hilde was beautiful. Her delicate form that hid a formidable strength.

Duo fidgeted, tapping his fingers on the banister. Who would have thought that the girl walked that slowly.

A door opened and a maid started to climb the stairs carrying a vase filled with a selection of flowers. They looked remarkably like the ones that Hilde had been carrying. These however had been carefully arranged into a vase and the maid, intent on carrying them up the stairs without spilling water, did not see Duo at the top. And when she did spy his form through the flowers she gave a small shriek in fright.

"Pardon Mr Maxwell, sir." She apologised as Duo caught the vase before it fell from her hands. She kept her eyes downcast, her face hidden by the flowers.

Duo's eyes narrowed. That voice! He tried to pull the vase away from the maid, but she held on to it firmly, her face still hidden by foliage. Duo noted the short black curly hair caught neatly up in a white cap.

"Miss Schbeiker?" he asked.

Hilde sighed and lowered the flowers so Duo could see her face. He grinned.

"What are you doing Miss Schbeiker? Why on earth are you dressed so plainly and sneaking into Heero's house without proper introduction." Duo winked "Is this all to avoid me? I am hurt."

Hilde's eyes narrowed. She gripped the vase in one hand and pulled it close to her chest to support its weight. With the other hand she poked Duo in the chest causing him to step backwards startled.

"No, you silly egotistical buffoon!" she hissed "I am not trying to avoid you! I had no idea you would be up here lurking in the shadows. You mean nothing to me, so why should I try and avoid you."

Duo frowned. "Then why this state of dress? You look like a farmer's daughter!" he grinned at his own joke.

Hilde twirled, opening Heero's bedroom door and slipped inside.

"I am dressed like this because I am a farmer's daughter." She shut the door firmly.

Duo felt stunned. Miss Schbeiker was a farmer's daughter? Duo's eyes narrowed. Duo looked down to see that his hands were clenched in fists. He slowly unclenched them and turned and walked slowly back to his room. Inside he threw himself into an armchair and, resting his head on the back rest, he closed his eyes.

He was angry. Very angry. For probably the first time in his life. Why was he angry? Was it because Hilde deceived him? Because she made him think that she was a woman of wealth. At the ball she had told him her father was a person of property who invested heavily in hops. Duo smiled. Not, as it turned out, so very far from the truth. Farmers owned property and hops were grown locally. Or did she mean her father drank a lot of beer?

Duo shook his head, massaging his temples. No, he wasn't angry with that. He had known there was something different about her. She was not the typical frivolous heiress that he had met so many times on the continent and in London. He had known that she was different; fresh and special. A smile came over Duo's face. How typical for Miss Peacecraft to form a friendship with someone not of her class.

So why was he so angry? Duo stood and poured himself a glass of brandy, and sat back down to sip it watching how the amber liquid clung to the side of the glass.

Was it because Hilde was cross at his and Heero's deception. Again, no. What he had done was far worse that what Hilde had done. Hilde had only dressed up for a night and had told no lies. It was Duo's fault that he had interpreted it incorrectly. And Duo did not care that she was a farmer's daughter. What did that matter? He held her in high regard because she was who she was, not because of who her father was.

Duo blinked and sat up straight, suddenly isolating the thing that had so irritated him.

How did Hilde know which room was Heero's?

She was not escorted up the stairs but had walked boldly as if she had been there many times before. Duo felt a surge of jealousy rush through his veins. Heero had told him that he did not know Hilde, but how was it then she walked around his house with practised ease.

Duo scowled and put his drink down. He had to get out of this house. He did not want to think of the implications. He strode out into the hall only to meet Hilde exiting Heero's room. Duo felt his heart turn over with jealousy as he looked at her petite form and beautiful face. Why Heero, why not him? He could not trust himself to speak to her in case his voice betrayed the emotion he was feeling. He nodded to her and rushed past her down the stairs without a backward glance.

Hilde watched him go. Before he had discovered her true class he would have tried to talk to her, but now he knew she was of farming stock he no longer cared to even say good day. She had thought he would have been above that.

"How sad." She murmured surprised at just how sad it made her feel.