Her nose brushed mine. I saw such sadness in her eyes.“What, Ojo-sama? What grief weighs on your heart.”“I don’t want to be sad with you,” s...e whispered, her finger tracing my cheek. “I savor our time with you.”It had been a three full cycle of the moon since we had kissed, spring gone and summer upon us. I treasured every moment with her. I hated seeing her sad. I only wanted my Ojo-sama to have big smiles on her lips.“What is it?”“My father has found a suitor.” She bit her lip. “He says I’ll. "Catherine, I hope yourparents didn't put a curfew on you!" Peter said."No," Catherine replied. "They are gone for a few days so they shouldn'teven know I was out this late." Phew, Peter thought. At least this wayI don't have to speed to get her back.So he took a while but got Catherine home to her house just before two. And got out and opened the door for her. He walked her to the door,noticing that she was walking rigidly. He opened the door to her house.When he felt her body jerk he. I checked out the back yard several times and never saw either of my lovely neighbor ladies out there. The sun was shining. Evidently, sunbathing wasn't automatic every weekend day. Too bad.I checked several times, though -- just in case.At 7 o'clock sharp, I was ringing the bell at Molly's place. She answered at once (the girl was nothing if not reliable) and stepped outside with me, closing the door behind her."What's the matter?" I asked. "Is Sarah on the warpath?" Do you mean, is Sarah. Even as she'd changed so much from their last couple of meetings, there was still some core of resistance that wouldn't accept what was coming next. But that core would be there for a long time and he wasn't helping her shed it by restraining himself.He turned and looked at Datura, really looked at her. Already, it was easier to think of her that way than to remember her as Regula Vitellius. That proud, imperious young woman would never have served like this, not for love or money. She worked.