But her face was a cold shield when she came close, hand outstretched to welcome him. The coldness put Safar off, as did her thin smile. This was clearly a woman out for the main advantage, he thought. His clerk had taken a bribe and that was that.

Then their fingers touched and Safar felt her shiver. He looked into her eyessaw the dancing flecks of gold. He saw her lips turn up in a familiar crooked smiled.

"It's Nerisa, Master! Gundara hissed from his breast pocket. Nerisa!"

But Safar had already seen and known. He was in shock, seeing little Nerisa raised from the dead to come back as the beauteous Lady Fatinah.

Nerisa gave his hand a warm, firm squeeze.

She whispered, Don't give me away. Then, loud enough for all to hear, How kind of you to visit my humble home, Lord Timura."

Safar murmured a suitably polite reply.

"I fear we've started without you, My Lord, Nerisa said, pointing at the tables of food. Why don't we dispense with formalities and join the others before you starve to death?

"Perhaps, if you are still in a generous mood, we can have a little chat later and get to know one another."

Safar came unstuck enough to make an awkward bow. In a daze he let a servant lead him over to the banquet area.

Only when he sat down did he realize he'd left Leiria in the entryway without orders. He turned his head and saw her looking in his direction, her face like stone. He whispered a message for a servant to carry to her, saying she could join the other bodyguards in the pantry. But when the message was delivered he saw Leiria give a furious shake of her head, hiss something back, then exit into the storm.

When the servant returned Safar wasn't surprised at her reply: Please tell his Lordship thank you, but I shall wait in his carriage."

This was not good.

Then he heard Nerisa laughthat natural earthy laugh breaking through her facadeand he forgot all about Leiria.

The rain had made the banquet late, but it also caused it to break up early. The guests streamed out, saying they had a lovely time but Her Ladyship would understand that with the storm they had to hurry home.

Nerisa murmured polite good-byes, but the whole time her attention was fixed on Safar, tarrying in an out-of-the-way corner near the verandah. It was as if all the years between them had collapsed into but a few days or weeks. Old emotions were new again, swift torrents hammering against her mature resolve.

She called herself a fool, thinking it was only the stress of the meeting churning up silly emotions. And even if she did still have tender feelings for him, Safar had never shared those feelings. He'd only been kind to an orphan waif. Kindness did not equal love.

Once again she steeled herself and when the last guest was gone she strolled over as casually and easily as any great lady going to greet an old, dear friend.

But when she reached him he leaped to his feet, saying, By the gods, Nerisa, I thought you were dead!"

And he crushed her into his arms.

Outside, Leiria huddled in the carriage, peering through the curtains. Even in the downpour she could make out Safar's familiar figure pacing in front of the wide glass verandah doors.

She saw another figure approacha woman's slender figure.

Lightning crashed, momentarily blinding her.

When her vision returned she saw Safar and the woman embracing.

The last vestiges of Methydia's gentle spell of forgetfulness vanished when Nerisa came into his arms.

A thousand and one thoughts and emotions burst forward, while another thousand and one crowded behind, demanding to be heard.

But all he could say was, Nerisa, my little Nerisa."

He kissed her hair, her cheeks, the tears flowing from her eyes, crushing her against him as if the tightness of his embrace would keep her from turning into a ghost and wisping away.

Then their lips met and the embrace become something else altogether.

It happened so abruptly there was no time for questioning, much less surprise.

Nerisa melted against him, weeping and murmuring his name. She was in a dream, an old sweet dream, and her Safar was holding her close, kissing her, whispering endearments. Passion firing them both beyond control.

She opened her eyes and saw her major domo's shocked face reflected in the glass of verandah doors. But she didn't care and she waved a curt dismissal just as Safar swept her off the floor.

And she said, Yes, yes, please, yes, and somehow she directed him to her rooms.

Then they were in the big soft bed, tearing at each other's clothes.

"After I fled Walaria, Nerisa said much later, I became a caravan lad."

She smiled at the memory, nestling deeper into Safar's arms. I always did play a good boy."

Safar gently caressed her. You wouldn't have such an easy time of it now, he said.

Nerisa giggled. Actually, it became a problem fairly quickly, she said. I suddenly bloomed, as the old grannies gently put it. One day my breeches didn't fit over my hips. The next, I was bursting the seams of my lad's shirt. I had to bind myself down and get looser clothes."

"Did no one ever suspect? Safar asked.

She shook her head. Never. Oh, I got a few odd looks once in awhile. But that was the extent of it. Second glances, nothing more."

Safar said, That leaves a great leap from caravan lad to the rich Lady Fatinah."

"I suppose it does, Nerisa answered. Although it didn't seem like it at the time. I had some money. The gold you gave me. I invested a little of it in some of the caravan goods, made a good profit and invested more."

Nerisa laughed. I found I had a talent for merchanting. All those years as a little thief served me well when it came to picking out bargains and quality goods.

"After a time I had enough to become a minor partner of a very wealthy caravan master."

"Lord Fatinah, by any chance? Safar asked.

Nerisa made a face. It's true he was named Fatinah, she said. But he was no lord. He was a merchant, nothing more. Old, fat and kindly. At least I thought he was being kindly. He treated me like a son."

Another laugh. As it turned out, he merely had a weakness for handsome boys."

Safar stirred. You mean, he…?"

"He… nothing, Nerisa said. Fatinah was an honorable old man. He believed it unseemly to take advantage. I never even knew his feelings toward me… or the boy he thought I was… until just before he died. Then he confessed all. Swore he loved me. And handed me a will, saying I was to inherit all."

"That's when I became a woman… and his widow. The will would never have stood, otherwise. No one would understand, much less believe, that he'd give such a fortune to a mere boy. So I invented our marriage. Paid certain sums to certain people to draw up the necessary documents. No one ever questioned an old man would be fool enough to give his money away to a grasping young woman.

"Even so, the rumors started that I'd killed him. Especially after I purchased the necessary background to make him a nobleman."

"No one ever questioned that? Safar asked.

Nerisa came up on an elbow, that crooked grin of hers playing on her face. A smile that brought a pang of love to Safar's heart, rather than its lesser cousin, Fondness.

"If you play the royal, she said, and you play it well, no one questions anything. Especially if you have money.