"Hush, it is only me."

It was a gentle voice of a man that spoke to her as his hand must have touched her shoulder. In front of her was his figure crouched down at her level.

His smile was warm, welcoming. It was Duren of the Lidelses. No, he was Ren, her Ren that she is supposed to marry. He was the only man whose gaze she would be willing to meet. His face was the authority of a father and the gentleness of a mother.

" Are we alone?" Sal was flustered.

Ren tucked a stray hair. Sal covered her face again and he leaned close, looking at her with such intensity that she could melt. Sal did as what he wanted, exposing her face for him to see.

"Not quite," he replied.

Sal thought of the uncharacteristic chatter in the house.

" Oleon just came. He's on the left wing of the Casa with some of the maids"

Her sight fell downward. It must be an irony. Such a shame for her. To not even see her brother's face when all the world must have paid him their good regards?

" Are you not mad at me?" she wrung her fingers. Not a second from now, the people outside would come in and they will witness the cursed lady of the

Cuore. They will fling insults. Her brother would be disgusted and the Signor, the Signor would have her thrown to that storeroom. Again.

" Stop." Ren's expression was hard, firm.

" What you did here was a task of courage. " He glanced at the veil still in her hands. "That in itself deserves an applause." He took the yellowing cloth away from her. " They only know the cursed lady of the Cuorre, but not Sal." He said.

Sal remembered her locket. Inside it was a mirror. At times like this, she would look at the mirror inside.

" I will see my little brother today." It was a commanding tone, a reassuring

declaration. She looked at Ren and he nodded in affirmation.

He extended an arm to lead the way and Sal curtsied with an imaginary fan as what she's seen on books. The people started pouring into the house but she could only see Ren.