The ladies having fun at that picnic turned out to be quite interesting personalities. Surprisingly, I found a common language with them, and I did not have to be bored all the time that I spent there. I even made a couple of acquaintances; promised to visit their house.

When we returned home, Katarina was silent. She thoughtfully bit her lower lip, looked at the flickering landscapes outside the window. She was some kind of detached and idle. I wanted to fix this lonely moment without her participation, so quietly, so as not to hear the coachman, I asked:

-Did something happen, Miss Katarina? You look depressed.

She started, turned to me, smiled exhaustively, and shook her head:

-It's fine; you won't help here, Miss DaHyun.

-Maybe I can help, how do you know? We are friends, aren't we?

- Yes, excuse me, dear, if you offended you - she extended her hand to me, squeezed my lying palm, moved closer, and chattered: - We were going to meet tomorrow, after dinner, in the park, on the bench, near the fountain. But, today she told me that she could not come as early as agreed. She can only late in the evening, and I have already planned dinner in the evening with a friend of my father, and I cannot escape. It was our only evening to meet, and now it is disappearing. Miss O`Miyu said that this weekend they were leaving for the Viscount’s O`Miyu, her father’s mother, she added, exhaling.

-And there is no way that you do not come to dinner?

- No. My father asked me to be there, Katarina said dumbly, still clutching my hand with her hand.

-If you want, I will come instead of you and I will give her your letter. I can drop by the evening, before dinner, on the pretext, - I tapped my chin thoughtfully, - well, for example, I borrowed something from you and came back. Your father will be glad of my arrival, as will your mother. I am sure that I will be invited to enter.

-And then I can give you a letter for her? Oh, my dear Miss DaHyun, you are my savior - Katarina was delighted, hugging me in a fit of joy. - I will be grateful until the end of my life! You are right, my parents love you very much, and they will be happy to see you. How could I not have thought of this myself - still hugging me, whispered Katarina.

***

So I became their cover and secret messenger of their love.

Spite yourself.

It became very difficult to keep the mask to be friends to .

My face muscles drove from a continuous smile.

The pupils in the eyes were pricked, from hard work to see that none of the acquaintances appeared in their circle, and did not disturb their solitude.

And I'm tired of lying, coming up with reasons.

I'm just tired of seeing Miss O`Miyu next to my Katarina!

My heart could not stand it! It was suffering and slowly dying, drying out in my chest.

One-sided love is worse than the torture, that's what I learned, while I was their secret conductor.

 

But I must say, this torture had its own sweets. My desire to be near her was justified. We often spent together. My love and desire to be with her has grown. Hiding your feelings was a test, but a sweet test.

First, I was allowed to sleep with her in the same room.

The governess left us confident that we were sleeping in separate beds. In fact, as soon as the door closed, Katarina jumped out of her bed and ran to me. I moved in advance closer to the wall to give it free space. She climbed onto my bed, turned to face me, and shared secrets. Katarina told me absolutely everything. Therefore, I knew that they only kissed with Miss O`Miyu, they still hadn’t got serious. Thank God!

We did not talk for a long time; usually Katarina fell asleep immediately after she told me about her day. I could not fall asleep for a long time. I could, without hiding, admire her. To find new moles, to smooth wrinkles on the forehead, to hear her breathing, this tickled my hand. Watch her wrinkle her nose in a dream and mutter something. Or look at how she turns from me to her side, but her body is still looking for heat from my body. Her heat engulfs me. He does not allow me to breathe freely, I am lost in him. But, I am ready to burn in it, if only to feel it more often.

Secondly, Katarina began to spend more time with me riding horses.

My snow-white Tofu and her Mustang Cherry made friends. While we rested, enjoying the warm sunshine under the slope of the trees, they frolic together on the plain, laughing merrily. Her head lay on my lap, her eyes looked up and down at me, from my corner her plump lips seemed to me a work of art. Like two cherries, the same ripe and juicy. I so wanted to bend down and kiss, to taste their sweetness.

Returning home, Katarina liked to sit in front of me on Tofu, she liked it when I hugged her so. How much I enjoyed our trip, if only she knew! Her fragile body is so close to me, her fragrance filled all my lungs, my hands touched the skin of her hands, and her fingers intertwined with her fingers in the reins. Her sonorous voice, smiling dimples, a perky look. God, I went crazy! How else could I restrain myself, I just won’t understand!

Thirdly, Katarina loved to listen to me read.

On such days, Katarina comes to me, we go to my father’s library, and our magical journey begins. She is always interested in what story I recently read, she always asks. Without interrupting, listening to my words, my intonations. Sometimes, she is so heard that when I finish reading a story, I see a bowed head, folded arms on my chest and closed eyes.

If it were not for the constant reminder of the name of Mina O`Miyu, I would have decided that we are dating, and we have long been in love with each other.