Rene listened as he finished dressing the wound. It was a strange mirror of his own life in some ways. He had always aspired to be the ideal of his own class before his class was taken away for him. He had the freedom that Solae lacked which was an interesting irony. Close contact with her was intoxicating, the feel of her skin beneath his hands warm and alluring.

The marine was no fool, nor a wide eyed innocent. He suspected that if he wanted he could make something happen between them. Mia was right that his heart rate and body temperature were elevated around her. It wouldn’t be right though. She had he had been through a tremendous trauma and people often acted against their real natures in such disaster. It would be dishonorable to take advantage of her when she was going through so much. Besides in the morning she might well remember that she was a marquessa and he might as well be gutter sweepings. Such was the reality of the universe.

“Lets get some sleep,” he said gently, a hint of regret in his voice. Carefully he gathered up the remains of their dinner as well as the gear and the first aid kit and they headed upstairs. The stairs to the living quaters were remarkable both in their craftsmanship and thier lack of taste. The pillars were of a green and gold veined marble, each of which had been shapped into a beatuful rendition of a mythological vision. It took a tremendous amount of money to be that tasteless.

A hiss of rain on slate tiles announced the leading edge of the storm. The downpour beginning to lash the roof as the booms of thunder grew steadily closer. It was going to be a bad one tonight for which Rene was greatful. Even marines would be reluctant to patrol too aggressively in this and the Gids were likely to stick close to their billets. Training warned him not to write the Gids off as lazy and ill disciplined but there were limits to what even the best soldiers would be willing to endure.

They entered a large bedroom with a bed upon which Rene could have landed a small drop ship with an elaborate canopy supported by intricately fluted marble colums. The dressers and cupboards had been ransacked in much the same way as the rest of the house but the bed itself was untouched for a miracle. The lights dimmed as the entered and a softly sensual tune began to play. Mia evidently hadn’t given up on the notion.

“I’ll take the first watch,” Rene declared stoically.

“I can discreetly warn you if anyone approaches within twenty meters of the house Sir Rene,” Mia purred helpfully. Rene considered it. There were risks but without the stimulants marines normally carried it was unlikely he would be able to make it for any length of time, particularly as the endorphins from the shower and the meal coursed though his body.

“Alright but wake me the moment you sense someone approaching.”