After All These YEARS

Twenty

Charles paused for a moment, as he listened to their host introduce them. He then looked back to Lisa with a wry smile. "I just act as if it doesn't bother me at all. I do believe it's time. After you my lady."

The pair hit the stage and Lisa simply acted as if the stage fright didn't bother her. Soon they were in the scene and all was going well.

Irene quickly moved to the front and was quickly impressed by Lisa's acting skill. It was amazing how the Lisa she knew quickly vanished and was replaced by sinister Lady Macbeth. Irene was more than impressed.

As the performance went on, Irene found herself wondering about that tattooed heart on her. Heart's signified love and from what Irene knew about tattoos is that they were of great significance to the person with it.

"A broken heart. Someone broke her heart. It has to mean that. Who gave her that broken heart? Someone had to have." Irene whispered to herself, as she further mulled it over.

Lisa and Charles Green's performance though short, was very well received. They got a quick and vigorous round of applause from the assembled.

After they were done and changed back into their clothes, Sir Changmin came up to Lisa and Charles looking quite pleased. They also noticed he was carrying two glasses of wine.

"You've both performed beyond my fullest expectations. I'll be sure to pay you both a bit extra. But in the meantime, while you mingle with the impressed crowd, have a glass of my finest wine, Chateau Yquem 1796. "

Lisa smiled, took the wine and had a sip. Her mother was a huge wine snob and Lisa reveled in the fact that her mother would die of envy if she knew her daughter was drinking wine from 1796. The best part was the wine itself was pretty damn good.

For a time, Lisa basked in the adulation of the crowd. She was dying to know what Irene was thinking of it, but she hadn't spoken to her yet.

Finally Lisa felt a tap on the shoulder, to see a smiling Irene. "Lisa. Your performance was marvelous. I was quite impressed. You are a consummate actress."

Of all the praise that night, Hyun's was the most important. But the words consummate actress bothered her. It only reminded Lisa that she was still acting and had been the whole time. That feeling of guilt quickly returned and with a vengeance.

Lisa for a while longer mingled and danced with several other young men, but this time she had a harder time pretending to be enjoying herself.

"I'm a liar and a fraud." Lisa thought to herself as she danced with a young military officer. As she danced, the thoughts and doubts kept coming. "Camila's so pretty and good. What right do I have to seduce her? I just need to save her. Do we belong together."

Across the room, Irene kept watching Lisa. While she initially appeared to be enjoying her dancing, Irene quickly realized she wasn't and guessed she hadn't been at all. It only further confirmed her suspicions that Lisa preferred the company of women.

After Lisa danced with all she had said she would, she decided to have a walk in the gardens outside the mansion to think. This severe attack of guilt had come at a most inconvenient time and Lisa just needed some time alone.

She wandered out into the moonlight and rather immaculate gardens trying to think of what to do next. Finally she found a bench behind some tall shrubbery that was rather secluded.

For almost half an hour Lisa stared up at the half moon thinking about Irene. The more she thought the more her conscience bothered her.

"I love Hyun, but all I do is lie to her. Am I no better than Jun-myeon. What am I here for, to seduce Irene or to save her from a disastrous marriage?" Lisa mumbled to herself.