A Thin Line by Tammy Jo Burns

something else to occupy your mind.”   Again he whirled her around the dance floor.   They bumped into another couple and received a glaring look from Gabe.   His eyes shot sparks at them through the stark black mask he wore.   “Pardon us Your Grace, Lady Clarissa.”   Kala couldn’t suppress her giggle.
    “They make a lovely couple,” Clarissa spoke softly to Gabe after the other couple passed them.
    “Maybe,” he muttered.   “She should be more careful of who she keeps company with.”
    “Oh?   Lord Southerby is a gentleman.”
    “Maybe, but not all men can be trusted.   Gentleman or not.”
    “But you can, can’t you?” She had stiffened noticeably in his arms.
    He gave her his most charming smile.   “Of course I can.”   He felt her relax slightly, but not completely.   She had been acting very strange of late.   He would ask her later about her behavior, but he had a meeting he had to attend within the next half hour.   Perhaps one that would shed some light on the case McKenzie had put him in charge of.   He led Clarissa back to her family.   “I’m sorry to have to leave you this evening, but duty calls.”
    “I understand.   Have a pleasant night.”
    “You too, Clarissa,” he bent and brushed a kiss over her gloved knuckles.   She surreptitiously pulled her hand away before his lips could actually touch them.   When he made eye contact with her, she hid whatever she had been thinking.   “Your Graces.” He bowed deeply before turning to leave and began moving to the location indicated, then patiently waited.
    ***
    The crowd on the dance floor began jockeying for better positions to watch the fireworks that would begin at the unveiling, which happened at the strike of Midnight.   The shuffling people aided Kala’s escape from her party.   She slipped off onto one of the side paths and ducked into an unoccupied gazebo, without knowing two pairs of eyes watched her movement.  
    She quickly removed her quiver and dug inside for the woolen pants.   She pulled them on and tucked the ends of her dress into the waist.   She made quick work of removing the coarse shirt and pulling it on over her outfit as well.   She quickly exchanged masks, the leather one covered much more of her face and the eye holes were larger so her sight would not be impeded.   Finally, she removed the last part of her ensemble, an old sailor’s toboggan of her brother’s.   She pulled it low over her face, making sure the majority of her hair would be tucked under it.   She took mental stock of herself and started to leave the gazebo when she looked down at her feet.  
    “Bloody hell,” she whispered.   She chewed herself out for forgetting shoes.   Her pants were long enough to cover most of the sandals and would simply have to do.   She dug into the quiver and grabbed the wilted white rose lying in the bottom.   She pulled it out and threaded it through a hole in the shirt where it laced.   The quiver she quickly stuffed beneath one of the benches before moving down the steps.
    She sprinted farther down the path, moving almost silently.   She came to a Y and took the left branch that would lead her to the assigned meeting place.   She had only been here once before, but she remembered this path fairly well.   It contained all the classical statues tucked into the hedges, almost like alcoves.   The statue of Aphrodite came into view.   Kala slowed to a walk in order to catch her breath.   A large man joined her on the path, startling her a bit, as she came to stand beside the statue.
    He wore a plain black mask like so many of the men did this evening.   However, he wore a white rose that looked somewhat better than hers.   After the attack earlier this year, her voice could easily be mistaken for a young man reaching maturity or a gruff old man, so she didn’t bother to disguise it.
    “I take it you are the one sent to meet me.”
    “I am.   You do know that if the