“You can wear them when you host the officers’ lunch,” he suggests. “And there will be other occasions in the future.”

“Like what?”

“I cannot think of anything specific right now, but I assure you, these will not collect dust.”

“They are lots of fun,” I say and turn to him to kiss him. He can tell what I want and stops me with both of his hands on either side of my face.

“Stay very still,” he says and then kisses me softly by touching his lips against mine and then gently blowing on my lips. I can feel it down to my toes. But as soon as he releases me, I want more. More from his kisses, and I wonder if his being so careful is more dangerous than not kissing me at all. I’m just about ready to show him what I dreamt when we are interrupted again, and this time he needs to go to the bridge.

I immediately go to the wardrobe, retrieve his uniform, and dress him as I always do. Except when I finish this time, he says, “I will try to come back as soon as I can. In the meantime, what will you do?”

“I need to return the borrowed dress to my friend.”

“You can meet her in the servants’ canteen. I know you made friends there, but not in the laundry room, please. I will allow you to meet your friends but do not do any work that I have deemed below you or enter those rooms.”

I agree, and then I watch him leave. I quickly dress in one of the new dresses my Commander ordered for me. I choose a maroon-colored one with a matching leather type belt. I don’t wear any of the jewelry but take my friend’s blue dress and go find her.

Not surprisingly, she’s in the laundry room as it’s the afternoon. I stand in the doorway, not wanting to break my Commander’s wishes.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” my friend says when she sees me, but she still runs up and touches my arm as good friends greet one another. I do the same to her.

“The Commander said I could come and return the dress,” I say.

“Let’s have some tea,” she suggests. “I don’t want you to get in trouble, and I want to hear everything.”

“And so do I,” I reply. “You said something as we entered the conference room before the wedding.”

“I did?” she asks as we order our tea.

“You said, ‘You knew he always loved me.’”

“Oh yes, I did say that,” she admits. “Because it’s true. Didn’t you know that? It’s been plain as day on his face for a while now. Don’t you like him? We all thought…” she trails off.

“You all thought what?” I ask. “Come on; please tell me. Remember, I’m not from here. I don’t understand everything.”

“We all thought that you loved him too.”

“Oh,” I say, a bit embarrassed.