A Gentleman's Family

chapter six - secret union?

Rose looked up at Lissa, "Sorry, you know me and my competitive nature. I couldn't let Dimitri win."

Lissa shook her head, "Yes, I know it all to well. So who won?"

Dimitri smiled looking at Rose, "It was a tie, Miss. Muzar."

"Please call me Lissa. And Rose, I think you met your match. We both know none of the men in town will run with you anymore because they can't keep up with you."

"How are you a lady, Rose, if you are running against men?"

"I never said I was a lady, Christian. I'm the best fighter in my family. And running against men is my first tests to see if they are going to keep up with me if we set up a union."

Dimitri laughed, "Are you saying I just passed the first test?"

"Yes Comrade you have. But we never talked about a union between us, so I don't have to give you the other tests."

"What are the other tests?"

"Now I can't tell you that, and don't ask any of my family because the only one they know is the running. No one has made it to the other tests for them to know."

Dimitri thought about it for a few minutes as Lissa and Christian did their cool down stretches. 'I would like to set a union between us, I feel different with her then I have with anyone else. But with this possible union with Miss. Ozera, I am not at liberty to set another. Maybe I could talk to her father?' Dimitri thought.

"So Roza, you said you are the best fighter among her sister's, would you care to spar with me?"

Rose looked shocked at first, then shrugged her shoulders, "Sure, Comrade, why not. But you will have to see my father to set that up for when he has the time to supervise it."
'This is my second test, sparring with me' Rose thought to herself as Dimitri  nodded, and went to find Mr. Muzar.

Dimitri knocked on the door, when the maid answered he asked to see Mr. Muzar. The maid led him to Mr.Muzar's office, knocked and waited.

"Come in" was heard through the door.

The maid entered with Dimitri following.

"Mr. Belikov, please have a seat. What can I do for you this morning?"Abe asked nodding to the maid dismissing her.

"Mr.Muzar, I would like to talk to you about a few things. First I know that Miss. Rose told you yesterday about Miss. Ozera and the love child she has with my father, and the union he wanted set between her and myself."

Abe nodded for Dimitri to continue.

"Well sir, I know  because of that union I can not set one with your daughter. As you know I can not marry Miss. Ozera because she had an affair with my father. Right now I would like,  your blessing to set a secret union with Miss. Rose, until I can return home and tell my mother about the affair and love child  to break my father's wishes."

Abe sat there for a few minutes before asking "Why do you want to marry my daughter?"

"Well sir, I have never felt this way about any one before, that I'm not sure what it is that I feel. But talking with her last night, I felt I could tell her anything, that I could trust her with my secrets. I felt a connection with her as soon as I touched her hand yesterday. I could not stop thinking about her once she left my side last night. And I have never met a lady whom could keep up with me on a run."

Abe knew what Dimitri was feeling but knew that he had to figure that out on his own. "I will have to speak with Rose about the secret union, before I give my consent. Is there anything else?"

Dimitri nodded in understand, "Yes sir, I would also like to spar with her when you have the time."

"Very well Mr. Belikov, please send Rose to me and I will give her the answers to your questions."

Dimitri stood, shook Abs's hand, nodded and went back to Rose, Lissa and Christian.

"Roza, your father wishes to speak with you."

Nodding Rose went to her father's office, just walking right in as always and sitting on the chair that Dimitri had sat in.

"You wished to see me, father?"

"Yes, I have a few things to discuss with you. Mr.Belikov asked to spar with you?"

"Yes, that's why I sent him to you."

"Alright, I will let you spar will him. I have some free time in an hour."

Rose nodded, she was fine with that.

"I know this is you second test."

Again, Rose nodded she was not surprised her father knew she did think like him after all.

"Kiz,  how do you feel about Mr.Belikov?"

"I'm not sure, I liked to hear him talk and tell me the things he had. I kept wanting to know more about him. I also felt like I could tell him everything if I wanted to. I also felt this tingle when his hand met my own. Daddy, I could not stop thinking about him. I don't know why."

Abe smiled then shocked her even more. "Mr. Belikov asked to set up a secret union with you until he was able to return home to break it off by finally letting his mother know of the affair and love child."

Rose was shocked she did not see this coming. It took her a few minutes before she could reply. "What did you say about that?"

"I told him I would give my answer to you."

"And what is your answer?" She asked nervously.

"Well I'm going let you answer."

Rose nodded, "I will have to think about that. But right now I need to inform Mr.Belikov about the sparring time and get ready to spar with him."