Part 24 (1/2)

124 Would he? Well, the whole thing was rather intrigu- ing, and though her beauty was different than it had been at twenty, she was a very desirable woman. ”Com- pliments first,” he teased.

”Oh, all right,” she said. ”I just hope Joscelyn hasn't inherited your vanity. Yes, I'd still like you to be the father. As I said, I like my son.”

”If we had a daughter, it would be a shame if she took after me.” He chuckled.

”So you are thinking about it.”

”It has a certain perverse appeal,” Jarrod said, still not willing to be entirely serious.

”In that case,” Marianna said, raising to her feet in a single, fluid motion, ”I think we should adjourn to the bedchamber and discuss it.” She smiled at him wickedly. ”I'm supposed to be leaving in three days.”

She held out her hand. Jarrod put down his gla.s.s and got to his feet with considerably less grace. He took her hand.

They started gently, tentatively, exploring one anoth- er's bodies. They became more sure and more sponta- neous and, to Jarrod, it began to feel like the most natural thing in the world. He had wanted to make love to her for a very long time. Pa.s.sion mounted as they joined and, when it was over, they lay together, breath- ing and pulse returning slowly to normal. He bent his head and kissed her hair.

”Three days, did you say? I think it would be best to make absolutely sure, don't you?”

She turned and punched him lightly on the arm- ”An- imal,” she said. ”You men are all the same.” She gig- gled softly. ”Under the circ.u.mstances, that's more true than ever.”

”Absolutely the same?” he asked, knowing that she would understand what he meant.

125.

”Uhm.” She seemed to be considering the matter.

”There are only two significant differences,”

”Really?”

She tipped her head back and looked up at him, eyes bright with mischief. She waited. Then, ”The other Jar- rod doesn't have scars on his back, and . ..”

”And,” he prompted.

”He was a virgin and you most certainly are not.”

He gave her a little shake and she chuckled softly.

”Contrary to popular opinion,” she said drowsily, ”it has been a long time since there was a man in my bed.”

She yawned and then there was silence.

ChAptCR 13

W,.

hile Celador was preparing for a Magical dis- play, Angom, capital of the Umbrian Empire, was also caught up in excitement. First there had been the trial of Simian the Hermit, then the rumor of a ma.s.sacre in Baldania and now an official visit by the Mother Su- preme. The Holy Church of the Mother was the official religion of the State and the head of the Church was, technically, the Emperor's equal. Amulpha, the Mother Supreme, came as visiting royalty, but the truth was that she had been summoned by Varodias. The formalities were maintained, by the fact was otherwise.

The two met in the Private Stateroom. They sat op- posite one another in ornate bezelwood chairs and pre- sented a study in contrasts. The Emperor was thin, the face made longer by a receding hairline and a sharply pointed beard. He was elegantly but soberly dressed.

The Mother Supreme was tall, stout and florid, her face made rounder by her wimple. She was dressed volumi- nously in gold. Tradition, hallowed by five hundred years of practice, decreed that, in the presence of the Mother Supreme, the Emperor should come down from the throne. This Emperor preferred to avoid that; hence the choice of the Private Stateroom. Though the two chairs appeared to be identical, detailmongers would have found significance in the fact that the legs of Var- odias' chair were six inches taller than those of the chair to which the Mother Supreme had been a.s.signed,

THE UNICORN PEACE t 127

”We bid you welcome,” Varodias said when the small flock of courtiers and attendants had been dismissed.