Part 41 (1/2)
”What, no honeymoon?” Jarrod exclaimed, making it sound like a joke.
”I have to get back as soon as I can,” Marianna said reasonably. ”The harvest is coming in and there will be the accounts to do. Besides, in my condition we can't. . .
I mean we just can't.”
”How romantic,” Jarrod said sarcastically. ”What you're telling me is that this is just a marriage of con- venience.”
”Please, Jarrod dear, don't be difficult,” Marianna said. ”I've had a trying morning. I explained to you at Celador that I don't want a husband in the conven- tional sense and you have no intention of giving up your life here and retiring to Gwyndryth. I've already told you that you are the only man on Strand that I wanted to father my child and I've proved it. As far as
224 1- JOHN LEE.
the rest is concerned, we'll just have to work it out as we go along. You will, of course, be welcome at Gwyn- dryth whenever you want to come, but if you prefer to stay here, I shall quite understand.”
Jarrod sighed. ”You never did do things the way other girls did,'” he said. ”I don't know why I should expect you to start now.”
”Does that mean that you'll go through with it?”
”1 suppose so. I don't relish the prospect of being horsewhipped by your father.”
She smiled at him and reached out her free hand.
”Thank you,” she said. ”I'm sorry that it had to happen this way. but I want you to know that I'm grateful.
Now I suppose we ought to decide about the wedding.”
”Does your father have any preferences?” Jarrod asked. He had no wish to start off this odd alliance by alienating the Holdmaster.
”Daddy wants me married as fast as possible. This baby is not to be born early, that's his dictum.” She gave a snort that wasn't quite laughter. ”I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to pull that off, but I'll have to work something out.” She looked across at him. ”You don't know how lucky you are not to have a parent to deal with.” She shook her head slowly- ”The b.l.o.o.d.y man simply will not admit that I am an adult. I mean, I've been running Gwyndryth for how many years now?
And he still treats me as if I was fourteen.''
”We're getting off the point,” Jarrod said mildly.
”The thing is that he has no objection to a quick, quiet wedding.”
”The sooner the better,” she agreed.
”Perhaps we can have the ceremony upstairs in Grey- lock's rooms and we can spend the wedding night here.”
He grinned suddenly. ”I'll finally have a chance to wear the outfit the Guardian gave me.”
225.
Her smile lit her face. ”What a good idea. I'll get Daddy to send a cloudsteed to Gwyndryth for mine.”
”A cloudsteed?”
”I don't see why not. He is the general, after all, and he owes me that much.”
”D'you ever think of those days?” he asked.
”Every time that Amarine or her offspring visit.”
”When was the last time she came?”