Part 53 (1/2)

”And that is?”

291.

”Well, he was bound to spoil her. but this will put the cap on it. I'm going to have my work cut out undoing the damage that you two will do.''

”I'm perfectly capable of being an evenhanded fa- ther,” Jarrod objected.

”Rubbish,” Marianna said succinctly and good- naturedly. ”Little girls are born with the ability to wrap their fathers around their little fingers.”

”Ha! Seeing the way Joscelyn's turned out, it can be argued that boys can do the same with their mothers,”

he said teasingly.

”Unfair; low blow,” she protested.

”Maybe the next one will be a boy and then I'll come into my own,” Jarrod said.

The eyebrow went up again. ”The next one?” She snorted and pressed herself back into the pillows. ”The man's way of controlling an intelligent woman; keep her pregnant.” There was a tinge of acid in the voice.

”Well, husband mine, the equation is a little different for women. A night of pleasure, if we're lucky, nine months of discomfort and hours of agony. You'll for- give me if I don't look on the process with quite your enthusiasm.”

”Daria, d.u.c.h.ess of Abercorn; it's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?” Jarrod asked.

”What are you talking about?” she asked back.

Jarrod grinned. ”Well, she'll have to wait awhile, of course, and there can't be a brother. I haven't had a chance to tell you, but my uncle died and I've inherited the t.i.tle. You are now the d.u.c.h.ess of Abercom.”

”Am I indeed.” She smiled up at him. ”Very grand.

Do we have a nice coat of arms?”

”I'm not really sure,” Jarrod admitted. ”I think it's got stags and sheaves of corn.”

”Oh Jarrod, you are impossible,” she said. Her eyes narrowed in speculation. ”We'll have to go down and

292 show ourselves as soon as I'm fit to travel. A grand tour of all the properties. I can use my old gowns there, people won't have seen them, and get a new set for here.

In the meantime we shall have to appoint a really good seneschal. If we don't, your rights will be eroded.”

She sat up, eyes sparkling. ”It would be best if it was a Paladinian. Country folk don't take kindly to being ordered about by foreigners. Do you know anyone suit- able?”

This is the most animated she's been since I got here, Jarrod thought.

”As a matter of fact I've asked Tokamo to go down and take inventory for me,” he said.

”Oh yes, he was our ring bearer. Are you sure you can trust him?”

”We've been friends since we were boys,” Jarrod re- turned. ”Besides, he's wonderful with figures and the appearance of a Magician at Oxeter ought to engender respect, if not outright fear.” He gave her a sly smile.

”People seem to have difficulty lying to a Magician.”

”Clever man,” she said, and pulled him down for a kiss. ”Oh I am glad that I married you.” She let him go and vertical frown lines appeared in her forehead.

”D'you suppose that my father knew that you were go- ing to inherit when he insisted that I marry you?”

”Knowing your father, I shouldn't be at all surprised.

I was probably the only person in the Kingdom who wasn't expecting it.”