She looked at him uncertainly. They had not come together in passion on the hard journey here, but she had known he wanted her. She had thought his restraint was due to the lack of privacy on the trail and assumed they would be together tonight.
He smiled and shook his head as he saw her expression. “Haven’t you noticed? I’m courting you. I decided one more night of abstinence won’t be too much of a strain for me.”
“I don’t understand.”
His smile faded. “We will spend a good deal of time here in Kazan. I wanted to show the members of the ravin’s court that I hold you in honor. It’s too late at Cambaron but not here.”
Happiness surged through her. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters,” he said quietly. A mischievous smile lit his face. “Instead, I shall spend tonight contemplating my sins and deciding on a new and interesting fashion in which to make your wedding night memorable. There must be some way I can combine the two.”
Sin and sensuality and a bridegroom who was the master of both. She felt a ripple of heat as she looked at him. “If there is, I have confidence you’ll find it.”
“So do I.”
He was leaving her, and she didn’t want to let him go yet. Tomorrow seemed a long time away. “Do you think the ravin will come?”
“I doubt it.” He shrugged. “It makes no difference.”
“It does make a difference,” she said impatiently. “Why do you pretend it doesn’t? You care for her.”
His expression hardened. “It’s senseless to talk of this.”
“It’s senseless to ignore it. I know you care for her. I saw your face when I gave you the window with her image.”
“It was a magnificent work.”
“It was your
“You’re being very forgiving yourself. Did I mention she was thinking of throwing you into a dungeon?”
“It doesn’t surprise me. She’s a hard woman.”
“Then let us drop the subject.”
“We can’t. Because neither of you can forget each other, and I won’t have her standing in the shadows for the rest of our lives. I’d much rather face her in the sunlight.”
His face softened. “You stand the sunlight much better than the ravin, my love.”
“Because I’m young and strong, and I’m to marry a strong man, not a weakling as she did. If you cannot forgive her, understand her.” She held up her hand as he started to speak. “That’s all I have to say, but it had to be said.”
“Why?”
“I told you.” But she had not told him everything. She had not told him that even though the ravin had coveted Alex’s affection, she had not let her brother think badly of Marianna. “I would rather have her for an ally than an enemy.”
“But there’s something more, isn’t there?”
She should have known Jordan would sense and probe for the entire truth. “Yes.” A smile lit her face. “She doesn’t raid cornfields.”
The gown Gregor sent to her quarters was of sky-blue silk and would have been called ridiculously outmoded by the
“You are very lovely,” Gregor said when she reached the chapel. His big hand squeezed her own. “Come, I will take you to your husband.”
Husband. He meant Jordan. It was Jordan who stood at the altar. She experienced a dazed feeling of incredulity.
Then, as Gregor led her down the aisle, the disbelief disappeared. Jordan was dressed in a heavy gold-and- white quilted tunic over black trousers tucked into knee boots. He was as beautiful as Gregor claimed she was, and by God, he was
She was vaguely aware of a sea of strangers, of Alex smiling at her from the front pew.
And the ravin sitting beside him.
Marianna’s pace faltered. She had not really expected Jordan’s mother to be here.
Then Jordan was holding out his hand to her, and she saw nothing but him. She took it joyously. This was their moment, the time that belonged only to them.
She started to turn to the priest.
No, there was something wrong. This time did not belong only to them. There was always a past and future as well as the present.
And there was something she had to do.
She whispered to the priest, “One moment.”
She felt Jordan’s surprised gaze on her back as she whirled around, walked over to the ravin, and stared directly into her eyes.
She said clearly, “Alex said I should ask you for Jordan’s hand in marriage.”
The ravin blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. “Besides the irregularity of such an action, it is a little late for formalities.”
“Alex doesn’t think so, and neither do I. May I marry your son?”
“He cares nothing for my wishes.”
“On the contrary I find myself craving approval from all and sundry.” Jordan’s tone was light as he joined Marianna and took her hand again. “Matrimony is a fearsome step, and one I doubted I’d ever take.”
The ravin stared at him uncertainly. “You wish for my permission? You are joking?”
Marianna held her breath. She knew how tempted Jordan would be to hide beneath his usual mask of mockery.
Jordan’s smile faded, and he was silent a moment before he said quietly, “I’m not joking, Ana.”
Ana. Not Mother. Marianna smothered a sigh of exasperation. Well, at least it was not Your Majesty or ravin. What had she expected? They were both hard and stubborn, and wounds did not heal overnight. It was a start.
Ana smiled brilliantly and then said gruffly, “I suppose the match is not totally unacceptable to me.” She turned to Marianna. “The windows in this palace are without character or color. Perhaps while Jordan is in Russia with the czar, you will stay and lend me your skill?”
A concession, but hardly a compromise. “It would be my pleasure. Jordan says we must stay here until we’re sure Kazan is safe from Napoleon, and I’ll go mad without work to do. Perhaps later you will come to Cambaron and see the work I did there. Jordan says my dome is very impressive. You might see something that would please you.”
“Cambaron?” Ana’s eyes widened in horror. “I will never return to that place. It is-” She stopped as her gaze encountered Gregor’s. “It is a possibility.” She turned to Jordan and lifted her chin. “But you must not expect me too soon. I am a busy woman, and I cannot constantly be at your beck and call-and it could be I have other plans for my life. Perhaps when your first child is born, I will come.” She glanced challengingly at Gregor. “Well? Is it enough?”
He shook his head. “I want deeds, not words.”
She drew an exasperated breath as she gestured impatiently at Marianna. “Well, what are you waiting for? It is rude to keep the priest waiting.”
Marianna smiled, then turned to Jordan and held out her hand. “Your mother is right. We must not keep the priest waiting.”
He led her to the altar. “I’m happy you finally decided to get around to me,” he murmured. “For a moment I wasn’t sure if you weren’t wedding the ravin.”
“I am,” she whispered, trying to make him understand. It was not going to be an easy task to make a man as possessive as Jordan let others within the circle. “Just as you’re wedding Alex. We are not alone in this, but that is a good thing. We’ve both been too much alone. Now, I wish us to be joined in all ways.”
