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nearest bench. "D'you mind?" he whispered to her.
"I believe it is customary..."
His grin broadened, and he jumped up on it, wrapped her in his arms, and gave
her a blatantly possessive kiss. She embraced him back, just as hard, shaking
a little.
"Mine to me. Yes," she whispered fiercely in his ear.
He hopped back down, but did not release her hand.
Nikki, almost eye to eye with him, stared at Miles measuringly. "You are going
to make my mama happy
, aren't you?"
"I'll surely try, Nikki." He returned Nikki a serious nod, with all his heart.
Gravely, Nikki nodded back, as if to say, It's a deal.
Olivia, Tatya, and Rene's sister arrived, fighting their way through the
departing crowd, to pounce on Rene and Dono. Panting in their wake came a man
in Count's livery of carmine and green. He stopped short and stared around the
chamber in dismay, and moaned, "Too late!"
"Who's that?" Ekaterin whispered to Miles.
"Count Vormuir. He seems to have missed the session."
Count Vormuir staggered off toward his desk on the far side of the chamber.
Count Dono watched him go by with a little smile.
Ivan drifted up to Dono, and said in an undervoice, "All right, I have to
know. How'd you sidetrack Vormuir?"
"I? I had nothing to do with it. However, if you must know, I believe he spent
the morning having a reconciliation with his
Countess."
"All morning? At his age?"
"Well, she had some assistance from a nice little Betan aphrodisiac. I believe
it can extend a man's attention span for hours
. No nasty side effects, either. Now you're getting older, Ivan, you might
wish to check it out."
"Got any more?"
"Not I. Talk with Helga Vormuir."
Miles turned to Hugo and Vassily, his smile stiffening just a shade. Ekaterin
gripped his hand harder, and he returned a reassuring squeeze. "Good morning,
gentlemen. I'm glad you could make this historic Council session. Would you be
pleased to join us all for lunch at Vorkosigan House? I feel sure we have some
matters to discuss more privately."
Vassily seemed well on his way to permanently stunned, but he managed a nod
and a mumbled thank you
. Hugo eyed the grip between Miles and Ekaterin, and his lips twisted up in a
bemused acquiescence. "Perhaps that would be a good idea, Lord
Vorkosigan. Seeing as how we are to, um, become related. I believe that
betrothal had enough witnesses to be binding...."
Miles tucked Ekaterin's hand in his arm, and pulled her close. "So I trust."
The Lord Guardian of the Speaker's Circle made his way over to their group.
"Miles. Gregor wishes to see you, and this lady, before you go." He gave
Ekaterin a smiling nod. "He said something about a task in your Auditor's
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capacity..."
"Ah." Not loosening his grip on her hand, Miles towed Ekaterin through the
thinning crowd to the dais, where Gregor was dealing with several men who were
seizing the moment to present concerns to his Imperial attention. He fended
them off and turned to Miles and Ekaterin, stepping down over the dais.
"Madame Vorsoisson." He nodded to her. "Do you think you will require any
further assistance in dealing with your, er, domestic trouble?"
She smiled gratefully at him. "No, Sire. I think Miles and I can handle it
from here, now that the unfortunate political aspect has been removed."
"I had that impression. Congratulations to you both." His mouth was solemn,
but his eyes danced. "Ah." He beckoned to a secretary, who drew an
official-looking document, two pages of calligraphy all stamped and sealed,
from an envelope. "Here, Miles... I see Vormuir finally made it. I'll let you
hand this off to him."
Miles glanced over the pages, and grinned. "As discussed. My pleasure, Sire."
Gregor flashed a rare smile at them both, and escaped his courtiers by ducking
back through his private door.
Miles reordered the pages, and sauntered over to Vormuir's desk.
"Something for you, Count. My Imperial Master has considered your petition for
the confirmation of your guardianship of all your lovely daughters. It is
herewith granted."
"Ha!" said Vormuir triumphantly, fairly snatching the documents from Miles.
"What did I say! Even the Imperial lawyers had to knuckle under to ties of
blood, eh? Good! Good!"
"Enjoy." Miles smiled, and drew Ekaterin rapidly away.
"But Miles," she whispered, "does that mean Vormuir wins? He gets to carry on
that dreadful child-assembly-line of his?"
"Under certain conditions. Step along - we really want to be out of the
chamber before he gets to page two..."
Miles gestured his lunch guests out into the great hall, murmuring rapid
instructions into his wristcom to have Pym bring up the car. The Viceroy and
Vicereine excused themselves, saying they would be along later after they had
a short chat with Gregor.
All paused, startled, as from the chamber, a voice echoed in a sudden howl of
anguish.
"Dowries!
Dowries!
A hundred and eighteen dowries
..."
* * *
"Roic," said Mark ominously, "why are these trespassers still alive
?"
"We can't go round just shooting casual visitors, m'lord," Roic attempted to
excuse himself.
"Why not?"
"This isn't the Time of Isolation! Besides, m'lord," Roic nodded toward the
bedraggled Escobarans, "they do seem to have a proper warrant."
The smaller Escobaran, who'd said his name was Parole Officer Gustioz, held up
a wad of sticky flimsies as evidence, and shook it meaningfully, spattering a
few last white drops. Mark stepped back, and carefully flicked the stray spot
from the front of his good black suit. All three men appeared to have been
recently dipped headfirst into a vat of yogurt. Studying Roic, Mark was put
dimly in mind of the legend of Achilles, except that his bug butter marinade
seemed to extend to both heels.
"We'll see." If they had hurt Kareen... Mark turned, and knocked on the locked
laboratory door. "Kareen? Martya? Are you all right in there?"
"Mark? Is that you?" Martya's voice came back though the door. "At last!"
Mark studied the dents in the wood, and frowned, narrow-eyed, at the two
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Escobarans. Gustioz recoiled slightly, and Muno inhaled and tensed. Scraping
noises, as of large objects being dragged back from the entryway, emanated
from the lab. After another moment, the lock tweetled, and the door stuck,
then was yanked open. Martya poked her head through. "Thank heavens!"
Anxiously, Mark pressed past her to find Kareen. She almost fell into his
offered embrace, then they both thought better of it. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]