Cortin knelt, extending her hands to the three children. "Of course,
Luke--and Kateri, and George. God willing, you'll have them yourselves
some day."
"Pretty," Kateri stated unequivocally. "Want now."
"Sorry, sweetheart," Cortin said. "You can't have them till you're
older--but I can offer you some milk and gingerbread our cook made
special for you."
"Okay." With that, the three hurried unerringly toward the refreshment
table and Cortin rose, chuckling.
"I apologize for their rudeness, Excellency," Betty said. "I am
teaching them better manners than that--I'm afraid the trip and the
excitement have taken their toll."
"I understand perfectly," Cortin said. "Despite what some people say,
I was a child myself once. And Dave should have told you: in private,
I'm Joan."
"He did--but I wasn't sure." Betty hesitated. "He and Tiny have told
me so much about you and the team that I feel I've known you all for
years. I don't know how to thank you for inviting us into your home,
though. Or wanting us to be part of your family."
"No thanks necessary." Cortin gestured at the children, who were
eagerly devouring milk and gingerbread. "They, and the child Sis is
carrying, are the reason for families--or Families." She smiled. "I
think I'm going to like being Gramma Joan. I gather you intend to
accept their proposal, then."
"Yes--though I'm not at all sure about taking part in group sex."
Cortin raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to if you don't want to;
Dave must have told you that. And who knows, you may get to like it."
"From Dave and Tiny's descriptions, I may; I'll try, at least."
"I think that's my cue," Odeon said. He bowed to Betty, extending his
hands. "Elizabeth, would you do us the great honor of becoming our
wife?"
"I would be delighted." Betty took his hands and kissed him, repeated
the gesture with the rest of her spouses-to-be. "When?"
"That," Odeon said firmly, "is the bride's prerogative. Privately, at
least; publicly, not for at least ten days."
"As soon as possible, then, once the children finish." Betty looked
around, defensively. "Pete taught me never to put off anything
important, and this is."
"He was absolutely right," Odeon agreed. A trooper's life was too
risky to procrastinate; if you did, you were like as not to get killed
before you did what you'd been putting off. That didn't mean rushing
into things--but once you thought something through and made your
decision, you did it--even if the decision was to wait. "We've all had
the same training," he told her. "When the children are done, then."
Betty smiled at him. "Thanks--civilians think I'm being impatient, or
even impetuous, when it's not that at all."
* * * * *
The children were upset at first about not being allowed on the
"grown-up" floor except for meals, but got over that quickly when they
were shown their floor. And Betty was pleased with her room, though
she said it would take her a while to get used to the luxury. And to
the servants, and living next door to the Palace, and-- "Well, right
now I'm just overwhelmed. Even though Dave and Tiny described it all,
that's nothing like actually seeing it." She gestured, taking in the
common-room where they'd finally settled.
"You'll get used to it," Cortin assured her, smiling. "The only part
of Harmony Lodge that isn't luxurious is the dungeon level, but you
won't be going there. And you'll get used to high-ranking visitors,
too--though aside from Dave's and my colleagues from the Center, and
the rest of the Sealed ones, we haven't had many guests."
"That may change now--" Odeon frowned. "Dave. Betty called Joan
'Excellency'--didn't you tell her about the promotion?"
"No--I was afraid I'd scare her off." Bain turned to their new wife.
"Joanie's still Her Excellency the High King's Inquisitor, and you know
about her being the Protector's Herald--well, she's also Archduchess of
High Teton, what used to be the Northwest Territories." He went on to
explain what had happened the morning he and Pritchett had left to pick
her up.
"'Dukida Elizabeth'," Betty said slowly. "You wouldn't have scared me
off, Dave, it's too good for the children--but if I'm one of those who
can be Sealed this early, I think we'd better take care of that, too.
I can see where I could be tempted into misusing a noble's power."
"You are," Odeon said. "I'll take care of it at this evening's
ceremony."