Page 85 of Wild Hearts

His hold on her tightened. "Just get me a name. I'll have them wed within a week," he vowed darkly.

June brought the Douglas and the Lennox clans for the wedding festivities. Damascus and Tabrizia took Shannon and Venetia along to Alexandria's chamber where they could all be private. Tabrizia locked the door, and they all gathered around the bed.

"What's the mystery?" demanded Shannon. Tabrizia said quietly, "Alexandria is going to have a baby, and she refuses to name the father."

"Oh, love," cried Shannon, "do you not know who the father is?"

"Of course I know who the father is," cried Alexandria indignantly.

"Darling, we all love you, and we only want to help you. Please tell us who the father is, and you'll see how simply this can all be straightened out," implored Tabrizia.

Alexandria sighed deeply. "When I disgraced myself by going on that raid to Huntly, I further disgraced myself by getting pregnant."

"One of the bloody Gordons?" demanded Shannon, "Paris will kill him?"

"Oh, my God! It was Adam Gordon, wasn't it? No wonder you wouldn't tell," realized Tabrizia, feeling somehow responsible.

"All hell will break loose when he finds out," predicted Shannon.

"For God's sake, don't breathe a word of this before the wedding," begged Damascus.

"Was it very terrible for you, Alexandria?" asked Tabrizia, imagining the worst.

"It was inevitable. Adam Gordon and I loved each other on sight;" she admitted softly.

"You mean to say you weren't forced?" asked Venetia, scandalized to think one would actually bed with a Gordon by choice.

Alexandria looked at Tabrizia hopelessly and gave her back her own words: "You see how simply this can all be straightened out?"

Shannon said, "Well, of course, there's only one of us can possibly beguile Paris enough to break this news to him."

They looked at Tabrizia. "Oh, please, not me," she begged.

"Of course, you," said Damascus, "after the wedding."

"He is besotted with you," declared Shannon.

Alexandria clinched it. "You are carrying his heir, he wouldn't harm you." She took hold of Tabrizia's hands in supplication, "Oh, please ask Paris if Adam and I can marry."

"He won't even sign the peace bond the King ordered," Tabrizia pointed out "How in the name of heaven am I to get him to agree to a marriage contract?"

"You know how!" Shannon quipped.

"You are the only one with power over him," begged Alexandria.

"As soon as the wedding is over and you have all deserted back to your own safe castles, I'll tell him. But I make no promises; the man is as unpredictable as a volcano, with temper to match."

"He'll run mad," whispered Damascus under her breath, and received a vicious poke in the ribs from Shannon.

Magnus arrived with Margaret and left her to her own devices while he placed Tabrizia's arm through his and possessively escorted her around, proudly showing her off before all the guests. When she told him he was about to become a grandfather, his face split with a grin that stayed with him all day. He winked at her. "Does that mean you finally yielded?"

She slapped his arm and blushed vividly, which only added to his pleasure. He had aged visibly since the first time she had met him and his mortality smote her, and she promised herself that she would go to visit him more often in the future.

Margaret maneuvered Paris into a private alcove. She wore brilliant orange, which set off her vivid, dark beauty in a startling manner.

"You look very beautiful, Margaret," complimented Paris. "I swear you must be a witch; you look two years younger every time I see you."

Her eyes glittered with malice as she told him, "You surprised me, Paris. Marrying a girl who was betrothed to another. I thought you didn't care for other men's leavings."

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