he answered with a gentle smile. "Few telepaths are capable of intimacy with someone we do not love, someone we cannot touch mind to mind and share our deepest feelings with."
As we have, my dearest one , he added.
She melted inside, as she always did in the warmth of his tenderness.
"You are telling me that whether I like it or not, Domenic will be under pressure to marry," she said, gathering her wits once more, "if not from Francisco, then from the Council."
"Admit it, love, you would adore seeing him happily settled and producing grandchildren for you to spoil," Mikhail teased.
"Yes, but I did not expect it to come about in such a callous, calcu-
lating manner! Seriously, Mik, I cannot agree to any arrangement for Domenic without his consent. He may not care for Sibelle Ridenow. She is beautiful, to be sure, but can she make him happy?"
"I have met the young lady," Lew said. "I suspect she has led a sheltered life and is ready to fall in love with any man who fulfills her romantic notions."
"Hmmm." Marguerida frowned, not at all sure that was what Domenic needed in a wife. "We have not asked Nico's opinion of this scheme. He may consider the whole idea preposterous. For all I know, he may already be in love with someone else!"
"Is he?" Mikhail raised one eyebrow expressively.
"No, of course not! I only said that to make a point. Oh, he's fond of Alanna in the way of childhood playfellows, but he's never shown any serious interest in a young woman."
"We must put the matter before him and hear what he has to say," Lew put in. "He may surprise us in his understanding of what is at stake here."
Marguerida sat back in her chair. "I could live with that." I think . "As long as you promise me, Mik, that if he says no, we will not pressure him."
"That goes without saying, but if it will reassure you, I promise," Mikhail said. "It will make for an awkward situation with Francisco, but we can deal with that."
"I do not think we should rush into an agreement even if Domenic falls head over heels with this girl," Marguerida said. " She may be innocent, but I still do not trust Francisco."
"We must use care," Lew said. "The situation, and Francisco's sense of honor, are volatile. An outright rejection will be taken as an affront. Francisco may be looking for an excuse to take offense."
Marguerida shook her head. For all the years she had lived on Darkover, the intricate, downright Byzantine convolutions of honor still left her baffled. Why couldn't these people just come out and say what they meant?
"That is certainly true," said Mikhail. "As Marja has pointed out, even if the young people take to one another, this marriage would be a complex diplomatic affair."
Marguerida bit her lip. Much as she disliked the idea of Domenic
having anything to do with Francisco Ridenow, she could not refuse without creating a crisis where none existed. Difficult as it was, she must trust her husband and her father, who had far more experience in Comyn politics than she did, to act cautiously. After all, they too loved Domenic and would not place him at risk.
"Let us proceed, but slowly," Mikhail said. "Lew, if you are willing to deliver a reply on our behalf to Francisco, perhaps we can tread a middle path, without committing ourselves until we know more. Let him know how honored we are by his proposal and how deeply we appreciate the spirit in which it was made. Remind him of the complexity of arranging marriages in this day. Tell him that regardless of the outcome, we consider this as only the first of many steps together. Times change, Darkover changes, and we invite his participation in building the future together. Or something like that, in properly diplomatic phrasing."
"I will do what I can," Lew said with a weary smile. "It's strangely fitting that the skills I learned in the Terran Senate should be so useful now."
"Marja, will you discuss the matter with Domenic?" Mikhail asked. "I think he will take it better coming
As we have, my dearest one , he added.
She melted inside, as she always did in the warmth of his tenderness.
"You are telling me that whether I like it or not, Domenic will be under pressure to marry," she said, gathering her wits once more, "if not from Francisco, then from the Council."
"Admit it, love, you would adore seeing him happily settled and producing grandchildren for you to spoil," Mikhail teased.
"Yes, but I did not expect it to come about in such a callous, calcu-
lating manner! Seriously, Mik, I cannot agree to any arrangement for Domenic without his consent. He may not care for Sibelle Ridenow. She is beautiful, to be sure, but can she make him happy?"
"I have met the young lady," Lew said. "I suspect she has led a sheltered life and is ready to fall in love with any man who fulfills her romantic notions."
"Hmmm." Marguerida frowned, not at all sure that was what Domenic needed in a wife. "We have not asked Nico's opinion of this scheme. He may consider the whole idea preposterous. For all I know, he may already be in love with someone else!"
"Is he?" Mikhail raised one eyebrow expressively.
"No, of course not! I only said that to make a point. Oh, he's fond of Alanna in the way of childhood playfellows, but he's never shown any serious interest in a young woman."
"We must put the matter before him and hear what he has to say," Lew put in. "He may surprise us in his understanding of what is at stake here."
Marguerida sat back in her chair. "I could live with that." I think . "As long as you promise me, Mik, that if he says no, we will not pressure him."
"That goes without saying, but if it will reassure you, I promise," Mikhail said. "It will make for an awkward situation with Francisco, but we can deal with that."
"I do not think we should rush into an agreement even if Domenic falls head over heels with this girl," Marguerida said. " She may be innocent, but I still do not trust Francisco."
"We must use care," Lew said. "The situation, and Francisco's sense of honor, are volatile. An outright rejection will be taken as an affront. Francisco may be looking for an excuse to take offense."
Marguerida shook her head. For all the years she had lived on Darkover, the intricate, downright Byzantine convolutions of honor still left her baffled. Why couldn't these people just come out and say what they meant?
"That is certainly true," said Mikhail. "As Marja has pointed out, even if the young people take to one another, this marriage would be a complex diplomatic affair."
Marguerida bit her lip. Much as she disliked the idea of Domenic
having anything to do with Francisco Ridenow, she could not refuse without creating a crisis where none existed. Difficult as it was, she must trust her husband and her father, who had far more experience in Comyn politics than she did, to act cautiously. After all, they too loved Domenic and would not place him at risk.
"Let us proceed, but slowly," Mikhail said. "Lew, if you are willing to deliver a reply on our behalf to Francisco, perhaps we can tread a middle path, without committing ourselves until we know more. Let him know how honored we are by his proposal and how deeply we appreciate the spirit in which it was made. Remind him of the complexity of arranging marriages in this day. Tell him that regardless of the outcome, we consider this as only the first of many steps together. Times change, Darkover changes, and we invite his participation in building the future together. Or something like that, in properly diplomatic phrasing."
"I will do what I can," Lew said with a weary smile. "It's strangely fitting that the skills I learned in the Terran Senate should be so useful now."
"Marja, will you discuss the matter with Domenic?" Mikhail asked. "I think he will take it better coming
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