[Lyra 04] - Caught in Crystal
Page 32
“We’ll do it together,” Glyndon promised. “After fifteen years of wandering, I don’t think I could settle permanently on Varna even if I wanted to. It’ll be nice to go home, though. Now, answer the question: Will you marry me?”
“If I don’t want to set a bad example for the children, I’m going to have to.” Kayl tried to make her tone serious, but she could not keep a straight face. Her mouth insisted in stretching out into what felt like a remarkably foolish grin.
Glyndon laughed and started to kiss her again. He was interrupted by a muffled cheer from a nearby clump of bushes. Startled, he and Kayl looked at each other; then Kayl shook her head and stepped away from him. “We heard that,” she called in the sternest voice she could manage. “So come out here, right now.”
With a series of rustling noises, punctuated by crashes, the eavesdroppers made their appearance: first Mark, then Dara, then Xaya. Mark looked somewhat downcast but pleased; Dara and Xaya were trying hard to appear properly repentant in spite of their excitement. “I thought I’d taught you better than to listen to other people’s conversations,” Kayl said, but she was too happy to put her heart into the scolding.
“Well, but it was important to us, too,” Dara said. “And oh, Mother, I’m glad!”
“So am I,” Glyndon confided.
“Don’t encourage them, Glyndon,” Kayl warned. He gave her a smile that made her head swim, and she forced herself to look back at the children. “Whose idea was this, anyway?”
“Mine,” three voices said promptly.
Kayl rolled her eyes. “All right, then, back to camp with the three of you. I’ll figure out what to do with you later. Go on!”
The children went. As they disappeared among the trees, a breath of wind brought Dara’s satisfied voice back to Kayl and Glyndon: “I told you she was going to marry him. She just takes a long time to say so, that’s all.”
“Huh,” was Mark’s comment, and the children were gone.
Glyndon looked at Kayl, his eyes dancing. “I can see that being a stepfather is going to be an enlightening experience. I wonder if I ought to ask Dara what you really think, the next time I’m not sure?”
“You do and I’ll put salt in your ale for a week,” Kayl threatened.
“Your wish is my command,” Glyndon replied. He reached for her with his good arm. “Now, where were we?”
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