Planet Mail (16 page)

Chapter Twelve

Marcus frowned as he strode into the small audience chamber. Douglass’ request to see him and the Council before her departure had surprised him. He’d half hoped she would simply leave. The thought of seeing her again was far too painful to contemplate.

Earlier,
Thorlan
had tried to remind him that Douglass was still under suspicion of harming Lillian and needed his blessing to leave the planet. Marcus snarled at him to go away. Four security guards, dressed in the same brown garb Douglass had worn on her arrival, waited by the wide-open doors.
In the center of the room stood three women.

He recognized Douglass immediately even though she’d changed into a brown garment and tied back her hair. Sven stood behind her, his arms crossed over his chest. Marcus took up his position in the center of the dais and sat on his throne.

The older of the two remaining females stepped forward.
“Greetings, King Marcus Blood Axe of Planet Valhalla.
I am Doctor Barbara Jensen, chief physician on board the UPPS ship
Eagle One
.”

Marcus inclined his head. “You are most welcome, doctor.”

He turned his attention to the other woman who wore another of the unflattering brown outfits, although hers was covered with gold braid and stars.

“
Greetings,
Sire. I am Marge Jones, Captain of the
Eagle One
.”

“Captain, it is a pleasure. What can I do for you?”

By Odin, all three women looked very serious. Had they come to seek reparation for Douglass’ long stay on Valhalla? Did they think he had harmed her in any way?

The doctor cleared her throat. “Perhaps we might speak with you in private first, Sire. The matter is a delicate one.”

Marcus frowned. “If that is your wish, I will dismiss all of the Council except
Thorlan
.” He waited until everyone, including the security guards from the ship filed out. Douglass’ face was flushed and she seemed to be avoiding his gaze. Was she in trouble because of her behavior on Valhalla? She’d told him the sexual mores on Earth were more restrictive than here.

He realized the doctor waited for his attention. “Please, doctor, tell me your concerns.”

“I understand from talking to Douglass, that your medical facilities do not have access to DNA testing.”

“That is true. We are a small agricultural world. We don’t have the money to spend on such things.” He tried not to sound defensive. “Douglass mentioned this DNA to me. What does it do?”

Doctor Jensen smiled, revealing the serene beauty of her face. “It is the essence of life. It tells a scientist the genetic makeup of a human being. It can reveal the identity of a child’s parents.”

Marcus felt as if a
wulfrun
had kicked him in the gut. He jumped down from the platform and headed for Douglass. He tried to keep his voice down as he confronted her. “Did you bring your doctor here to prove whether Lillian carries my child? Did you wish to destroy whatever little hope for happiness I have left before you desert me?”

Douglass put her hands on her hips. “That’s hardly fair. Lillian is sick. She needs medical attention. Last time I saw her she was too scared to tell the physicians how badly she felt because she was too afraid of you.”

Marcus glared down at her. “That is ridiculous.”

“Why don’t you let Doctor Jensen examine Lillian while she is here and set your mind at rest?” Douglass raised her chin. “And if you really want to stop being a coward and find out if the child she carries is yours, you can do that too.”

For a heartbeat, Marcus fought the urge to shake his consort until her teeth rattled. “I am no coward.” He bowed at the doctor. “If you wish to examine Lillian, go ahead.”

The doctor touched his arm.
“If it isn’t too much trouble, Sire.
I would appreciate a sample of your blood. It will help me with my diagnosis.”

Marcus continued to glower at Douglass over the doctor’s head as she pricked his thumb to draw the blood.

“Thank you, Sire. Now can you show me the way to the Lady Lillian’s apartments?”

Lillian’s bedchamber was shrouded in darkness and smelled of stale perfume and spoiled fruit. After the drapes were drawn back, Marcus couldn’t deny that Lillian was ill. He remembered his first sight of her, gleaming with health, the slightness of her limbs,
the
shine of her hair.
Now her face and body seemed swollen, her hair lank and lifeless.

Why hadn’t anyone told him? He glanced at Lillian’s mother and his physicians who were clustered in the corner of the room. Perhaps Douglass was right. Perhaps they hadn’t wanted to worry him, more concerned that the baby survived than in protecting the mother.

Doctor Jensen talked quietly with Lillian and then turned to Marcus. “It would help, Sire, if we could be left alone while I complete my tests.”

Deep in thought, Marcus walked out into the brightly lit sitting area. Mistress
Freya
was sobbing, whether in fear for her daughter or fear for her loss of status, he wasn’t inclined to ask. Douglass came and sat beside him.

“Marcus, please don’t think I did this for myself. I was worried about Lillian when I last saw her. I asked Doctor Jensen for her advice and she thought it best she paid Lillian a visit.”

“I appreciate your concern for my wife-elect.” He glanced at her quickly. “I didn’t realize she was ill. Recently, I’ve only been allowed to visit her for relatively short periods of time.”

Douglass sighed. “I’m not blaming you, Marcus.”

He
laughed,
the sound grim in his own ears. “That’s all right because I already blame myself.”

She touched his wrist. “Doctor Jensen wants to talk to you about the planet’s environment. She might be able to help you and your people.”

The distance in her voice and the touch of her fingers made his blood heat. He struggled not to grab hold of her and kiss her until she melted into his arms. How could she sit so close to him and talk about matters that made no mention of the state of her feelings? It was if she’d already filed him away in her memories and was ready to move on.

“That is interesting. I will look forward to her setting my backward planet to rights.” He couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. “It was a good day for us when you crashed, wasn’t it?”

Her fingers slid off his wrist as if he had bitten them. “Just listen to her, Marcus, that’s all I ask.”

She walked away from
him,
her head held high and rejoined her crewmates. Marcus got to his feet just as Doctor Jensen reappeared and beckoned him closer.

“Lillian has a condition called pre-
eclampsia
.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “What is that?”

Doctor Jensen sipped her juice. “It’s a condition that occurs during pregnancy when blood pressure is raised too high.”

Ah, he knew about blood pressure. “What effect does it have on the mother and child?”

“If it’s allowed to go untreated, the mother can experience visual disturbances, mental dullness and in the late stages, even fits. It’s also a cause of premature birth.”

“Can you treat her?”

“Yes, I can. I’ll show your physicians the techniques they need and ensure they have the ability to prescribe the necessary drugs.” She squeezed Marcus’ hand. “She will be fine. The baby should be born safely in about twelve weeks.”

Marcus frowned. “That is still too early. By my calculations she is only about thirteen weeks along.”

Doctor Jensen released his hand. “I’m sorry, Sire, but the scan dates confirm she is already twenty-four weeks pregnant. Pre-
eclampsia
doesn’t usually manifest itself until week twenty.”

“Then the babe cannot be mine.” A mingled sense of relief and despair washed over him. He tried to keep his response light. “It explains why she practically raped me.”

“Your DNA doesn’t match the child’s either, Sire.”

He studied her sympathetic face. “So Douglass was right after all.”

“Perhaps you should say that to Douglass rather than me.”

Marcus kissed her hand. “I’d rather talk to you. She told me you have some ideas about what is wrong with this planet.”

Doctor Jensen got up. “If you wish, I’ll present my findings to you and the Council tomorrow before we take our leave. I need to attend to my patient now.”

He grimaced. “If you permit, I’ll come with you. I believe it’s time to discover who the real father of Lillian’s baby might be.”

Lillian sat alone on the massive bed, her knees drawn up to her chin, her arms encircling them. At least the drapes had been opened and fresh air scented with blossoms circulated in the room. When Lillian saw Marcus, she hid her face like a child. He sat gingerly beside her on the bed without touching her.

“Have you come to send me down to the dungeons?”

Marcus fought a smile at her tragic tone. “I don’t have any dungeons here. And why would I treat a woman who carries a child like that?”

She lifted her
head,
her eyes were red and swollen with tears.
“Because I lied to you.
Because you are the king.”

He sought for words to calm her obvious anxiety. “I can understand why you lied. It was a great thing for your village when your mother realized you were with child. As far as she was concerned, the child had to be mine, didn’t it?”

Lillian nodded. “I never meant for it to go this far. So many times I wanted to speak up and tell them the truth but I was too afraid.” She fixed her gaze on him. “You will not punish my village for my sins, will you?”

“Nay, there will be no punishments handed out to anyone.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile. “A genuine mistake was made and no harm was done.”

She had no notion that her actions might spell the end of hope for his people. He was almost too weary to go on pretending that all would be well. His planet would die now. He wouldn’t be exercising his right to bed the newest crop of virgins ever again. He thought of the heir he would never have. Bitterly regretted the shame he had brought on his family and his ancestors.

Lillian started to cry. “You are too kind to me, Sire. I knew I was pregnant the night they brought me to you. I made sure you had no choice but to mate with me.”

He studied her then, felt the strength of her will beneath her feminine softness. Since Douglass’ arrival his preconceived ideas about the fragility of women had changed forever.

“The man who fathered the child, did he not wish to marry you?”

Lillian knelt up, her expression indignant. “Of course he did, but the Elders had already decided that I was to be their tribute to you. I feared to shame my family by admitting I was no longer a virgin.”

Marcus rubbed the bridge of his nose as a headache descended. “Perhaps you might have shared this information with me before we engaged in this farce.”

She stared at him as if he were speaking a language she couldn’t understand. “You are the king. I believed you would kill me if I didn’t service you.”

He resisted an urge to smash something. Douglass was right, this was no way for a woman to feel, forced to use her sexuality to please her family and her king.

“The man who fathered your child.
Does he have a name?”

Lillian bit her lip. “You will not hurt him?”

Marcus held tight to the last strands of his patience. Whatever he did, he would always be an ogre in Lillian’s eyes. “I will not hurt him, I give you my word.”

“His name is Randall. We grew up together. His father is one of my father’s bodyguards.”

There was no need for Marcus to ask if she loved the man, her dreamy expression gave that away in an instant.

“And he still lives in
Hammersford
?”

“Aye, he still lives there, although he managed to secure a position as one of my bodyguards. He is here in the palace now, Sire.”

Marcus mentally reviewed the men who had accompanied Lillian from
Hammersford
. One man in particular stood out. He had never seen him smile.

“Is Randall black-haired and tall? Does he carry his sword on his left?”

“That is him.” Lillian’s mouth trembled. “I know we should not have fallen in love. We tried to do our duty by our families but it was too hard.” She lifted her gaze to Marcus. “I was taught not to look for love and to value my fertility and use it to better my family above anything else. I never expected to love one man so much that I was prepared to lie even to my king.”

Her words struck an answering chord deep in Marcus’ gut. How could he fault her when he had contemplated giving up everything if he could just keep Douglass by his side?

He wiped a tear from her cheek. “Love is a gift, Lillian, don’t turn away from it.” He glanced at Doctor Jensen. “If Lillian is well enough, perhaps you would allow her to be reunited with the father of her child.”

He patted Lillian’s hand and left her suite. She made him feel old and jaded. In the anteroom he spied Randall still scowling at him. He walked across to him, watching in grim amusement as Randall’s face turned ashen and he fell to his knees.

“Yes, my King?”

Marcus studied the top of his head. “Randall of
Hammersford
, I wish to bestow a gift on you.” He paused as the room went quiet. “The Lady Lillian needs a father for her child and who better suited for that task than the man who planted the seed in the first place. I intend to bestow a dowry on the lady to celebrate her fertility. Your marriage will be solemnized tomorrow in front of my chief counselors.”

Randall bent forward and kissed his feet. “Thank you, Sire.” He raised his head, his brown eyes pleading. “She meant no harm. She isn’t very strong.”

Marcus stepped back, aware of Douglass staring at him from the corner of the room. “She is stronger than you think, Randall. Take my advice, never underestimate a woman.”

Chapter Thirteen

After an uncomfortable night’s sleep in the palace guest quarters, Douglass found Harlan and
Bron
and persuaded them to visit Doctor Jensen. While she waited for them to return, she thought about Marcus and how he had reunited the two young lovers. From gossip overheard around the palace, she knew that people had wondered if the king would follow the ancient laws and put the young couple to death. How typical of Marcus to understand their predicament and treat them with compassion.