“What are you going to do?” she asked when she had control of her face.
“Declare my Mate Hunt at the Spring Session of the Grand Council,” Ivan said gloomily.
“That’s a given, of course,” said Hugo encouragingly. “Not only is it traditional, you get the eyes and ears of every dragon house looking for you.”
“Sure.” Ivan drank soup. He did not look noticeably encouraged.
“If you don’t want to get married, why are you putting yourself through all this misery?” Leah asked gently.
“It’s time.” Ivan sighed. “Anyway, the only reason Grandpapa did not make me promise to marry ASAP, was that he died before he could get the words out.”
Hugo nodded sympathetically and reached his right hand out to Leah who was sitting beside him. He grinned when she set hers on his palm. “Ivan, marry and be happy.” He lifted his wine glass and recited another of his formal toasts. “May you find the loveliest virgin in all the land and love her well and long. And may you found a dynasty that lasts a thousand years.”
“Does Ivan’s bride really have to be a virgin?” Leah asked. She congratulated herself on refraining from rolling her eyes at Hugo’s pomposity.
Hugo stared at her as if she had grown horns. As in fact she could, she reminded herself. Not that she would at the dinner table. “If his mate is not a virgin, Leah, she won’t turn. They won’t have firelings. In fact, no children at all. I’ve explained this to you before,” he said reproachfully.
“I’d just as soon stay single, if I couldn’t have a son,” confessed Ivan.
“Sons! What about daughters?” demanded Leah, placing a protective hand on her bump.
“Hasn’t Hugo told you?” Ivan chuckled. “European dragons haven’t had daughters in centuries. Oh, there are rumors. There are always rumors. Our very own great-great-great-grandmother was supposed to have been a dragoness born. But that tale probably started as a fable told to credulous younglings around the nursery fire. And in any event, she herself only had sons.”
“And only two of those,” put in Hugo. “We are not a prolific family.”
“Perhaps you just weren’t trying very hard,” said Leah with a little bite in her voice.
Ivan and Hugo turned two pairs of identical golden eyes to her in astonishment. Their handsome, chiseled features reflected identical expressions of indignation. This was what she got for challenging the sexual prowess of dragon lords.
She smiled blandly. “Or maybe all those deceived virgins took their revenge by using birth control.”
Hugo looked at Ivan. Their eyes went round. Hugo shook his head in horrified negation. So did Ivan. Really, they might have been marionettes.
“No,” they said. Smoke hung in the air.
Leah shut up. It was enough that she had rattled the cages these two Alpha males lived in.
“So are the rumors true, Ive?” Hugo said.
“What rumors?” asked Leah.
“That the Maori dragons have both sons and daughters,” Ivan said. “Te Kanewa claimed he had twelve sons and ten daughters. But he didn’t actually say the females were dragonesses born. So I don’t really know. Just that he wouldn’t let me or Ro have one. Wouldn’t even let us look at them, truth be told.”
“You actually asked to marry a woman sight unseen?” cried Leah open mouthed.
Ivan stared at her. “Well, yes,” he said. “Ro and I need virgins. Well, at least I do.”
“Now that Voros is High Marshal, it’s high time he was married,” said Hugo severely. “And to a virgin.”
Leah rolled her eyes. “Listen to paterfamilias over here,” she said. “Last year you were still carving notches on your bed post, Hugo. And now you want everyone to settle down and be respectable.”
“Roland already has a mate,” Ivan said into the silence with which Hugo greeted Leah’s remark. “And a fireling.”
“What?” exclaimed Hugo. “He said nothing in Council. And nothing when we gathered afterward at Chateau Lind.”
“They’re estranged,” explained Ivan. “Lord Te Kanewa had a few choice words to say about that too, I can tell you. I advised Ro to patch things up with her and claim his son. But he just got pi — mad.”
“You do have that effect, brother.”
“Moi?” Ivan said mockingly. “By the way, Te Kanewa informed me that my bride was to be found in the Severn Isles. I did a Google search, but all I could find was two specks in the River Severn in England. Alney and Denny. They’re prone to flooding, so they are mainly used as pasture. They are inhabited, but very few people actually live there. So either my bride is a shepherdess, or he meant some other place.”
“Nothing wrong with a shepherdess, Ive. You better check out Alney and Denny. You might get lucky first try. Hmm. Lord Lindorm’s youngest brother is named Severn,” Hugo mused. “He has a home in the Gulf of Bothnia. But I have never been there. And I don’t know what it’s called. But of course he would have no daughters.”
“The Gulf of Bothnia is the narrow sea way that runs between Sweden and Finland,” explained Ivan to Leah. “It’s full of little islands. Roland Voros has an island there — Dreki Island — and so does Lord Lindorm, but they are just two of hundreds. Ro’s happens to be part of Finland. Lind Island is only a few kilometers east of Dreki, but it is in Sweden.”
“Most of the islands in the Gulf are no bigger than those specks in the River Severn.” Hugo pointed out. “Little more than sandbars with a few trees and sheep. Mind, you should still check them all out, Ive. You never know. You don’t need a huge population, just one damsel.” His lips twitched. “By-the-bye, did the lord of the Maori Dragons say how he came by this information about your mate?”
“Roland says he has the second sight,” Ivan said noncommittally. “But you know how twisted prophecies are.”
“They are double-edged swords,” agreed Hugo. “You be careful. Do you want to put some of Sarkany Security’s people on it?”
“Assign investigators to find my mate?” asked Ivan. Leah thought he was genuinely shocked. “Not so much. I’ll do it the traditional way. Besides,” he turned to Leah. “I shouldn’t forget that you had the great good fortune to find your bride when you weren’t even hunting. Perhaps I should trust my luck to fate.”
Leah looked at her husband. Hugo’s gold eyes were dark around the irises. “My luck altered forever the day I met Leah,” he murmured. “But remember that I did not immediately recognize my good fortune. You keep your mind as well as your eyes open, Right Arm. Luck best serves those who look sharp.”
“Yes, Eldest.”
Leah rolled her eyes. They were at it again. In the middle of a nice conversation, they were suddenly two grandiose dragon lords swapping proverbs. The butler came in with the next course and the conversation moved to the European Union until he had left again.
Ivan cleared his throat. “Um, Eldest,” he said diffidently. “Since Roland Voros is not merely serving on the Grand Council, but actually the High Marshal now, don’t you need a new Left Arm?”
“I do.” Hugo admitted. “Roland’s election voided his lieutenancy. I’ve been meaning to ask your advice. The problem is that we still have just as few relatives as we did when I asked Ro. Any suggestions?”
“One of Lindorm’s nephews?” Ivan said promptly. “Theo or Lars for preference.”
“What would you think of Felipe Balcazar Mendez?” Hugo asked in return.
Ivan made a face. “I like Felipe. Everyone likes Felipe. He’s a pleasant fellow. But if I was in a fight, I’d prefer Theo or Lars Lindorm, or even young Walter at my back.”
“Felipe will be the Duke of Estremaura one day,” Hugo argued. “And now that Vadim is neutralized, I don’t know that I need to worry about a Left Arm being more than a ceremonial gesture. It might be useful for our House to strengthen its ties to the Duchy of Estremaura.”
“Well, I don’t know how strong the Duchy is these days, Hugo.” Ivan said, all merriment wiped from his fa
ce. “Felipe is in charge of the Bank of Estremaura but he spends his time playing polo. The present Duke is hale and hearty and might live another century, but I’m not sure that by the time Felipe inherits the title there will be anything left.”
“What would you say that?” said Hugo. “I thought Felipe was a friend of yours?”
“He is, but it makes no difference to the facts. He has no feel for business,” Ivan explained.
“I thought dragons all had a feel for valuables,” put in Leah.
“Usually,” Ivan said. “Felipe is the exception to the rule. Everything he touches turns to,” he smiled at Leah’s raised eyebrows. “Soot.”
“Bless his heart,” said Leah narrowing her eyes at him.
“No, really, Leah,” Ivan said earnestly, leaning across the table in his urgency. “He spends money like he has a printing press. Not even the Estremaura fortune could stand up to Felipe’s gambling and lack of common sense. He lost a packet when the dot coms collapsed. And again when the banks failed.”
“Didn’t everyone?” Leah asked.
Hugo and Ivan shook their heads. “No,” they said in unison.
“We pulled our money out of those sectors because they were obviously bubbles waiting to burst,” explained Hugo.
“Lots of smart people lost their savings both times.” Leah was puzzled. “Why does that make Felipe so dumb?”
“Because he isn’t investing so much as gambling, and gambling is a way to lose your shirt,” explained Ivan censoriously. “Dragons are supposed to accumulate wealth not fritter it away.”
Leah looked around the paneled dining room at the European masters hung on the wall, at the massive silver candelabra on the eighteen century sideboards, and the gold chargers under their dinner plates. She grinned. “This place is evidence that the Sarkanys are pretty lavish spenders themselves.”
“This is all part of the Sarkany hoard.” Ivan slanted a wary look at his brother.
“What Ivan means, is that in a pinch, we could convert these pictures and the sterling silver into cash,” Hugo said calmly. “Not that we expect to feel a pinch any time soon.” He paused. “Do you really think that the Estremauras are in trouble, Ivan?”
Ivan shrugged. “I’ve got no access to their accounts, but from things Felipe has asked me about lately, I’d say he’s desperately trying to dig out of a very deep hole.”
“Close your mouth, Hugo, you’ll catch flies,” Leah said gently.
* * *
Christina powered down her laptop. She had to stop this pitiful habit she had fallen into of hanging around waiting for Felipe’s calls. He was as capable as she of calculating the time difference. If he wanted to speak to her, he would have kept their appointment. A year ago, she had been cutting his frequent video calls short in order to study. But now that she was sitting on her hands, he didn’t call anything like as often.
And the gaps between his calls weren’t just a figment of her imagination either. No matter what Mamma suggested. Christina had looked at her logs and compared. These days there were longer periods between calls, and the calls themselves were shorter. Of course, she had little of interest to tell Felipe. Life here on Severn Island was monotonous. Whatever the Eldest and her parents believed, managing the Lindorm Fund was child’s play to her. And wretchedly dull child’s play at that. Maybe Felipe was bored with her boredom.
She picked up the photograph of her family with Felipe on her dresser. The Duke of Estremaura had taken it in Spain, on a hot March day, during her freshman year at Stanford. She had been visiting the Estremauras on the Island of Dragonera for Spring Break. Felipe’s family lived in the magnificent Alcazar de Los Reyes on Dragonera. Their island was part of the chain of Spanish islands that formed the Balearic Islands archipelago and enjoyed the same balmy weather.
On that long ago day, they had all been snorkeling and were wet and sandy. They stood in a happy ragged bunch, laughing and teasing. Theo and Victor had their arms draped over Felipe’s shoulders. She was holding five-year-old Gunnar still. Mamma and Papa beamed into the camera on either side of her.
She had loved visiting the castle when she was younger. Adored Aunt Maria and Uncle Franco and Felipe’s younger brother Ramon. Had it really been a full five years since she or her parents had been invited? It was a little strange that Felipe had not suggested she come for a visit this year, given that she was at loose ends and bored to tears on Severn. Or maybe not strange at all if he no longer wished to marry her.
* * *
“What on earth are you doing in Prague, Felipe?” Christina asked. “Your video feed is awful. You look yellow.” She scowled at his peculiar pixelation.
“Sorry. You don’t look much better, my dear. The Czech Republic doesn’t have the best internet on the planet, especially in these older buildings.” Felipe fiddled with his laptop. “Is that better?”
Christina glared at the blank screen. “Not really. Now the picture is entirely gone. But your voice is clearer.”
“Good. There is less static on my end too. How are things with you?”
“About the same. It’s winter. The nights are long and the days are short.”
“You should go skiing, Christina,” he advised. “Get away from that cold, dark island. Enjoy yourself. What about a week or two in Gstaad?”
“Are you inviting me to meet you there?” she asked bluntly.
He chuckled patronizingly. “I am rather busy at the moment, my dear. I meant that you should take a holiday with your family.”
“There’s no one to go with,” she responded gritting her teeth.
“Where is your father?”
“The Eldest summoned him.” That was true, as far as it went. But she had no intention of speculating about Lord Severn’s whereabouts on Skype, not when she was fairly certain Papa was on some secret mission for Lord Lindorm or the Council or both. The attack on the High Marshal was no topic for an open channel.
“I suppose your mother went with him?” Felipe’s voice was slightly bored.
“Hmm.”
“So, my dear, are you all alone on Severn Island?”
“No. Victor has leave. He and Ingrid and Leo are visiting.” She did not say that they had gone to Helsinki for two days so that Ingrid could see her obstetrician.
“It will be company for you,” he agreed. “How is the boy?”
“Mischievous,” she said.
“So speaks the fond aunt. How old is he now?”
“He’s still three,” she said crisply. “As he was at Christmas. You never told me why you are in Prague.”
“I have to meet with some people,” he said vaguely. “The reason I called, I wondered what you thought of BRP?”
“Good time to buy. Bad time to sell. Same as last week. Why?”
“I have to make a decision today. I wanted to be sure that you hadn’t changed your mind.” To her ears, Felipe’s suave voice sounded pleading.
Christina tapped busily on her keyboard. A spreadsheet popped up. She ran her eyes over it. “No,” she said. “Nothing has changed. Share prices are still sliding. Pundits have a million guesses why. But it’s just noise to explain the inexplicable.”
“Are you looking to buy?” he asked.
“For the Lindorm Fund you mean?”
“Yes.” There was a new sibilance in his voice.
“No.” Some instinct made her lie. “I’m waiting for the market to drop further. I’m in no rush.” She brought up the schedule for the purchases and made some adjustments. “When will you be back?”
“When my business is concluded.” He sighed. “The Bank of Estremaura takes all my time. I have to go to Argentina when I return.”
Of course he did. It was summer in the Argentine and there was polo to be played.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Have you heard from Felipe?” Anna Lindorm asked her daughter.
Christina looked up from her book. “He called me from Prague this morning,” she said, “Why?”
“I think it’s time you two set a date,” Anna Lindorm said. She frowned at the yarn on her needles and held the heavy tube of navy wool up to the pale winter light coming in through the window. “I think I forgot to twist one of these cables,” she grumbled. She rummaged in her knitting bag for a crochet hook.
“Do you need to unpick it all?” asked Chrissy with feigned sympathy. Why Mamma felt the need to knit sweaters for her sons like some peasant housewife, instead of buying them like the filthy rich dragoness she was, she would never understand. But Lady Severn always had one or two sweaters on the go. And her brothers and father wore them with pride. And so did Christina, if the truth were told.
Mamma was busy ripping out stitches and picking them up again. She didn’t answer at first. “I think I fixed it.” She held up her needles to show Christina the fat cable that now matched all the others. “I wondered if you and Felipe had discussed your marriage,” she prompted.
“Felipe speaks only of business these days,” Christina said flatly. “The Bank of Estremaura takes all his time.”
“Oh. It’s good that he is finally taking an interest. The Duke is not getting any younger. Perhaps you could give him a nudge?” Anna suggested.
How to tell Mamma that Felipe was adept at changing the subject whenever she asked when she would see him? He claimed to be swamped with work, but she knew he didn’t miss a polo match. Christina sighed. “I don’t know, Mamma. Felipe never talks about marriage to me. Why don’t you ask Aunt Maria and Uncle Franco?”
Anna stopped knitting. “His parents are embarrassed about his dilatoriness too,” she admitted. “Maria changes the subject.”
“Like mother like son.” Christina got up and went to the window. She looked down to the black sea where the remnants of another winter storm were tossing chunks of ice the size of boats onto the black rocks. “I’m tired of waiting for Felipe to turn up, I’d rather be skiing. The snow is perfect in Aspen this week. It’s even better in St. Anton.”
Anna put down her knitting. “Would you really rather go skiing than see Felipe?”
Dragon's Pleasure (BBW / Dragon Shifter Romance) (Lords of the Dragon Islands Book 3) Page 3
