In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

had given Susl, his wet nurse, the night off to visit her mother in the village. She took a bottle of the breast milk Susl pumped for him out of cold storage and sat down with him in her lap to feed him.

"Can you teach me the cold storage spell?" Amber asked her. "I have a feeling I may need it."

"Of course," Catrin replied. "I'll help you make a breast pump too. I also have recipes for a few common childhood illnesses you might want."

"Thank you. You have all been so kind. I feel like such a fool—"

Lewys stopped in the doorway, watching his middle granddaughter's face as she fed the baby. He suspected Catrin had fallen in love with Mikel whether she knew it or not. It remained to be seen what she might come to feel for the child's guardian. He coughed, and both women looked up.

"Sarsee Amber, my old friend Mort would like to see you in the den."

He saw Amber hesitate and added. "If you don't wish to see him, I can tell him so, but I think the two of you should talk."

After a brief hesitation, she nodded.

"He is waiting for you in my office," Lewys told her.

When Amber had left the room, Catrin asked her grandfather, "Did Serle decide to do the honorable thing after all?"

"No, I'm afraid not," he told her. "I had to tell Mort I couldn't have him teaching here. He understood, but it broke his heart. I think he is considering leaving with the Jacite Emissary."

"So, what does Uncle Mort want to say to Amber?" she asked.

"He is going to ask her to marry him to give the child a name," he replied. "If she agrees, they will be married before they go. The ship's captain can do it."

"Does Serle know about this?" she asked.

Her grandfather shrugged. "Mort told him. I think he hoped it might make a difference, but it didn't."

Catrin lifted Mikel to her shoulder rubbed his back to bring up his wind. Lewys couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her face, as always, remained serene.

"Is he ready for his story?" inquired Logan from the doorway.

"Just in time," Catrin said with a smile. "He's had his bath, and his diaper changed. I've fed him as well—"

Mikel let out a loud burp. "There!" Catrin said approvingly. "That was a nice big one. Look who came to tuck you in, little man. It's your Dad."

She handed the sleepy baby over to Logan, who cuddled him against his shoulder before walking over to the crib and laying him down. He tucked the blankets around him and handed the baby a soft stuffed cat.

"I'll stay until the night nurse comes, Catrin," Logan said.

She nodded, and tucking her arm into her grandfathers, walked down the stairs to the library, where they found the rest of the family waiting for them.

"Sarsee Amber has done me the honor of accepting me as her husband," Mort announced when Lewys and Catrin entered the room.

"Congratulations," Rebecca said, coming forward to give the girl a hug. "I hope you will be happy together."

"When do you plan to be married?" Lewys asked.

"The Jacite Emissary plans to leave next week. He has offered me a place in his household. Captain Mistrian of the Golden Unicorn will perform the ceremony on Thursday. I hope you will all join us for it."

"Of course we will," Rebecca said, smiling. "We must rush a little to get you a trousseau ready, Amber, but if you don't mind, I think there is plenty of material in the stores. Tomorrow morning, I will send for the Seamstress and have her make your wedding outfit."

"It's a good thing the outfits for your wedding are almost finished, Rebecca," Catrin remarked to her sister. "I think mine only needs a hem, and Selene's a sleeve button."

"Yes, it is," Rebecca replied, looking thoughtful.

Later when Selene came in to say good night to Rebecca, she asked, "If Dracho Corkian leaves, who is going to marry you and Andre?" asked the girl.

"That is a good question," her sister answered, frowning. "I'm going to need to give it some thought. Was there something you wanted, dear?"

"Just to return this volume of the diaries. I'm enjoying them. I think there is only one more in Geri's storeroom, though."

Rebecca nodded. "I'm going to need to find you some other type of histories, I see. But right now, it's past your bedtime. Tomorrow is going to be busy." She kissed Selene on the cheek and shut the door behind her. Rebecca laid her bed robe on the foot of her bed, turned down the lights, and went to look out the tall windows. Her view gave her an excellent vista of the hills. Just now the double moons were rising over the horizon, casting their bright light over the darkened landscape. Selene was right, with no cleric available, she and Andre wouldn't be able to be married. She had promised him they would be wed when her dress was finished. Well, if Captain Mistrian could perform one ceremony, he could perform two, she decided.

The next morning, Rebecca found Andre and Owen out in the stables, engaged in a debate about which of the newly tamed unicorns should be set aside as riding mounts.

"We need some trained to the plow as well," she reminded them.

Andre turned to smile at her. "Trust you to be concerned with the practical aspects of things."

"Will you excuse us a moment, Owen?" Rebecca asked, slipping her hand into Andre's.

"Sure," her brother replied. "I need to check on the birds this morning. Catch you later, Andre."

Andre looked down at Rebecca. "Well?"

"Is there a carriage in the stables?" she asked.

"An old one. It could use some repair. Why?"

"Well, the girls and I plan on wearing our new dresses to watch Amber get married, and I don't want to get them dirty riding astride down to the ship."

His eyebrows rose. "I thought the new dress was your wedding gown?"

"Well, with Uncle Mort leaving, we won't