Planet Mail (17 page)

She continued to pace the apartment until Doctor Jensen came to find her. To her relief, the good doctor was smiling.

“After meeting all these prime healthy males I understand why you were so happy here.” She chuckled as she sat down on the couch next to Douglass. “They even offered, with your permission, of course, to relieve my sexual tensions. It’s been a long time since anyone half decent-looking has offered to do that.”

Douglass tried to smile as nausea clutched at her throat. Doctor Jensen sighed.

“I’m sorry, dear, here I am drooling over a bunch of young studs and you need to know which one of them is the father of your child.” Doctor Jensen took her hand. “The king’s DNA matches that of your child.”

Douglass almost fell off the couch with relief. “That’s great, isn’t it?” She bit her lip. “And do you think the pregnancy stands a chance of being successful?”

“So far, it’s looking good, but even if the king agrees to clean up the planet’s atmosphere, I wouldn’t recommend you stay here for the duration.”

“I thought you might say that.” Douglass smoothed a hand over her belly. “But I have to tell him.”

Doctor Jensen laughed. “You are a very brave woman. Although beneath that rather ferocious exterior I believe the king to have a remarkably fine mind. Perhaps you might wait and break the happy news after I’ve told him about the toxic chemical dump this planet has become. He might need something to cheer him up.”

Douglass got up and hugged the doctor tight. “I’m sorry for all the extra work. Thanks for doing this.”

Doctor Jensen nudged her as they walked toward the Council chamber. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. It’s the most exciting time I’ve had in years. I should be thanking you.”

As they advanced into the chamber, Douglass found a seat next to Marge. She fixed her gaze on Marcus and
Thorlan
who stood at the top of the room waiting for Doctor Jensen.

Marcus listened to the doctor in growing disbelief. How in Thor’s name had his planet become a health hazard? After she finished her speech, he stood up.

“Doctor Jensen, I haven’t imported any chlordane onto the planet during my reign. Are you sure this is the cause of all our ills?”

“Unfortunately, Sire, chlordane’s effects are very long-lasting. One of your predecessors could have used the pesticide many years ago. The effects linger in the soil, penetrate the fabric of buildings and eventually make their way into the air.”

Thorlan
cleared his throat. “I believe your grandfather,
Thorkill
the Strong, ordered something like this.” He bowed at Doctor Jensen. “In those days, our countryside was overrun by termites and beetles, which destroyed most of our crops.
Thorkill
knew that in order to survive our planet needed to become an agricultural provider for the new wave of space exploration and settlement.”

Marcus nodded at
Thorlan
. “Perhaps you might verify this information, although it sounds as if you might be right. Our problems have definitely grown worse over the past fifty years.” He felt sick. Of course, his people had borne the brunt of it, working in the fields, while he remained in relative health and safety behind the palace walls. He took a quick survey of the room, deliberately ignoring the crew from the
Eagle One
. Most of his Council looked shocked but resigned to the fact that their king was taking advice from an elderly female.

He turned back to Doctor Jensen who sat quietly in her seat. “What can we do to stop this?”

“On Earth, chlordane was banned in the late twentieth century. Since then several scientific solutions to the problem have been tried with great success. When I return to Earth, I’ll put your case to the Interplanetary Health Organization. They will probably be willing to fund the cleanup of the pollution and monitor the health of your people.”

“Will it take a long time?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s a fairly massive undertaking by anyone’s standards, don’t you think?”

Marcus bowed. “I appreciate your help more than I can say.” He gestured to his Council members. “We will all do our best to aid any attempts to rid our planet of this blight.” A roar of affirmation resounded through the chamber. As the men filed out, Sven came up behind Marcus and slapped him on the back.

“The small white-haired woman might be old but she is definitely feisty. I would enjoy a night in her bed.”

Marcus fought a smile. “If she is correct about saving our planet, I’ll ask her if she’ll consider it.”

“Your consort might not agree.”

Marcus turned slowly around to find Douglass waiting for him. In her soft brown uniform she looked different, more in control, less passionate. He noted the circles under her eyes and the lines of strain around her mouth.

Marcus stopped smiling.

“You are no longer my consort. I released you from that vow.”

“So you did, and a good thing too.”

By Odin, why didn’t she simply stick a knife in his gut and disembowel him? It would be much cleaner. He tried to turn away but she caught his wrist.

“I think I deserve better. I think the title future wife might suit.”

He set his teeth. “I grow weary of your humor. I am well aware of my lack of children and wife.”

“Then you have given up hope of ever having a child?”

His words caught in his throat. “Doctor Jensen has already told me Lillian’s child cannot be mine. As you heard, I intend to make provision for her and her family and offer a dowry to the man who created the child with her. But I will not marry her and claim another man’s child as my own. Do you think me so desperate?”

Douglass stamped her foot. “Marcus, there’s no need to poker up. You know that’s not what I meant.” She drew in a breath. “Will you please listen to me? If you want me to stay, I will. I love you.”

A roaring sound filled Marcus’ ears as he stared at her. She was willing to stay with him and give up any chance of future children? For a heartbeat he considered dragging her into his arms and never letting go. But what did he have to give her?
A planet on the brink of destruction and no hope of a normal family life?

“I cannot ask you to do that, consort.”

She studied him, her mouth set in a tight line. “You’ve already decided what I want and what is best for me have you? Is that your last word on the subject?”

He couldn’t speak. Didn’t she understand that he was doing this for her own good? Couldn’t she see that it was the hardest thing he had ever had to do?

She reached up and touched his cheek. He could feel the fine trembling in her fingers. “I see. You’d rather wait and find your broodmare rather than trust in my love.”

He had to walk away from her and stare out of the window. He gripped the windowsill. “You can’t stay here.”

“Then you don’t ever wish to see me again?” He turned back to meet her furious gaze and she stalked toward the door.
“Fine!
See if I care! Be all noble and heroic and kingly and…stupid!”

The door slammed behind her, leaving Marcus alone. He reran the conversation in his head. What had he missed? Deep down she must know that he loved her and was letting her go for all the right reasons.

Footsteps sounded outside and Sven flung open the door. He scowled at Marcus, drew back his fist and hit him in the jaw.

When Marcus recovered from the explosion of pain that rocked him back on his heels, Sven still blocked his path.

“I regret the necessity of saying this, Sire, but are you a complete fool? Why did you let her go?”

Marcus rubbed his jaw and glared right back at him. “Because it is not safe for her to remain on this planet, you know that.”

“So you will let her go back to Earth and marry another man because she thinks you don’t care about her?”
Sven spat on the ground.

“I do care, but…” Marcus stared at Sven. Would Douglass really come back? Would she be prepared to wait until his planet was free of contamination? He remembered his words to Lillian above love being a gift and that she shouldn’t turn away from it. Damn, why hadn’t he thought to tell Douglass that he loved her and then ask her what she wanted to do instead of deciding for her? She was worth more to him than any potential child. Sven was right, he was a fool.

Galvanized into action he wrenched open the door and sprinted down the stone steps to the courtyard. Sven followed him. An empty cloud of dust greeted his arrival. He caught hold of one of the stable hands. “Where is the crew of the
Eagle One
?”

The man pointed toward the spaceport. “They’ve about to leave, Sire.”

Marcus swore. “Get me a
wulfrun
and hurry!”

Douglass gathered her possessions from the space hotel. They were few enough. She bit her lip and reminded herself that she carried the best memory of her time on Planet Valhalla within her own body. She didn’t really need anything else.

Marcus didn’t want her.

Perhaps it was her own fault for not being upfront about the baby. She thought her declaration of love would be enough. Had she expected him to pull her into his arms and demand that she marry him and be damned to the consequences? Somehow she had, romantic as that was. All she’d needed to know was that he loved her first and foremost regardless of whether she could give him a child or not.

Obviously she’d miscalculated. Men were so dense sometimes. Marcus had decided to be noble. Some shocked part of her hadn’t expected his desire for a child to be stronger than the love she believed he had for her. She glared at her distraught face in the mirror. God, she wasn’t going to cry anymore, she wasn’t. How dare Marcus be such a good, kind, thoughtful, irritating asshole?

It was time to remind
herself
how lucky she was. She had a good, steady job, a son who needed her and friends who liked her company. Compared to most people she was blessed. She’d had an out-of-this world erotic vacation which she would remember for the rest of her life, and she’d begun to realize that all men weren’t like Danny’s father. Some of them really did value women and children.

She touched the
ozan
blossom she’d tucked into her bag. Its heavy scent reminded her of Marcus’ warm skin after they made love. Despite all her doubts, she’d finally met the right guy. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and on the wrong planet.

Harlan knocked sharply on the open door, his dark hair shining in the sun.

“Consort, the captain says to tell you they are ready to depart.”

Douglass picked up her bag and walked toward him. His arms closed around her. He kissed the top of her head and placed a thick gold necklace around her neck. “May the gods keep you safe, consort. I will miss you.”

She raised her face to study his. “If the gods are good, Harlan, you might soon have a family of your own to think about and you’ll soon forget all about me.”

His expression gentled. “I’ll never forget you. Your body in its gloriously aroused state will haunt my dreams for my lifetime.”

Douglass patted his cheek and headed out the door.
Bron
waited there for her. His sweet smile made her want to cry again.

He kissed her on the mouth.
“Goodbye, consort.
Thank you for sharing your body with me. It was an honor I shall never forget.”

“Thanks.
Bron
.
It was my pleasure.” She looked over his shoulder hoping to see Sven but there was no sign of him.
Typical that her two favorite men had better things to do than see her off.

She spotted Marge at the entrance to the ship’s cargo hold and waved. In ten more minutes, Planet Valhalla would be nothing more than a speck in the inky blackness of space. After a deep steadying breath she made her way up the gangplank. She looked down at
Bron
and Harlan who stood waiting at the bottom and waved. A cloud of dust rose at the entrance of the spaceport, reminding her of her first moments on the planet when Marcus had arrived to rescue her.

“Douglass, wait!”

From her vantage point, Douglass saw Marcus and Sven as they galloped into the port on two sweating
wulfruns
. Refusing to go down to him, she waited for Marcus at the top of the stairs. He dismounted with fluid grace and ran up the steps toward her. His fur-lined cloak rippled in the wind and exposed his muscular chest.

His golden eyes blazed in his face as he sank to one knee in front of her.

“Douglass, will you be my wife?”

Douglass hugged her arms to her chest as if her heart might leap out of her rib cage. “You told me to go. You said you didn’t want to see me again.”

He looked up and fixed his gaze on her. “I lied. I find I’m not that self-sacrificing. If the planet becomes free of toxins, will you come back and be my wife?”

“And if it doesn’t?”

He sighed. “Then my planet will die and my people will have to find somewhere else to live.” He got to his feet. “Whatever happens, they will still need a queen. And even if they no longer want me to lead them, I would be content by your side.”

She tried to imagine him getting a job on Earth and living quietly in her apartment. Somehow she couldn’t picture it and she didn’t want him to change too much. He was born to be a king; he had the skills and the intelligence of a ruler. Was she prepared to compromise and go with him and his people if he took them to a new planet?

“Any woman would be glad to be your queen.” After all the tears she shed over him she refused to make it easy.

He held her gaze. “But there is only one woman I love.”

She swallowed hard.
Dammit
, why did he have to be so appealing and downright sexy? “If I become queen I’ll be making some changes around here.”

Sven, who had come up behind Marcus, snorted. Douglass glared at him.

“We can discuss that, love. I am more than willing to consider your opinions.”

To her surprise, Marcus looked sincere. She smiled.
The poor guy.
He had no idea of the extent of her plans to bring his people, especially the females, into the twenty-fifth century.