A surge of warmth and joy rippled through her. “I promise.” She gave him a quick hug. “I have something else to tell you. Jordan and I will wed tomorrow.”

A brilliant smile lit his face. “That means that you’ll be with him forever, doesn’t it?”

“That’s exactly what it means,” Jordan said from the doorway. He came forward to stand beside them. “As you’re Marianna’s eldest male relative, I’m here to ask you for her hand.”

Alex nodded gravely. “But you must treat her very well.”

“I shall endeavor to do so,” Jordan said with equal solemnity. “You must remind me, if you see me faltering.”

“I will.” Alex turned to Marianna. “Do you have to ask Ana for his hand?”

“Good heavens, I hope not.” She made a face. “I don’t think the ravin likes me as much as she does you.”

“Ana,” Alex corrected.

“Why don’t you like us to call her the ravin? It’s her title, Alex. Just as the servants at Cambaron call Jordan His Grace.”

“That’s different.” He frowned. “When people call her the ravin, it reminds me of the big black birds that used to swoop down and raid the cornfields near the castle. Ana’s not like that.”

“Her enemies would not agree,” Jordan said dryly.

“But she has no enemies here, so she should not be called that.” Alex turned to Marianna. “And I think she would like it if you asked permission to marry Jordan.”

“I don’t believe this is the time to ask her anything,” Jordan said. “Though I did ask her to attend the wedding.”

“You did?” Marianna asked. “Why?”

“Because she is his mother,” Alex said in disgust. “Don’t be stupid, Marianna.”

The mother he would never acknowledge, and yet he had invited her to share the important day. “Why?” she asked again.

Jordan shrugged. “A whim.”

No whim would have prompted such an action from him. “Did she say she would attend?”

“Of course she will come,” Alex said.

Jordan smiled. “If she deigns to honor us with her presence at dinner tonight, perhaps you will be able to persuade her.”

The ravin did not honor them with her presence at dinner that night, and neither did Gregor. After they had eaten and put Alex to bed, Jordan strolled with Marianna back to her quarters.

“How does one marry in Kazan?” Marianna asked.

“Much as it’s done anywhere else. The ceremony will be held in the palace chapel. I’ve chosen Gregor as my vadsar.”

“What is a vadsar?”

“The guardian for my bride. It’s an ancient tradition from the time when a tribal leader would send an emissary to another chieftain to fetch his bride. They would often have to journey though hostile territory, and the bride was a great prize. Therefore the emissary had to be the bravest and the boldest.”

“Gregor, the vadsar.” Marianna smiled. “It suits him well.”

“He will meet you at the door of the chapel and bring you to me. We kneel facing each other, and the priest says words. Then we exchange vows before witnesses. I’ve asked Gregor to find an appropriate gown for you to wear.”

“What is appropriate?”

“Brides wear sky blue in Kazan. It’s considered the color of felicity.”

“And what do grooms wear?”

He looked at her innocently. “Why, white, of course. The color of virginity. All bridegrooms must be virgins in Kazan.”

“Truly? It is-” She stopped as she saw he was chuckling. She made a face. “It’s well you were only joking. They would never permit us to wed unless that requirement changes. What color do grooms really wear?”

“Black, for mourning.” He took a step back as she turned on him. “A small jest, love. There’s no color designated for men. We wear what we please.”

“That doesn’t seem fair.”

“Even in Kazan life is sometimes unfair for women. Though the ravin is doing all possible to alter that state.” He stopped before her door and inclined his head in a slight bow. “Good night, my love. Until tomorrow.”

She looked at him uncertainly. They had not come together in passion on the hard journey here, but she had known he wanted her. She had thought his restraint was due to the lack of privacy on the trail and assumed they would be together tonight.

He smiled and shook his head as he saw her expression. “Haven’t you noticed? I’m courting you. I decided one more night of abstinence won’t be too much of a strain for me.”

“I don’t understand.”

His smile faded. “We will spend a good deal of time here in Kazan. I wanted to show the members of the ravin’s court that I hold you in honor. It’s too late at Cambaron but not here.”

Happiness surged through her. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters,” he said quietly. A mischievous smile lit his face. “Instead, I shall spend tonight contemplating my sins and deciding on a new and interesting fashion in which to make your wedding night memorable. There must be some way I can combine the two.”

Sin and sensuality and a bridegroom who was the master of both. She felt a ripple of heat as she looked at him. “If there is, I have confidence you’ll find it.”

“So do I.”

He was leaving her, and she didn’t want to let him go yet. Tomorrow seemed a long time away. “Do you think the ravin will come?”

“I doubt it.” He shrugged. “It makes no difference.”

“It does make a difference,” she said impatiently. “Why do you pretend it doesn’t? You care for her.”

His expression hardened. “It’s senseless to talk of this.”

“It’s senseless to ignore it. I know you care for her. I saw your face when I gave you the window with her image.”

“It was a magnificent work.”

“It was your mother. For heaven’s sake admit it and forgive her.”

“You’re being very forgiving yourself. Did I mention she was thinking of throwing you into a dungeon?”

“It doesn’t surprise me. She’s a hard woman.”

“Then let us drop the subject.”

“We can’t. Because neither of you can forget each other, and I won’t have her standing in the shadows for the rest of our lives. I’d much rather face her in the sunlight.”

His face softened. “You stand the sunlight much better than the ravin, my love.”

“Because I’m young and strong, and I’m to marry a strong man, not a weakling as she did. If you cannot forgive her, understand her.” She held up her hand as he started to speak. “That’s all I have to say, but it had to be said.”

“Why?”

“I told you.” But she had not told him everything. She had not told him that even though the ravin had coveted Alex’s affection, she had not let her brother think badly of Marianna. “I would rather have her for an ally than an enemy.”

“But there’s something more, isn’t there?”

She should have known Jordan would sense and probe for the entire truth. “Yes.” A smile lit her face. “She doesn’t raid cornfields.”

The gown Gregor sent to her quarters was of sky-blue silk and would have been called ridiculously outmoded by the ton. The simple round neck was encrusted with pearls, but instead of having a fashionable high waist, it flowed to the floor, shimmering with beauty. It rather reminded Marianna of the gowns worn by the first duchesses of Cambaron.

“You are very lovely,” Gregor said when she reached the chapel. His big hand squeezed her own. “Come, I will take you to your husband.”

Husband. He meant Jordan. It was Jordan who stood at the altar. She experienced a dazed feeling of incredulity.

Then, as Gregor led her down the aisle, the disbelief disappeared. Jordan was dressed in a heavy gold-and-white quilted tunic over black trousers tucked into knee boots. He was as beautiful as Gregor claimed she was, and by God, he was hers.

She was vaguely aware of a sea of strangers, of Alex smiling at her from the front pew.

And the ravin sitting beside him.

Marianna’s pace faltered. She had not really expected Jordan’s mother to be here.

Then Jordan was holding out his hand to her, and she saw nothing but him. She took it joyously. This was their moment, the time that belonged only to them.

She started to turn to the priest.

No, there was something wrong. This time did not belong only to them. There was always a past and future as well as the present.

And there was something she had to do.

She whispered to the priest, “One moment.”

She felt Jordan’s surprised gaze on her back as she whirled around, walked over to the ravin, and stared directly into her eyes.

She said clearly, “Alex said I should ask you for Jordan’s hand in marriage.”

The ravin blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. “Besides the irregularity of such an action, it is a little late for formalities.”

“Alex doesn’t think so, and neither do I. May I marry your son?”

“He cares nothing for my wishes.”

“On the contrary I find myself craving approval from all and sundry.” Jordan’s tone was light as he joined Marianna and took her hand again. “Matrimony is a fearsome step, and one I doubted I’d ever take.”

The ravin stared at him uncertainly. “You wish for my permission? You are joking?”

Marianna held her breath. She knew how tempted Jordan would be to hide beneath his usual mask of mockery.

Jordan’s smile faded, and he was silent a moment before he said quietly, “I’m not joking, Ana.”

Ana. Not Mother. Marianna smothered a sigh of exasperation. Well, at least it was not Your Majesty or ravin. What had she expected? They were both hard and stubborn, and wounds did not heal overnight. It was a start.

Ana smiled brilliantly and then said gruffly, “I suppose the match is not totally unacceptable to me.” She turned to Marianna. “The windows in this palace are without character or color. Perhaps while Jordan is in Russia with the czar, you will stay and lend me your skill?”