The Most Coveted Prize(29)

       
           



       

"No?' Alena teased him as they waited for one of the servants to open the door. "Then what was motivating you?'

"Ask me that question again when we're alone in our bedroom-unless you  want to embarrass the staff,' Kiryl responded, laughing at the pink  colour warming her face as the door opened to admit them.

The servants, like all well-trained staff, showed no surprise at their  unscheduled arrival, earlier than planned and in their evening clothes,  or at their lack of luggage. Alena was feeling so euphoric that she  didn't really care what they thought. All that mattered to her now was  Kiryl and their love-as she told him over and over again in the magical  white night hours that followed in the privacy of the bedroom, where  Kiryl showed her over and over again how very much he loved her.



For the first time he could experience the intimacy of her body wrapped  around his own as he had longed to that very first time-flesh to flesh,  without any barriers between them. As she held him and caressed him  within her soft sweetness Kiryl knew that he had at last found  everything he would ever need or want. A soft moan, a small movement of  her body and the urgency that created within his own had him taking them  both soaring to the heights, to fall through space and time together  wrapped in one another's arms.

Finally, when she was unable to stifle a yawn, he drew her close to him  so that she could nestle her head on his shoulder, and told her, "This  is the beginning of the journey we will share for the rest of our lives,  my darling one-the only journey I shal ever want to make from now on.'

"Mmm,' Alena agreed sleepily. "Although, given that we didn't take any  precautions, it could be that we'll soon be sharing that journey with a  third party.'

A child. His child. Their child. A child who would grow up knowing just  how much it was loved by his father as well as its mother.

Kiryl drew Alena closer. "I love you so much,' he told her, and knew that it was true.





EPILOGUE


SO, ARE you now prepared to admit that I was right about this marriage  being the right thing for you?' Vasilii teased as he stood at Alena's  side in a receiving line for the wedding guests who were now queuing up  to congratulate the newly married couple.

"You wanted me to marry Kiryl because of the family reputation and your  business interests,' Alena reminded her half-brother, turning away from  him to exchange a loving smile with Kiryl as he reached for her hand.

"No,' Vasilii told her. "I wanted Kiryl to marry you because I knew how much you must love him to have given yourself to him.'

Alena stared at her brother.

"It's true,' Vasilii assured her quietly. "My father left the  responsibility for your happiness with me when he died, Alena. I could  never ever have abdicated that responsibility.'

"But Kiryl told you that I meant nothing to him.'

"He told me that, yes. But let's just say that I wasn't totally  convinced. I know my own sex, Alena, and everything I'd heard about  Kiryl told me that he was an honourable man. I decided that, given time,  the two of you might just find that you wanted to be together.'

"So everything has worked out perfectly, then?' Alena teased him.

"Fortunately, yes-no thanks to that irresponsible woman who left you  un-chaperoned. She had better hope that her path never crosses mine,  because if it does I shal have something to say to her.'

A hard note had entered her brother's voice, and Alena knew better than  to argue with him. Besides, she had far more important and pleasurable  things to do-like basking in the loving look her new husband was giving  her, and feeling her toes curl up in her shoes at the thought of not  just the night ahead but all the nights they would share in the future.  The nights and the days, and the happiness of knowing how strong their  love for one another was.

As though he knew what she was thinking, Kiryl mouthed to her, "I love you-now and for always.'

"I love you too,' Alena whispered back.