"What news?"
"I'm going away for awhile. You may have to wait to see your railroad completed."
Jane's breath expelled in asigh of relief.
"I must go." Li Sungstarted down the terrace steps. "She will tell you the rest."
Ruel watched him enter thepalace before turning back to Jane. "What's the problem?"
"No problem." Shelinked her arm in his. "But as Li Sung said, we're going to have a delay.He and Dilam are planning a strategy to make him a member of the HighCouncil."
"A delay is a bigproblem."
"We can make use of it.I've decided Li Sung is right. You can wait for your railroad."
He smiled at her and teased."You'll be in breach of your contract." His curious gaze went back tothe arched doorway through which Li Sung had disappeared. "That's not all,is it? What's this all ab—"
She had to distract him."We'll renegotiate." She paused. "After the wedding."
He went still."Wedding?"
"A wedding usuallyfollows a courtship. You did say you were courting me."
"You didn'tmention—"
"Are you trying to sayyou don't wish to marry me? I warn you, I'm not a woman to take such an insultlightly."
"Of course I wish tomarry you," he said impatiently. "It's you who have avoided theissue. You told me once that you had no liking for the life I offeredyou."
"Is the offer thesame?"
"You would still have tolive on Cinnidar." His lips twisted ruefully. "Though I suppose Icould raze this place to the ground if you hate the idea of living in a palaceas much as you claimed."
"Li Sung thinks Cinnidaris paradise. Paradise isn't such a bad place to live." She smiled as sheglanced around her at the splendid many-leveled terrace. "And a palace iswhat you make it. I suppose I could make an adjustment."
"And your railroad?"
Her smile faded. "I needwork to do. Useful work. I can't give it up."
"We have a railroad here,dammit."
"Suppose I'm notsatisfied with just running your railroad? Suppose I want to build myown?"
"You can build it here.You can build all over the damn island."
She looked at him, troubled."There's room for only one railroad on Cinnidar."
He threw up his hands."All right, I promised you a railroad if you completed the contract ontime. You'll get your railroad. You can have mine. I'll sign it and the rightof way over to you." He smiled ruefully. "That's a hell of a lot ofpower I'm giving you over me. If you decide to cut off my gold shipments, I'mstranded. Does that satisfy you?"
She smiled happily. "Yes,it satisfies me. I believe it will be good for you to have to worry abit."
"I'd worry more if youleft me." He reached out and grasped her shoulders. "I've beenthinking about it. Do you remember when you told me your entire world didn'trevolve around me?"
She had only a vague memory ofthat night when she had felt so abandoned by Li Sung. "I think so."
"Well, my world doesrevolve around you."
She laughed. "I'mhonored. It's not every woman who has a kingdom like Cinnidar revolving aroundher."
