Lords of the Deep (31 page)

Angie stared at the woman in dismay. “I’m so sorry ….”

Chapter Fourteen

Millicent shook her head, holding up her hand. “It was my own fault,” she said, sighing. “The okean male is untamable. Any catkin foolish enough to believe they can hold on to one will learn to regret her foolishness. I don’t want you to be. And, frankly, I think you’re far stronger than I ever was. He can be very charming, but you may be sure he’ll be at the breeding grounds next year … just like all the others.”

Angie nodded, but doubtfully.

Not that she had any doubts that Millicent was right, but that she was stronger than Millicent. In the few days she’d known him she was already nearly as crazy about Basil as she was Damien and Miles … and look where that had gotten her! She was more inclined to think she was far weaker than Millicent and prone to heartbreak because she couldn’t resist giving her heart away in pieces—and none of them wanted it.

“First off,” Millicent said firmly. “Never,
ever
let them know how much you adore them. It goes right their heads and then they feel confident enough to look around for another catkin that interests them. You made a serious error in judgment with Miles, but I don’t think you should let it worry you. He’s such a dunce, he’s too busy smarting over the supposed insult to his manhood to realize your willingness to risk your life for him is a sign of more love than the fool deserves.

“The king has designated you as ambassador to your people … because he thinks it’s a clever political move and it will go to your head so you won’t go running back to your people and complain about your treatment.

“As ambassador, however, you have the right to demand a comfortable residence and as the catkin fortunate enough to bear the next heir to the throne, you are entitled to support.

“What do you want to do? What was your calling before you came to us?”

“I’m a scientist,” Angie said. “I was sailing with a crew to capture and study giant squid.”

Millicent stared at her blankly for several moments and began to chuckle. “Miles and Damien never knew that, did they?”

Angie shook her head. “We’d only just begun working on the translator ….”

“Well, they’ll know!” she said firmly. “I’ll be sure to tell them, and everyone else.”

Angie frowned at her. “I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“It has to do with the fact that
you
were a hunter before you came here—a hunter of giant squid!”

“Yes, but … we used modern equipment! Not swords. And we were going to try to take one alive. It’s all very well to study the dead ones if that’s all you can get, but there’s only so much that can be learned from something that’s dead.”

“That isn’t the point.”

“What
is
the point?”

“The point is that you hunted them before. They can’t say that you were just a silly catkin behaving totally irrationally if that was what you were trained to do and in fact
had
been doing before you came to us.”

“Ok,” Angie said doubtfully. “You think that’ll make them feel any differently?”

“Not at first. They probably won’t believe it … at first. They’ll probably still think it’s crazy when those things are so dangerous. But scientists do very crazy, dangerous things sometimes in the search for knowledge, and Miles will certainly be able to understand that.

“This is perfect, actually!”

Angie began to feel hopeful for the first time in a very long time. “What do I do?”

Millicent grinned at her. “Ignore them all, of course! You’re a beautiful, desirable catkin. The sooner they understand that they’ll have to be on their toes or someone else will grab you right out from under their noses, the sooner they’ll learn to appreciate you!”

* * * *

Angie hadn’t wanted to meet the king. She supposed she might have to eventually, but she would’ve been very content to wait until it became a necessity. Millicent pointed out, however, that she must have a place of her own and although she had assured Angie that she could stay with her as long as she liked, it was enough to remind her that she had to do something. She couldn’t stay with Millicent indefinitely even if the woman didn’t mind. Millicent had her own life and she was used to having her own space.

Beyond being uncomfortable even to meet the king, it was worse to think of going to him and asking for something, but if what Millicent said was true then she supposed she really didn’t have a lot of choices. She had no job and no money. She would either have to ask or she would have to ask someone to take her home.

She really wanted to go back to Miles.

Actually, what she wanted was to have things the way they’d been before when she’d been basically living with both Miles and Damien. Damien had returned to his own place, though, she discovered, and neither one of them had made any attempt to see her once they saw that she was going to be alright.

That
wasn’t happening. Since it wasn’t, she was tempted to go home. At least
then
she wouldn’t expect to see them any time she left Millicent’s home on the outer fringes of the city to go shopping for food or other necessities.

It was almost worse, though, to think she wouldn’t even get the chance to see them at all … ever again. Then, too, she had an opportunity no human scientist had ever had. She had an entire civilization to study …
in
her field, marine biology, to say nothing of the fact that living in the sea would make any other studies she decided to tackle considerably more affordable and easy.

Millicent arranged an appointment and took her to see the king.

She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t what happened. They were given a ‘private’ audience, which meant there were only a few dozen people in the room … besides the king and his eldest son, Basil.

And Millicent was right, although Angie had thought she meant that Basil was just like his father in personality. It went a good bit further than that. He looked enough like Basil, and young enough, to have been his brother rather than his father.

And for the first time Angie wondered what their life span was and how slowly or rapidly they aged. She dismissed the thought when King Hadrian summoned them.

Millicent escorted her to the ‘presence’ and, since Millicent had carefully explained how and what to do, the two of them bowed and waited for him to acknowledge them.

“Ambassador Angie of Terra,” he said, studying her assessingly. “I’m happy to meet you at last.”

Angie bowed again. “Your Majesty.” She hesitated. “My name is actually Doctor Angela Norris, sir … uh … your Majesty.”

The king lifted his brows. “A physician?”

“I have a doctorate in science.”

The king’s eyes sharpened, but she couldn’t tell anything about what might be going through his mind. She glanced at Millicent uneasily.

“Dr. Norris had asked me to come with her and speak for her since she isn’t well versed with our customs. She wanted to thank you for the appointment and to ask if you would arrange quarters for her since she’s decided to accept the offer to stay,” Millicent said coolly, drawing the king’s attention.

As relieved as she was not to have his attention on herself, Angie couldn’t help but wonder if the experience was difficult for Millicent … whatever she’d said to the contrary. If it was painful for her, though, she hid it well, gazing back at the king as if he was a complete stranger to her.

She wished she could say the same … that it didn’t unnerve her to be in the same room with Basil but, unfortunately, it did … as if it wasn’t unnerving enough to have to deal with his father!

The king smiled faintly and returned his attention to her. “I’m certain there is a suitable residence near the palace that could be arranged. Basil can show you what’s available.”

Angie sucked in a nervous breath. “Thank you, your Majesty, but I’d like to request something outside of the city.”

His eyes narrowed speculatively. “And the reason for that?” he asked finally.

She smiled at him nervously. “As I said, I have a doctorate in science. My specialty is marine biology—the study of the plants and animals of the sea,” she elaborated when she realized the term didn’t translate. “At the time that I … was diverted by my visit to your kingdom I had been traveling with a group of scientists in search of a giant squid … which we’d intended to capture for study. Although I don’t presently have the facilities or the equipment that was available to me then, I’d still like to pursue my studies of the sea.

“I wouldn’t need anything much … just a very small residence would do … a cabin even. And … maybe a few instruments.

“And, of course, I would be very happy to cooperate with any of your scientists interested in studies of the … uh …
above
.”

She looked down at the floor hurriedly when she felt her face begin to heat with discomfort. The very first thing she wanted to make very, very clear was that humans didn’t ‘flash’! Or at least make sure the Atlanticans understood that blushing wasn’t the same thing as flashing!

“You’re breeding,” the king said after a prolonged silence that made Angie squirm. “You’d be more comfortable in the city. And far safer, particularly if your interests lie in studying the giant squid.”

Angie nodded, tamping her anger and disappointment with an effort. “Actually, that’s not an option I could explore without the trained crew and all of the equipment we had when I first came. But you have a point, your Majesty. Since I am breeding and, of course, that’s something any woman needs to consider … whatever point they are in their gestation cycle, mayhap it would be better if I returned to the
above
after all? I think I’d be more comfortable among my … tribe and, of course, the physicians would be better able to see to my care since I’m human … not mer. I do want to thank you, though, for the offer of hospitality. It’s been … an experience meeting everyone and learning a little of your ways. I hope, with your permission, I might one day return for a visit.”

She could see from his expression that he didn’t like that.

Well, tough! She damned well wasn’t exchanging one cage for another—not willingly. She supposed she couldn’t stop him if he decided to be nasty about the whole thing and lock her up, but she wasn’t just going to agree to it like some empty minded ninny that didn’t
know
that was exactly what he had in mind!

A residence close by the palace! Hah!

So she could sit around all day and twiddle her thumbs?

It wasn’t as if the mermaids did that, for god’s sake! They went about their careers, carried on with their jobs—just as she would do in her own world. Although, of course, she would be very limited in what she could safely do during the third trimester, but she was barely pregnant, damn it! If they hadn’t done the scan and told her she probably wouldn’t even have known for at least another month and, barring morning sickness, there was no reason why she couldn’t go on with her life as usual.

“I see no reason why you couldn’t live in the city and still do your studies,” the king said after a few moments, his voice so carefully modulated it was obvious he was angry.

She looked at him coolly. “Again, thank you for the offer, but I would prefer to go home, Your Majesty.”

He glared at her. “Stubborn,” he growled finally.

Angie felt her heart quicken, felt the color drain from her face. “I apologize, Your Majesty, but I’m a citizen of the United States of America. In my country, I have the right to make my own decisions and decide for myself what I want to do and where I want to go and when I want to do whatever it is that I want to do. I have the same rights as the men do. I understand that you might perceive it as being stubborn to make my own decisions … and of course I’m requesting charity, which you have every right to refuse—or to offer only what you want to offer. I understand that and I appreciate your generosity. I feel I must decline, however, and ask instead that you help me return to my own place. Or, if you feel that you can’t offer that, I request to be allowed to leave. I believe I can find my own way back.”

She wasn’t sure that she could, but she could at least try. It beat the hell out of staying on his terms.

“I suppose if your king had made such an offer you would’ve insulted him by declining it, as well?”

Despite the fear that was beginning to claw its way up her back, Angie smiled faintly. “Actually, You Majesty, I can’t imagine the president making such a generous offer to a visitor … or a citizen. I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have come asking for anything and, having done that, shouldn’t have spurned what you so were so generous as to offer. Please accept my apologies and my thanks for your hospitality and your kindness to a stranger. I’d like to repay you all for taking care of me. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to.

“And I’d still like to visit again sometime, if it’s alright with you? The man said … the man that came to the hospital said you wanted to see your grandson and I’d like that. Though, of course, you know he might take after me and then I couldn’t actually bring him here … not until he was old enough to safely dive.”

He studied her assessingly for a moment longer and finally nodded. “You may go … for now. I’ll send word when I’ve decided.”