Chapter 28

Alex snuggled Laurel against his chest "Mmmmm I do like that new perfume your wearing, urchin" Laurel laughed "so I noticed." Alex grinned wickedly "thought you might have" as he started to nibble her ear again "it was very thoughtful of Grandfather and Joe to take the twins out for the evening." Laurel purred "very thoughtful of him." Laurel suddenly yelped "you pinched me!" Alex grinned at her "when were you going to tell me about the new urchin?" Laurel winked "Saturday at the Fordham ball, I thought I would faint into your arms again." Alex laughed "we do make dramatic exits don't we" kissing her softly he smiled "I always wondered if we would have anymore urchins, not that we haven't tried mind you." Laurel snuggled closer and smiled "I wondered too, but thought it was just the way it was, Natalie and Kat only had one hatchling. That's why I've waited so long before I was going to say something, I wanted to be very sure. Do you mind considering how old the children are, we're not getting any younger either?" Alex laughed "if we survived so far we can survive it again, I sorta miss not having a little fellow around to Rav toss." Laurel frowned slightly "actually I believe it's a little girl and I would like to name her Zara, you can turn her into your own little Rav tosser." Alex grinned rolling her over and leering down at her "it's a deal, now let's discuss that perfume of yours." Laurel laughed "I put it on the most interesting spots." Alex growled "I plan to find each and every one."

Connor twirled Miranda across the dance floor "I thought I would save you for a few minutes from the wild slavering beasts sniffling at your skirts." Miranda laughed "they are being outrageously sniffly tonight aren't they?" Connor laughed "and your enjoying every moment of it." Miranda just grinned. Joe grabbed his Grandfather's arm with a sigh "I don't know who's worse the females after Connor or the males after Miranda, at least the males are a bit more subtle, the women actually look like they are panting, do we dare leave early or will we be mobbed?" Michael laughed "the twins don't seem to be bothered by it, why are you?" Joe groaned "because I'm the one trying to escape fielding questions about do they ride in the park in the mornings, do they enjoy afternoon carriage rides, what invitations have they accepted." Seeing another woman heading in his direction with that purposeful dangerous glint in her eye Joe almost ran for the card room saying he was now in hiding. Michael smiled at the young woman, when she was done chatting and sent about her business she had no idea if her questions had been answered or not.

Miranda accepted a glass of too sweet lemonade from a blushing young man, she smiled her thanks and watched him almost stammer out your welcome, the young man hemmed and hawwed then finally blurted out would she care to dance with him. Miranda smiled saying she would be pleased to dance with him and set her glass down, almost beside himself the young man lead her out on the dance floor, his chest puffed out as he watched the other men look at him with envy. Connor passing Miranda on the dance floor winked at her, she laughed and winked back. Trying to escape outside for a few moments Miranda stopped as an elderly man called to her "you there, young woman, come over here, I want a look at you." Miranda smiled and went over to the elderly man "were you talking to me?" Lord Roundmoore chortled "of course I was and you know it young woman, who are your parents? You look damned familiar." Miranda almost giggled "my name is Miranda Breeton, my parents are..." Lord Roundmoore grinned "I know who your parents are girl, you got your mama's voice? Play the harpsichord do you? Come, come don't leave an old man waiting." Miranda grinned "yes to both questions." Lord Roundmoore grinned back "good! you come visit me tomorrow and I'll let you play my sainted mother's harpsichord just like your mama did before you were born." Connor walked up bowing to Lord Roundmoore " your pardon sir, Miranda, Uncle Joe and GGrandfather are ready to leave." Lord Roundmoore grinned widely "heard there were two of you, you come along too my boy, bring this sister of yours around to my place tomorrow, I have a chore for her." Connor bowed again taking Miranda's arm "it will be my pleasure sir, until tomorrow." Miranda got almost to the carriage before she burst out laughing "his sainted mother." Michael grinned "be happy you never met the woman, she was more than likely sainted in hell as one of the devil's best friends."

The next afternoon Miranda and Connor returned laughing and giggling, Laurel looked up hearing the two almost rolling on the floor with laughter. " Ohh mama, Lord Roundmoore is so funny, did you know he thinks papa had another wife named Heloise and says Connor and I were born on the wrong side of the blankets and that papa legally gave us his name." Connor rushed forward seeing his mother go deathly pale, her hand grabbing for the banister as she swayed. Picking her up he yelled for his GGrandfather as he carried her into the front parlor and laid her down on a couch. Gently he touched her forehead, Miranda saw his eyes go wide and rushed forward." What is it? What's wrong mama?" Laurel took a deep breath and blinked several times trying to keep from fainting. Connor carefully brushed his fingers over her temples easing the fainting spell. "You'll be fine in a minute mama, just lay here don't try and get up, Miranda don't hover over her, give her some breathing room." Michael strode into the room "what on earth happened? Laurel dear are you ill?" Laurel shook her head "it's all right Michael I just felt a bit faint for a moment. I guess it was a combination of hearing Heloise's name again after so many years and being pregnant." Miranda stared at her mother "your expecting a baby, a hatchling?" Laurel nodded. Miranda and Connor looked at each other then started to grin, then started to laugh "this is going to be great a baby brother or sister, I can't wait to tell Trink" grinned Miranda. Michael was standing quietly frowning "Laurel dear, I'm delighted to hear of the new addition but fail to see what it has to do with Heloise." Laurel started to sit up but was pushed back down by Connor "don't get up yet mama, there really is a Heloise and was she papa's wife?" Laurel wanted to scream and rage and cry. Miranda tucked a pillow behind her mother's back, then handed her a cup of tea "sip this mama it will help." Michael touched Laurel's shoulder "yes there is a woman named Heloise who was your father's first wife, his marriage was annulled and he married your mother." Connor looked at his Great Grandfather "then we're bastards like Lord Roundmoore said?" Laurel cried "NO, don't ever let me hear you say that! Both you and Miranda had been born when your father and I married in his church, but we were mated in the eyes of the ancient ones long before either of you were born and that means more then any words spoken by a priest or a piece of paper but it was important to your papa that we marry and that you children had his name, it meant the world to him and he fought to give you that right." Michael looked sternly at Connor "you're a Breeton lad, you were born a Breeton and you'll die a Breeton, your father named you after the first Breeton to set foot on English soil and he named you with great pride for the son he held in his arms, he named your sister after his mother, my daughter who was one of the great ladies of this family and he named her such with love and pride in his heart, don't either of you ever doubt that not for one second." Alex walked into the room then stopped dead "what the hell is going on, why are you crying urchin, geeesuusss don't tell me I'm going to need another supply of handkerchiefs." Alex picked Laurel up and sat her on his lap pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, he rest his forehead against hers "why are you crying love?" Michael sighed "Lord Roundmoore inadvertently mentioned Heloise to the twins." Alex touched his fingertip to Laurel's nose and wiggled it "and that made you cry? She was an unfortunate part of our past, leave her there urchin, even with the remote possibility of running into her here in town she is not a part of our lives, don't shed tears for the likes of her, please urchin, she wasn't worth it then she isn't now." Miranda looked at her mama "then it must be true that you stabbed some poor man in the rear with a fork." Unable to keep a straight face anymore she started to giggle then laugh, Connor burst out laughing seeing the look on his mama's face. Joe walked into the room laughing uproariously "I was there at the opera that night, I've never forgotten them carrying Halprin out with that fork stuck in his butt screaming like a loon." Laurel and Alex started to laugh, Alex kissed her on the tip of her nose "no more tears for a few minutes at least, I haven't replenished my supply of hankies yet."

Laurel watched Miranda skip down the stairs her face alight with excitement, Alex smiled and whispered "she's almost as lovely as her mother." Laurel smiled looking up at Alex her eyes filled with love. Connor coming out of the parlor sighed "it's about time she came down, we're probably going to be the last to arrive at the Fordham's." Laurel chuckled "Collin always said it made for a better entrance." Alex watched his children walk out of the house laughing over something Joe had said, his throat ached with the pride he felt in them, not only were they beautiful but they were good, kind, generous beings and their happiness showed on their faces and in their actions. Connor stood tall and strong, looking so handsome in his formal wear, his long blond hair tied back with Trink's old green bow, a trim blonde beard and mustache covering his chiseled jaw, his crystal blue eyes lit with laughter as he helped his sister into the carriage. Miranda his sweet Miranda looking so grown up in her dark pink ballgown that showed off her honey colored skin to perfection, her long thick wavy hair hanging down her back almost to her waist the sides braided and pulled up over her head like a shining strawberry blonde crown, her green eyes so like her mama's glittering with excitement. "Aren't you coming papa?" Miranda called from the carriage. Alex blinked back the momentary prickle of tears "you bet, I wouldn't miss this for the world, just making sure your mother had a full supply of forks."

Miranda danced and danced going from partner to partner, laughing and smiling, always a kind word to her partner who missed a step or trod on her toes, as the music ended she turned to find herself looking up at Christopher. "I believe this is my dance" before she could say a word she found herself in his arms being swept out onto the dance floor. Miranda felt his hand on her bare back, with each step she felt his thighs brushing against her dress. His long wavy red blonde hair tied back, a lock of hair falling down over his forehead gave him the look of being a windblown pirate. He even had a small gold loop earring that added to the look. His violet eyes looking down at her made her heart beat faster and her breath come in little gasps, she told herself was just from dancing. Christopher wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her out of the room, toss her down and make long slow sweet love to her. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her parted lips, each time her tongue wet them he wanted to lean down for a taste. "Don't look at me like that Mandy" Christopher growled. Miranda blinked "like what? Why are you angry with me?" Christopher rasped "like a woman who wants to be taken and made love to and I'm not angry." Miranda licked her lips "you sound angry, if that's what I did want, would you make love to me?" Christopher's hold on her tightened "you don't know what your saying, your just a little girl." Miranda her eyes glittering and half closed almost purred "do I look like a little girl, do I feel like a little girl to you Christopher?" Almost shoving her away from him, Christopher walked off the dance floor leaving Miranda standing in the middle of the dance floor staring after him.