Miranda's Heart

Returning after the dinner hour Jason was much calmer. The meeting on the Accord didn’t go quite the way he’d hoped, but he had resolved things with Michael. At least Michael said he understood what Jason was telling him. He’d assured Jason that while he enjoyed Miranda’s company, it pleased him more to see his life long friend happy with her. “Jason, how can you say she even has any feelings for me when she watches your every move? If the she’s in love with anyone it’s you. I think you’re just too blind to see it. I told you before, talk to her, ask her...maybe it’s the way of her people.” Michael’s words played over in his mind as he drove home.

But it was the situation with the Eadronis that still had him concerned. When he’d broached the subject of perhaps marrying someone other than their princess a few on the council supported him—if, in fact, he did intend to marry Miranda. The only problem there was whether she would agree to marry him. When they went to contact the Eadronis about the possibility of the change in plans the Martans were informed that the princess had ‘disappeared’. They couldn’t quite explain it, but apparently their nasty little princess had an issue with marriage and hopped on a transport and left...or so they said. Until she was located there was little that could be done in the way of a decision lest they offend her. To Jason’s way of thinking, if she ran off at the thought of marriage perhaps they should just go back to square one...sort of. He could and would marry Miranda and her king could certainly her order her...but he didn’t want her to marry him just because she had to. More and more Jason realized it was because he wanted her to at least care for him if not love him. So they had to wait.

Leaving the conveyance in the shelter he headed into the house; dark except for enough light for him to see his way to the kitchen or upstairs. What he wanted was to go to Miranda and take her in his arms and tell her how sorry he was and for once and for all ask her why she acted the way she did. To tell her to be honest and not fear telling him how she felt about him, and hopefully undo whatever damage he had done in the morning.

Bemused that she was not waiting in his room, the bed not even undone he walked into her room. As neat as ever, clearly she hadn’t been in the bed either. Probably nursing her wounds with Eleanor—ah, now that will get me into a pitch again...Eleanor will surely berate me for yelling at Miranda. Entering the servants’ quarters all was darkened for the night.

“Eleanor? Eleanor?”

Pulling her robe on the older woman padded towards him. “So you’ve come home?” She sniffed as she looked him over.

“No, I haven’t been drinking.”

“Well you could have fooled me this morning.”

“Eleanor, we will discuss this tomorrow, for now will you fetch Miranda for me?”

“Fetch her? Isn’t she upstairs?”

His sigh showed how tired he was, “No, Eleanor, please don’t try to hide her from me. I need to talk to her, to explain myself to her, please fetch her.”

“I’m telling you, she isn’t down here.”

Walking past his housekeeper he threw on the lights and looked in each of the women’s rooms including the one Miranda had stayed in when she first arrived.

“Damn! She’s run. Eleanor, she’s run.”

“She wouldn’t and besides, remember what happened the last time you thought...”

“Then explain to me why she isn’t in either of our rooms or down here! And yes, I checked all of the chairs upstairs as well.”

Storming off towards the den his bellow woke the other women, “…and when I find her I will not only leash her, I will shackle her to whatever room I deem she is permitted in. Pretends passion for me by kissing me except she’s really in love with Michael. Kisses me with ardor and then runs.”

He threw the lights on as he thundered into the den, heading towards the communicator.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m calling the authorities to look for her. Run from me—she will be sorry for that.” As he turned to contact the police Eleanor gasped.

“Jason, hang up the communicator.”

“You aren’t going to save her this time.”

“Jason, she’s here and I think she’s hurt.”

Dropping the communicator he rushed to the side of the couch to see Miranda laying on the floor, the night shift she had on in the morning barely covering her as she laid there, her tear stained face showing something had happened to her.

 RETURN TO REGAN'S BOOKS