you that night in the mines. I loved you from the
moment I saw you at the dinner parties, long before my father
recognized the cut on your hand. I think there is far more love in you
than you know, far more than you can understand.
56 North held out his hand, and she came to him without hesitation.
When they embraced, North knew it was something he had wanted to do for
a long time. As he held her close to him, they went into his room, and
the door shut silently behind them.
57 In the morning North sat at the table drinking a cup of Muga when
his mother came in. "I have slave control on the phone," she remarked.
"You'd better go tell them that the girl is being taken on permanently,
and to have her things sent over. I'll take some of your older things
out of your closet to make room for hers."
58 "You know?" North gasped, "She told you?"
59 "Not a word was spoken," chuckled his mother, "but a woman knows
when her son has taken one more step towards being a man."
60 North went to the communicator and gave slave control the message.
When he was done, he punched out another number, and an old priest
appeared on the screen. "Yes?" the man inquired.
61 North turned to his mother. "You'd better arrange this!" he laughed.
"I don't know a damned thing about wedding ceremonies! Women are
supposed to do that."
62 "Yes," his mother agreed, "it is one of the few things you men let
us women do!" She went into the kitchen, grabbed the girl's hand, and
hauled her in front of the communicator to make the arrangements.
63 As North entered the kitchen, The Old Hashon looked at him and
smiled. "You don't HAVE to marry her," he remarked.
64 "No," North explained, "but I'm afraid I lied to her last night."