Page 62 (1/2)

9

They walked slowly to Molotov Her arh above the pines

"Shura, I’ve been practicing lish"

"You have? You toldyour life, I believed you"

Tatiana cleared her throat and said in English, "Alexander Barrington, I want forever love in you"

Bringing her close, Alexander laughed and replied in English, "Yes,down at her

She looked up at hiht?"

"I’m fine" She blushed She was not "What?"

Alexander smiled "Want me to carry you for a bit?" he asked huskily

Her face melted "Yes," Tatiana replied "But this ti her, "you’ll have to explain to rad to the bus terminal"

Tatiana pinched him "Someday," she said, "you’ll have to explain to me why you followeddown and walking beside him

"A church We have to find one"

"What for?"

Alexander looked at her askance "Where do you intend to get ht about it "Like everybody in the Soviet Union -- at the registry office"

Laughing, he said, "What’s the point? Why don’t we go back and continue as ere?"

"That’s an idea," Tatiana muttered The mention of a church unsettled her

Alexander took her hand and said nothing

"Why church, Shura?"

"Tania," said Alexander, looking at the road ahead, "who do you want this covenant of e to be made with? The Soviet Union? Or God?"

She had no answer

"What do you believe in, Tatiana?" he asked

"You," she replied

"Well, I believe in God and you We’re getting married in a church"

They found a small Russian Orthodox church close to the center of town, St Seraphim’s The priest inside studied them after Alexander told hilanced at Tatiana "Are you even old enough to be a bride?"

"I’ about ten