“I regret that I cannot appease your wounded sensibilities by allowing that, my dear. I won’t leave my man behind.”
“You will have no choice, just as I had no choice.” How it delighted her to be able to saythat.
His smile was condescending. “You forget we sail today.”
“Your ship can be detained,” she retorted.
His lips tightened ominously. “So can you be, until it is too late for you to cause any trouble.”
“Go right ahead,” she said rashly. “But you underestimate me if you think that will be the end of it.”
Dimitri refused to quibble any longer. He was amazed he had stayed to argue this long. What could she do anyway? The English authorities would not dare to detain him on the word of a mere servant. The idea was laughable.
With a curt nod, Dimitri left the room. But halfway down the hall he stopped short. He was forgetting this was not Russia. Russian laws were made for the aristocracy. English laws took commoners’ welfare into account. Public opinion was not discounted here. The wench could in fact create a public hue and cry that might well reach the ears of the Queen.
That was all Dimitri needed, with the Tzar to arrive soon in England. Public sentiment here was already decidedly anti-Russian. Tzar Alexander the English had loved because of Napoleon’s defeat at his hands, but his much younger brother Nicholas, who had succeeded him, was considered a meddler who wouldn’t leave well enough alone, always concerning himself with the problems of other countries. That was true enough, but beside the point. Dimitri was in England now because he hadn’t wanted Anastasia’s outrageous behavior to be an embarrassment to their emperor.
“Does she leave now, Prince Dimitri?”
“What?” He glanced up to see Vladimir standing before him. “No, I’m afraid not. You were right, my friend. She is a most unpleasant young woman, and she has created a bit of a problem with her unreasonableness.”
“My lord?”
Dimitri suddenly laughed. “She wants to see you rot in some English prison.”
Vladimir’s lack of concern over this news spoke well for Dimitri’s ability to look after his own people. “The problem?”
“I don’t think she means to give it up, even after we are gone.”
“But the Tzar’s visit—”
“Precisely. It wouldn’t matter, except for that. So what do you think, Vladimir? Any suggestions?”
Vladimir had one in particular, but he knew Dimitri wouldn’t approve of doing away with the troublesome wench. “Can she not be persuaded—” At Dimitri’s raised brow, he groaned inwardly. “No, I didn’t think so. I suppose she will have to be detained.”
“My thought as well,” Dimitri replied, and then perversely he smiled, as if the solution suddenly pleased him. “Yes, I’m afraid we’ll have to keep her with us, for a few months anyway. She can be sent back here on one of my ships before the Neva freezes up again.”
Vladimir gritted his teeth in vexation. Months of having to deal with that infuriating woman was not what he had had in mind. Someone could be found here to keep her confined. They didn’thaveto take her with them. But for Dimitri not even to consider that meant he was obviously not finished with her. Whatdidhe find so fascinating about this particular wench?
He supposed he needn’t ask in what capacity she was to be kept, but he couldn’t afford any more mistakes. “Her status, my lord?”
“Servant, of course. I see no reason to waste her talents, whatever they may be. That can be ascertained later. For now, get her aboard ship with as little commotion as possible. One of my clothes trunks ought to serve nicely. She’s tiny enough to fit. And you’ll have to see about some clothes for her after all, at least enough for the voyage.”
Vladimir nodded readily, the position the wench would fill, after what he had previously thought, making the situation much more acceptable. “Anything else, my prince?”
“Yes, she’s not to be harmed,” Dimitri replied, his tone now carrying a distinct note of warning. “Not even a tiny bruise, Vladimir, so do be careful with her.”
And how was he to manage that, when he was to stuff her into a trunk? Vladimir wondered, as Dimitri walked away. Disgruntlement settled in as his opinion changed yet again. Servant, indeed! The Prince was just annoyed with the wench at the moment. His fascination was still strong.
Chapter Nine
“In here.” Vladimir held the cabin door open for the two footmen carrying the Prince’s trunk. “Careful! For God’s sake, don’t drop it. Very good. You may go.”
Vladimir walked over to the trunk and stared at the lock. He held the key in his pocket, but he didn’t reach for it. There was really no reason to release the woman yet. They wouldn’t sail for another hour. And just to be on the safe side, it wouldn’t hurt her to remain where she was until it was too late for any possible escape.
He heard a distinct banging from within, no doubt her feet kicking at the sides. He smiled, not in the least sympathetic to her plight. She wouldn’t be at all comfortable, which was no more than she deserved for her temerity. Wanting to put him in prison, indeed! For what? No real harm had been done to her.
Katherine was of a different opinion. She now had one more grievance to add to the others against these barbaric Russians. To truss her up and stick her in a trunk just to get her out of the house was intolerable. But what should she expect after she had been so thoughtless as to warn the Prince what she intended to do. How could she have been so stupid?
