She wasn’t surprised that he hesitated. She had never made such a shameful spectacle of herself before. But she wasn’t embarrassed. Enough was enough. They had simply pushed her too far.
When Dimitri did let go, she turned slowly to face him, one brow raised in question. “Do you make a habit of flogging your servants?”
“I detect censure.”
Wary of his sudden frown, she lied. “Not at all. Mere curiosity.”
“Then no, I never have. Which isn’t to say there aren’t exceptions to that rule.”
“For me? Why?”
He shrugged. “Everything said and done, I believe I owe you that much.”
“Yes, you do, and much more,” she agreed. “But I wasn’t demanding blood.”
“Very well.” He turned to Vladimir. “In future, if her wishes differ from mine, don’t argue with her. Simply bring the matter to me.”
“And what does that solve?” Katherine demanded. “Instead of him forcing me to do something I don’t want to do, you will.”
“Not necessarily.” The sternness of Dimitri’s expression lightened at last. “Vladimir follows my orders to the letter, even when met with difficulty, as you have discovered. On the other hand, I can listen to your arguments and rescind my orders, if need be. I am not an unreasonable man.”
“Aren’t you? I’m afraid I haven’t seen anything to indicate otherwise.”
He smiled. “This is all premature, you know. You were invited to join me for dinner so that we could discuss your status among us and come to an arrangement agreeable to us both. There will be no need for any more battles, Katya.”
Katherine wished she could believe that. But the fact was that she had guessed the reason for this dinner invitation and had refused it because she was afraid to have her situation spelled out in clear-cut terms. She would rather wonder than have her worst fears confirmed.
But now that she was here and there could be no more avoiding it, she might as well have done with it. “So,” Katherine said with forced evenness, “am I a prisoner or a reluctant guest?”
Her directness was refreshing, but it didn’t suit Dimitri’s plans for the evening. “Sit down, Katya. We will eat first and—”
“Alexandrov—” she began warningly, only to be cut off with a disarming smile.
“I insist. Champagne?”
Observing the slight gesture of his hand, both servants left the room. Dimitri moved to the champagne bucket himself. Katherine watched him with a feeling of unreality. Did he say he was a reasonable man? What a laugh. He wasn’t even waiting for her answer but was filling the two crystal glasses on the small dining table.
Very well, she would play it his way, for now. After all, she had had nothing to eat all day and only one meal yesterday. And she was no hypocrite when it came to food, as so many ladies of her class were, only nibbling at dinners in company because too-tight corsets made it impossible to do otherwise. She didn’t wear her corsets to the point of discomfort. With such a tiny waist she didn’t have to. And she enjoyed good food. The trouble was that she didn’t think she would enjoy this meal no matter how good the food, not with such a distracting dinner companion, and not with her immediate future so in question.
Stay on your toes, Katherine. He thinks to wine and dine you and perhaps get you drunk so you’ll agree to anything. Just keep your wits about you, don’t look at him too much, and you’ll do fine.
She picked the chair farthest away from where he was standing and slid into it. A thick plush velvet seat and back. Comfortable. Exquisite lacy tablecloth. Soft candlelight. There were other lamps on in the room, but far enough away not to detract from this intimate setting. It was a large room. Luxurious. How could she have missed all of this before? The enormous white fur rug. One whole wall of books. The bed.Don’t stare at it, Katherine!A lovely sofa and matching chair in white brocaded satin and dark cherrywood and the big chair she had sat in earlier were grouped around an ornate stand-up stove. An antique desk. More cherrywood in tables and cabinets. More fur rugs. The room reallywasbig. Perhaps it had once been two or more cabins. It was his ship; perhaps he had designed it this way.
He sat down across from her. Thank God for the three-foot width of table. She looked anywhere but at him, but knew he was watching her.
“Try the champagne, Katya.”
She reached automatically for the glass, but caught herself and drew her hand back. “I would rather not.”
“You prefer something else?”
“No, I—”
“You think it’s drugged?”
She looked at him then, eyes flaring. She hadn’t thought of that at all, but she should have. Stupid! She was supposed to keep one step ahead of him.
She shot to her feet, but Dimitri reached over quickly and caught her wrist, proving the table wasn’t a safe enough width after all.
