“Don’t be absurd. What the Princess would require of a maid cannot be so different from what I would require of one of my own.”
“Then where is the problem? Did you not say you served your Queen?”
“That was an honor.”
“It is an honor to serve Princess Anastasia.”
“The devil it is! Not when I am her equal.”
His face had flushed with anger then. “Then perhaps you are better suited to the Prince’s other suggestion.”
He left her with that, as red-faced as he.
Chapter Fifteen
“Iwant to see Mr. Kirov.” Katherine looked from one guard to the other. The blank, uncomprehending faces were identical.
Each day a different pair of guards sat outside her unlocked door. Today it was two Cossacks, who obviously didn’t understand French. She repeated her request in German, then Dutch, English, and lastly, in desperation, Spanish. Nothing. They just stared at her, not budging from their stools.
“Typical.” She was frustrated enough to speak aloud. “They all want you to give in, Katherine, but do they make it easy for you?”
She ought to just forget it. So what if she had agonized all night reaching this decision? This was only the fourth day of her confinement. She could hold out much longer, even if Marusia didn’t sneak her food. But then there was the excuse she was holding onto. She was giving in not for herself but for the sake of others.
Liar. You want out of that cabin. It’s that simple.
She gave it one more try before her pride reasserted itself. “Kir-ov.” She used her hands to describe him. “You know? Big fellow. Alexandrov’s man.”
Both men came to life on hearing the Prince’s name. Smiles split their faces. One stood up so quickly that he knocked his stool over and nearly fell over with it. He immediately set off down the corridor toward Dimitri’s cabin.
Katherine panicked. “No! I don’t want to speak tohim, you idiot!”
Whether she could have stopped him or not didn’t matter. Before he reached Dimitri’s door, it opened and the Prince stepped out.
Over the head of the Cossack, Dimitri’s eyes locked with hers while he listened to the man’s spate of words, not Russian, but some other language Katherine had never heard. The urge was great for her to retreat behind her door. She hadnotintended to speak to Dimitri. She had meant to give her decision to Vladimir, so thathecould tell the Prince and she wouldn’t have to see him again herself. He had won. And she didn’t care to see him gloating over his victory.
But she wasn’t a coward. She stood her ground as he approached her.
“You wanted to see Vladimir?”
Her eyes flared. “Why those—those—” She glared at the two guards now standing a respectful distance away. “They understood me all along, didn’t they?”
“They know some French, but not enough—”
“Don’t tell me,” she sneered. “Just like the captain, right? Never mind.”
His expression was totally void of emotion as he gazed down at her. “Perhaps I can help you?”
“No.” Too quick. “Yes. No.”
“If you can make up your mind—”
“Oh, very well,” she nearly snapped. “I was going to give Mr. Kirov the message, but since you’re here, I might as well tell you myself. I accept your terms, Alexandrov.” He simply stared at her. Hot pink began to heat her cheeks. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes!” The word was expelled on a breath. His surprise was quite evident now, his smile nearly blinding in its brilliance. “I just wasn’t expecting… I mean, I had begun to think…”
He fell silent, being tongue-tied a whole new experience for him. And he was still at a loss for words. Sweet Christ, here he had been on his way to speak to her, to tell her to forget his stupid demands, and she did this. He still ought to tell her to forget it, that he had been a cad to try and force her to do anything, and yet—and yet it felt too good, winning this battle with her. And it did seem as though he had been through a battle these last four days, with his conscience, with his temper.
He had never dealt with a woman so ruthlessly before, and all because he wanted her while she wanted no part of him. Yet she was giving in, when he had convinced himself she never would and that there was no point in continuing to try and bend her to his will. So perhaps there was still hope after all that she would eventually succumb to his more personal requests.
