Vasili waited for him to go on, but Dimitri had turned pensive, remembering, and Vasili exploded, “Well? Must I drag it out piece by piece?”
Dimitri looked away, not very proud of his part in this. “To be brief, I saw her on the London street and wanted her. I thought she would be available, so I sent Vladimir after her. Everything went wrong from there. She wasn’t for sale.”
“Sweet Christ, I see it already. Resourceful Vladimir got her for you anyway, didn’t he?”
“Yes, and slipped an aphrodisiac into her food. I end up with the most sexy, sensual virgin God ever created, and the most memorable night of love I have ever experienced. But the next morning, in full possession of her faculties again, she insisted on having Vladimir’s head for abducting her.”
“She didn’t blame you?”
“No, actually, she just couldn’t wait to get away from me. The trouble was, she made certain threats about going to the authorities, and what with the Tzar’s scheduled visit, I thought it prudent to remove her from England for a while.”
Vasili grinned wryly. “I don’t suppose she was delighted with that plan?”
“She is possessed of a glorious temper, which I have been treated to more than once.”
“So you have this lovely wench still under wraps, and still wanting nothing to do with you. Does that about sum it up?”
“Not quite,” Dimitri replied quietly, his expression bleak. “I made the mistake of leaving Katherine at Novii Domik, and I returned to find my aunt had abused her. If she didn’t hate me before, she does now.”
“This time she blames you?”
“With good reason. I didn’t insure her safety as I should have. I left rather quickly, for reasons I am too ashamed to repeat.”
“Never say you… No, you wouldn’t have raped her. That’s simply not your style. So you must have had her drugged again.”
Dimitri gave Vasili a disgusted look for his perception. “I was angry.”
“Naturally.” Vasili chuckled. “You’ve never come up against a female who wasn’t seduceable before. It must have been most trying.”
“Stow the sarcasm, Vasya. I’d like to know what you would do faced with similar circumstances. Katherine is the most stubborn, argumentative, pretentious woman I know, and yet I can’t be in the same room with her without wanting to carry her off to the nearest bed. And the most irritating, the most frustrating thing about it is, I know she isn’t completely immune to me. There have been stolen moments when she returns my passion, but she always comes to her senses before I can take full advantage of them.”
“So you are obviously doing something wrong. Is she holding out for marriage, do you think?”
“Marriage? Of course not. She has to know that isn’t possible—” Dimitri paused, frowning. “On the other hand, with her delusions, she just might think it is possible.”
“What delusions?”
“Didn’t I mention she lays claim to being Lady Katherine St. John, daughter of the Earl of Strafford?”
“No, but what makes you think she isn’t?”
“She was found walking the street, in the dress of a commoner, and without escort. What conclusion would you draw, Vasya?”
“I see your point,” Vasili said thoughtfully. “But why would she make this claim?”
“Because she knows enough about the family to get away with it. It’s quite likely she’s the Earl’s natural daughter, but that still doesn’t make her marriageable.”
“So, if marriage is out of the question, what is the second thing she could want?”
“Nothing. She wants absolutely nothing from me.”
“Come now, Mitya, every woman wantssomething. And it sounds to me as if this one just wants to be treated like a lady for a change.”
“You mean I should pretend I believe her?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but—”
“You’re right! I should bring her to the city, take her to parties, escort her—”
