“Nobles have gone to the city and spend more than they can afford. There is only so long that can continue. Some have started to invest in stocks and bonds and others buy factories. The world of the Russian aristocracy is crumbling. The need to be a business man and an investor ever more important.
“Demetri does a good job with our estates but we both see a darkness coming.”
“Demetri runs your estates?”
“Shhh.”
She turned toward him, ran her finger over his chest. Ilya reached up and enclosed her hand in his. Things were not as they appeared between Demetri and Ilya, but what she wondered didn’t really make sense.
“I need to find my place Seraphina.”
They sank into a comfortable silence but neither dozed. They cherished this space they had created with their honesty and trust.
“I leave tomorrow.” It hurt her just to think about it.
Ilya wrapped her against him tighter and nuzzled into her hair. “I want you to stay.”
“I promised Emma I’d visit while I was up here.”
“I could come.” He nipped at her ear making her swat his arm.
“Scandalous. You’d have to marry me.” The words created a trickle of nervousness.
He said nothing, and her chest pinched even as her body pressed into the shape of him as he bit into her neck as he knew she liked. That wasn’t in his plans then. Foolish to have said the words.
It was best she leave. She was already too hopeful when she knew from the beginning there would be none.
“Marsden left early,” Ilya noted.
“His mother sent word they were coming to London. He had to go back and prepare for their arrival.”
“Do you have to go?”
“I promised Emma I would come regardless of how things turned out.”
“You set up an escape.”
Seph laughed. “Yes.”
“I should punish you for even thinking it.”
“You might have been grateful.”
“Never.”
Chapter 15
Ilya stood under the stone portico as the carriage pulled out of the circular forecourt and onto the drive. He was feeling agitated already.
“She’s a worthy woman,” Demetri said in Russian next to him.
“She’s the one,” Ilya replied in their mother tongue.
Demetri put a hand on his shoulder. “There’s still work to do, brother. While she was here, causing gossip with her was all well and good, but now she is not here we still need more. The new guest, Snowden, writes for the social columns in the London Times. You will need to give him something while I go back to London and see whether this house party was enough to break the betrothal.
“Anything I do is likely to get back to Seraphina.”
“Family first, Ilya. Family first. You will have plenty of time after the betrothal is canceled to explain and win her back if she gets upset. If she truly loves you, she will understand.”
“Women like her value integrity, fidelity even when there are no promises. I want to give her that.”
“She knows what kind of man you are. I am sure she expects nothing.”
Ilya slowly turned and pushed Demetri in the chest. “What kind of a man I am? What is that then? Someone who can’t give the woman he loves fidelity or a man who has no integrity, or both?”
Demetri held up his hands in a motion of surrender. “That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s exactly what you meant.”
Ilya pushed Demetri’s chest again.
Demetri pushed back and raised a finger to him. “You know your duty. You want integrity? Do what you promised your family you would do, no matter the cost!”
“Now if only I understood Russian.” Snowden sidled up next to them, a smirk on his face. “The Petroski Princes fight for the elusive widow. I think I have just paid for my expenses. Isn’t there a little bit of crumpet waiting for one of you.” He looked at Ilya, thinking him the elder, the Prince. It could only be days away that more and more of London came to know of the betrothal.
Ilya’s hands curled into fists.
Demetri was right. His integrity required him to finish his duty to his family.
That night Ilya played up. They drank deep into the night and the group played charades, three questions, ‘what, when, and how’ and then the team had to guess the sexual act or position. The night devolved with Ilya leading Ladies Harrow and Meriton out of the billiard room and into his bedroom.
Chapter 16
Seph got up early, dressed and went down to dinner as her bags were repacked.
“Emma, you didn’t have to get up as well. I am perfectly happy to get myself off to the train station.”
“Nonsense. I don’t see you enough as it is.” Emma helped herself from the breakfast service as Seph started on her eggs, tomatoes, and spinach. “Harrold says safe journey and come back soon.” The evening together had been delightful, almost making up for the sleepless night thinking about Ilya. She missed him already. What was she going to do when he went back to Russia? She would not be very successful at trysting if they addled her like this.
They talked as Emma read out items from the morning paper.
Then, Emma stilled.
“What is it?”
Emma read the item:
‘Our royal guest has been keeping secrets. Who knew all this time he was galivanting around town, he was also looking for a ring for a long lost betrothal.’
“Let me have a look. The gossip columns write all manner of nonsense.” Seph read and re-read the listing in the gossip column, her heart thumping a little harder in her chest.
“They are implying that the Russian Prince Vladimir is betrothed to be married. Didn’t you say he was at the house party? How odd. Did he appear engaged to be married to you?”
Chest now tightening she shook her head.
“No.” She swallowed. “Not that I am aware.”
“Mother mentioned something last week about Georgina Franklin having been betrothed as a young girl. It was all rather shocking at the time, a prince and an industrialist’s daughter. You know many of those Russians are cash poor. It was so long ago no one thought more about it.”
It just didn’t sound like Ilya. He was a rake but not a scoundrel.
“I need to borrow the carriage, Emma. Do you mind? I think I have left something back at Ston Easton Park. I will go to the station from there.”
Seph stood.
“What is it Seph? You have gone quite pale.”
The words kept going around and around through her head. ‘He’s betrothed to be married. No can’t be.’ Like a loop. All those small incongruencies. The periodical describing him so opposite to the Ilya she knew. Even knowing him so well and meeting Demetri at the house party nothing added up. The idea was ludicrous, but it was if the descriptions were reversed. She clutched at the improbability, as the idea he was betrothed sliced her heart as it circulated around and around in her mind.
At Ston Easton Park, she showed herself upstairs saying she’d left something in the room. His room was right next door.
She knocked lightly and turned the handle. “Ilya?”