The Ice Swan полностью

“Excuse me, please. Be sure to sample the vatrushkas and take some home if you like.” Svetlana hurried after the rat as people reached out to talk to her. She waved them off as politely as she could. It wasn’t a coincidence that man was here. If there was a threat, she needed to know.

Charging into the outer hall lined with coat hooks, she smacked into Sergey.

“What’s all this?” He grasped her shoulders, holding her steady.

“You’ve returned.”

“I could not stay away for long. You must know that.”

Wasting no time deciphering that comment, she wriggled away just as the black flap of a cloak disappeared outside and the door banged shut on a gust of wind. She ran after the intruder. The wind whipped across her face and scattered the leaves around her feet as she scanned the schoolyard. A few tired horses and one fine gray from Thornhill’s stable dotted the area, but not a soul to be seen.

Dead grass crunched beneath Sergey’s polished boots as he joined her. “What’s the commotion?”

“Did you see him?”

“See who?”

“A man. All in black.” She stared down the single road leading from the schoolhouse and into the village. “You must have seen him in the hallway.”

“I saw no one but hunched over villagers stuffing their faces.” Taking her arm, he propelled her back inside. “It’s much too cold for you to be standing in the elements.”

“I’m Russian. My blood is made of winter’s ice.” She peered past him to the peep window squared out of the school’s door.

“Tell that to your red ears and cheeks.”

“He must have walked right by you.”

“I saw no one, I tell you.” He looked down at her. Every single mustache hair was perfectly combed and softened with oil smelling of nutmeg. “Are you feeling yourself, kroshka?”

She’d never cared for nutmeg. “I am not your little crumb.”

The corners of his mouth turned down and he took half a step back, locking his hands behind his back. “Forgive my old habit of informality, it’s only that I worry for you. Perhaps you spend too much time around these muzhika.”

“They are not peasants.”

“They might as well be for the social divide between us and them. As a gentleman and your oldest friend, I urge you to reconsider circulating among them so closely. It’s not appropriate for a lady of your rank. They carry diseases.”

This amount of idiocy was expected from her mother, but she never thought to witness it in Sergey. “I am not ill in the head if that is what you are suggesting, nor will I tolerate slander against these good people.”

“Forgive me. I do not wish to insult you, merely to see you well looked after. Allow me to care for you, Svetka. The way you deserve. Far from this. Let me take you away. No one will ever find us. We’ll be safe.” He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her to the fine wool of his overcoat. Hugh’s overcoat.

Mottled with anger at his bold persistence, Svetlana shoved him away. Something wasn’t right. Sergey had never acted so out of character. “You forget yourself. Out of respect for the friendship we once held, I shall forget this distasteful notion while reminding you that I am a married woman.”

“Married to a disgraced man standing accused of murder whom you never loved. Is that what you mean?”

“How do you know about that?”

“How do I not know when you rightfully belong to me? My eyes are everywhere you are. I love you, Svetka. This is our last chance to be together or all will be ruined. Send him away and come with—” Sergey jerked backward.

Wynn stood there holding the back of Sergey’s collar. Rage thundered across his face. “I’ve a suggestion of where to send you.” He dragged Sergey outside and pinned him against the back wall of the schoolhouse. His forearm crushed against Sergey’s windpipe. “Lower than a snake’s belly, slithering into my home and trying to seduce my wife. I’ve a mind to send you straight back to the hole from whence you crawled.”

Wheezing, the whites of Sergey’s eyes bulged as his gaze skittered to Svetlana. “H-help.”

Wynn leaned forward. Sergey purpled as the full weight of Wynn’s bulk settled on him. “Pack your bags and leave the country. If I hear even a rumor of your name, I won’t waste a second in breaking your scrawny neck.”

Wynn dropped his arm and Sergey crumpled to the ground in a coughing fit. “S-so much f-for y-your oath to d-do no harm-m.”

“That oath was for humans. It said nothing about evil beasts. Go.”

Sergey grabbed at the rough stone wall and hauled himself up. Red blotched his slim face as his dark eyes bored hatred into Wynn. Shuddering, he looked to Svetlana.

Wynn blocked him. “Last warning.”

Panting, Sergey stumbled away to mount the fine gray horse and rode off. He looked back only once.