gaelen foley - the princess

8/21/2019 Gaelen Foley - The Princess

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THE PRINCESSBy

Gaelen Foley

CHAPTER ONE

May 1805

The sound of her rapid, shallow panin! filled he narrow spa"e #eween he #o$%hed!e

walls of he !arden &a'e( The hed!es owered o)er her, "losin! in on her, and he

poundin! of her pulse was so loud in her head she *new hey would hear( +he in"hed

down he narrow lane, her #are oes "reepin! silenly o)er he "ool, lush !rass, her "hes

hea)in!( Consanly ( she loo*ed o)er her shoulder( Her whole #ody was sha*in!, her

hand #leedin!, &ay#e #ro*en fro& pun"hin! Philippe in his s&u!, sneerin! fa"e wih he

sharp ed!e of her hu!e dia&ond rin!( u a -eas she had &ana!ed o hrow herself ou

of his iron !rasp and had orn ino he &a'e, where she hou!h she "ould e)ade he&(

+he dared no "all ou for help #e"ause only he hree &en would hear(

No one else was ouside on su"h a ni!h, when he #ree'e spaered rain fro& a s*y

deepes indi!o s&eared wih !old "louds( The "i"adas roared in wa)es, while he wind,

as i rose and fell, #rou!h fra!&ens of a in*lin! &inue spillin! ou o)er he )as

!ardens and he royal par* fro& he #all in pro!ress.%her en!a!e&en pary( Her fian"/

had #een una#le o aend

+he er*ed her fa"e wildly o he lef, hearin! &o)e&en on he oher side of he dense

hed!e(

He was ri!h here( The a"id ase of he wine shed drun* rose in he #a"* of her hroa(

+he "ould see he shape of hi&, all, #ede"*ed in his finery( +he "ould see he shape of

he pisol in his hand and *new her pale sil* !own was sure o #e )isi#le hrou!h he

#ran"hes( +he "rou"hed down and &o)ed silenly away(

23on #e afraid, 4our Hi!hness,2 "a&e Henris &ellifluous )oi"e fro& se)eral rows

away( 2ere no !oin! o hur you( Co&e ou now( Theres nohin! you "an do(2

They had spli up so hey "ould surround her( +he "ho*ed #a"* a so#, "lawin! o *eep

hold of her fra!ile "onrol as she ried o de"ide whi"h way o !o( +he had run around in

his &a'e sin"e she was a lile !irl, #u she was so fri!hened she had los all sense of

dire"ion(

+he heard he lullin! splash of he founain in he iny "ener "ouryard of he &a'e and


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used he sound o ry o orien herself( Clen"hin! her fis so i!hly her nails du! ino her

pal&, she huddled a!ains he #ush, ed!in! in"h #y in"h down he lane( A he end, she

pressed her #a"* fla a!ains he s"ra"hy #ushes, oo s"ared o urn he "orner( +he

waied, sha*in!, prayin!, ryin! o !aher her ner)e, her so&a"h in *nos(

+he didn *now wha hey waned(

+he had #een proposiioned &any i&es #y he !ilded, predaory "ouriers of he pala"e,

#u no one had e)er ae&ped o haul her away #efore( No one had e)er used !uns(

God, please.

+he would ha)e "ried, #u she was oo errified( The #ree'e rose a!ain( +he s&elled "u

!rass, as&ine, &an(

They're coming.

24our Hi!hness, you ha)e nohin! o fear( e are your friends(2

+he #oled, her lon!, #la"* hair srea&in! ou #ehind her( Thunder ruled, he s"en of a

su&&er sor& on he wind( A he end of he lane, she sopped, a!ain oo perified o urn

he "o&er, les she find Philippe or he #lond one, Henri, sandin! here waiin! o "a"h

her( +he *ep hin*in! how her e$%!o)erness always said so&ehin! li*e his would

happen o her if she didn &end her wild ways, sop a"in! so #old(

+he )owed she would ne)er #e #old a!ain( Ne)er flir( Ne)er rus(

Her "hes lifed and fell, lifed and fell(

They were "o&in!( +he *new she "ould no re&ain where she was for &ore han a few

se"onds lon!er(

I am trapped. There is no way out of this.

And hen here "a&e anoher )oi"e, #arely audi#le, a !hosly whisper(

"Princesa."

The sin!le word see&ed o rise fro& he earh, or o slip ou of he )ery air(

+he nearly so##ed aloud o hear i, wanin! wih all her hear lo #elie)e i was no her

pani"*ed #rain playin! ri"*s on her( Only one person "alled her #y ha na&e, he

+panish )ersion of her proper 6alian ile, Prin"ipessa(

6f e)er shed had need of hi&, i was now(

eauiful, #la"*heared +ania!o(

He alone "ould ha)e sa)ed her fro& his ni!h&arish !a&e, #u he was faraway on he

*in!s #usiness, inelli!en"e% , !aherin! and proe"in! he aassador in Mos"ow,

where he new allian"e a!ains Napoleon was #ein! for&ed(

3arius +ania!o was an insolen, arro!an heahen, of "ourse, #u he did no *now he

&eanin! of fear and she 7uie #elie)ed he "ould do anyhin!( +he had no seen hi& in


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nearly a year, #u he was always lin!erin! near he ous*irs of her hear, wih his

arro!an s&ir* and his "oal%#la"* eyes, as hou!h wa"hin! her fro& a"ross he &iles #y

so&e o""ul )ision(

26 !row weary of his "hase, ma belle," Henri warned( +he saw &o)e&en hrou!h he

rows, &ade ou ousled #lond "uris( +he saw he ren"h&an sop and "o"* his head,

lisenin!(

ide%eyed, #oh hands pressed o her &ouh o silen"e her ra!!ed panin!, +eraflna

#e!an #a"*in! away( A a u! on her hair, she al&os s"rea&ed, whirlin! o find ha one

of her lon! #la"* "urls had &erely sna!!ed on he !raspin! #ushes(

2Prin"esa,2

+he *new she heard i ha i&e9 u how "ould i #e: +he fro'e, her !a'e darin! wildly(

Could he *now so&ehow ha she was in dan!er: Could he #ond #eween he& sill #e

so sron!:

And hen she reali'ed she fel hi& here, fel his sran!e( silen power all around her in

he ni!h li*e he i&&inen sor&(

2Ma*e your way o he "ener "ouryard,2 he dar*, airy &ur&ur insru"ed her(

2Oh, &y ;od,2 she whispered, "losin! her eyes, al&os si"* wih relief( He had "o&e(

Of "ourse he had "o&e(

E)en hou!h he did no wan her, e)en hou!h he would ne)er lo)e her, she was of he

royal #lood and he was honor%#ound o proe" her

3arius +ania!o was he *in!s &os rused &an, a &aser spy and assassin( His loyaly

o her faher was a#solue( 6f e)er here was dar* woT* o #e done proe"in! he *in!%

do& and he royal fa&ily of he s&all 6alian island *in!do& As"en"ion, 3arius was here

o shoulder i wihou "o&plain( His presen"e here now &ade her reali'e here was e)en

&ore o Philippes ae&p o a#du" her &an she had !uessed(

+he lowered #oh hands fro& her &ouh o her sides( Her "hes sill hea)ed wih ea"h

#reah, #u she lifed her "hin, awaiin! 3ariuss insru"ions(

2;o o he "ouryard( 4our Hi!hness( Hurry(2

2here are you:2 she #reahed, relin!( 2Help &e(2

21 a& near, #u 6 "anno !e o you(2

2Please help &e,2 she "ho*ed, siflin! a so#(

2+hh,2 he whispered( 2;o o he inner "ouryard(2

26& los, 3arius, 6 for!e(2 linded now #y he ears she had #een sa)in! off sin"e

Philippe had firs sei'ed her, she sared hrou!h he dense !reen la"e of he hed!e ryin!

o see hi&(


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2+ay "al&, #e #ra)e,2 he sofly insru"ed( 2Two ri!h urns( 4oure )ery "lose( 6ll &ee

you here(2

2A%all ri!h,2 she "ho*ed ou(

2;o now(2 His whisper faded away( or a &o&en, +erafina "ould no see& o &o)e(

Then she pier"ed he "old fo! of fear, for"in! herself( +he se ou for he iny, #ri"*%laid

"ouryard, le!s sha*in! #eneah her, her s"raped *nee sill #u&in! fro& #efore, when she

had slipped on he !rass( The &is%hued !own of !ossa&er sil* she had #een so deli!hed

10 wear now had a ear a he *nee( Ea"h &o)e&en was orurous wih heT effor o #e

silen, slowed #y her re&ors of fear, #u she painsa*in!ly followed he lulla#y of he

founain splashin! in is "ar)ed sone #asin(

ih e)ery in"h !ained, her &ind "haned his na&e as if she "ould "onure hi&,Darius,

Darius, Darius. +he "a&e o he firs "o&er(

+eeled herself( Pee*ed around( Safe.

+he &o)ed on, !aherin! "onfiden"e( 6&a!es flashed hrou!h her &ind of 3arius

wa"hin! o)er her all hrou!h her "hildhood, "al&in! her wih a loo*, her sern, #elo)ed

*ni!h who would always proe" her( u when she had finally !rown up, nohin! had

!one a""ordin! o plan(Darius, don < let them get me.

Ahead she saw shed ha)e o slip pas a #rea* in he lef wail of he lane where i

inerse"ed anoher pah( +he prayed her pursuers weren down here o see her pass( A

he #rea* in he hed!e, she hesiaed, her "oura!e falerin!( A #ead of perspiraion ran

down her "hee*(et them put that in the newspapers, she hou!h &adly, #rushin! i

away wih 6he #a"* of her hand( Shoc!ing news the Princess #oyal sweats$

+he shu her eyes #riefly and said a prayer, hen dared pas, sealin! a fleein! !lan"e

down he lane as she wen( +o&e weny fee away, Philippes hu!!ish dri)er lay

sprawled on his fa"e, un&o)in!( A len!h of wire !lined in he &oonli!h He had #een

!arro"d, she reali'ed, si"*ened( 3arius had passed his way(

+he inar"hed on wih siff, er*y srides while "old horror +piraled down o her #elly( The

"i"adas son! sre"hed o one fla, )i#rain! noe she hou!h would snap her ner)es(

hen she rea"hed he end of he lane, she !ri&a"ed, fi!hin! a silen, &i!hy #ale for

he "oura!e o loo* around he "o&er( +he for"ed herself(

%lear$

The enran"e o he "ouryard was in si!h a die far end of he "orridor( +he was al&os

here( All she had o do was pass ye anoher !ap in he #ushes halfway down he lane(

+he urned he "o&er and ran for i(


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Her #reah ra*ed o)er her eeh, her #are fee #ore her swifly o)er he sil*en !rass( The

#rea* was "o&in!, while srai!h ahead lay he enran"e o he "ouryard( The s*y flun! a

handful of rain on he #ree'e ino her fa"e( Clouds "o)ered he !old half%&oon,

2;e #a"* here, you lile #i"h92 a deep )oi"e roared(

+he shrie*ed and loo*ed o)er her shoulder as Philippe ore around he "orner #ehind her

As she passed he !ap, runnin! full for"e, Henri e$ploded ou of he inerse"in! pah( He

"au!h her in #oh ar&s and she s"rea&ed, Philippe was #earin! down fas, and hen

3arius was here, deah !lidin! ou of he shadows, aa"*in! wih he leap of he wolf(

Henri shoued, los his hold on her Hyin! o ward off 3arius( +he ore free, a"*led her

way "lear of hi&, heard rippin! sil* as she pulled, wren"hin! forward( +he sprined

oward he "ouryard, so##in! now( +he su##ed her oe on he #ri"*s, sulin! ino he

s&all en"losure( +he passed he leerin!, sone !roes7ue of he Pan founain, wih is

&ossy &ouh ri"*lin! waer, and flun! herself ino he shadowed "o&er(

+he "rou"hed down, prayin! Philippe wouid "hoose o say and help his friend fi!h

3arius raher han "o&in! srai!haway afer her, #ul he prayer was no sooner hrou!h

her &ind han he ren"h&an loo&ed in he enran"e #eween he nealy ri&&ed hed!es(

Panin! hard, he saw her a on"e, and his sneer urned his handso&e fa"e u!ly( He srode

o her and hauled her up fro& her "rou"hed posiion( +he "ried ou( He hurled her a#ou

fa"e and pu a *nife o her hroa us as 3arius "a&e runnin! up o he enran"e( +he

so##ed his na&e( Philippe wren"hed her( 2+hu up92

3arius drew hi&self up shor, #reahin! hard as he oo* in he s"ene #efore hi&( His fiery

ony$ eyes pier"ed he ni!h wih heilfire inensiy( Hea li!hnin! flashed a"ross he s*y

wih a #rillian"y ha illu&inaed his dar*, e$oi" #eauy for an insan.hen dar*ness(

+erafina fi$ed her sare and all her faih on hi& as she "lun! wih #oh hands o he seely

ar& around her hroa(

2+and aside, +ania!o,2 Pliilippe warned( 24ou "o&e any 9 "loser, she dies(2

23on #e an ass, +ain%-auren( e #oh *now he doesn wan her har&ed(2 His one

was "oolly s"ornful, his san"e rela$ed, #u dan!er e&anaed fro& hi& as he saunered

ino he "ouryard, his #ody slee* and lean, !old &oonli!h !lan"in! offhis #road

shoulders( 6&pe""a#ly aired in #la"*, he &o)ed 1wih predaory !ra"e(

He had a hi!h #row under a !lossy, ra)en forelo"*( 6n*y, #roodin! eyes refle"ed all he

u&ul and fire of his passionae, se"rei)e naure( The ausere an!les of his hi!h%#oned

"hee*s and hau!hy, a7uiline nose warred wih he sensualiy of his ri"h, sul*y &ouh( A

s&all s"ar li*e a "res"en &oon &arred he s"ulped sweeness of his lips wih a #ier

wis(


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+erafina sared, &es&eri'ed, #u 3arius did no e)en loo* a her, as if she were of no

"onse7uen"e( 6nsead, he spi*ed Philippe wih a sharp !lan"e, a half%s&ile on his lips(

2 1 hou!h you were a professional, +ain%-auren, he said, his sof, lullin! )oi"e in!ed

wih a +panish a""en( 26s his how you "ondu" #usiness: Puin! *ni)es o youn! !irls

hroas:2 He !esured oward he& wih idle ele!an"e( 26 ofen wonder how you people

so&a"h i,2 he re&ar*ed( 2+er)in! a &an

ho is wihou honor(2

26 didn "o&e here o philosophi'e wih you, +ania!o,2 Philippe !round ou, as ense and

heaed as 3arius was "ool( 26& !oin! now, and shes "o&in! wih &e(2

26f you #elie)e 6 shall le you pass,2 he said !enly, 2you are de"ei)in! yourself(2

26ll "u her92 Philippe warned(

3arius !a)e hi& a "hillin! s&ile( 24our &aser wouldn li*e &a(2

The silen"e sharpened o a ra'ors ed!e as he wo &en sared a ea"h oher, #oh rained

o *ill, ea"h waiin! for he oher o sri*e, unil +erafina "ouldn #ear i any lon!er(

2Please,2 she "ho*ed ou, 2le &e !o(2

A her plea, 3ariuss "oal%#la"* eyes fli"*ed o hers( or one disasrous insan, she read

he ruh here.he fury, he desperaion #ehind his "ool "onrol( The fleein! loo*

)anished a on"e and his s"arred lips "ur)ed a!ain in ha &o"*in! half%s&ile, #u i was

oo lae(

Philippe had seen i, oo( 2has his:2 he as*ed wih a aunin! lau!h( 2Ha)e 6 suled

upon a wea*ness: 6s i possi#le he !rea +ania!o has an A"hilles heel:2

3ariuss finely "hiseled fa"e hardened as he "as he fa"ade aside( His lon!%lashed eyes

narrowed on Philippe, !lierin! in he dar*(

2Ah, of "ourse,2 Philippe wen on, heedless of he dan!er,2 6 re"all so&eone ellin! &e

you were her #ody!uard when she was us a wee hin!(2

3ariuss )oi"e sofened o a errifyin! &ur&ur( 2-ower your weapon(2

2;e ou of &y pah(2

2Release he prin"ess( +urrender is your sole opion( 4our &en are dead, and you *now

full well 6 wan you ali)e(2

2H&&, he !rows an!ry,2 Philippe &used aloud( 2He &us #e raher aa"hed o you, &y

dear(2

The words pained her &ore han he "ould e)er *now(

24ou are &a*in! hin!s worse for yourself, +ain%-auren( 6ll re&eer how you

annoyed &e when you and 6 ha)e a al* laer a#ou your asso"iaes and your orders(2

2Ah, #u &y orders don e$is, +ania!o( 6 don e$is( 6 "anno !o #a"* e&py%handed, so


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you see, youll !e nohin! fro& &e,2 Philippe snarled, 3arius sared oward he& wih

slow, wary srides( 2+ay #a"*92

He paused( 2Mo)e away fro& he prin"ess,2 he said )ery sofly, his sare unwa)erin!,

relenless(

+erafina was sayin! a fra!&en of a prayer o)er and o)er a!ain in her &ind( A!ains her

#ody, she "ould fee Philippes hear poundin! in his "hes( He i!hened his hold on her

ne"*( +he fel his in"reasin! desperaion as he "as a#ou for so&e &eans of es"ape( +he

!lan"ed a he *nife poised so near her hroa, hen shu her eyes, prayin! &ore

desperaely(

2Tell &e, +ania!o((( #eween "ollea!ues,2 Philippe #ar*ed suddenly( 2Now ha your lile

"har!e is so, shall we say, !rown up, ha)en you e)er wondered: 6 &ean, loo* a her(

+o&e say she is he &os #eauiful wo&an ali)e.in he op hree, a leas( Cerainly &y

paron a!rees( Helen of Troy, he says( Men fi!h wars o possess su"h #eauy( +hall we

ha)e a loo*:2

Her eyes flew open wide as Philippe laid hold of her dress where Henri had already orn

i( +he !asped wih sho"*ed horror as he ripped i open down her #a"* wih one

li!hnin!%li*e &o)e&en(

2There, here, ma belle&' Philippe "rooned, 2don fre(2 +he so##ed on"e, "rin!in! where

she sood( +he lowered her head, powerless o sop hi& as he pushed he ripped ends of

her dress down o her wais, #arin! her upper #ody(

This "ould no #e happenin!, she hou!h( No in her #eauiful !arden, he )ery hear of

her safe, prey, insulaed world( Chee*s afla&e, she #i her lower lip, fi!hin! ears of

ra!e( +he ried o pull her wais%len!h hair forward o "o)er her #reass, #u Philippe

proesed(

"on, non, cherie. -e us see wha #eauy ;od hah wrou!h(2 ih his lef hand, he

#rushed her hair sofly #a"* a!ain #ehind her shoulders(

24ou #asard,2 3arius whispered(

+he "ould no #ear o &ee his eyes(

Hands a her sides, she sood here sha*in! wih hu&iliaion and ra!e, e$posed #efore he

only &an she had e)er waned( The only one who did no wan her(

No so )ery lon! a!o, she had lo)ed 3arius +ania!o wih =i painful, adoles"en ardor( +he

had ried o show hi& hree years a!o, he ni!h of her de#u #all, ha she had !rown up

for hi& a las, was no lon!er a "hild= she had ried o show hi& ha none of his wo&en

"ould lo)e hi& as she did( u he had fled her and lef he island, hurryin! off on so&e

new &ission( Now he was winess o her hu&iliaion, for"ed o )iew her #ody, he !if


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she had ried o !i)e hi&.now, when i &ean nohin!(

>us hen he ni!h s*y flun! down anoher swif "loud#urs of "old rain( +he flin"hed,

hen shuddered when he firs drops sru"* her #are s*in(

+he "ould feel a )ol"ani" for"e of pure ra!e #uildin! fro& where 3arius sood, #u

so&ehow iie only hin! she "ould fo"us on was her pride, her las defense( +he held fas

o i as if i were a an!i#le weapon( +he lifed her head hi!h a!ains he "rushin! sha&e(

Tears in her eyes, she sared srai!h ahead ai nohin!(

Philippe lau!hed a her( 2Hau!hy hin!( 4es, you *now you are sunnin!, don you:2 he

&ur&ured, runnin! one fin!er fro& he "ur)e of her shoulder down her ar&( +he fou!h

no !( shudder wih re)ulsion( 2+*in li*e sil*( Co&e and ou"h her( +ania!o( +he is

e$7uisie( 6 don #la&e you.any &an would ha)e a wea*ness for su"h a "reaure( e

"an share her if you li*e(2

A his, her sri"*en !a'e flew o 3arius, #u hen a "old shai of horror spi*ed down her

spine, for he was feasin! his eyes on her #are #reass, his !a'e de)ourin! her na*edness(

23arius:2 she as*ed in a pleadin! whisper( Philippes fin!ers fli"*ed in ea!er a!iaion

o)er he *nifes hil, #u his s&ooh, sure )oi"e held a noe of riu&ph( 2Co&e and ase

her( No one needs o *now( Really, afer all you)e done for your *in!, isn she he leas

you deser)e:2

inally, 3arius loo*ed up fro& his ini&ae perusal of her #ody( +he "au!h he flash of

whie eeh in his "old, wi"*ed s&ile( He #e!an saunerin! slowly oward he&, and

dire"ed his 7uesion o Philippe( 2ha do you su!!es:2

Her )ery &ind "ho*ed 6&a!es e$ploded in her &e&ory of he las i&e she had seen

3arius, si$ &onhs a!o( As usual he had i!nored her fro& he &o&en he se foo in he

pala"e, #u ha day, she had opened he door o he &usi" roo& in he &iddle of he

afernoon o find hi& ra)ishin! one of his &any lo)ers a!ains he wall( His loose whie

shir had #een han!in! fro& his shoulders, #rown "hes #ared, his #la"* #ree"hes din!in!

upon his lean hips as he wo&an wih her s*irs hi"hed up fuled o undress hi&(

hen +eralina had opened he door, he had loo*ed o)er and held her sho"*ed !a'e for a

se"ond(

+he sill re&eered he s&olderin! loo* in his eyes as she Mood in he doorway, &ouh

a!ape, eyes wide( +he re&eered he &o"*in! s&ile of sedu"ion he had sen her #efore

?he sla&&ed he door and fled( 6 was 7uie he sa&e as he one on his s"arred lips now(

26ll hold her for you,2 Philippe said(

2Oh, she wouldn fi!h &e,2 he &ur&ured( 2ould you, (&!el:2

Her "hee*s urned "ri&son( +he lowered her head, hear poundin! &adly( Trelin!


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)iolenly, she "ould no #ear o @iB* a hi& as he sal*ed oward he&(

+he swore o herself his was par of a ruse( +he was he Prin"ess Royal9 3arius would

ne)er.ne)er(

u he was unli*e any &an she *new, his +paniard wih his i-le #eauy( +he "ould

neiher predi" nor &ana!e hi& ,is she did he ohers( +he only *new ha he feared

nohin! and ha, for all his loyaly o her faher, he o#eyed no law #u

his own(

One slow, relenless sride afer anoher, he "a&e o perhaps hree in"hes away fro& her,

so "lose his "hes nearl #rushed her #reass( +he "ould feel hi& #reahin! a!ains hr

+he was rapped #eween he wo all, ruhless &en hei #reah a!!ed, her e$posed s*in

ra"in! wih shi)er hoi and "old( He was !oin! o ou"h her a any &o&en, he *i Chee*s

#la'in!, she waned o die for sha&e of hu pen desire he wo)e ino her fear( sually she

was 7ui"*%wied #ui a he &o&en she was &ue, sarin! #ro*enly a a sil)er #uon on

his "oa ri!h a her eye le)el(

+he "ould no hin* of a sin!le hin! o say o ry o sa)e herself, "ould no find her )oi"e

o in)o*e her fahers na&e, nor her fian"/s.in his &o&en, she "ould no e)en pi"ure

Ana%loles fa"e( Terror wiped her &ind #lan*, and 3arius filled her senses.fier"e,

ele&enal(

His nearness, he sheer &ale for"e of hi&, o)erwhel&ed her( Her nosrils were filled wih

he "lean, &us*y s"en of hi&, &in!led wih he s&ell of horses and 6"alher, he e$oi"

spi"e of he "heroos he was always s&o*in!, and he "oppery ain of #lood( +he "ould

feel he hea radiain! fro& his powerful #ody, feel he hru&&in! ension "oiled in his

hard, sinewy for&(

Then i all happened a on"e( He sei'ed Philippe #y he hroa and *no"*ed her ou of his

!rasp( Philippes #lade flashed, sa##in! a hi&( He du"*ed #a"*, !raspin! Philippes ri!h

wris while +erafina wen sulin!, landin! on her hands and *nees near he ed!e of he

"ouryard( Pullin! he re&nans of her #odi"e up o)er her shoulders wih sha*in! hands,

she i&&ediaely s"raled a#ou fa"e o see if 3arius was hur( The founain parly

#lo"*ed her )iew( There was a "laer of &eal(

Philippe "ursed as his weapon wen s*ierin! a"ross he #ri"*s( He lun!ed afer i( 3arius

*i"*ed i away and laid hold of hi&( lailin! wildly, Philippe ore free and #oled(

3arius was upon hi&( He !ra##ed Philippe #y he #a"* of he "ollar and hurled hi&

around, hrowin! hi& down ono he fla!sone, #lo"*in! he e$i(

+he loo*ed up in dread when she heard he whisper of neal, and saw 3ariuss e#ony%

handled da!!er, he sli& ele!an"e of he #lade *issed #y &oonli!h(


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)h, God.

hen Philippe hrew up #oh hands o ward off he firs #low, 3ariuss da!!er slashed

a"ross #oh his open pal&s(

+erafina urned her fa"e away, #u she heard e)ery dra!!in! se"ond of heir fi!h, e)ery

!asp and "ho*e and low "urse as 3arius sa)a!ed hi&(

The "i"adas s"rea&ed( +he lon!ed o run( hen 3arius swore in so&e un*nown

lan!ua!e, she opened her eyes and saw hi& lif his da!!er in #oh hands for die final "u,

saw his #eauiful fa"e ali!h wih sa)a!ery(

Don't.

+he s7uee'ed her eyes shu i!h as he *nife plun!ed srai!h down li*e a #ird of prey(

Philippes s"rea& was shor, foilowed #y a silen"e(

Then she heard only he #ree'e #lowin! hrou!h he uniper=( +he #e"a&e aware of he

sound of a &ans fier"e panin!( +he fel li*e she was !oin! o hrow up(

6 dawned on her wih sudden hyseria ha she had o run( +he had o es"ape fro& here,

!e away fro& hi& a on"e #efore he "a&e o sae he lus shed read in his sare( He was

he deadlies &an in he *in!do& and he was ou of "onrol, redu"ed #y ra!e o he law of

his #oyhood.he law of he srees(

Ne)er a*in! her eyes off hi&, she sho)ed o her fee in one er*y &oion as 3arius ra*ed

a hand hrou!h his hair, pushin! his forelo"* ou of his eyes, a #la"*, de&oni" shape

a!ains he lesser dar* of ni!h( A se"ond laer, he wren"hed his *nife ou of Philippes

#Teas(

+he wa"hed hi&, wild%eyed, "lu"hin! he sil* re&nans of her #odi"e o!eher as she

in"hed sideways alon! he peri&eer of he "ouryard( +he i!nored he pri"*ly #ran"hes

ra*in! he ender s*in of her #a"*( He was #lo"*in! he only e$i, #u she would "law her

way hrou!h he hi"* hed!e if she had o(

3arius rose fro& Philippes lifeless #ody( He loo* a hand*er"hief fro& he po"*e of his

i&pe""a#le "oa, he "oon pearl%whie in he dar*( ipin! he #lood off his hands, he

paused and suddenly urned, !i)in! he #ody a )i"ious *i"* in he ri#s(

+erafina le ou a s&all s"rea&, a*en off !uard #y his swill( e&pesuous &o)e&en

3arius loo*ed o)er a her, sarin! harshly a her for a se"ond, as if he were only us

re&eerin! she was here(

Then he sood )ery sil, panin!, a all, silen fi!ure loo& in = in he dar*ness(

2ha are you doin!:2 His )oi"e was unner)in!ly 7uiei(

Trapped in his seady, pier"in! !a'e, she fro'e(

2>esus,2 he &uered, "losin! his eyes for a se"ond(

+he said nohin!, !aherin! her orn dress i!her a!ains hur in #oh sweain! pal&s as


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she "al"ulaed he odds of su""essfully runnin! pas hi&(

He hea)ed a si!h, shoo* his head o hi&self, hen wen anil splashed his fa"e under he

"old #u##lin! founain( A &o&e& laer, he wal*ed oward her, slippin! off his #la"*

a"*e(

+he shran* #a"* a!ains he #ushes fro& hi&(

He held ou he "oa, offerin! i o her(

+he didn dare &o)e e)en o a*e i, didn dare a*e her eyes off hi&(

He had *illed hree &en all in a ni!hs wor*, he was *nown o do inde"en hin!s o

wo&en in he &iddle of he day, he hail sared a her #reass, and hen here was he oher

&aer, &ore rou#lin! sill, ha ei!h years a!o she had #een &ar*ed wih his &ans

#lood(

6 had happened in he "iy s7uare on her welfh #irhday( when so&eone ried o shoo

he *in!( +he had #een sandin! here s&ilin! a her #irhday fesi)iies, holdin! her

papas hand, when he would%#e assassin aa"*ed( And +ania!o, hi#eauifil &ad&an,

she hou!h, do)e ino he pah of he #ulle, his ho, s"arle #lood splashin! her "hee*

and her new whie fro"*(

+in"e ha day, deep down in a pri&al, illo!i"al pla"e inside of her ha responded o

hin!s li*e he war&h of fire and he s&ell of "oo*in! food, deep down in her #lood and

#ones where she was no prin"ess, no polii"al pawn, #u si&ply wo&an, she *new she

#elon!ed o his &an(

And he &os errifyin! hin! of all was ha she sensed he *new i, oo(

His inense, fiery !a'e sofened sli!hly under his lon! lashes(

+he "ouldn sop sha*in!(

A!ain, he offered he "oa

2Ta*e i, Prin"esa,2 he said sofly(

ihou warnin!, her eyes #ri&&ed a his !enle one(

His lon! lashes fii"*ed downward, as if he had no idea wha o do wih her(

26ll help you,2 he said relu"anly, holdin! ou he "oa so she would only ha)e o slip her

ar&s inside he slee)es(

Hesianly, she le hi& pu i on her li*e a "hild(

26 hou!h(((2 she #e!an( +he #i down on her lower lip, una#le o finish(

21 *now wha you hou!h(2 His )oi"e was low, fier"e( 26 would ne)er hur you(2

Their sares lo"*ed, "lashed, #oh wary(

+he was he firs o drop her !a'e, asounded #y her own unfa&iliar &ee*ness( Her e$%

!o)erness would ne)er ha)e #elie)ed i( 23idn.didn you need hi& ali)e:2

2ell, hes dead now, isn he:2 he said in weary dis!us 26ll &ana!e(2 One fis propped


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on his hip, for a &o&en he ru##ed his forehead(

2Than* you,2 she whispered sha*ily(

He shru!!ed and wal*ed away, reurnin! o he founain( inally, now ha she saw he

dan!er ruly was pas, all he sren!h drained fro& her( Tears o)eroo* her, #lindin! her(

+he san* down where she was, "ollapsin! slowly in a heap u he #ri"*s( rappin! his

a"*e i!her around her, she sa( #ra"ed her el#ows on her #en *nees, and held her head

in #oh hands, fi!hin! ears for all she was worh(

Iwill not cry in front of him, she hou!h9 fier"ely, #u a &o&en or wo laer, she

su""ued( +he "ouldn help i(

hen she so##ed aloud, he loo*ed o)er in surprise( rownin!, he "a&e #a"* o her,

sandin! all a#o)e her( +he "ould no su&&on any sense of pride, she us "ried, sniffled

furiously, and #rushed a ear off her "he"* wih he #a"* of her hand, una#le o loo* up

#eyond his shiny #la"* #oos wih heir "ruel, sil)er spurs(

He "rou"hed down, sear"hin! her eyes( 2Hey, Prin"ess( has his: 4ou ryin! o ruin

&y ni!h:2

+he sared a hi& in a&a'e&en(#uin his ni!h:

+he u&ped when he rea"hed ou oward her, #u he &erely offered her a nealy folded

hand*er"hief, produ"in! i ou of nowhere wih a #i of ;ypsy slei!h of hand(

Afer a &o&ens hesiaion, she a""eped i, re&eerin! as she dried her eyes how she

used o hin* he was &a!i" when she was a lile !irl, for he "ould pull a !old "oin ou of

her ear and &a*e i )anish a!ain(

He sudied her, he arro!an s&ir* on his lips a odds wih he rou#led loo* in his eyes(

2has he &aer: 4ou s"ared of &e now, li*e e)eryone else:2

Her answer was a sin!le, sha*in! so# ha "a&e all he way up fro& her lun!s(

The s&ir* faded( 2Hey, "o&e on, lile Cri"*e, This is &e(2 he said &ore !enly( He

loo*ed al&os sha*en( 24ou *now &e( 4ou)e always *nown &e( +in"e you were his #i!,

yes:2 He held up hu and forefin!er a#ou an in"h apar,

+he !lan"ed a his hand, hen &e his eyes un"erainly(

6 was a half%ruh( All her life he had #een here, in he shadows, #u no one really *new

3arius +ania!o( He would no allow i( 6ndeed, he sa)ed his &os s"ahin! &o"*ery for

hose who ried o lo)e hi&, as she had learned(

Tweny years a!o, us #efore she was #o&, her parens had a*en 3arius off he srees, a

feral #oy%hief who, #y an a" of )alor, had sa)ed her &ohers life( 6n han*s, Papa had

&ade hi& a royal ward, raised hi& as his own son.insofar as 3ariuss &a!nifi"en pride

would per&i hi& o a""ep wha he )iewed as "hariy( ro& he i&e she was o9d enou!h

o reali'e ha she was so&ehin! of a disappoin&en o her parens, a firs#orn dau!her


13/273

raher han he hoped%for son and royal heir, she had found an ally and proe"or in her

fellow ousider, he half%;ypsy #oy whose only friends, i see&ed, were he horses of he

royal sa#le(

He lowered his lon!, hi"* lashes, and his )oi"e was sofer( eil, is ail ri!h if youre

s"ared of &e now( 6 don #la&e you( +o&ei&es 6 e)en s"are &yself(2 24ou *illed he&,2

she whispered( 26 was horri#le(2 2Thas &y o#, and yes, so&ei&es i is horri#le,2 he

replied( 26 a& sorry you saw i( 4ou should ha)e "losed your eyes, 4our Hi!hness(2 26

did( 1 "ould sill hear(2

He #risled( 2The &an insuled your honor( He !o wha he deser)ed(2 He rose and

wal*ed away(

Holdin! her head in one hand, her el#ow #ra"ed on her *nee, +erafina wa"hed hi& sal*

off a"ross he "ouryard, his #road #a"* and narrow wais snu!ly fied in his #la"*

wais"oa, his enor&ous ar&s draped in full, whie slee)es(

ow I ha*e offended him. He was an a"uely sensii)e #ein!, she well *new(

2Co&e, 4our Hi!hness,2 he said, re&oe( 26s !oin! o #e a lon! ni!h( The ren"h ha)e a

few &ore spies planed in he pala"e( 6 don *now who hey are ye and 6)e !o o

"a"h =he&( nil 1 do, we)e !o o !e you ou of here i&&ediaely(2 +he hea)ed a si!h

and "lied o her fee, her le!s sill sha*y fro& her ordeal(

3arius waied for her #y he founain #u he sill would no loo* a her, "losed wihin

hi&self( Hands on his hips, he lifed his finely s"ulped fa"e and assessed he #roodin!

ni!h s*y(

The waery &oonli!h slid down his hi!h%#oned "hee*s, *issed his #ierswee, #eauiful

&ouh wih is !olden !low(

hen she oined hi&, he urned fro& her o iead he way( 2irs well ha)e o !o see your

faher( Hell assi!n so&eone o a*e you ino hidin!.2

23arius, wai(2 +he laid a hand on he #road "ur)e of his ar&( 26 didn &ean.2

2Ti&e is of he essen"e, 4our Hi!hness(2 He pulled away(

As he sepped #eyond her rea"h, her hand slid off his ar&( ;lan"in! off his shoulder

#lade, her fin!erips nailed hrou!h an in)isi#le pa"h of war&, sli"* weness on his #la"*

wais"oa(

+he fro'e( +lowly, she urned her pal& upward(

23arius,2 she #reahed, sarin! down a her #loodied hand(

2ha:2

24oure #leedin!(2

+he heard his low, "yni"al lau!h as he sru"* a sulfur &a"h D on he sone !roes7ue of


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Pan, li!hin! a "heroo(

2ho !i)es a da&n, +erafina:2 he said #ierly under his #reah( 2ho !i)es a da&n:2

ih "areless !ra"e, he fli"*ed he sill%#urnin! &a"h ino he founain and wal*ed away

as is #ri!h fla&e win*ed ou(

CHAPTER TO

Only one hin! re&ained for a &an of honor whose life had #e"o&e a li)in! hellD a

!lorious deah( A he &o&en, 3arius +ania!o lon!ed for i(

+he was afraid of hi&, yes, wih !ood reason, he hou!h #ierly( +he was he only pure

hin! he had e)er *nown, !enle and inno"en as dayli!h, and now she had seen hi& *ill

li*e an ani&al.*ill, and relish he *illin!(

He had a*en su"h pains o sheler her fro& he dar*ness of hi&self.and now his(

As he wal*ed away fro& her, 3arius si&&ered wih self%d>re"ed fury, sha*en and

unner)ed ye a!ain #y he &addenin!, hea)enly "reaure( He "ould no wai o #e rid of

her and on his way a!ain so he "ould resu&e preendin! she didn e$is(

To see her was pain(

Ofen, far away on his &issions, he i&a!ined ha if he "ould us see her, #e near her,

s&ell her, he would #as* in an e"sasy as on so&e nar"oi" dru!, #u, of "ourse, i was no

so( Tha was &erely he illusion ha had susained hi& for he pas year or so, on his

downward spiral( Now he saw he ruh( E)ery &o&en in her presen"e was orure

#e"ause she was e)eryhin! he needed, and he "ould no ha)e her(

He "ould no ha)e her( Tha was all he *new( u soon he would find release(

r!en"y hru&&ed inside his )eins( He had o !e ou of here, away fro& her( As soon as

possi#le, hed #e on his way( He had wal*ed away fro& her hree years a!o, on hai sarry

April ni!h when she had slipped her ar&s around his ne"*, *issed his "hee*, and

whispered ha she lo)ed hi&. absurd$.and he would wal* away a!ain oni!h, us as

soon as hed seen her lo safey( E)en now, he was wal*in! away, fleein! wha he &os

desperaely "ra)ed(

He had a*en only hree or four seps away fro& her( howe)er, when she "au!h up o hi&

and fir&ly oo* his hand(

2Oh, "o&e alon!,2 she said, wih e$asperaion ed!in! her sof, sli!hly s"ra"hy )oi"e(

Ta*en a#a"*, he lifed a #row, oo &ysified o proes as she u!!ed hi& #y he hand,

pullin! hi& #ehind her li*e an erran "hild(

+he &ar"hed a"ross he "ouryard, e)er so li*e he fairy 7ueen in a sni, he hou!h( The

opulen rio of her ion!, loose spiral%"urls floun"ed down her #a"* wih e)ery )e$ed sep(

21 will ne)er undersand you, +ania!o,2 she huffed( 23on you e)en "are ha you are


15/273

wounded:2

He was always +ania!o when she was s"oldin!,

23oesn hur,2 he lied, his "areless #ra)ado honed o a ra'ors ed!e( +e"rely, howe)er, he

was pleased ha he "u had #ou!h hi& a lile of her "hariy( Perhaps i would also a*e

her &ind off wha she had #een hrou!h and wha she had winessed(

2hy didn you ell &e a on"e ha he "u you:2 The s"owl she hrew hi& o)er her

ele!an shoulder showed off he "lean, pari"ian lines of her deli"ae profile and he

a#surd len!h of her #la"*%)el)e lashes( 2hy &us i always #e a !uessin! !a&e wih

you( How "ould you sand here #leedin! and le &e !o on #awlin! li*e #a#y: Oh, ne)er

&ind( 6s i #ad:2

2No need o "all he eal&er ye( ell,2 he a&ended, 2&ay#e for hi&(2

+he sopped shor as she "a&e o he dead #ody #lo"*in! he e$i( +he peered down a her

dainy #are oes, in"hes fro& he pool of #lood( He i!nored he #lood, &ore ineresed in

he sil)er rin!s adornin! her oes(

-iie ;ypsy, he hou!h in se"re deli!h( A few of her sray, sooy "urls fell forward,

sofly fra&in! her pa9e( hear%shaped fa"e as she lowered her head( Then she !lan"ed up

a hi& in disress(

He !rowled a her o#)ious need for assisan"e( 2Allow &e,2 he &uered, loah o ou"h

her(

Her "rea&y "hee*s heaed wih a su&&er%rose #lush when he #en down sli!hly, slipped

his uninured ri!h ar& around her hips, and lifed her a!ains his "hesl( 6nwardly, he

!roaned lo feel her flal #elly and lush #reass pressed o his fe)erish #ody(

+he was he *in!s only dau!her and hed really had no need o *now ha her ri"h, #erry

lips &a"hed her nipples e$a"ly(

+erafina wrapped her ar&s around his ne"*, loo*in! down a he dead &an in &or#id

fas"inaion as 3arius sepped o)er he "orpse( +he was )ery li!h, he hou!h as he held

her( Tall and proud, #u deli"aely #oned( He se her down 7ui"*ly on her fee in he !rass

on he oher side9

+he pulled his a"*e i!her around her, folded her slender ar&s under her spe"a"ular

#oso&, and re!arded hi& *eenly( Are you hur anywhere else, or is i us he shoulder:2

+he waied, !a'in! up a hi& e$pe"anly, #u so&ehow he for!o o answer, pro&ply

"au!h up in her oherworldly )iole eyes( Ah, #u hose eyes were his wea*ness( -u"id

and swee, hey were he "olor of >une wili!hs, fields of hya"inhs in hea)en, or he

la)ender of sunse on snow( Eyes ha hauned his drea&s( He reali'ed he was sarin! and

shoo* hi&self free of #er spell, dis!used wih his own sus"epi#iliy(

26s no serious,2 he said a las, hopin! he was ri!h( He fel he war& ri"*le of #lood


16/273

inside his shir, #u he didn ha)e i&e o #e wounded( He had a o# o do( Than! God for

that.

+he lifed one #row, !i)in! his s*epi"al loo* ri!h #a"* o hi&(

26s nohin!,2 he reieraed "risply(

26ll #e he ud!e of ha,2 she said, hen fir&ly oo* his hand a!ain(

He !lan"ed warily a her as she led hi& down he &a'es narrow lane li*e an i&paien

!o)erness wih an i&possi#le "har!e( +he see&ed )ery deler&ined a#ou so&ehin!( He

supposed he should pro#a#ly worry(

A he inerse"ion of he lanes, on"e &ore ihe prin"ess sared a he dead ren"h&an as if

she "ould no "o&prehend how his #lond, "urly head had "o&e o #e s*ewed a su"h an

i&possi#le an!le(

3arius de"ided he didn &u"h li*e her ineres in his handiwor*, nor did he appre"iae

her wary, sideward !lan"e ha fli"*ed o his ar&s, as if o say, +ou did that with your

bare hands

He !a)e her a 7uellin! loo*, pulled his hand ou of hers, and wal*ed on, sridin! down

he #ree'y "orridor #eween he hed!es( +erafina "au!h up, s*ippin! now and hen o

*eep up wih his lon!er pa"es(

2ha did hey wan, anyway: 6 hou!h hey were &y friends(2

2+orry, hey weren,2 he said, fli"*in! he ashes off his "heroo and ryin! desperaely o

re!ain his sharp, effi"ien "onrol

2Napoleon sen he&:2

2ou"he, o #e e$a".Napoleons &iniser of poli"e( Offi"ially spea*in!, he e&peror

*nows nohin! of his(2

2They didn wan o *ill &e, surely:2 she e$"lai&ed(

2No(2

2To sop &y &arria!e, hen:2

Her sunnin! loo*s and li!hheared &anner &ade i easy lo for!e how inelli!en she

was, he hou!h, an o)ersi!h &en &ade o heir folly( ih a s&ile, she "ould wis any

&ale around her fin!er, e)en he &i!hy Prin"e Anaole Tyurino), i see&ed, "onsiderin!

he fa" ha she had &ana!ed o wresi so&e "on"essions fro& he Russian a#ou freein!

half his serfs o)er a period of wo years(

24es,2 he answered, 2o sop your &arria!e( 6f he ren"h had you in heir possession,

your faher would ha)e no "hoi"e #u o hand o)er "onrol of As"en"ions na)y( They)e

#een pohe a#ou i ill now, #u your fian"/s inrodu"ion ino he e7uaion &ade hese


17/273

despi"a#le, underhanded a"i"s una)oida#le on heir par(2

+he sifled a sound of i&paien"e as she loo*ed away, s"owlin! preily a!ain( 2u now

ha Napoleon has "o&&and of +pains ships, why does he sill wan &y fahers na)y:2

2Nohin! is e)er enou!h for onapare, you *now ha,2 he answered wih an e$halaion

of s&o*e( 2esides, he sill hasn a&assed he for"es ne"essary o a*e En!land( Hes

!oin! o need all he )essels he "an !e his hands on( ran*ly, hell ne)er "arry i off,2 he

re&ar*ed( 26 hope no(2

The wind rose, "arryin! o he& he s&eli of he sea as i ra*ed hrou!h he owerin!

hed!es( +he s*ipped a sep o *eep up, #rushed a lon!, #lowin! lo"* of her hair away

fro& her &ouh, and !lan"ed up a hi& raher an$iously(

26 suppose Napoleon hou!h he "ould le!ii&i'e *idnappin! &e #y for"in! &e o &arry

his lile nay%pay, Eu!ene:2

2A""ordin! o &y sour"es, yes, ha was he noion(2 +he !a)e a deli"ae snor(

He suppressed a s&ile( The >ewel of As"en"ion was ad&iedly hard o i&press(

Eu!ene eauha&ais, Napoleons weny%four%year%old sepson, was perhaps he only

"onender for +erafinas hand of who& 3arius did no hearily disappro)e( The youn!

ariso"ra was honora#le, loyal, and e)en%e&pered.and any &an who dared hin* of

&arryin! his !irl, he *new, would need he paien"e of >o#( nforunaely, Eu!ene was

on he wron! side of he war( E)en sill, 3arius al&os would ha)e preferred hi& insead

of he hus#and he *in! had found her o ward off Napoleons hreaened in)asion.he

)ain!lorious !olden !ian PRin"e Anaole Tyurino)(

3esirous of a royal #ride o o)erawe his friends and rouse en)y in his ene&ies, he

!lorious Anaole, as 3arius had "o&e &o"*in!ly o hin* of hi&, had )isied he *in!do&

se)eral &onhs a!o o inspe" +erafinas fa&ous #eauy( 3arius had #een on duy in

Mos"ow durin! heir forni!hls "ourship( The &a"h had #een 7ui"*ly arran!ed(

Too #loody 7ui"*ly, he hou!h raher #ierly, lie had no e)en "o&pleed his #a"*!round

"he"* on he prospe"li F i #nde !roo& for he *in!, #u he #ar!ain was sealed(

6n e$"han!e for her hand, he hiry%hree%year%old Gussi & war hero had pled!ed o a*e

his ar&y of a hundred housand roops and #rin! a rain of fire on Paris iself if Napoleon

&ae any &o)e a!ains he iny, neulral As"en"ion(

The pea"e had #een preser)ed #y he sale&ae, he weddirn( dae se for he firs of >une,

less han a &onh away, #u 3anus had already &ade up his &ind ha i would ne)er a*e

pla"e(

He sole a "o)er !lan"e a he #reaha*in! youn! wo&an #y his side(

He did no dou# ha +erafina had #e!uiled Tyurino) she did no ofen use heT #eauy for


18/273

&e &i!hy weapon i was, #u when she did, a &an didn ha)e a "han"e( u he

wondered no for he firs i&e, wha her feelin!s were in reurn( eween his #lue%

#looded pedi!ree, &arial )i"ories, and !olden !ood loo*s, wo&en ended o !o insane

o)er he !lorious Anaole Perhaps +erafina had found hi& worhy of her( Perhaps she had

fallen in lo)e(

The hou!h "oiled his so&a"h in *nos( He de"ided he didn really wan9 o *now(

>us hen, a low rule of hunder rolled a"ross he s*y(

+erafina and he !lan"ed a ea"h oher( He was a#ou o su!!es ha hey run, #u he was

oo lae( The su&&er downpour he s*y had pro&ised all e)enin! #e!an, seadily pelin!

he& wih sof, a raindrops(

They #oh us sood here loo*in! a ea"h oher and !ein! we(

2Ah, well,2 he said a las wih a weary si!h( He hrew his ruined "heroo ino he !rass,

and lowered his head as he rain soa*ed his slee)es and his hair(

+erafina iled her fa"e #a"* o "a"h he rain( +he urned her hands pa&s upward,

"uppin! he&(

He !lan"ed a her sandin! here in his a"*e, whi"h rea"hed al&os o her *nees( +he

was #edra!!led and #arefoo li*e a waif, #as*in! in he rain li*e a flower, and ou of

nowhere, slowly she #e!an o lau!h(

A he ri"h, "areless sound of her lau!her, he fou!h a s&ile, #u when she loo*ed o)er o

&ee his !a'e, lau!hin! a he *new no wha, he los he #ale and found hi&self

lau!hin! 7uiely, oo(

+he lifed her hands o)er her head, wriss o!eher, pal&s open, and wirled around on"e

in a "ir"le, her head hrown #a"* o he rain, her lon! "urls spinnin! ou around her,

raindrops on her hair li*e dia&onds( 23arius92 she e$"lai&ed( 24ou sa)ed &e92 +he

dan"ed o)er o hi& wih a sin!le fairyli*e &oion, laid one war& hand on his #elly o

#ra"e herself, and, lifin! up ono her loes( *issed he hard, we line of his aw, rain

srea&in! in ri)ules down her fa"e(

ih ha, she flied away and ran off li*e a woodland ny&ph, ailin! sil)ery lau!her

hrou!h he rain(

3a'ed, he "ould only sland here for a &inue, sarin! afer her( a!uely, he pressed his

hand o his so&a"h where she had ou"hed hi&( He wa"hed her "a"hin! raindrops on

her on!ue, and for a &o&en, he a"hed(

A hunder#ol sru"* nearer hen, li*e a "annons sho, li*e Ieuss wrah(

3arius shoo* his head as if o "lear i, ra*ed a hand hrou!h

liis rain%sli"* hair, and s7uined a!ains he rain, wonderin!

who he *in! would !e o a*e her ino hidin! and !uard her(


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-u"*ily, he hi&self would #e oo #usy "a"hin! spies(

+erafina waied ahead for hi&, sa&pin! in a !rassy puddle(

He "au!h up o her and hey lef he &a'e side #y side,

dren"hed #y he rain as hey ran hrou!h he o"a!onal parerres and down he pro&enade

lined #y all "olu&ns of #ushes

s"ulped ino spirals(

The rain was si''lin! on he "o##led pah when hey arri)ed a he lile waerwor*s

#uildin! no far fro& he &a'e( Tu"*ed under &ounds of lila"s he e$a" "olor of her

eyes, he sleepy lile ser)i"e #uildin! was a s&all s7uare of red #ri"*(

oh of he& soa*ed o he s*in and #reahless fro& runnin!, he held he door for her(

Her panin! lau!her e"hoed in is sin!le roo&, e&py #u for so&e !arden i&ple&ens

and he )al)es and !au!es and &eal "onrapions whi"h "onrolled he &any founains on

he !rounds(

endin! !ra"efully o 6he side, +erafina wrun! ou her lon! hair wih #oh hands while he

!roped his way hrou!h he pi"h%dar*, ryin! o find he s&all wooden door whi"h led lo

he passa!e "onne"in! he waerwor*s o he pala"e(

2ai for &e( 6 "an see you(2

He sopped, holdin! ou his hand o her( +he ran ino i in he dar*(

2Are you !ra##in! &e:2 she as*ed in playful indi!naion(

24oud li*e ha, wouldn you:2 he &uered

2E$"eedin!ly92

2lir(2 He shoo* his head half in wonder a her swif re"o)ery afer her ordeai( Then

a!ain, she was &u"h ou!her han she nor&ally le on( -i*e hi&, she &erely played a

pan( #u he had always *nown he real +erafina( 24oun! lady, you are definiely due for a

le"ure(2

2Oh, how 1 &iss your le"ures, 3arius92

He #u&ped ino so&ehin! and &uered an oah(

2The #lind leadin! he #lind,2 she said, !i!!lin! and "lin!in! loosely o his ar&(

2hai a& 1 o do, a*e you in hrou!h he fron enran"e: 3o you wan o &ee he

Russian diplo&as loo*in! li*e a drowned ra:2

26 ne)er loo* li*e a drowned ra( 6& Helen of Troy, re&eer:2

Ta*en a#a"* #y he "yni"is& under"uin! her #lihe one, ((" &erely said, 2Trus &e(2

2-ord, are you !oin! o find i or no: 6 ha)en !o all ni!h(2

2Eure*a(2 he replied(

He opened he lile door( 6 "rea*ed in he dar*(


20/273

+he peered warily ino he doorway( 26s #la"* as a o down here(2

2Ne)er fear, 6 *now he way(2

y his early wenies, he had wor*ed his way up o he pos of "apain of he Royal

;uard, headin! pala"e se"uriy, #u hed *nown of he se"re passa!es wihin he #uildin!

sin"e he was a lad( nderfoo while he pala"e was under "onsru"ion, hed e$plored

e)ery in"h of i, al&os as if he had *nown ha on"e i was "o&pleed and filled wih

lords and "ouriers and ai"h, here would #e no real pla"e here for a youn! half%;ypsy

hief2, no &aer how &u"h he adored he !odli*e &an and !enle lady who had a*en

hi& in when hed had nohin! and no one(

E)en as a #oy, i had #een i&poran o show Gin! -a'ar and Jueen Alie!ra ha heir

!enerosiy was no &ispla"ed( He had #een fairly sure hey wouldn send hi& away, for

hey reaed hi& li*e a &eer of heir own fa&ily, #u he wasn a*in! any "han"es( He

had applied hi&self o learnin! o read, !ein! an edu"aion, silenly sudyin! he people

around hi&, and &aserin! e)ery weapon he "ould find( He had #een !i)en he "han"e o

#e"o&e so&ehin! hi!her and #eer han he was, and he "hanneled his an!er ino sri)in!

for e$"ellen"e( As a ward of he *in!, he "ould ha)e had "ounless ad)ana!es, #u he had

insised on lifin! hi&self up #y his own &eri, for he ne)er waned his #enefa"ors o

hin* for one se"ond ha he ser)ed he& ou of any oher &oi)e han !raiude, honor,

loyaly, and lo)e(

Carefully, he led heir dau!her down he spiralin! &eal sairs o he passa!e #elow(

e"ause he "orridor was perfe"ly li!hless, he le her *eep holdin! his ar&, #u in he

dar*, wih her so "lose and wih ihu war&h and he s"en of her en)elopin! hi&, i was

sran!e how )i)id his i&a!inaion !rew(

isions "a&e o hi& of &aneu)erin! her a!ains he s&ooh su""oed wall and *issin!

her, asin! her &ouh, parin! his a"*e, and "uppin! her #eauiful #reass in his hands,

"aressin! her unil she for!o he oher &ans ou"h on her sil*en s*in, unil he had

o#lieraed i wih his own(

+ha*en #y he inensiy of he i&pulse, he s7uared his shoulders, lifed his "hin, and

pi"*ed up he pa"e, his spurs sri*in! ihe fla!sones wih ea"h swif sride(

He "ould ha)e any wo&an he waned(

Any #u his one.

2+o, 3arius, how did you &ana!e o #e in he ri!h pla"e a he e$a" &o&en 6 needed

you:2 she as*ed, !i)in! his ar& anoher fond u!( 2;ypsy &a!i":2

+he was he only person who "ould &enion he &ore dis!ra"eful half of his heria!e

wihou insulin! hi&(

2Hardly( 6 was no "oin"iden"e( 6 ried o "o&e ashore in se"re #u +ain%-auren &us


21/273

ha)e "au!h wind of &y arri)al 1 presu&e he fel for"ed o &a*e his &o)e wheher he

was ready or no,2

26 see(2 +he was silen for a &o&en, hen her one was hesian( 23arius, 1 *now you

&us repor o Papa, #u 1 don wan you o ell hi& wha Philippe ((( did( 6 would only

hur hi&(2

Her re7ues sarled hi&.he didn hin* she "ould see hai far #eyond herself.#u his

own ready "o&plian"e surprised hi& e)en &ore( -a'ar would wan o *now he full

e$en of he ren"h insul o his dau!her, #u she was ri!h( ha purpose wouid i

ser)e: 6 would only infla&e he proud Gin! -a'ar di iore o a!iae Napoleon worse(

24es, 4our Hi!hness,2 he &ur&ured wih he dis7uiein! hou!h ha he was addin! up

all sors of se"res fro& he *in! hese days(

2irs well ha)e o !o o &y apar&ens so 1 "an "han!e his dress( 6f Papa sees how orn

i is(((2

21 undersand(

Than* you,2 she whispered( And afer a &o&en she added( 26 a& so )ery !lad you are

ho&e, 3arius( 6 worry for you so when you are !one(2

He fel her hands slide down his ar&, !enly "laspin! his hand in #oh of hers( He

swallowed hard( 6n he dar*ness, he opened his hand and lin*ed his fin!ers hrou!h hers,

pullin! her !enly around die "o&er(

+oon 6hey as"ended &e li!hless, narrow sairs( They urned on he landin!, #u as hey

sared up die se"ond fli!h, he #e!an o feel disur#in!ly li!h%headed( He i!nored he

fain, si"* di''iness a firs, #u &idway up he sairs he leaned a!ains he wall suddenly,

o)er"o&e #y a wa)e of nausea whi"h he *new "ould only #e he resul of #lood loss( His

shoulder hur li*e hell( 23arius: ha is i:2

2 6 & all ri!h(2 +ars #urs #efore his eyes on he #la"*ness( 2+i down( 6ll !o for he

sur!eon(2 2No, is nohin!, 6 don.wan ha.#ulin! idio( 6ll us.2 He los ra"*

of wha he was sayin! in a wa)e of di''iness( His #reah urned lo shallow panin!( He

sa!!ed a!ains he wall(

2+ay here( 6ll !o find a "andle and ha)e a loo* a ha wound.2

2No9 6 don need anyhin!,2 he !rowled( 2+i down, a leas(2 +he held on o his ar&,

seadyin! hi& needlessly as he san* down ono he sep( How hu&iliain!, he hou!h(

2Oh, 6 wish 6 "ould see you( 6s so dar* in here,2 she said, fussin! o)er hi&( 2Tell &e

e$a"ly wha happened(2

He &erely lau!hed a her, lowerin! his head oward his *nees o fi!h he nausea(

2ere you sa##ed, or is i an in"ise wound:2 she as*ed in a paien one(

2asard !a)e &e a !ood sli"e o)er he shoulder,2 he &uled, "hasened, for he !irl


22/273

sounded !enuinely "on"erned(

2The fron:2

2ron and #a"*, 6 hin*(2

2Any in!lin! in your fin!ers: Nuness:2

26 don *now,2 he si!hed, "losin! his eyes as he leaned a!ains he wall( 26& us so

da&ned ired(2 He hadn &eani o say i( No so earnesly, so 7uiely(

6n he dar*, her sof hand "a&e o res on his "hee*, "aressin! hi&( 26 *now you are, poor

"reaure( 4ou ne)er sop, do you: 4ou ne)er !i)e yourself i&e o heal(2

Her ou"h was hea)en( He resed a!ains her hand for i &o&en, hen pulled away

a#ruply, appalled ha she should say su"h a hin!, appalled he had ad&ied o su"h

wea*ness(

26& fine( >us no as youn! as 6 used o #e,2 he &uered ih one hand, he loosened his

"ra)a( 6 helped &ar!inally( He oo* a deep #reah and seeled hi&self( 2All ri!h +orry(

-es !o(2

"Sony " she e"hoed(

He for"ed hi&self o sand(

The way she oo* his el#ow now annoyed hi&( He shoo* her off( 2or ;ods sa*e, 6&

no an in)alid( 6s us a lill s"ra"h(2

2All ri!h, 3arius( 6s all ri!h,2 she said soohin!ly, #a"*in! off, #u sill near(

He !rowled a her pla"ain! one(

y he i&e hey "a&e ou ino he di&ly li ser)an hall on he hird floor of he royal

#lo"*, he was feelin! seadier and had re!ained his arro!an"e( He swep a hand #efore

her( presenin! he way wih sardoni" !allanry( 2Afer you, 4our Hi!hness(2

Her s*epi"al !lan"e fli"*ed o)er hi&, her )iole eyes a lin* oo shrewd for his "o&for,

hen she urned and wal*ed ahead As hey wen down he hall, she sared a he #roo&s

and #rushes nealy arran!ed on he walls, he shel)es of "risp linens( Cyni"ally, he

reali'ed she had pro#a#ly ne)er seen huD pala"e #efore fro& he ser)ans side(

-ile did she *now her ser)ans were his &ain sour"e of infor&aion, he &used, for no

&aer where his &issions oo*

hi&, he followed her e)ery &o)e fro& afar( -aely, he *new,

she had #een &ore oura!eous han e)er.he suiors, he par%

ies, he anru&s, he shoppin!( +he always urned re"*less

when she was ner)ous or afraid, and i was no diffi"ul o sur%

&is" he sour"e of all her laes #rushes wih s"andal.he

swif approa"h of her weddin! day(


23/273

-s if I'd e*er really lei that *ainglorious brute get his hands on her. he hou!h, #rislin!

wih "arefully "onained fero"iy( He wished he "ould ha)e old her ri!h hen, o pu her

&ind a ease, #u he "ould no eopardi'e he &ission( hen i was o)er, she would *now

he !if he had !i)en her( A shor way down he "orridor, hey "a&e o an inno"en

loo*in! panel on he wail #eween wo "ases of uiliy shel)in!( 3arius paused in fronl of

i, ran his hand down he sea&, , pressed fir&ly, and sood #a"* as i popped open( He

!lan"ed o)er a +erafina as he panel whispered #a"* ino he wall, openin! ino her

dar*ened #ed"haer( He wa"hed her )iole eyes widen( Then her !a'e slid downward,

and she paled sli!hly(

He waied for her o hrow a &aidenly fi of oura!e o reali'e he had his se"re a""ess o

her inner san"u&, #u she *ep her aw su##ornly "la&ped(

2+ain%-aurens asso"iaes are sill a lar!e,2 he said #y way 1 of e$planaion( 26& no

lein! you ou of &y si!h( 4our = Hi!hness,2 he added &eanin!fully.her hule

ser)an( D +he sared srai!h ahead as a #lush flooded her "rea&y "hee*s( 24ou need

no e$plain, 3arius( 6 ha)e "o&plee rus in your honor(2

+he sounded so deer&ined, he wondered who& she was ryin! o "on)in"e(

Ne)erheless, heT words pleased hi&( 2ho else *nows of his panel:1 2No one, &y

lady(2

The ar"hie" was dead, he *in! had pro#a#ly for!oen, and 3arius had no seen fi o

ell his su""essor o die pos of "aps ain of he Royal ;uard a#ou &is pari"ular door( 6

was

nohin! a!ains Orsini personally( 3arius si&ply &sed one where he prin"ess was

"on"erned( He had ne)er e)en "? sidered )iolain! her pri)a"y.no seriously, anyway.

#u &os &en didn ha)e his self%"onrol(

Mainainin! his show of "ool a&use&en while his sho hro##ed, he !esured( 2Afer

you(2

+he lifed her "hin, slipped around he "hair ha sa in he way, and swep re!ally ino her

"haer( He followed, seppin! o)er he hreshold ono wha &os of he &en he *new

would dee& holy !round( He urned #a"* o slide he par shu, hen drifed ino her &a!i"

#ower(

Rain peled ihe wide windowpanes( Thri)in! plans li& he sills and he floor all around

he windows( Her #ed was an en"han&en, "anopied "louds of !au'y whie &os7uio

in! and pin* sain shees( A whie Persian "a slepl "urled a&id 6he plu&p pillows(


24/273

+erafina !lided a"ross he roo&, where she opened a door( -i!h slaned ino he dar*

#edroo&, hen she disappeared ino he adoinin! roo&( He lin!ered, a*in! in he s"ene(

An ornae #ird"a!e was near he #ed, he iny door sandin! open( Me noi"ed he eal

para*ee sudyin! hi& fro& is pos on a "urain rod a#o)e he window, hen her lile pe

&on*ey leaped ou of nowhere, !i)in! hi& a sar( 6 s"ree"hed a hi&, he inruder, and

#e!an "a)orin! around he rails of her #ed(

n!raeful "reaure, he hou!h, sernly re!ardin! die lala%poin &on*ey hissin! a hi&(

3arius had !i)en he ani&al o +erafina as a !if for her fifeenh #irhday( He had old

her i loo*ed li*e her( He disre!arded he &on*ey and narrowed his eyes, his !a'e pi"*in!

ou he ie&s on her #edside a#le se)eral fee away, silly fe&ale frippery( A hair#rush( A

no)el(

>us hen, her lihe silhouee appeared in he doorway( +he was owelin! her lon! hair(

23arius(2

He loo*ed o)er and s&iled, "au!h a his spyin!(

He saunered oward her, noin! ha she had dis"arded his #i!, shapeless a"*e in fa)or

of a dressin! !own, he sash lied in a #ow around her sli& wais( +he ossed a owel o

hi& and wen o "olle" he lile &on*ey, spea*in! swee, #a#yish nonsense o i( 6

s"a&pered up ono her shoulder and pro&ply per"hed aop her head, he liny #la"* hands

holdin! on o her forehead(

+erafina urned o hi&, sri*in! a pose li*e a fashion illusraion( 23o you li*e &y ha:2

2Char&in!,2 he said dryly(

2Oh, han* you(2 +he wal*ed o)er o he &on*eys "a!e and !enly pried he ani&al off

her head, win"in! as il !rasped a her "urls( Then she !a)e i a *iss on he head and

uled i ino is "a!e( +he s&iled a hi&, #rushin! pas hi& on her way ino he oher

roo&(

2Co&e(2 she said(

He slowly dried his fa"e and ran he owel o)er his hair, eyein! he sli&, ele!an "ur)es

of her fi!ure as he followed her( +aunerin! "oolly ino he adoinin! roo&, 3arius al&os

sepped on a pile of orn we sil* in he &iddle of he floor(

His eyes !la'ed o)er, sarin! down ai he re&nans of her dress( +he &us ha)e si&ply

peeled he hin! off( His !a'e swun! o her as he reali'ed ha )ery li*ely nohin! lay

#eneah her #lue sain dressin! !own #u fair s*in, sill da&p wih rain(

God. gi*e me strength.

As if her sole ai& were o or&en hi&, she now #en down !ra"efully #efore he hearh,

where a low fire #urned( His pra"i"ed eye appraised he s&ooh "ur)es of her #a"*side,


25/273

and his &ind #ri&&ed wih splendid, sinful noions(

Ah, #u she rused hi& far oo &u"h(

+he #orrowed a fla&e fro& he hearh and li an e$pensi)e #eeswa$ "andle fro& i( This

she "arried fro& one wall s"on"e o anoher, #ri!henin! he lile siin! roo& wih he(

"heerful #la'e of a do'en li!hs, "areless as e)er of he "os(

2+i(2 she ordered hi&, noddin! o he la'ies%loo*in! ar&"hair hed e)er seen(

2No, han* you(2

+he loo*ed o)er a hi& in surprise( 2No: 4ou nearly passed ou on he sairs, 3arius( +i,

please(2

2My "lohes are we and heres #lood all o)er &y shoulder,2 he said "risply, sun! #y he

in!lorious re&inder(

23o you hin* 6 "are a#ou he "hair &ore han 6 "are a#ou you:2 +he lau!hed( 2ha a

"lod you are, +ania!o( +i down, for hea)ens sa*e, #efore you fall down(2

ih a lon!%sufferin! si!h, as if he were no wholly !raeful for he in)iaion, he hrew

he owel shed !i)en hi& o)er he #a"* of he "hair so he wouldn !e #lood on he fine,

pale yellow #ro"ade(

2Try no o a*e fore)er,2 he drawled as he dropped ino he "hair( 26 ha)e a poli"y a!ains

waiin! for fe&ales o dress(2

+he !a)e M& a *nowin! s&ile, hen urned o roo hrou!h he odds and ends on he

&anel( He #lew his forelo"* ou of his eyes, folded his lef(an*le idly o)er his ri!h *nee,

and sa here oyin! wih he sil)er spur on die ed!e of his ridin! #oo%He wa"hed her for

a &o&en or wo, enoyin! he way he li!h fro& he wall s"on"es played o)er he sains

!lossy surfa"e, followin! her "ur)es( Then his !a'e wandered around he roo& done up in

shades of pea"h and "rea& and !il(

So, this is her world. Oddly, he "o&fora#le "haos of her lifes day%o%day "luer did no

ir* his &ei"ulous &iliary sense of order( A!ains he #road%sriped wailpaper hun! por%

rais of her "a, her whie &are, her fa&ily, and a few preily arran!ed display "ases,

so&e e$hi#iin! ornae #is of la"e he !uessed she had &ade, ohers wih pressed flowers

shed "olle"ed, hi he "o&er her ar"hery e7uip&en lay in a heap, while on he near#y

low a#le a &i"ros"ope inlaid wih &oher%of%pearl ed!ed ou he ea ser)i"e(

-h, yes, the great lady naturalist, he hou!h in an odd &i$ of fondness and &o"*ery( On

he floor near he a#le was a fa e$#oo* "reased open o a pa!e showin! drawin!s of

he sa!es in he life of a #uerfly( He frowned, s7uinin! down a he #oo* when he

noi"ed i was in -ain(

23arius(2


26/273

He loo*ed o)er in7uirin!ly as she pulled a lon!, whie ri##on ou of a por"elain #o$ on

he &anel( He was sarled o noi"e ha #eside he #o$ was a s&all fra&ed porrai of

hi&self(

6 was a "opy of he life%si'ed one he 7ueen had insised upon "o&&issionin! afer hed

#een sho sa)in! he *in!s life( He was in full%dress unifor&%.whie a"*e, !old

&edals, red sash.and one )ery serious, pier"in! sare(

The eyes of an an"ien in a youn! &ans fa"e, he hou!h, oddly saddened #y he pi"ure(

His life would #e o)er, i see&ed, #efore i had e)en #e!un( 4e he fel a sran!e, fier"e

a"he in his "hes o see ha she *ep his &e&eno of hi& in lull )iew, where she would

pass i e)ery day(

23arius,2 she said a!ain, #rea*in! ino his%hou!hs( 24es, 4our Hi!hness:2 he as*ed

a#senly( +he didn e)en !lan"e a hi&( 2Ta*e off your shir(2 He paused, no sure hed

heard her "orre"ly( His sare swun! o her #a"* and her swee derriere wrapped in #lue

sain( +he &erely "oninued yin! he whie ri##on around her flaoyan &ane of unruly

"urls, &in*%#la"* a!ains her pale s*in(

His one was "arefully a&used( 2E$"use &e:2 2Ta*e off your wais"oa and shir, please(2

2Ahh, 4our Hi!hness,2 he said li!hly( 2elie)e &e, 6& flaered, #u 6& no in he

&ood(2

+he er*ed her lo)ely fa"e o)er her shoulder o s"owl a hi&( 26& no proposiionin! you,

+ania!o( or hea)ens sa*e9 3on us si here #leedin! li*e a doi( ndress( Now(2

or a#ou wo se"onds, he "onsidered o#eyin!, hen he &erely wa"hed her &ar"h a"ross

he roo& o anoher door, relie)ed o see a leas she had he de"en"y o #lush( Mos of

he wo&en he *new la"*ed ha "har&in! a#iliy, or los i, a (iny rae, #y he i&e he was

hrou!h wih he&( +he disappeared ino he ne$ "o&par&en "arryin! a "andlesi"*( He

leaned forward in "uriosiy, pee*in! in(-hu. her dressin! roo&( There were !owns on

pe!s, rows of he shoes he "hi ne)er "ould *eep on her fee(

hen she "a&e #a"* ino he siin! roo&, she had so&e hand owels draped o)er her

ar&, a sewin! #as*e in one hand, and a #ole in he oher of wha appeared o #e

whis*ey( +he se e)eryhin! on he floor near his "hair, hen dra!!ed ih" oo&an o)er

and sa down on i a"ross fro& hi&(

26s here a pro#le&, +ania!o:2 she as*ed, foldin! her !ra"eful hands in her lap(

He sared a her(

2This will no do( 4ou sill ha)e on all your "iohes(2

Isn't that my line he hou!h, re!ardin! her suspi"iously(

-ifin! #oh #rows, she !a)e hi& a #land s&ile of wanin! paien"e( 2hy do you prefer

o suffer:2


27/273

2e"ause hen 6 always *now wha o e$pe",2 he replied wih his &os arro!an s&ir*(

+he i!nored i( 2hy won you lei &e help you:2

He eyed he sewin! #as*e, hen !lan"ed a her( 2ih all due respe", 4our Hi!hness, 6d

raher no ser)e as he royal pin"ushion(2

26 *now wha o do,2 she said( 26 help a he pensioners hospial on"e a wee*(2

3u#iously, he ar"hed one #row( He *new he sainly 7ueen "o&&anded her dau!her o

spend a leas one day a wee* li)in! for au!h oher &an herself and her pleasures, #ul

surely hese )isis o he pension house only in)ol)ed !i)in! ou radian s&iles and

#esowin! a few words of &eanin!less "heer o he wre"hed(

26f 6 need si"hes,2 he old her, his hear poundin! suddenly( 26ll do i &yself(2

24ou said he "u runs o)er your shoulder o your #a"*( se your head( How do you

inend o rea"h a wound has on your #a"*:2

26ll see he sur!eon(2

+he !a)e a s&ile of su!ared rea"hery and rea"hed up o ap his "hin fondly wih one

fin!erip( 23on tell lies, +ania!o( 6 *now you won see hi&( 3on you rus &e:2

as she deli#eraely #ein! o#use or or&enin! hi& us for run: he wondered, in"hin!

#a"* in his "hair away fro& her( May#e an a!ed pensioner of se)eny "ould endure he

ou"h of ihose sil*en hands wihou ra)ishin! her, #u he wasn half ha old ye(

+he shru!!ed o herself, hen wen on a#ou her #usiness, risin! o !o pour waer ino he

unused eapo, hen puin! i o)er he low fire lo #oil( Reurnin! o hi&, she *nel down

on he floor and opened he sewin! #as*e(

2ill whie suffi"e for your si"hes( Colonel, or would2 you prefer so&ehin! &ore

dashin!:2 she as*ed, railin! one !ra"eful fin!erip o)er he )arious han*s of hread(

2+"arle: ;old fili!ree, perhaps:2

26 really ha)en i&e o play do"or wih you(2

23on &a*e &e pull ran* on you,2 she ad)ised hi&, he sewin! needle #eween her lips

as she pulled ou a nea loop of whie hread and unwound so&e of i( 26f you refuse, 6

shall ha)e o &a*e i an order( +rip, sir(2

He didn &o)e( He "ouldn, suddenly( His hear was poundin! and he "ouldn find his

)oi"e(

3one hreadin! he needle, she se i "arefully aside( +he laid #oh hands on her ihi!hs,

!a'in! up a hi&(

He sared down a her, feelin! in"reasin!ly "ornered, una#le e)en o spi ou he words o

e$plain his proes( ha was he o say,Don't touch me/ He wasn ha s*illed a liar(

Truly, o)er he pas few years here had #een &o&ens, desperae &o&ens near he ed!e

of his soliary enduran"e, when he waned his !irl so &u"h he 7uie despised her( He


28/273

"ould no #e fire for her( so he had "hosen o #e i"e(

Now she was !a'in! a hi& as only she e)er did, as if she saw hin!s in hi& no one else

"ould see, hose unfor!ea#le )iole eyes loo*in! oo deeply ino hi&, her !a'e li*e a

flash of li!hnin!, illu&inin! lands"apes wihin hi& he preferred o *eep dar*, Sa*e me.

The hou!h railed hrou!h his &ind, he !nu*. 1101 why( He "ould only si here,"api)aed, i&&o#ili'ed, half%eirified( +o&eone waned o help hi& and he didn *now

how o rea"( No us anyone(

Serafina.

The only li)in! hin! hed e)er rused(

The only one he("ouldn ha)e(

+arin! a her, he "ouldn for"e ou a sin!le word(

4e so&ehow she see&ed o undersand hi&(

2ery well,2 she said sofly, sear"hin! his fa"e( 24ou us si( 6ll do i(2

He "ouldn find he wherewihal o siop her or o &o)e( He *new she shouldn #e

ou"hin! hi&( +he *new i, oo, of "ourse, #u when had she e)er done as she was old:

And when had he e)er diso#eyed a royal "o&&and:

+he slid his unied "ra)a fro& his shoulders firs, hen "a "loser, *neelin! #eween his

le!s( ary as a wild ani&al, he i wa"hed her e)ery &o)e as she un#uoned his si&ple

#la"* wais"oa( He was only &ini&ally helpful as she pushed i down "arefully

offhis wounded shoulder, hen freed hi& fro& i( His shir re&ained, sodden, ripped,

#loody( A lo of #lood(

2Poor hin!,2 she &ur&ured( hen she rea"hed ou and #e!an !aherin! he we "oon of

his shir in #oh hands so she "ould slip i off o)er his head, he pulled #a"*, sarin! a her,

hear ra"in!(

2has he &aer, 3arius:2

He swallowed, dry%&ouhed( The way she said his na&e "ould &a*e hi& drun*(

eween his le!s, she sood, #ra"in! her hands on his *nees( He wa"hed her rise and fel

his loins pulse, fel his whole #ein! in hrall o her, as if he were an uniniiaed #oy #ein!

slowly sedu"ed #y a !oddess(

Hands on her hips, she frowned a hi& in pu''le&en( Then a sran!e, ender s&ile of

undersandin! "ur)ed her lips( 2+hy:2 she as*ed sofly(

He sared a her, una#le o spea*, his soul in his eyes( He did n *now all of a sudden

wha was happenin! o hi&( +lowly, he nodded(


29/273

+he rea"hed ou and "aressed his "hee*, hen !enly #rushed =is forelo"* ou of his eyes(

26 won hur you, 3arius( 3on #e shy( Afer all2 her !a'e slid away fro& his.2you

saw &ine(K

Mis"hie)ously, her eyes fli"*ed #a"* o his( 6 ler i&puden re&ar* sho"*ed hi& ou of he

ran"e( He sared a her in awe(

24ou #ad lile !irl,2 he #reahed, suddenly afire for her( Her s&ile flashed(

>esus, wha was he doin!: His )ery hands #urned wih he =(,%-d o ou"h her, run his

pal&s fro& her sli& wais down her ( *!anly "ur)ed hi!hs, par ha dressin! !own and

s&ell her -in%s"ened s*in( He "urled his fin!ers i!hly o)er he ed!es L he "hairs ar&s,

fi!hin! i for all he was worh, if anyone e)er found ou a#ou his, he hou!h fe)erishly,

if (i" *in! e)er found ou a#ou his(((

Then he reali'ed he would #e dead in a few wee*s anyway, , onsiderin! ihe sui"ide

&ission ahead of hi& on"e hed fin%%hed rouin! he spies, so wha did i &aer:

h was oo lae o !e ou of his now and he should a leas le Tdress he wound(

May#e she *new wha she was doin!, whi"h he dou#ed, #u " "ould al* her hrou!h i,

and i would sa)e hi& a rip o he #ulin! sur!eons(

u as he hesiaed, sran!ely, he hou!h of all he &en hed sla&&ed up a!ains walls

o)er he pas few years, warnin! Lhe& away fro& her, enfor"in! he iron"lad rule ha

+erafina di iore was off li&is( The rule applied o hi&, oo(0specially o hi&(

Hell, he hou!h, #rislin!, he wasn he one who had sared his oni!h(

wasn as if anyhin! was !oin! o happen, afer all( He 1would no le i( Toni!h his

#la"* e&per had slipped he leash(

rue, #u he sil ruled o)er his passions wih an iron fis( No for nohin! was he

des"ended on his fahers side fro& Tor7ue%&ada of he +panish 6n7uisiion( esides, i

would #e o)er soon and hen she would #e so&e#ody elses pro#le&(

His hear ra"ed faser as she read his wary surrender in his eyes, an answerin! fli"*er of

ani"ipaion in her own ha old hi& perhaps she waned o ou"h hi& as #adly as he

waned her o do so(

2ell:2 she as*ed "oolly(

They sared a ea"h oher in e7ual "hallen!e, #oh ri)eed, #oh panin! sli!hly( The

&o&ens i"*ed #y, he &anel "lo"* #oo&in! in he silen"e, he rain dru&&in!, wind%

dri)en, a!ains he !lass(

inally, he shru!!ed in non"halan"e, as if nohin! &aered a whi o hi&.if she sedu"ed

hi& or if he #led o deah.#ul he dou#ed she was fooled(

2Ta*e il off,2 she whispered(


30/273

He lifed his shir off o)er his head and held i #un"hed in one whie%*nu"*led fis(

The firs hin! her !a'e fi$ed upon was no his wound, #u he iny sil)er &edal han!in!

on a lon!, surdy "hain around his ne"*(

)hh, hell, he hou!h suddenly, his hear sin*in!(

Now he was in for i( He had for!oen he da&ned hin! was here(

He held )ery sill .rapped, un&as*ed, re)ealed o her(

ih a loo* of dis#elief, +erafina san* down on her *nees #eween his open hi!hs and

"apured he &edal re)erenly in her pal&, her *nu"*les #rushin! he s*in #eween he

swells o his "hes( +he sared a i, hen lifed he )iole inno"en"e of her !a'e o his, her

lips pared sli!hly in wonder and 7uesion(

6 was he &edal of he ir!in she had !i)en hi& afer hed #een sho li*e a do! ri!h

#efore her eyes on her welfh #irhday(

To his day, she haed her #irhday(

+he "ould ne)er a""ep ha he shooin! wasn her faul(

+he had sayed a his #edside "onsanly( All he while he wandered in he ni!h&are

drea&s"apes of fe)er, he had #een )a!uely aware of her al*in! o hi&, whisperin!

prayers, her sof, fro!!y lile )oi"e his lifeline(

They old hi& laer ha when hey had ried o &a*e her

lie away fro& his #edside, she had !one #erser*, *i"*in!

and pun"hin!, #iin! and s"ra"hin!, raher han lea)e his side(

He had ne)er for!oen ha( He had ne)er e$pe"ed ha

anyone would e)er #e ha loyal o hi&( +he had pu he &edal

on hi& herself on"e he was ou of he woods( 6 would proe"

hi&, she had said( And hen shed said ha oher a&usin!

hin!.wha was i:

He sared ino her eyes, re&eerin! ha i&pish, lile%!irl whisper "lose o his ear(

+ou are the bra*est !night in all the world, Darius, and when I grow up, I'm going to

marry you.

CHAPTER THREE

"You still have it," she said faintly, wide-eyed as she stare< down at the tiny


31/273

silver medal, still warm in-her palm with hii body's heat.

"Still have it," he replied, sounding a trif le hoarse.

Wonderstruck, Serafina searched his soulful, onyx eyes. Shs held her breath,

not daring to overstep her bounds again foolishly reading into this discovery

some significance that was not there, but surely, surely it meant somethingthat Darius still wore this trinket she had given him so long ago. It was al she

could do not to laugh aloud and hug him.

An indescribable glow of joy, painfully sweet, sparked ii her chest and spread,

flowing upward, beaming from her suddenly misty eyes. "Told you it would

work."

He gave her an embarrassed, little-boy smile and loweret his gaze.

For a moment, she studied him lovingly by the warm ligto of the sconces. His

sun-bronzed face was more angular thai she'd noticed before, and pale from

losing blood. His eye* were sharper, more wary than ever, with faint dark

circles beneath them, more tiny, careworn lines at their corners. Got? geous

as always, she thought, but he didn't look altogethra well. He was too lean,

too intense, with a restless, hunted look,

"You haven't been eating," she chided softly.

He shrugged as he mumbled a denial.

Sometimes, she knew, he even starved himself, making avtsi tere fasts as

part of his self-punishing regimes in his question.

Knightly perfection. Constantly he strived, piling glory upon ory as if, deep

down, he did not believe he would ever really be good enough. Privately, it

broke her heart.

She thought again of the rage he had unleashed on Philippe and wondered

about the firestorm inside him just beneath his .irmor of cool invulnerability,

all his suffering concealed by his magnificent pride.

Well, he had made up his mind to let her help him in this way, at least, she

thought in determination. It was a start.

She let the medal fall once more against his gleaming chest and rose from her

knees, bending to kiss his forehead lightly.

"I'll be right back," she whispered, then went to fetch the now-boiling water.

She poured it into two basins, the steam rising to warm her : face. She

carried the two basins over near the chair where he waited, then she washed

her hands thoroughly, wincing at her : cut. swollen ring finger.


32/273

Briefly she tried to remove the monstrous jewel from her finger, but the gold

band was skewed all out of shape. There was no time to muddle with it. She

turned to her patient.

"Now, then. Let's have a look." Barefoot, she padded around to his left side to

tally the latest damage his courage and selfless loyalty had cost him.His smooth, sun-browned skin twitched at the first touch of her hands as if

she'd tickled him. She caressed him firmly to still the involuntary response,

trying at the same time to conceal her own reaction to the beauty of his finely

honed, powerful body.

His skin was warm and smooth as velvet. His muscles were like tempered

steel and she would have liked, she thought, any valid excuse to stroke him

and explore him at her leisure. His hard, sculpted chest entranced her. The

curve of his throat beguiled her. She could not resist the temptation of

running one hand slowly, carefully over the rock-hard musculature of his arm

as she approached his wounded shoulder. Darius sat obediently, head down.

She felt him slowly relax,

saw his lon!%lashed eyes drif "losed as she #e!an o wor* on hi&(

As she wiped he #lood away fro& his lef shoulder, she rea"hed o)er and ou"hed he

sar%shaped s"ar us #elow his ri!h shoulder #lade( There, he would%#e assassins #ulle

had sru"* hi& ei!h years a!o, on her #irhday( He should ha)e died of ha wound, he

do"ors said( The pries had !i)en hi& las ries and Papa had wep, whi"h was unheard%

of( +he herself had !one a lile &ad( +he didn li*e o hin* a#ou i, #u wha shed seen

hi& !o hrou!h had inspired her ineres in &edi"ine as a ho##y(

+he wrun! ou he "loh in he waer #asin, hen e$a&iiB he *nife wound &ore "losely(

6 was deep( +he pro#ed( 6 #led(

2Tin"ure of a&aranh will help slow he #leedin!, #u 6d feel #eer if we si"hed you,

us o #e safe,2 she said hou!hfully afer a &o&en( 24oull need a#ou nine si"hes, 6

hin*( ould you li*e a drin* #efore 6 #e!in:2

26 don drin* spiris(2

+he rolled her eyes( 26 *now ha( 6& no su!!esin! you fo$ed, 6 us hou!h you &i!h

wan so&ehin! for he pain(2

2No,2 he said sernly(

2+ui yourself, you wre"hed para!on,2 she &uered, dou in! one of he "lean, dry "lohs

wih he whis*ey(

+he pressed he "loh o he "u, sarin! a his fa"e #e"au surely now, wih al"ohol


33/273

dousin! he wound, he would D so&e rea"ion( u he &erely swallowed down he pain, i

urned o her, eyes narrowed, he insolen loo* fir&ly in pla"e r@ +he shoo* her head a hi&

in !rud!in! ad&iraion(

Ne$ she applied so&e of he pun!en in"ure fro& he li )ial ono one of he "lean

hand owels( +he held i o he t for a few &inues(3arius and she sa in silen"e( +he s&iled when she !la a his fa"e, for he loo*ed li*e he

was fallin! asleep siin! up(@

I'm so damned tired, hed said( 6 was he only i&e in 1 &e&ory ha hed ad&ied o any

*ind of wea*ness( rownin! sli!hly, she de"ided ha #eween his loss of wei!h, his

indifferen"e o his own inury, and he way hed orn Philippe apar, she was 7uie worried

a#ou hi&(

Che"*in! he wound a few &inues laer, she saw he a&aranh had indeed slowed he

#leedin!( The royal sur!eon did no hold wih he old her#als and fol* &edi"ines, #u

+erafina had seen he& wor*( hen i "a&e i&e o a*e up her needle, howe)er, her

&ouh wen dry(

+he "ould do his, she old herself( +he had o( His wound re7uired i +he would do i us

he way he e$#oo*s said, us he way he royal sur!eon had showed her( +he had

assised a do'en i&es in her ea!erness o learn and had e)en perfor&ed he pro"edure

on"e herself wih he do"or loo*in! o)er her shoulder( esides, she hou!h, ryin! o

en"oura!e herself, she was e$"ellen a la"e and eroidery(

ih her lef hand she pressed he ed!es of his in"ised flesh !enly o!eher, hen #rou!h

up he needle, win"in! wih hesiaion when he &o&en "a&e o pier"e hi&(

2Hold sill, now,2 she "oa"hed hi&, sallin!( 2This won hur a #i(2

He le ou an i&paien si!h( 2hene)er youre ready, 4our

Hi!hness( 6 hou!h you *new wha you were doin!(2

+he sho a s"owl a he #a"* of his !lossy #la"* head, #u his re&ar* !a)e her he i&peus

o do wha she &us( +he pri"*ed #e #ron'e )el)e of his s*in(

Ow,2 he &uered as she pushed he needle hrou!h(

2Aha, so you are hu&an, afer all(2

2a"h wha youre doin!, please(2

2Than*less ro!ue,2 she &uled(

Her hands perspired #u were seady as she "losed he

!ash wih ea"h "areful si"h, fully a#sor#ed in her as* as his #lood sained her hands(

+he los herself in "on"enraion, unil

las she ied off he hread and snipped i riu&phanly wih her sewin! s"issors( Rea"hin!

for he "loh, she wiped away he sli!h a&oun of #leedin! ha had o""urred durin! he


34/273

pro"edure(

2There you are( How does i feel:2 she as*ed as she wasi, her hands in he se"ond #asin,

hen dried he&(

2eer(2

2H&&, now youre hu&orin! &e( Try no o &o)e i = &u"h for a few days(2

2Ri!h,2 he said "yni"ally(

24ou are i&possi#le,2 she &ur&ured( +he sepped near h a!ain, e$a&inin! her wor*(

6 was so&ehow auo&ai" o run her hand hrou!h his9 now ha he "risis was pas,

se"ond naure o #end down ( *iss hi& li!hly on he e&ple(

24ou were )ery #ra)e,2 she &ur&ured playfully(

Only when 3arius iled his head #a"* and loo*ed a her a lon! &o&en did i o""ur o

her ha perhaps she was # oo forward wih hi& a!ain( 6nsanly she #lushed, s herself(

+he was no a "hild any&ore who "ould "li all o hi& li*e he was her own pe wolf(

+he loo*ed away( 2Ne)er fear, +ania!o,2 she said F for"ed li!hness, 26 shall no hurl

&yself a you a!ain(2 + pi"*ed up her s"issors and #e!an sharply rippin! a "lean li shee

ino srips o use as #anda!es for hi&( 2Ow92

2ha is i:2

26 hur &y hand when 6 s&ashed Philippe a fa"er,2 &uered(

"1hat " 3arius #e!an o lau!h s*epi"ally(

24ou hin* 6& o*in!: 6 !o hi& wih &y rin!( +ee:2 + sepped nearer and held ou her

inured lef hand o show hi

He oo* her ousre"hed hand and e$a&ined i, his # forelo"* )eilin! his eyes(

The !old fili!ree of he sein! had #en wih he for"e o #low( The a"o&%si'ed dia&ond

of her en!a!e&en rin! s7uashed off o he side( The !old #and had #u"*led sli!hly in

an an!le, "uin! ino he ender fl

gaelen foley - the princess

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