Page 178 of Snowbound Surrender

He certainly had a regal bearing, she could not help but notice, but there was also stiffness there. An unwillingness to be wrong? There was a slight lilt in his voice, but not a strong enough accent that she would have noticed.

“Considering you are speaking in your second language,” Anne said reassuringly, “it is I who should be ashamed to be so uncultured. Your English is impressive.”

“Ah, but culture is not necessary with such radiant beauty,” Maxim said grandly.

The compliment made her smile, but perhaps not for the reason that he expected. “Your Grace, if that is the correct way to address a royal Czar of the Russian court, you do not have to impress me.”

Her words had clearly surprised him, and he took a slight step backwards. “You know, you are the first person to even attempt to speak to me as a Czar.”

“And was I correct?”

Maxim shrugged, his broad shoulders showing their strength as they moved. “There is not really a direct translation for how you would address me, and if we were in Russia, I do not think we would be speaking at all.”

She knew what he meant, and she was not offended by it. “Because my father is a mere baronet?”

His face brightened. “Ah, I did not know – he is here?”

“Somewhere,” she said nonchalantly. She was not interested in a more detailed discussion of her family history. It was his family, his identity, that intrigued her.

“I would not normally ask such an impertinent question,” Anne said quietly, ignoring the looks she was starting to receiveby speaking to a gentleman for so long, “but I must know the truth. You are a Czar?”

Maxim spread out his arms with a smile. “Do you think I am?”

She did not know what made her do it. Before she could really think about her actions, Anne was walking around Maxim slowly, taking him all in. He was far taller than she had guessed from across the room, and was formed as though God had decided to build perfection.

He laughed awkwardly when she returned to face him. “Well?”

Anne shrugged with a laugh. “You know, it is impossible to tell who is a czar, and who is just a well-dressed gentleman these days.”

Maxim laughed and protested, “My dear Miss Marsh, you should know me by my bearing!”

She laughed in turn. “My dear Maxim, how many royals do you think I see every day?”

He chuckled and Anne felt a flicker of something hot and heavy in her heart – something she had not felt in a long time. Now her cheeks were blushing not because of the heat of the room, or something that Maxim – the Czar, the Czar – had said. No, now they were pink because of the deep attraction that she felt.

What did she think she was doing? Whether or not this handsome man dressed like some sort of military leader from another country really was a junior member of the Russian royal family, and even thinking it made her feel ridiculous, he would never consider her a suitable bride.

All she was doing was creating more opportunities to feel pain.

But Maxim was charming. Of course he was charming, Anne reminded herself. He was here, at St. James Court thisChristmas with the express purpose of convincing Prinny to support him.

Poor Prinny, Anne could not help but think with a smile. She could not conceive of anyone less suitable for ruling a country, and yet all he ended up doing was getting pulled into political matters.

No, Maxim was here to charm people, and if she were not careful, she could convince herself that he was here to charm her.

“Why come to St. James Court at Christmas?” she said aloud. “Most people prefer to stay at home with their family during the festive period.”

Something like a dark shadow passed over Maxim’s face. “My family is sadly not living.”

Discomfort rose from Anne’s stomach like bile. “I am sorry, I did not mean to – ”

“You were not to know,” he said shortly. “I am here to prove my royal lineage, of course, and to do that I must be where the Prince Regent is.”

He did not seem offended by her previous slip, and something gave her courage to say, “Well, you already call yourself a Czar, you know.”

Maxim grinned. “I am the worst kept secret at St. James.”

Maxim watchedthe beautiful woman laugh, as though the words he had spoken were nothing but a clever joke, and sighed inwardly.