Page 9

Caroline’s recognition had an unexpected result.

Alice looked impossibly young and fresh and happy in her rose silk dress. I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

As per protocol—I had learned that quickly, because Eli was not a patient teacher—I was approached by a couple in their forties. At twenty-one, I was the oldest woman in our party, so I was the point of contact.

The husband, Boris Volkov, explained he was one of the engineers responsible for extending the palace and making the whole island fit for an emperor.

His wife, Levdokia, was responsible for the care and feeding of Mr. Volkov and their son, Konstantin, their only child and heir.

Konstantin was twenty years old and working with his father every day.

Levdokia told me all this up front and very skillfully, to let me know that Konstantin was an eligible young man with an income and prospects.

Konstantin himself was sturdy and steady. He had dark hair and hazel eyes in an open face.

Levdokia also let me know that Konstantin had a streak of grigori earth talent—not strong enough to warrant going to the Rasputin School, but enough to have been coached by a working earth grigori to use his ability to help in his father’s construction work.

It had descended to him through Levdokia’s mother, she let me know.

Though I’d enjoyed talking to the Volkovs because they seemed down-to-earth people, I was waiting to find out why they’d approached me.

I’d assumed their son was interested in Felicia, and she was way out of his weight class.

I liked the couple, so I was pleased as punch when Boris Volkov told me, “Konstantin would like to meet the young lady in the rose-colored dress, if that is permitted.”

I kept a straight face with some effort. “My sister-in-law, Alice Savarova, is at her first public event. I think she would be pleased to make a new friend.” Alice is gently bred and young . “Perhaps you know Captain McMurtry, her stepfather?”

“Of course, I know the captain by sight,” Boris said, looking relieved at having found a connection. “He has an excellent reputation.”

Alice had been listening to a conversation Felicia was having with Mateo Medina Dominguez.

“Excuse me,” I said, and took Alice’s hand to draw her forward.

“Alice, meet Mr. and Mrs. Volkov and their son, Konstantin. Mr. Volkov is an engineer on all the new construction on the island, and his son, Konstantin, works with him.”

Alice smiled with genuine delight. Someone actually wanted to meet her!

Suddenly she looked lovely. Konstantin beamed at her.

While I kept up a conversation with the parents, Alice and the young man began to talk.

I half-listened to them, and the Volkovs were doing the same, so our own chat was what you would call random.

When Konstantin asked Alice if he could take her to the buffet table to get a drink and some food, Alice looked at me questioningly. That was proper. I was going by the rules if it killed me.

“That would be a good idea,” I said. “It’s quite warm in here.” I was tickled to be in the position of matron.

“May I also get something for you, Princess Savarova? Mama?”

He had good manners. “No, thank you,” Levdokia and I said in chorus. The two young people began making their way to the food and drink area. The crowd had loosened up now that the focus was off the gallery. This had turned into another “walk and look.”

After a very polite goodbye, and a hope that we would meet again, the Volkovs moved on to talk to another couple. Behind me Eli said, “What was that? Another suitor for Felicia?”

“No, for Alice,” I said, turning to enjoy the flash of surprise on his face. “You never thought about Alice and Felicia being about the same age, I guess.”

“No, I didn’t. She’s my baby sister.”

“She’s older than Felicia. The parents are Boris and Levdokia Volkov.”

“Oh, I know of him. Works here on the island? Specializes in earth moving. Where are Alice and the boy?”

I nodded toward one of the refreshment tables lining the sides of the vast room. “He’s a man. He’s working for his father. The mother made sure I knew Konstantin is in line to inherit the business, when that time comes.”

“He looks steady,” Eli told me after a long look at the couple. He nodded as if he were fifty years old.

“Think your mother would approve?”

“After the shock of Lucy marrying Felix, Konstantin Volkov would be a godsend. I need to start walking Felicia around, if you will keep your eyes on those two.”

Eli could do my sister more good in the social way. He knew everyone and had the rules down.

“I’ll watch ’em like a hawk,” I said.

Eli took a step closer and bent down. “Who was the man?” he said, very quietly. “What did he want?”

“After Felicia,” I said. “Knife.”

“Thank you,” he said.

“My job.”

Off he went with my sister to see and be seen.

As I’d promised, I kept my eyes on Konstantin and Alice, who were chattering away.

Alice had a glass and a little plate in her hands, and so did the young man.

I didn’t know what was in the glass, but with my eyes on her nothing would happen.

It was good to see the shy Alice blooming.

During the next few minutes, I met a couple more people who just wanted to find out who I was. A Greek magic practitioner, a woman in her forties named Rhea Pappos, stopped first. After we swapped names, I waited to see what she had on her mind.

“Did you see what happened to the man who collapsed?” Rhea asked.

“No. It was sudden, wasn’t it? I wonder if he’s all right.”

“They dragged him by me,” Rhea said. She had a heavy accent, but I could understand her. “I am sure he was dead.”

“Oh my gosh! Did you know him?”

“I know who he was. He was with the German delegation, but not a Listed candidate.”

He’d been too old, at least ten years past the cutoff birthday. But I wasn’t supposed to have noticed him. “Maybe he was a chaperone or family member of a candidate?” I said.

Rhea looked at me with an expression I can only call “knowing.”

I wondered if I’d have to kill her. I hoped not.

“Yes, I think he must have been a family member. Or maybe sent by the German government.”

I could feel my brows knitting, and I smoothed out my face. “Governments send guards?”

“A few of them. This year the Germans, the Italians, and the Japanese have sent extra people. Also the British territories. Especially Palestine.”

“That’s very interesting,” I said honestly. I would have to tell Eli.

“Oh my goodness!” Rhea Pappos said quietly. “Someone has spilled wine on your beautiful dress.”

Rhea was right about the dark red stain. Just a small one.

“I’m glad you told me,” I said, again with honesty. I had been leery of looking down myself. “In this crowd, no telling how that happened.” I looked at Rhea directly. “I’m not worried about it.”

“Then you are not the worrier I am,” Rhea said. She smiled at me. “Watch out for the Germans and the Japanese, especially. This year, they have their own goals to meet. And no discipline.” Rhea definitely had no respect for people without discipline.

“Thank you for the warning,” I said, and the Greek woman glided away.

Alice and Konstantin had had enough alone time, I judged. I made my way over to my sister-in-law and gently detached her from her admirer. Konstantin seemed like an okay kid, but I wanted him to know Alice had watchful relatives.

Why stop at one success for my sister-in-law?

I attached her to Eli and Felicia’s progress around the room, so Alice could have even more fun.

I sought a place against the wall, where people could be coming at me from only one direction.

I finally let myself look down at my dress.

There was one blotch. It was quite small.

I was glad my dress was a dark color. Rhea Pappos must have the eyes of a hawk.

I had a few moments of peace and quiet, but then I was approached by a man who must have been at least thirty, a magician from some country where the days were hot.

He looked incredibly tough. His skin had been darkened by the sun.

His hair had been bleached by it. It made his pale eyes show even brighter.

“I hear you’re a shooter,” he said, with no preamble.

“I am.”

The man waited for me to embroider on that, but I was out of embroidery.

“Nice to meet a gal who doesn’t talk and talk.” He had an accent I’d never heard before. I wasn’t curious enough to ask, though.

I waited, hoping he would walk away. But no.

“Do you know much about South Africa?”

“No.” But I knew there were lions there, so I was interested. At least a little.

“I am from the Boer community.” He had a strong accent, but if I listened carefully I could follow him.

“My great-grandfather and -mother immigrated to South Africa from Holland, and they built a lovely farm. Passed it on to their son and his wife. They intended it for their son, my father. Then I would have had it. But the damn British made our lives impossible. We went to war. It lasted for a very long time. We damn near won. They beat us by sheer numbers.”

He was waiting on me to comment. “Sheer numbers are pretty important” was all I could think of. He wasn’t finished with his story, and he was determined to finish it.

“The British had camps for the Boer women and children. Interment camps. About thirty thousand people died in them. Including my grandmother.”

“Where are you going with this?” I said, running out of patience. “If you’re courting, I’m already married.” I held up the hand with the ring on it. “If you’re just aiming to tell me the history of your people, I’d rather hear it some other time.” Or never. “This isn’t the place.”

The South African, who still hadn’t introduced himself, gave me a real cold stare. I gave him one right back.

“If you want to know where the lines are being drawn,” he said, when I was just about to walk away, “I’ve told you.”

“Right,” I said, none the wiser. This time I walked away, shaking my head. This was a crazy night. I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it hadn’t been this.

Most of these people had a completely social goal. That’s what I’d figured. Just words with smiles. I knew now that some people had other goals that came far before courtesy.

All of them seemed to know a lot of things I didn’t. That was one of my least-favorite feelings. I’d had it for days now.

After another hour of doing my best not to talk to people, I got Eli’s signal that we could leave.

By that time I had a hundred questions, but I couldn’t ask them on the ferry. We were surrounded by other guests who’d called it a night. Even Alice and Felicia were quiet, but after we got in the car, they recovered.

The girls talked nonstop the whole way home. I didn’t listen. Despite my afternoon nap, I was very tired. Eli seemed pleased, so his promenade with Felicia must have been promising. I wasn’t going to ask any questions just now.

Captain McMurtry had not yet made it back from the palace, so Veronika was still awake.

Her face lit up when she understood that Alice had met someone, though she immediately clamped down on that so Alice wouldn’t see how relieved and surprised she was.

Veronika kept a smile on her face even when she understood that Boris Volkov was an engineer on the island, not one of the aristocrats living as close to the tsar as they could manage.

After all, the Volkovs had been invited to the reception. That meant they had some standing.

And when Alice told her mother that I had kept an eagle eye on her the whole evening, my mother-in-law gave me an approving nod. (That was a first.) Veronika was much calmer about Felicia’s little triumphs and stories, though she listened well enough.

I realized another thing about my mother-in-law.

Not only did she maybe blame Peter’s death on Felicia and me, she also would have realized that the prospect of a brilliant marriage for Felicia (now that Peter was dead) was much more possible for my slum-born, murderous sister than her highborn and gently bred girl.

I was too tired to feel very ashamed of myself for not having figured this out before.

I plodded slowly up to the attic room. Eli was only a few steps behind me.

While Eli was in the bathroom, I slipped out of the dress. I looked at the bloodstain. I had no idea if it would come out of this material. I couldn’t care about that tonight. Maybe ever. I hung it in the closet and hoped the maid, Leah, would think of a way to remove the blood.

I pulled on my nightgown, brushed my teeth, and washed my face, all the time thinking about the dead man’s eyes. Eli was pottering around the room, and it didn’t take a wife to know there was something on his mind, too.

“He had drawn a knife,” I said, pulling the bedspread down. I figured he was about to ask me if my killing the man had been provoked, and I wasn’t in any mood to hear that question. Just because I could kill people didn’t mean I enjoyed it or did it on a whim.

“I am sure he had,” Eli said, and he turned to look me straight in the eyes, so I’d know he meant it. “You did the right thing, the only thing you could do.”

“So how come you’re bumbling around like a bee in a flower garden?” But not a happy bee , I thought.

“I learned a few things tonight that trouble me,” Eli said.

No kidding. I never would have known.

“But I can’t tell you about them now. Sometime in the next two days I will have to go to a…

meeting with other grigoris. I hope I will learn things that will help us guide your sister through this week.

If she does seem to favor a particular suitor, this meeting will have a direct bearing on their eligibility. ”

“And you’re going to share this information with her?”

Eli said, “I will if I can. I will have to take oaths before I am allowed in the meeting.”

“Will you be able to tell me what happens?”

“I want to, because I don’t like to keep secrets from you.”

That was rich. Eli always had secrets. Grigori stuff. Maybe if I belonged to a fancy elite group of gunnies I would be the same way?

But I didn’t think so.

I told him about the Boer… who’d been a bore, but a disturbing one. “Do you know what he meant when he told me there were lines being drawn?” I asked, crawling into bed and pulling up the covers.

“I think so,” Eli said, getting in on the other side. “He was saying that some of the South African people had a grudge against England and wouldn’t side with them in the upcoming war.”

About ten questions sprang to mind, but they never made it out of my mouth. The overload of the day piled on top of me all of a sudden. I went to sleep.