smiled. I got the impression that this is what passed as amusement for her.
“That’s right,” I said, somewhat uncomfortably. “I served seven years for manslaughter.” Anna turned away and stood by the deck railing.
Viktoria continued, “That must have been very hard on you. Locked away, your freedom gone.” Her eyes bore into me.
“It was, but I’m out now. What’s done is done.”
“Tell me, Chase, what kind of future does an ex-con have in America?”
“I’m not sure, Viktoria. America is the land of second chances. Ask me this question a year from now.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be so rude and condescending, Viktoria.” Anna turned and stared right through her, the demure demeanor exhibited earlier, long gone.
“I don’t believe anyone was talking to you, Anna. Don’t you have some contracts to look over?” she said dismissively.
“I work for your husband, Vicky, not you.”
“My name is Viktoria, you sniveling little brat. You should be respectful to me, or I can make life very difficult for you, perhaps even convince my husband to get rid of you once and for all,” she said icily.
“Shall I call Mr. Durov over now so you can have him fire me?” Anna said, matching Viktoria’s coldness. “What do you think, Vicky?”
It was time to put up or shut up for Viktoria, and her body language suggested she would be doing the latter.
“Chase, I’m sorry for the pointed questions. It is how I am. I do not, how do you say, beat around the bush. Please excuse me, but I must go freshen up,” she said as she walked to the stairs.
After Viktoria left, Anna said, “Sorry, Chase. She is so hateful sometimes.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Anna. You and Viktoria must be very close in age?”
“I am four months older. He found her in a Moscow strip club two years ago. Wife number three for him. Despite his choice in women, he is a great boss to me.”
“Mr. Durov must have his hands full with her,” I whispered, as I drew closer to Anna.
She laughed, “In more ways than one, Chase. Their marriage has special arrangements. I would be careful, though; she likes younger men. Especially the handsome ones.”
“Don’t worry, I make it a habit to not flirt with the wives of my father’s friends. In fact, it’s been awhile and I’m not even sure if I remember how.”
“Judging by how you’ve been flirting with me, I’d say your skills haven’t eroded.”
“Are Russian women always this direct, Anna? How many shades of red is my face?”
“You are very funny, Chase Hampton. However, Mrs. Durov was right in one regard. I do have some contracts to look over. Will I see you at dinner?”
“Of course. I haven’t had a decent meal in forever, and I would hate to miss out on your company.”
“Wonderful, I look forward to dinner, also.”
I watched her as she walked over to my father and Mr. Durov, said something, and gracefully made her exit. She turned and smiled shyly at me before disappearing down the stairs.
Chapter 10
This freedom thing was feeling good, I thought, as I took my seat next to Anna at the appointed time of seven p.m. We were dining aft, on the salon deck in the formal dining room. There were five of us for dinner with Dmitri being the only one not present. I wondered if he was seasick. The Anchor Management was big, but the ocean frequently brought the stoutest of men to their knees.
Mrs. Durov did not speak to me during dinner, although I did catch her staring as we dined on chilled jumbo shrimp with a tangy remoulade and Beluga caviar with toast points. Dinner was Wagyu steaks and Maine lobster tails with herbed butter, fresh asparagus, pureed purple potatoes, and bacon and blue cheese cookies. I contrasted that with Ashmore’s version of surf and turf: bland tuna salad and questionable beef stew. Things were definitely looking up. To cap the dinner off, Chef Louis personally wheeled out plates of popular Russian treats. Bird’s milk cake,
“That’s right,” I said, somewhat uncomfortably. “I served seven years for manslaughter.” Anna turned away and stood by the deck railing.
Viktoria continued, “That must have been very hard on you. Locked away, your freedom gone.” Her eyes bore into me.
“It was, but I’m out now. What’s done is done.”
“Tell me, Chase, what kind of future does an ex-con have in America?”
“I’m not sure, Viktoria. America is the land of second chances. Ask me this question a year from now.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be so rude and condescending, Viktoria.” Anna turned and stared right through her, the demure demeanor exhibited earlier, long gone.
“I don’t believe anyone was talking to you, Anna. Don’t you have some contracts to look over?” she said dismissively.
“I work for your husband, Vicky, not you.”
“My name is Viktoria, you sniveling little brat. You should be respectful to me, or I can make life very difficult for you, perhaps even convince my husband to get rid of you once and for all,” she said icily.
“Shall I call Mr. Durov over now so you can have him fire me?” Anna said, matching Viktoria’s coldness. “What do you think, Vicky?”
It was time to put up or shut up for Viktoria, and her body language suggested she would be doing the latter.
“Chase, I’m sorry for the pointed questions. It is how I am. I do not, how do you say, beat around the bush. Please excuse me, but I must go freshen up,” she said as she walked to the stairs.
After Viktoria left, Anna said, “Sorry, Chase. She is so hateful sometimes.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Anna. You and Viktoria must be very close in age?”
“I am four months older. He found her in a Moscow strip club two years ago. Wife number three for him. Despite his choice in women, he is a great boss to me.”
“Mr. Durov must have his hands full with her,” I whispered, as I drew closer to Anna.
She laughed, “In more ways than one, Chase. Their marriage has special arrangements. I would be careful, though; she likes younger men. Especially the handsome ones.”
“Don’t worry, I make it a habit to not flirt with the wives of my father’s friends. In fact, it’s been awhile and I’m not even sure if I remember how.”
“Judging by how you’ve been flirting with me, I’d say your skills haven’t eroded.”
“Are Russian women always this direct, Anna? How many shades of red is my face?”
“You are very funny, Chase Hampton. However, Mrs. Durov was right in one regard. I do have some contracts to look over. Will I see you at dinner?”
“Of course. I haven’t had a decent meal in forever, and I would hate to miss out on your company.”
“Wonderful, I look forward to dinner, also.”
I watched her as she walked over to my father and Mr. Durov, said something, and gracefully made her exit. She turned and smiled shyly at me before disappearing down the stairs.
Chapter 10
This freedom thing was feeling good, I thought, as I took my seat next to Anna at the appointed time of seven p.m. We were dining aft, on the salon deck in the formal dining room. There were five of us for dinner with Dmitri being the only one not present. I wondered if he was seasick. The Anchor Management was big, but the ocean frequently brought the stoutest of men to their knees.
Mrs. Durov did not speak to me during dinner, although I did catch her staring as we dined on chilled jumbo shrimp with a tangy remoulade and Beluga caviar with toast points. Dinner was Wagyu steaks and Maine lobster tails with herbed butter, fresh asparagus, pureed purple potatoes, and bacon and blue cheese cookies. I contrasted that with Ashmore’s version of surf and turf: bland tuna salad and questionable beef stew. Things were definitely looking up. To cap the dinner off, Chef Louis personally wheeled out plates of popular Russian treats. Bird’s milk cake,
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