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Authors: Robin Bridges
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not grabbed the reins quickly. It was the grand duke George Alexandrovich who saved my brother’s life with his quick action.
Everything happened so fast I found myself rooted to the spot. I realized then that I had not been close enough to be in any real danger, but my brother had almost been killed. My heart pounded. And I was shaking with fear.
Maman sobbed as she raced down the steps past me to see Petya.
I tried to follow her, but the tsar’s men had him surrounded and were herding the crowd away as they placed him on an army stretcher.
Maman pushed her way through the people, but I was only able to catch a glimpse of my brother as he slowly satup on the stretcher. He was banged up pretty badly, with several bruises and scratches, but otherwise seemed uninjured. Awake and alert, he still looked dazed. He was searching the crowd for someone, and then I realized he was looking for his horse.
I saw the stupid beast still acting skittishly on the other side of the pavilion. My poor brother. His cold light looked benign now, but there had been a brilliant flash as he’d fallen.
I tried again to push through the soldiers, but they ignored me completely. No one would let me by. Maman was already at Petya’s side, hovering over him with her handkerchief.
Frustrated, I found my brother’s horse, pawing the ground nervously. The animal snorted as I reached out to touch his neck. His large brown eye stared at me fearfully. Agitated, he was about to rear again.
“Are you so determined to get yourself killed this morning, Duchess?” Grand Duke George Alexandrovich said as he held firm to the horse’s reins. The horse seemed finally to quiet down under his gentle command.
Annoyed, I curtsied to the grand duke. “That was a very brave thing to do, Your Imperial Highness,” I said. “Thank you for saving my brother’s life.”
His blue eyes swept over me. “I wonder what frightened your brother’s horse, Duchess. He seemed fine until you approached.”
I blushed, horrified by and furious at his insinuation. I was too mad to think sensibly before I opened my mouth. “I didnot know his horse was afraid of young girls, Your Highness.”
He bent his head down so only I could hear him. “Not all young girls, Duchess,” he said softly, “but they can sense supernatural malice.” He jerked on the reins of his own animal and led Petya’s horse back to the imperial stables.
His words stung. What kind of a monster did the grand duke believe me to be? I might be cursed with a tainted gift, but I bore malice toward no one. Fortunately, Maman was still fussing over Petya and had not heard a word of our conversation.
But someone else had. “Pay him no mind,” Princess Cantacuzene whispered in my ear. She had been standing behind me all along. “The young Romanov thinks he sees everything with his faerie eyes, and yet he is blind. Do not let yourself be troubled.”
That was easier said than done.
Petya insisted that he was fine, and refused to go to the hospital. Then he learned that the soldier who had fallen was his friend Count Chermenensky, and he hurried to accompany Papa there.
I rode home in the sleigh with my mother, worrying about Petya’s friend and wishing I’d never have to see the arrogant grand duke ever again. And praying that he would not tell the tsar the disasters that day were all my fault.
That evening, Papa returned home from the hospital looking exhausted and grim. Count Chermenensky had neverwoken up. Papa said Dr. Kruglevski did not expect the count to live through the night. My brother had refused to leave his friend’s side.
Papa was livid when Maman recounted Petya’s fall. “I told him to ride one of the other horses today,” he said, taking the vodka the servant handed him. Papa knocked the drink back in one gulp and placed the glass on the servant’s tray. “Another mount would have been much more suitable.”
Reading the Corelli book she’d given me, Maman sat in her
Everything happened so fast I found myself rooted to the spot. I realized then that I had not been close enough to be in any real danger, but my brother had almost been killed. My heart pounded. And I was shaking with fear.
Maman sobbed as she raced down the steps past me to see Petya.
I tried to follow her, but the tsar’s men had him surrounded and were herding the crowd away as they placed him on an army stretcher.
Maman pushed her way through the people, but I was only able to catch a glimpse of my brother as he slowly satup on the stretcher. He was banged up pretty badly, with several bruises and scratches, but otherwise seemed uninjured. Awake and alert, he still looked dazed. He was searching the crowd for someone, and then I realized he was looking for his horse.
I saw the stupid beast still acting skittishly on the other side of the pavilion. My poor brother. His cold light looked benign now, but there had been a brilliant flash as he’d fallen.
I tried again to push through the soldiers, but they ignored me completely. No one would let me by. Maman was already at Petya’s side, hovering over him with her handkerchief.
Frustrated, I found my brother’s horse, pawing the ground nervously. The animal snorted as I reached out to touch his neck. His large brown eye stared at me fearfully. Agitated, he was about to rear again.
“Are you so determined to get yourself killed this morning, Duchess?” Grand Duke George Alexandrovich said as he held firm to the horse’s reins. The horse seemed finally to quiet down under his gentle command.
Annoyed, I curtsied to the grand duke. “That was a very brave thing to do, Your Imperial Highness,” I said. “Thank you for saving my brother’s life.”
His blue eyes swept over me. “I wonder what frightened your brother’s horse, Duchess. He seemed fine until you approached.”
I blushed, horrified by and furious at his insinuation. I was too mad to think sensibly before I opened my mouth. “I didnot know his horse was afraid of young girls, Your Highness.”
He bent his head down so only I could hear him. “Not all young girls, Duchess,” he said softly, “but they can sense supernatural malice.” He jerked on the reins of his own animal and led Petya’s horse back to the imperial stables.
His words stung. What kind of a monster did the grand duke believe me to be? I might be cursed with a tainted gift, but I bore malice toward no one. Fortunately, Maman was still fussing over Petya and had not heard a word of our conversation.
But someone else had. “Pay him no mind,” Princess Cantacuzene whispered in my ear. She had been standing behind me all along. “The young Romanov thinks he sees everything with his faerie eyes, and yet he is blind. Do not let yourself be troubled.”
That was easier said than done.
Petya insisted that he was fine, and refused to go to the hospital. Then he learned that the soldier who had fallen was his friend Count Chermenensky, and he hurried to accompany Papa there.
I rode home in the sleigh with my mother, worrying about Petya’s friend and wishing I’d never have to see the arrogant grand duke ever again. And praying that he would not tell the tsar the disasters that day were all my fault.
That evening, Papa returned home from the hospital looking exhausted and grim. Count Chermenensky had neverwoken up. Papa said Dr. Kruglevski did not expect the count to live through the night. My brother had refused to leave his friend’s side.
Papa was livid when Maman recounted Petya’s fall. “I told him to ride one of the other horses today,” he said, taking the vodka the servant handed him. Papa knocked the drink back in one gulp and placed the glass on the servant’s tray. “Another mount would have been much more suitable.”
Reading the Corelli book she’d given me, Maman sat in her
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