Read Online The House by the Dvina by Eugenie Fraser - Free Book Online

with every hour, as the train rumbled on further and further to the north.
    A short distance before their final destination the train halted at a small wayside station. A young woman came aboard and joined my parents.
    She was my fatherТs cousin, Tanya, whose husband held a position connected with the railway. Tanya had been commissioned by my grandmother to assist my parents with their luggage and make certain it was delivered safely to the house. Tanya embraced and kissed my mother and her cousin. Of a bright and friendly disposition, she presented an extraordinary spectacle, being completely enveloped in black diaphanous material stitched round her fur hat and falling in folds down to her ankles. Nelly was astonished and overawed. “Is she some kind of nun?” she enquired. “No,” my father explained shortly. “She is in deep mourning for our dear grandmother.”
    Nelly felt chastened. For the next few minutes they kept up a friendly conversation interpreted by my father and accompanied by smiles, gestures and nodding of heads. The train steamed into Issakagorka Station. On the opposite side of the river lay Archangel.
    Two sledges awaited them. Tanya immediately took charge of the luggage.
    She briskly commandeered all the porters and in no time had all the boxes placed on her sledge. My parents walked over to their sledge. Gherman embraced the old coachman fondly and introduced him to his young wife. The old man glanced at Nelly, smiled broadly and said something that appeared to please my father. Tucking the bearskin round them while addressing my father by the familiar “thou” and first name, he fussed for a little and clambered onto his seat. He raised the knout and off went the horses.
    Behind them on her sledge, perched high on top of all the luggage, sat Tanya, her black draperies flapping behind like the wings of a gigantic bird.
    Faster and faster flew the horses. They had now turned into Olonetskaya Street. As they ran through the gates the high turret of the summer house dominating the garden caught NellyТs eyes. “Look,” she suddenly said to my father and pointed to the sky. There fluttering high against the arctic sky, welcoming the Scottish bride, was the gold and scarlet of the Lion Rampant. She always told me that as she gazed up at this proud symbol of Scotland she knew that this was something that was her very own, something that was part of her being, and it seemed to be saying, “You must never be afraid, for I shall always be with you.”
    The horses drew up sharply at the front entrance. My father helped Nelly down and they walked together up the crimson-carpeted staircase. Through the open inner doors could be seen standing in the hall a tall woman dressed in black who bore a strong resemblance to the photograph Nelly had of her mother-in- law. For a ^ moment she thought that it might be her, but my father, introducing her, explained this was his Aunt Ludmilla, his motherТs sister. “You must hurry,” Ludmilla told them anxiously, “they are all standing waiting for you in the ballroom.” As a young servant girl hurriedly removed her heavy shuba and fur hat, Nelly had wondered if she could be allowed to tidy herself a little and comb her hair, but that, it seemed, was not possible. Gherman took her hand and led her into the ballroom just as she was, her hair untidy and her dress all crumpled after the long journey. In the middle of the room stood her mother-in- law, a tall, resplendent figure in a golden brocade dress with a long train. In her hands was a large ikon of the Virgin and Child. She made no sign of welcome or movement towards them. Beside her stood her husband, my fatherТs stepfather. He was holding on a silver tray a large round loaf of black bread topped by a salt cellar Ч the traditional Russian symbol of welcome. In the background grouped around them were all the friends and members of the family. Still holding NellyТs hand, Gherman walked up to his mother and