Page 57 of You Belong to Me
Lazar cleared his throat to regain Vasili’s attention. “So where are the horses?”
“Locked up for the night.”
“But not for long,” Alexandra added. “Between the five of you—”
“Give it a rest, Alex,” Vasili cut in, clearly at the end of his patience. “You may not be exhausted after fighting through that storm today, but I most certainly am.”
“It figures,” she replied in disgust.
The black look she got for that remark should have knocked her off her horse. She merely raised her chin a notch and glowered right back. Vasili was too cold to waste time staring her down—if it were even possible.
He sighed. “I’ll allow that Pavel might be too drunk to notice that we are so few in number, but he’ll also be too drunk to have the sense to lower his price. And if you think I’m going to pay what he’s asking for those animals, you’re out of your mind.”
She didn’t want him paying anything that would make her any more beholden to him. “What happened to getting them back ‘one way or another’?”
“Jesus, sheathe your claws, woman. Cardinia happens to be one of the richest countries in Europe. We’re in the habit of using money first, arms only as a last resort. And we haven’t reached our last resort yet. Returning in the morning, when they’d rather be sleeping off all the ale they drank tonight, is still our best bet.”
“And if I happen to disagree with that?” she asked stubbornly.
“Wouldn’t you prefer that yourbabiesspend the night in that nice warm stable they’re presently enjoying, rather than be exposed to the elements?” It was rotten of him to play on her concern again, but he wasn’t finished making his point. “We can reach one of Stefan’s hunting lodges by tomorrow night, so we’ll have some proper shelter again. This isthe last night that we’ll have to rough it outdoors, but this happens to be the coldest night we’ve seen yet, which you pointed out to me, if you’ll recall. And for all we know, that storm could return before morning.”
All she’d heard was that his cousin owned property near here. And just as the heat of her embarrassment had gone undetected in the dark a few moments ago, so did the abrupt loss of all her coloring now.
“We’re that close to Cardinia?” she whispered.
He didn’t notice her subdued tone. “Another few days should see us there, as long as we don’t encounter any more storms—or bandits. Now we’re going to find our tents and get some sleep, and I really don’t want to hear any more arguments about it.” He turned to Lazar. “I hope to hell you’re not camped where we left you.”
Lazar was startled to be drawn back into the conversation so abruptly, having been engrossed in that fascinating exchange. “We’re about thirty minutes from here, where this path leaves the main trail.” But then he couldn’t resist goading. “Are you certain you want to head in that direction?”
When Alexandra immediately perked up upon hearing that, Vasili hissed, “He wasjoking!” and gave Lazar a look that promised he’d get even with him for that, before he headed for their camp.
27
Early the next morning, they left one man behind with Nina and the wagons. The rest of the party, all fully armed, rode into Latzko’s village, and Alexandra had to admit they were an impressive sight. She also had to admit, though grudgingly and only to herself, that Vasili had had the right idea. Returning triumphant, so to speak, inspired confidence. Shewouldget her horses back, “one way or another.”
Only a few of the villagers were up and about after their long night of celebration, but that quickly changed as Vasili’s men slowly approached the main building. Someone had run ahead to inform Pavel of their arrival, because he stumbled out onto the porch just as they drew abreast of it. No one dismounted. Guns were held at the ready.
Pavel was still shrugging a coat on. That he had no shirt on under it and was barefoot indicated he’d been pulled from his warm bed. He certainly didn’t seem to be happy to see Vasilimounted and surrounded by his own people, instead of how he’d left him last night.
“Who let you out?” he demanded.
“I let myself out—and now I want the horses,” Vasili replied.
The reminder that all was not lost changed Pavel’s demeanor abruptly. “Ah, yes.” He flashed a toothy grin. “King Stefan’s very valuable horses. I can assume they didn’t let themselves out?”
Vasili waited while the bandit and his cohorts laughed over his little joke. He wasn’t amused. He wanted to get this over with. The sooner they were out of these mountains, the sooner they’d be back to temperatures he could at least tolerate. Never again would he cross the Carpathians this late in the year.
“The horses aren’t for Stefan, as I believe I already told you,” Vasili informed the bandit. “However, I did stretch the truth a bit yesterday, since they aren’t mine either—at least not yet. They belong to the wench here, and she doesn’t have the amount you’re asking. But I’ve promised to get them back for her. One hundred rubles each—and no one dies. Think about it before you answer.”
Pavel didn’t take that advice, saying immediately, “Double or nothing and you accept my challenge.”
“How fortunate that I can afford not to waste my time,” Vasili replied in a bored tone.
“You fight me, aristo, or I keep one of the horses for myself.”
Vasili nearly rolled his eyes. Why had he known this was coming? Because Pavel was so damn predictable in some ways, and this was certainly one of them. He looked at Alexandra, but her mulish expression said she wasn’t going to leave a single one of her precious babies behind, and that didn’t surprise him either.
But she did manage to do the unexpected by interfering, telling Pavel, “The horses are mine. The choice of who fights you should be mine.”
