Page 19 of You Belong to Me
“I regret that she wasn’t at her best,” he continued. “But you see, she spends most of each day working with the horses, and so she dresses for convenience, rather than—”
“Workingwith horses?” Vasili’s surprise was genuine, giving him no time to ascertain whether he should approve or disapprove. His tone said it all, and turned Constantin defensive.
“This is a horse-breeding farm, after all,” he explained. “And Alexandra was the only one of my three daughters who showed any interest at all in the horses. I probably shouldn’t have encouraged her, but I did, and once I did, there was no turning back.”
Vasili was relieved to see that he had taken the correct tone, at least for his purposes. The father obviously allowed the girl her unusual occupation, and Vasili would not be out of line in expressing disapproval of that. The baron’s quick defense told him the older man had probably anticipated that he would disapprove.
And just so there would be no mistaking that he was scandalized, albeit mildly, Vasili said, “You actuallypermitthis?”
As if I could stop her, Constantin thought but refrained from replying. He would just as soon Vasili not find out how willful and stubborn his betrothed could be, at least until after the wedding.
“I saw no harm in this, and she is highly skilled with the animals,” he replied. “She doctors them, trains them, breeds them—”
“I beg your pardon?”
Color rose in Constantin’s cheeks, and he became defensive again. “Now see here. Alexandra is not some pampered, ignorant city girl who never gets her hands dirty. She was raised here in the country—”
Constantin stopped, for Vasili’s expression was eloquent.Well, that explains it, he might as well have said aloud, and in the driest tones.
The baron’s sigh was just as eloquent, the sound of a father at his wit’s end. “I will concede that my daughter’s activities need to be channeled in a new direction. And as with any new bride, a husband and children should see to that nicely.”
Vasili groaned inwardly, wondering now if his attitude wasn’t just what the baron had been hoping for. He said carefully, “You do realize that I live in the capital city, near the palace. With the court functions she will be expected to attend, her life will be quite different from what she is accustomed to.”
“The change will do her good, though I warn you, she won’t give up her daily riding.”
That was such a moot point, Vasili said indifferently, “Most noblewomen ride for pleasure.”
“What about racing?”
“Preposterous. No lady races—she races?”
“Occasionally.”
“Not anymore,” Vasili said stiffly.
“Splendid.”
Vasili slumped a bit in his chair. He was supposed to be hitting on the things that wouldnotplease the baron, not turn out to be the ideal solution to the man’s apparent problems with anunnatural daughter.
Trying for a desperate about-face, Vasili said, “I do, of course, own several country estates not too distant from the capital. I suppose she could be allowed to pursue her…hobby there.”
Constantin smiled. “Alexandra will be delighted to hear that.”
Vasili gritted his teeth, giving up. His last hope, with the baron at least, was that the man might be lying about this betrothal. It was a slim hope, but Vasili was feeling desperate again.
“I would like to see a copy of the betrothal contract, sir. Apparently my father’s copy was misplaced or lost, since it was never found.”
“Certainly.”
Vasili flushed slightly, seeing that the contract had been lying there on the desk between them. Constantin handed it over, obviously having anticipated the request, and it didn’t take long for Vasili to peruse the brief document—and find his father’s signature on it. So much for slim hopes.
“Might I ask why you waited so long to write?” Vasili asked as he handed the contract back. “Your daughter is quite beyond the age when most girls marry.”
“That was selfishness on my part, wanting to keep her with me for a bit longer,” Constantin said. “And she was content with her life here.”
“I don’t doubt it. Are you aware that she doesn’t want to marry me?”
“Shetoldyou that?”
