Page 39 of You Belong to Me
She was too surprised to answer for a moment, but then her shoulders dropped and she said in disgust, “Well, hell, what does it take to shock that man?”
Stenka could no longer hold back his own chuckles. “You could try dancing naked around the camp. That ought to get a reaction out of him, and the rest of us would, of course, look the other way.”
“Of course you would,” she replied dryly before tossing out a few more invectives for each of them, this time quite sincerely.
She marched off then, annoyed with them, annoyed with herself for somehow failing at her objective—again—and furious with Vasili for not reacting as he ought to.Whywould he be amused to hear such terrible language coming out of her mouth? Didn’t he realize that if she could do something like this here, she could as easily do it in a drawing room where his king might be present?
He sought her out among the horses, where she had gone to take advantage of the soothing effect they usually had on her. Usually. It wasn’t working tonight. She continued to move among them, though, ignoring the presence she felt behind her, knowing instinctively who it was. And that was another thing thatkept her from calming down. She didn’tlikeit that she was able to sense Vasili, just as her mares could sense when one of the stallions came near.
He didn’t wait for her to turn around and acknowledge him. “Perhaps you will tell me why you were so angry with your Cossacks.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I ask.”
She changed her mind about saying it was none of his business, for the horses gave her an adequate lie. She turned to give it to Vasili, but, as happened too frequently, she was disturbed by his handsomeness. Anytime she was this close to him, she found it difficult to breathe, much less have a conversation.
But she finally got out, “They let Prince Mischa cover one of the mares today.”
“So?”
“So they know I am to be present for every breeding,” she explained, and that much was true.
“You actually watch?”
From his expression, she realized she had finally shocked him, and by something shediddo, rather than what she’d been doing only for his benefit.
“Of course I watch. These are my babies, and I have better control over them than anyone else. I have to assure that the mares aren’t hurt—exactly as any other conscientious breeder would do.”
“But—”
“Yes?”
Her tone dared him to object because she was a woman, especially when she’d been doing her damnedest to appear and actunwomanly for him. And he must have remembered just that, because he dropped that subject to address another.
“Where were you that you didn’t witness it?”
She smiled at him. “Didn’t you know? You aren’t the only one who goes riding off alone—” She started to add, “in search of amusement,” but he didn’t give her a chance to.
“You didwhat?”
“Of course, when I ride,” she continued, “I don’t stick to the road as you do. I find the countryside much more—exhilarating.”
She managed the insinuation this time, but instead of pouncing on it, he said with complete confidence, “You’re lying, Alex.”
She ground her teeth before retorting, “Of course I am, but what made you think so?”
He was suddenly frowning. “What do you mean, ‘Of course I am’? Do you make a habit of lying?”
“Certainly,” she replied offhandedly. “It makes life so much more interesting, don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t,” he said sternly. “Life is interesting enough without complicating—Never mind. You’re a grown woman. Far be it from me to change any of your—habits.”
His condescension infuriated her this time, and she’d much rather take out some real anger on him than pretend to be angry at her friends. And she did it with a smile.
“How positively magnanimous of you, Petroff. Don’t expect me to be as generous, though. But then, we already know what habits of yours I’m changing, don’t we?”
He didn’t take the bait, but his smile was as false as hers. “Habits youthinkyou’re changing. But as for how I knew you were lying, it’s because one of my men would have found me to tell me if you’d ridden off on your own, and another would have followed you.”
