Page 85 of You Belong to Me
Her spirits picked up only when they were nearing Cardinia and she realized she would soon be back with her horses. It was then that she began to notice the unusual looks she was getting from Vasili, as if he might be regretting something. She could just imagine what.
However, he had told her earlier in the journey that he would give her time to get used to the fact that theyweregetting married. He seemed absolutely adamant about it now. And to give her that time to adjust, he had apparently decided that keeping their conversations down to a minimum would help. After all, it was a rare occasion when they could talk and not have their words progress into a heated exchange.
One time in particular should have been the argument of the century, the first time they came to an inn and ended up dining together. Alexandra had already decided there was no point in continuing her rustic ruse. It had never worked on Vasili anyway. And now that she was resigned to marrying him—just for the baby’s sake—she was done with schemes to try to get out of it.
Vasili had raised his brows dubiously at the dresses she continued to wear since leaving England, though he didn’t ask again if she had her britches on beneath them. But the night they sat at the same table, and he observed her normal eating habits for the first time, she thought he was going to go into shock.
Yet it didn’t take long before his eyes had narrowed on her. “So all those horrid, disgusting manners were only for my benefit?” he guessed.
She didn’t try to prevaricate, but answered simply, “Of course.”
“The swearing?”
“I had help—and improvised.”
“Your skill with a whip wasn’t faked.”
“Konrad taught me when we were children.”
“And the threats you gave my women?”
She shrugged. “Sorry, but those were genuine. I never have been able to share what’s mine.”
He actually grinned at that point before telling her, “I’ve discovered I won’t either, at least not where you’re concerned.”
She didn’t take that declaration seriously. And she figured he had realized that he couldn’t get angry over what she’d done to fool him because he had done the very same thing.
Tanya Barony had warned her, but she herself had been treated to Vasili’s true character on the return trip for the proof of it. No more taunting, derisive remarks. No more contemptuous looks. And too many sensuous smiles for her heart to handle with any degree of indifference.
He was getting to her without even trying, and that frightened her. She could just imagine how painful it was going to be when he got around to ignoring her, and that would happen as soon as he figured out that she was already carrying his desired heir, which wouldn’t be much longer. It also hurt her even more to discover that he really was likable when he wasn’t deliberately trying to be otherwise, just as Tanya had claimed.
If she could only hate him, she could get through marriage to him with ease. But thatwasn’t the case, was so far from it that it was laughable. And too many times she came close to setting aside her pride and begging for his affection—at the very least, for his body.
It was deplorable how often those carnal feelings were assailing her these days. And she hoped that she would be married before her condition was discovered, because she was determined to have her wedding night, which was probably going to be the only night with him she would get. She would demand it, in fact, if necessary, because Vasili owed her that much after introducing her to the pleasures of the body, then leaving her yearning for more.
It was raining the day they arrived in the royal city of Cardinia. Vasili and Lazar had chosen to join her in the carriage when it started. Vasili had supplied the vehicle for her three weeks ago, when he’d seen her leave the ship in a dress rather than her britches. She had been brooding too much at the time even to be aware that her dress wasn’t suitable for riding.
But she hadn’t objected to the carriage, or that, because of it, she wasn’t supplied with a horse to do some riding. She wasn’t sure that sheshouldride anymore, now that she was two and a half months into her pregnancy. Until a doctor could advise her on the matter, she preferred not to take any chances, no matter how much she might miss her daily rides.
Vasili had waited until the last minute, untilthey’d actually entered the city, to tell Alexandra she would be staying with his mother again. The way he said it led her to believe he was expecting an argument. She didn’t give him one, despite the fact that she was dreading facing the countess again.
She supposed she owed the lady an apology. She would have seen to it when they arrived, and Maria met them no sooner than they had walked in the door, except Vasili had some things to say to his mother that momentarily surprised Alexandra.
“So you found her,” Maria began.
“I told you I would, Mother. And since we will be married tomorrow, Alexandra will be staying here only tonight. But kindly do me the favor of not mentioning her previous behavior to her. It was all a pretense anyway, so you can stop worrying that—”
“Yes, yes, I know all about that,” Maria cut in, surprising both him and Alexandra.
“How?” Vasili asked.
“Her father arrived not long after you left. He explained that although she is a trifle unconventional in certain areas—her horses, for one—she is every bit the lady we were expecting her to be. I was, of course, quite shocked. So was the baron when I related—”
“Let’snotdiscuss it, Mother, if you don’t mind. Did he return to Russia?”
“With his daughter missing?” she replied, her tone implying he should know parents weren’t that cavalier. “He was going to go after her himself, until I assured him that youwould bring her back. Of course, I offered him my hospitality.”
“He’shere?”
