Page 88 of You Belong to Me
His stricken look was choking her, but she wasn’t going to be swayed. “That I am here shows how much you cared. I don’t think I’ve ever been more unhappy, and I have you to thank for it.”
“I don’t understand. You and Vasili were extremely well suited. You were greatly attracted to him. Why didn’t you give it a chance?”
“Because I was in love with someone else—or thought I was. You, of course, will be delighted to know what a mistake that was, just as you always maintained,” she said bitterly. “But even if that weren’t so, it would have made no difference between Vasili and me, since he was against the marriage from the start. The only reason he’s reversed his opinion is because he figures he has to marry someday anyway, and he doesn’t want to have to bother courting some other woman—not that he ever bothered to court me.”
“That isn’t the impression—I don’t think that’s why he’s marrying you, Alex. But what is more important here is, how do you feel about him now?”
“What difference can my feelings make when he doesn’t love me?”
“Then you don’t have to marry him,” Constantin said. “I’ll talk to him—”
“Don’t bother. His own mother told him he couldn’t marry me, but he wouldn’t listen. He’s completely reversed his stand. And besides, it’s too late for you to break the betrothal, as youshouldhave done. I gave him my word I’d marry him, so the betrothal no longer has anything to do with it. And I will marry him—just as soon as you leave.”
“Alex!”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t forgive you for doing this to me. And—and I have nothing more to say to you.”
She turned her back on him and closed her eyes against the pain welling up inside her. For a long moment there was silence, then his footsteps receding, and that was when the tears started streaming down her cheeks. The lump in her throat felt as if it were going to burst, it was so huge. Oh, God, it was killing her!
Vasili was suddenly there, his arms gathering her against his chest, his voice at her ear, telling her, “I promise you, Alex, Iswearit, you will be happy with me. And you’re going to want to thank your father one day for bringing us together, so forgive him now. Tell him you forgive him. You won’t regret it.”
She was crying loudly by then, and leaning back, she could barely see Vasili through thetears, but what she saw was such concern and caring and sincerity and…oh, God, what had she done?
She wrenched herself away from him to run down the corridor, shouting for her father to wait—he had nearly reached the end. And when he finally heard her and turned, she saw that he’d been crying, too, and it tore a sound of anguish from her as she closed the distance and threw herself into his open arms.
“I’m sorry, Papa, I didn’t mean it—I didn’t mean any of it!” she wailed.
“I know, I know. Hush, Alex, it’s all right—”
“It’s not. I wanted to hurt you because I hurt, but it’s not your fault that he doesn’t love me.”
“I think he does, Alex,” Constantin murmured as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“He doesn’t—but he will,” she said fiercely. “I’ve been feeling sorry for myself when I should have been fighting for what I want.”
Constantin couldn’t help it; he laughed at that point. “That’s my girl.” And all the pain drained out of Alexandra, hearing it.
She glanced back to see Vasili standing where she’d left him, her golden Adonis, more handsome than words could describe—and he’d just promised to make her happy.
Her smile was nearly blinding when she looked back at her father. “Will you give me away, Papa?”
“Then you do love him?”
“Oh, yes, more than I can say.” And with a grin: “Certainly more than he deserves.”
“Then let’s not hold up this wedding any longer.”
40
Soft candlelight, silk sheets, an extremely thick fur rug before the fireplace. The more Alexandra observed the seductive atmosphere of Vasili’s bedroom, the more annoyed she became as she waited for him to join her. Nervousness, possibly, already had her on edge.
She’d told her father earlier today that she was going to make Vasili love her; however, she didn’t expect miracles overnight. But at least she didn’t feel hopeless about it anymore. Talking with her father had restored her confidence, and also made her realize how completely it had deserted her for a while. She wondered now if her pregnancy wasn’t responsible for some of her moodiness.
She turned away from staring at the fire and found that Vasili had come silently into the room. He was leaning against the foot of the bed, his arms crossed over a maroon robe, staring at her. As usual, his handsomeness made her sigh, the lean lines of his face so perfect, his golden hair in disarray, the hardplanes of his body in evidence. Just how was she going to make this beautiful man love her?
“What did you do with all those mistresses you had spread around this city?”
He lifted a brow curiously. “Are we about to have a fight, sweetheart?”
