Scoundrel's Honor (Russian Connection 3)

A bittersweet smile arched her lips. Until her sister had left her stranded in that brothel, she had believed that there was no sacrifice too great to keep her family safe.

“You do understand,” she murmured. “A pity Anya was not so forgiving.”

His expression hardened at the mention of Anya. “You cannot continue to punish yourself for the failures of your sister. You have done all that was possible to offer her a stable home. Her future is now in her own hands.”

“Yes.”

“So, will you overcome your reluctance and ask for Herrick Gerhardt’s assistance?”

She paused, unconsciously shifting her feet. “Of course. I will do whatever possible to help.”

“And yet you hesitate.”

A wry smile curved her lips as she met his deliberately bland gaze.

“Because I am not utterly stupid,” she said, her eyes narrowing in warning. “I know very well that Dimitri demanded that I be rushed away from the dangers of Cairo and returned to Russia.”

His lips parted, as if he were debating the ridiculous notion of lying to her. At last he reached to take her hand in a comforting grip.

“Emma, there is nothing you can accomplish by remaining here. A female, especially an unwed female, has no power or freedom in Cairo.” A suddenly wicked promise smoldered in the dark eyes. “Unless you prefer to remain hidden in my harem?”

Conceding that she had been neatly outmaneuvered, Emma gave a rueful shake of her head.

Rajih spoke the truth.

What could she possibly achieve if she lingered in Egypt? It was not as if she had a small army at her disposal to overrun the citadel. Or even the skills to slip past the guards and secretly free Dimitri.

And while she was far from convinced her plea to Herrick Gerhardt would be more than a waste of breath, she was willing to make the attempt.

“I am beginning to suspect you are attempting to be rid of me,” she teased.

With a mysterious smile, Rajih lifted her fingers to his lips.

“Quite the contrary.

“What do you mean?”

“I intend to escort you to St. Petersburg.”

WAITING UNTIL THE DINNER trays had been removed and the servants had finished preparing the beds for the night, Dimitri gathered several pillows from the outer chamber and arranged them beneath the silk sheets.

“This is a very bad plan,” Josef muttered as he stuffed his own bed with pillows.

Dimitri smiled wryly. His servant had been grumbling and moaning for hours. Not that he blamed his companion. They were very much the pasha’s prisoners, even if they were not locked in the dungeons. But, Dimitri was familiar enough with his long-time friend to know it was not being held in the citadel that was causing his foul mood, but fear that Dimitri’s suspicions might not be as stupid as he wanted to believe.

Josef would stand before the firing squad without batting an eye, but the thought of someone he cared for in danger nearly unmanned him.

“It is not a plan at all,” he pointed out. “Merely a hasty attempt to avoid being murdered in my bed.”

Josef snorted. “I still don’t understand why you believe we are going to be attacked.”

“It is the only explanation that makes sense.”

“Sense?” Josef straightened from the bed, throwing his hands in the air. “What sense is there in trying to keep you locked behind this fortress if someone wants you dead? It is much easier to shoot you in the back if you are walking down the street.”

“Yes, but the benefit is knowing my precise location.”

“So would kidnapping you.”