Bound by Love (Russian Connection 2)

The dark eyes flashed with annoyance. “Mon Dieu. Have you not been paying attention over the past months?”

“You mean the uprising?”

“Alexander is devastated.” Nadia paced across the polished wood floor, her expression tight with unmistakable concern. “He considered the Semyonoffski Regiment the most faithful of all his soldiers and their betrayal has been like a knife in his heart. I fear for him, Leonida. He is so fragile. I am not certain he could bear what he is certain to believe is yet another betrayal.”

“We are all concerned for his welfare, but he is the Emperor,” Leonida pointed out softly. “He must know of any threat to his throne.”

Coming to a halt, Nadia turned to meet Leonida’s gaze with a tilt of her chin.

“I intend to ensure that any threat is brought to an end before Alexander returns.”

“How? If someone has managed to get their hands on the letters you wrote…”

“I am not convinced that anyone has actually seen the letters.”

Leonida lifted her hands to rub her throbbing temples. “You are giving me a headache, Mother. Perhaps you should start at the beginning.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Nadia pressed her hands to her stomach as she sought to gain command of her composure.

“Last week a masked man calling himself the Voice of Truth approached me at Count Bernaski’s masquerade. The ridiculous man claimed that he possessed the letters I had written to Mira and that he would make them public unless I agreed to pay him one hundred thousand rubles.”

“One hundred thousand,” Leonida whispered in shock. It was worse, much worse, than she had dreamed possible. “Good lord. We could not possibly pay such a sum.”

“I have no intention of paying so much as a ruble,” Nadia snapped. “Not until I am convinced the bastard truly possesses the letters, which I assure you I am not.”

“Why not?”

“Because as soon as the man turned to leave I motioned for Herrick Gerhardt to have him followed.”

Leonida grimaced. Herrick Gerhardt was Alexander Pavlovich’s closest advisor and the most alarming man she had ever encountered. Nothing escaped his dark, penetrating gaze. And his fierce devotion to the Emperor meant he would willingly destroy any threat without a hint of remorse.

It was impossible to be in his company without fearing you might be hauled to the nearest dungeon.

“Of course,” she muttered.

Nadia shrugged, not nearly so frightened of Gerhardt as she should be.

“This is not the first threat I have endured. My position often attracts those who would hope to use me to influence Alexander Pavlovich.”

Well, her mother was not alone. Leonida was shocked at the many occasions the members of society would approach her in hopes she could sway the Emperor.

As if she had any power. It was ludicrous.

“I assume Herrick managed to follow the man?”

“Yes. His name is Nikolas Babevich. His father is a Russian officer and his mother is—” Nadia gave a delicate shudder “—French. Disgusting people. They are never to be trusted.”

Leonida ignored her mother’s prejudice. Nadia possessed a vivid memory of Napoleon’s invasion and the costly war.

“Was he captured?”

“Herrick decided it would be better not to allow the fiend to realize we had discovered his identity.”

Leonida shook her head. Had her mother taken leave of her senses?

“I will be the first to admit that I know very little of government affairs, but if you know who and where this villain is to be discovered then why on earth would you not have him arrested?” Leonida demanded in confusion.

“Because we cannot be certain he is acting alone.”