Bound by Love (Russian Connection 2)

They walked in silence, Pyotr leading the way. Within moments, Leonida was utterly lost. From the shadows it was impossible to keep track of where they were headed, but trusting in her groom, Leonida followed his quick pace.

“Good lord. This is certainly a…pungent route,” she muttered as Pyotr slowed his steps and peered around the edge of the alley.

“Sorry, Miss.”

“No, Pyotr, it was my notion to avoid attention,” she reassured her groom. There was no one to blame but herself for their current troubles. “We could not have escaped from the hotel without your assistance.”

Sophy clicked her tongue. “Don’t be making his head any bigger than it is.”

Ignoring the teasing, Pyotr pointed a finger. “The hotel is just across the street.”

Moving to stand at his side, Leonida regarded the white stone building with wrought-iron trellises and uniformed servants standing at the door.

Her heart sank at the realization this would not be quite so simple as she had imagined. Respectable women, even widows, did not visit gentlemen in their private hotel rooms.

“I did not consider the notion of how I would actually approach the man,” she breathed, silently cursing herself for her stupidity. A woman could hardly request to be shown to a gentleman’s apartments.

“Do you want me to fetch the man for you?” Pyotr requested.

“Perhaps that would be for the best. I—” Leonida jerked in surprise as a man approached the hotel, his brutish features and mud-brown hair all too familiar. “Mon Dieu.”

Pyotr dropped his bags and pulled a pistol from the pocket of his jacket.

“What is it?”

“That man.”

“A rough sort,” Sophy said, moving to her side. “I wonder what he’s doing at this hotel?”

“He is the ruffian w

ho threatened me in England.”

Without warning, Sophy was digging into the small leather case she carried.

“Do you want me to shoot him?” she demanded, pulling out a small pistol.

Leonida choked back a small laugh, not doubting for a moment the bloodthirsty maid would happily shoot the man in the back.

“For God’s sake, no.”

“He’s going to get away.”

“Sophy, please put that gun away,” Leonida pleaded. “I must think.”

The maid gave a shake of her head. “We cannot linger here, Miss Leonida. Soon enough the locals are going to decide that our few coins are worth risking the guillotine.”

Leonida glanced over her shoulder, shivering as she realized that several pairs of eyes were regarding them from behind filthy windows.

“Shall I fetch Sir Charles?” Pyotr asked softly.

“No.” Leonida sucked in a calming breath. “It is too much a coincidence that Sir Charles is staying at the same hotel as the man who attacked me at Meadowland. I knew there was something odd in his manner during our encounter. Clearly he knew who I was all along.” Frustrated fear clenched at her heart. “Still, we have to get out of Paris.”

“We could buy tickets on a public carriage,” Sophy offered. “There must be some that travel to the north.”

“That was my thought, as well, but I fear we would be far too easy to track.” Leonida once again went through their limited list of alternatives, heaving a sigh as she accepted there really were none left. “I suppose I have no choice. Now that my presence here is known I might as well present myself to the Russian ambassador and request the funds we need…”

“No, it is too dangerous,” Sophy broke in with a stubborn frown.