Bound by Love (Russian Connection 2)

Choosing a marble bench near the back of the garden, Leonida allowed the tears to fall freely. The wrenching sadness would pass, she told herself. It might take a few days. Or weeks.

Or months.

But in the end she had made the right choice.

Mon Dieu. There was nothing she wanted more than to be Stefan’s wife. It had nothing to do with becoming the Duchess of Huntley. Or claiming a prestigious position in English society. It was simply the desire of a woman who loved a man beyond all bearing.

But Alexander Pavlovich had been right.

Even if Stefan were willing to give her his name for the sake of his passion, how long would it be before she began yearning for an affection he could not feel? Or worse, how long before Stefan came to regret having a wife he could not love?

It would destroy her.

And eventually it would destroy Stefan, as well.

She lost track of time as her tears slowly came to a halt and she wallowed in her misery. Soon she would gather her composure and return to the house. Life, after all, had not come to an end just because Stefan was leaving Russia.

Her mother was still in danger and until they could find some means of discovering who had the letters, the Countess would never feel safe. And, of course, there was still Sir Charles. Until he was caught, the streets of St. Petersburg would never be safe.

She was on the point of returning to the house when the sound of the back gate being pushed open had her on her feet.

“Pyotr?” she called, instinctively moving to investigate who had entered the garden. “What are you…” She came to an abrupt halt, her heart squeezing with terror as she easily recognized the slender man with a jagged scar running down his cheek. How could she ever forget him? He had helped Sir Charles hold her captive. “No.”

Opening her lips, Leonida prepared to scream. At least one of her servants was bound to be close enough to hear. Before she could make a sound, however, the small man clapped a hand over her mouth and lifted the gun he held in his other hand.

“Forgive me, Miss Karkoff, but I cannot allow you to draw attention to my presence.” A chilling smile touched his lips. “I will remove my hand, but know I will not hesitate to shoot if you attempt to attract notice.”

Trembling with fear, Leonida waited for the servant to pull his hand away. Although he had managed to shave and change into a clean pair of trousers and linen smock since the last occasion she had seen him, Josef still managed to appear menacing. And she did not doubt for a moment he would pull the trigger.

“What are you doing here?” she asked huskily.

“My employer desires your company.” He jerked his head toward the small carriage just beyond the mews. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she had not even heard it approach. “If you will accompany me peacefully I assure you that no harm will come to you.”

“Never.” Her words throbbed with sincerity. “I would rather you shoot me now than to be in the hands of Sir Charles again.”

Surprisingly, his thin face twisted with disgust. “Sir Charles. Bah. I would never work for such a depraved coward.”

“Do you take me for an idiot? I have not forgotten one ghastly moment in your company.”

“Nothing more than a charade.” The man shrugged. “My true employer was anxious to keep track of Sir Charles. It would not do to have him disappear before he was brought to justice.”

Charade? Justice? Leonida shook her head, anger and confusion beginning to overcome her fear. This had to be some sort of trick.

“And it did not trouble you that he kidnapped an innocent woman and nearly slit her throat?”

“I did my best to keep you alive.” He caught and held her gaze. “Even you must admit that.”

Her lips thinned. She was not about to admit any such thing. Not when he was pointing a gun at her heart.

“All I know is that you were traveling with Sir Charles and rescued him before he could be put in a grave where he belongs.”

“You were allowed to have your bit of flesh, but his life was owed to another.”

Leonida jerked in shock. “He is dead?”

Josef shook his head, as if he had said more than he intended.

“Your questions will all be answered if you will simply get into the carriage.”