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her to be vexed with him for concealing his identity,
the depth of her resentment puzzled him. It had not
seemed a good moment to try to explain his intentions,
but surely she must have calmed down by now.
When Mrs. Borden announced that Miss Howard
was not at home, he assumed that she refused to see
him. She needed more time. He would not press her,
but perhaps Lady Sylvia might put in a good word for
him.
 I may speak to her ladyship? he enquired.  For a
few minutes only.
He was ushered into Lady Sylvia s sitting room. She
greeted him with a worried look in her brown eyes.
 Good evening, Prince. Pray be seated.
 I beg do not call me thus, ma am. In England am
Mr. Volkov. I hoped to see Miss Howard but she is still
angry, I think?
 I fear Polly is convinced that you have been
laughing at her all the time she has known you. In her
eyes, your friendship was a mockery, a joke.
 Joke! Ah no, was no joke.
 She cannot believe that a genuine friendship is
possible between a prince and a family with no claim
to distinction.
 Is no joke. Kolya ran his fingers through his hair.
 This I will prove to her. Even if she will not see me, I
must continue arrangements for exhibition. I will go to
Loxwood to fetch paintings.
 To...to Loxwood? Lady Sylvia faltered, paling.
Kolya wondered at her emotion.  Ned will give me
pictures for exhibition, he said confidently.  You wish
that I take message? Is more problem with your
estate?
 No. Yes. No. She looked down at her twisting
hands, her golden ringlets hiding her face.  I owe Mr.
Howard an apology, she blurted out.  I cannot write it,
I must give it in person. Will you try to bring him back
with you? Make some excuse. Tell him Polly needs
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him, or Nick.
 I will say Polly is unhappy and wishes to see
matyushka her mother. Mrs. Howard will not travel
without escort of Ned.
Her ladyship brightened.  Oh yes. Tell her I hope
she will stay here at Dean House, that everything shall
be done to make her comfortable. Surely Ned cannot
be so angry with me that he will not bring his mother
here.
Kolya hid a smile at her slip of the tongue. The use
of Ned s christian name confirmed the suspicion that
more than a desire to apologize lay behind her urgency
to see him.
 Ned is not one to bear a grudge, he said.
 Nor is Polly, she assured him eagerly.  I daresay
by the time you return she will have forgotten she was
miffed at you.
 I trust you are correct, ma am. His spirits rose.  If I
am lucky she will be planning a new picture and will
have no thought for anything else. I ride tonight to
Loxwood.
He bowed over her hand, promised to bring Ned
back with him, and took his leave.
His borrowed steed was a sweet goer and he an
expert horseman. In the moonlit night the miles fled
swiftly beneath them. Nonetheless, by the time he
reached Loxwood it was far too late for paying social
calls. Kolya knew that he would be made welcome at
the manor whatever the hour of his arrival, and he
could see Ned in the morning. Impatient, he decided to
ride past the Howards house on the off chance that
Ned might be sitting up late.
A crack of light showed between the curtains of the
office. Kolya dismounted and knocked on the open
window.
 Ned, he called softly.
 Who is there? The curtains were flung back and
Ned held up a candle.  Mr. Volkov! Is Polly ill? Or
Nick?
 No, no, my dear fellow. All is well. And what is this
return to formality? Are we not friends? He wanted to
be sure of his ground before he revealed his title.
 Will you come in, Kolya? Ned was slightly flushed.
 I ll open the front door. I m finished with my
bookkeeping anyway. You had best stable your horse
with Chipper.
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They rubbed down the horse in companionable
silence, fed and watered him, then went into the
house. Ned led the way to the sitting room and poured
them each a glass of brandy.
 Za zdorovye. Kolya raised his glass in salute and
sipped, feeling a pleasant lethargy steal over him.
 Your health. Ned returned the toast. They chatted
about Loxwood for a few minutes, then he topped up
the glasses and said,  Don t think you are not
welcome, but I suppose you had a reason for your
return and for calling at this hour?
Until that moment Kolya had not been sure how
much he was going to tell his beloved s brother. The
brandy loosened his tongue, and he plunged straight
in.  Polly is very angry with me.
 Oh? said Ned noncommittally.  Why is that?
Kolya swallowed a strengthening draught. Unlike
vodka, brandy was meant to be sipped, but it went
down very smoothly, and he followed it with some
more before confessing,  Because she discovered I am
a prince.
 A what! Ned too had recourse to his glass. Being
unused to swigging large quantities of spirituous
liquors, he choked. His face scarlet, he gasped for air
and tears started in his eyes. Kolya dashed to the
kitchen and brought back a glass of water. Ned took it
gratefully, quenched his burning throat, and
demanded,  Did you say just now what I think you
said?
 I am a prince. My father is a prince. My mother is a
princess, and my brothers and sisters are princes and
princesses. In Russia are many princes. He fortified
himself once more, noticing that his companion was
sipping again, with caution. Refilling their glasses he
went on,  Polly is angry that I did not tell her.
 Don t blame her.
 You too are angry?
Ned appeared to search his mind, then shook his
head.  Don t think so. But I unnerstand why Poll is.
Rotten thing to do to a girl.
 Lady Sylvia told me Polly thinks I was mocking her,
pretending friendship.
 Fine woman, Lady Sylvia. Very fine woman. Love
her, said Ned with drunken earnestness. Kolya
recalled that in general he was most abstemious.
 Want to marry her, he went on,  take care of her, but
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she s a lady  n I m jus a bailiff.
 She wishes to see you. She told me to bring you
back with me. With the clarity of detachment Kolya
noted that as usual his English improved when he was
slightly top heavy and a fine English idiom that was.
Ned brightened, then sank back into gloom.  No
good, he said despondently, shaking his head.
 Ever one ll say  m a for& a for& a fortune hunter.
 Sides, all she wants is to offer me a job again. You
really a prince?
 Yes, but a destitute prince. I want to marry your
sister, but I cannot support a wife.
 No good. Ned shook his head again, this time
finding it difficult to stop.  No money no good, an
anyway a prince can t marry a commoner. An anyway,
Polly don want to marry anyway...anyone. De cated to
art. Husban ll stop her painting. Tol me so.  Swhy
won t marry Lord Fitz.
 I shall not stop her painting. I wish to encourage
her. With some surprise he remembered the purpose
of his journey.  There is going to be an exhibition of
her work in Brighton. I came to fetch her pictures.
 Goo fellow, Kolya. A huge yawn overcame him. His
eyelids drooped, and Kolya was just in time to rescue
his glass from suddenly slack fingers.
Ned was no lightweight. After carrying him up the
stairs, dropping him on his bed, and pulling off his
boots, Kolya decided against saddling up and riding on
to the manor. He removed his own boots, coat, and
neckcloth, abstracted a quilt and a pillow from under
his snoring friend, and dossed down on the floor.
Prince or no, on the long journey between St
Petersburg and Tunbridge Wells he had slept in many
worse places.
Chapter 16
The hired chaise bearing Mrs. Howard and her
daughter s pictures, escorted by Ned and Kolya on
horseback, reached Brighton early the next evening.
As they passed the church on its hill and continued [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]