Authors: Susan Johnson
“Please, my dear, no more.” He heaved a small sigh. “Your violent sentiments do not stimulate my interest. I am by nature a very mild man.”
Like Genghis Khan was benevolent! Alisa snorted derisively.
Nikki continued unperturbed. “And actually, I prefer considerably more passivity in a woman. So do try and be more silent. In fact this constant heckling may be dangerous,
don’t you see? My restraint is not unlimited, and it’s been four days now.” His heavy lids rose slowly, revealing a gaze suspiciously sardonic. “I’m surprised you have such a gift for inciting abuse. It must be your long apprenticeship under Mr. Forseus’s tutelage.” He paused. “I view as odious my brutal attentions directed at you that first evening in the carriage. Most unprecedented; perhaps I could be excused as having been under unique pressures and then, of course, you are decidedly provoking with your tempestuous tantrums. Forgive me. It won’t happen again.”
“I suppose that’s something I have to be thankful for,” Alisa snapped.
Ignoring the sarcastic retort, Nikki continued in his calm, equable tone that explained but neither petitioned nor beseeched its listener.
“I must warn you, however, as soon as we arrive at Mon Plaisir, if you continue to remain recalcitrant to my ah—demands, some methods of persuasion will be necessary, although, rest assured, they’ll be more pleasant and subtle than those I so hastily and imprudently resorted to five days ago.”
“You’re all kindness, to be sure, Monsieur,” Alisa retorted angrily, “but I shan’t be long at Mon Plaisir. You can’t make me stay.”
With a husky laugh that indicated that he thought otherwise, Nikki replied quietly, an ironic smile in evidence, “I disagree, but do, by all means, put it to the test. In my present humor,” he went on grimly, “after having listened to your insults for four days and five nights, I feel inclined to let my chivalrous nature lapse momentarily. Even
my
benign patience is not interminable.”
The cold, steely look in his eyes restrained the angry retort Alisa was about to make, and she lapsed into silence. The rest of the journey passed in a frigid hostility. They reached the estate late that afternoon.
In 1796 Nikki’s grandfather decided to build a wooden country villa on his forest tract far north of Lake Ladoga, a retreat from the frenzied pace of court life. Using hundreds of serf-artisans, this large structure was built completely of wood, with the ax alone (saws, chisels, and drills were used only for decorative details), and had not a single iron nail or other metal part. It was built “by the eye” and became a remarkable demonstration of the spontaneous expression of the folk genius.
The central eighty-foot-long, three-story block was flanked by two wings extending the overall length of the façade facing the lake to one hundred and sixty feet. Elaborate open-work eaves projected over the log walls cut flat on both exterior and interior. Intricately carved moldings framed each window and doorway, vast carved panels were inset in walls, delicate spindle-railed balconies projected from the second floor bedchambers, while a huge baroque pediment flanked by carved whole tree-trunk pilasters distinguished the main entrance doors.
By the spring of 1798 the villa was completed, the interior as beautifully crafted as the exterior. Chandeliers, mirrors, door frames, the parquet, were all made of wood, some gilded, all of superb execution. The scrollwork on furniture, frames, and candelabra: incredibly carved garlands, roses, cornflowers, figures, animals, all were made of wood by men unable to write their own names.
The rooms all bespoke the quiet charm of the hand craftsman; softly waxed floors, fur and woven rugs, tapestries, handwoven linens, crocheted lace, embroidery in the traditional tomato-red stitchery (in Russian, the words “red” and “beautiful,” both
krasnyi
, are identical), while fresh flowers were arranged in huge vases throughout the house.
All these splendors were only briefly glimpsed by Alisa as Nikki immediately carried her up to his chambers in the
East Wing, laid her on the bed, turned without a word, walked out of the room, and locked the door.
Returning back downstairs, Nikki directed the servants and Katelina into the West Wing, where they were to be housed. Seeing that the little girl was settled comfortably, he explained to her as well as to Rakeli and Maria that Alisa wasn’t feeling well because of the arduous trip and she would remain in her room for a few days until she felt stronger. He promised Katelina to take her riding the next day and told her to come and see her mother in the morning and wake him up. The servants didn’t resist Nikki’s suggestions that Alisa be afforded seclusion for a few days, because he’d charmed them as well as Katelina and they didn’t view him as anything but kind and generous. He was courteous to them and politeness itself to Alisa and Katelina in their presence. He’d even accepted Alisa’s spiteful remarks during the long journey with a benevolent, restrained calm.
In fact, Rakeli annoyed Alisa by her constant praises of Prince Kuzan. He is so much nicer than old Mr. Forseus, she would say with a completely unassailable simplicity.
Nikki returned to the bedroom in the East Wing after having ordered some supper sent up. He found Alisa pacing agitatedly back and forth between the huge bed and the bay windows that overlooked the acres of lawn sloping down to the lake shore.
“Don’t wear a path in my Carabagh rug, love. You might as well relax. You’re here for the duration.”
“How long will that be, pray tell?”
“As long as I desire your services. If you contrive to amuse me, I may let you out sooner.”
Her mouth dropped open in astonishment.
“You’re going to keep me locked up?”
“Precisely.”
“You can’t! I’ll scream, I’ll tell Rakeli and Maria what a
monster you are; I’ll make your life hell!” she cried in high dudgeon.
“Upon further contemplation, my dear, I think you won’t. Now,” he said briskly, “let’s be practical. You’re three hundred versts from the nearest town. I’m the master of this estate and its employees. If you attempt to inform Rakeli or Maria or Katelina or anyone else of your, shall we say, retirement for health reasons, I’ll lock you up in an isolated cabin that is two miles deeper in the forest and inaccessible to anyone but me. I’ll inform Katelina and your retainers that you’ve returned to Petersburg for a short stay and venture to entertain Katelina myself, which shouldn’t be too difficult. You may have noticed, we’re great friends. After she goes to sleep in the evening, I shall slip away to your forest cottage and have you entertain me for the night.”
Alisa’s heart sank in dismay as she listened to Nikki’s voice explaining her alternatives.
“Now, if you should, instead, choose,” he continued amiably, “to remain here in this room and obey me, I’ll allow Katelina to visit you every morning as you are both in the habit of doing and I’ll also allow you to sit on the balcony outside the bay windows and watch me tutor Katelina in riding and driving a pony cart. She’s delightfully pleased with both prospects. If you undertake to be biddable and obedient, I’ll permit you to see Katelina and your servants. If you disobey me, you’ll be locked in my cabin. I’m sure you’ll agree to my terms when you consider the great advantages to seeing things my way.”
Alisa sat on the bed, her mind racing to find some alternative, some way out of the trap she was caught in.
“Really, dear, I don’t like to press you, but do come to a decision soon, for if you choose to be obstinate, I must spirit you away to the cabin tonight. You understand, with
morning,” he said deprecatingly, “the difficulties would be endless.”
She had no choice, Alisa reflected bitterly. She couldn’t think of a single pathway out of this tangled web. If she stayed at the villa, at least her opportunities for escape would be greater and Katelina would be close.
“Very well,” she said sullenly. “I’ll stay here.”
“Marvelous. I thought you’d accede; after all, you’re a clever woman. Now, unless you plan on sleeping in your dress, I suggest you wash off the dust of the road and get into something more comfortable.”
As if on cue, a timid knock was heard; Nikki unlocked the door and a procession of servants entered. Two footmen carried an enormous ceramic bathtub which several more servants then filled with steaming hot water. Stacks of linen towels were left on the dresser and the cavalcade withdrew as silently as it had entered.
“Madame, please be my guest,” Nikki gestured grandly.
Alisa would have liked to curtly refuse the offer, but after five days in a dusty, rocking carriage, the temptation of a warm, soothing bath was too much to resist. One searching glance around the room indicated neither dressing room nor screen. A mental shrug dismissed the issue. Surely it was a little late to be unduly concerned with modesty. Alisa kicked off her high-heeled yellow kid slippers and reached behind her neck to undo the countless buttons marching down the back of her lemon-yellow traveling costume.
“May I offer my assistance as lady’s maid?” Nikki drawled softly as he leaned back against one of the enormous carved posts of the bed.
“Thank you no!” Alisa snapped. “I’ll manage.”
Several minutes later, despite her best efforts, she was unable to reach all of the succession of minute covered buttons. Nikki watched her contortions, a slight smile playing
about his mouth. Alisa looked up once and shot him a murderous glance, whereupon he quickly composed his features into a sham solemnity.
Several seconds later: “Please, dear, accept my services or your bathwater will be disagreeably cool. Since we must out of—er—necessity dispense with personal servants, I beg you forget our differences and permit me to valet you these following days. I hardly relish the idea of seeing you in that same dress day and night.”
If looks could kill, he chuckled to himself as he viewed the fuming, piqued woman opposite him.
Alisa didn’t deign to reply but merely turned around, offering her back to his ministrations. Several minutes of cursing later, which uncharitably cheered Alisa, the tiny buttons were all released.
“My God, Madame, those hellish loops are surely not meant for masculine fingers. A greater deterrent to lust I’ve never encountered.”
“If I know you, sir,” Alisa said with sweet malice, “you wouldn’t let such trivial defenses arrest your passion.”
“It presents a certain dilemma, I will admit, and leaves one with only two choices. To make love to a clothed woman or to send a lady back home with her dress ripped in two. Now, the former course, unless excessively drunk, I abhor on principle—so very crude—and the latter I abjure out of prudence, for husbands and servants are apt to notice small matters such as tattered dresses when ladies return from afternoon visits or rout parties.”
“Surely, sir,” Alisa couldn’t prevent herself from saying, “you’ll understand if I find it singularly difficult to see you as either refined or prudent.”
Not particularly goaded by Alisa’s acrid remarks, since he had her exactly where he wanted her, quite literally under his fingertips, he yet had an irresistible compulsion
to nettle her as retribution for the five days of vituperation he’d suffered on their journey north.
“Crude like this,
chérie?
” he impudently murmured, ripping the ties from her petticoats, which fell to the floor on top of the folds of lemon-yellow silk.
She stiffened.
“Or imprudent like this, Madame?” he softly whispered, slowly turning her around to face him. One hand drifted from her arm over the swell of her breast, his slender fingers slipping between her full breasts, then, firmly grasping the material of both chemise and stays, he gave a firm wrenching tug, and silk and lace ripped from top to bottom. They, too, joined the garments on the floor.
“Any more provocative remarks, my dear?” he said with a lazy smile as Alisa stood crimson with shock before him, clad only in delicate gossamer drawers. Then he laughed softly, saying, “I see, my dove, your temper is at its usual fine pitch. Have a pleasant bath.” He flicked aside a red curl that had fallen across her breast, bent over slowly, and sought a soft pink nipple between his fingers. He pinched gently, then harder. A wild tremor drove through Alisa, and Nikki smiled triumphantly, pleased with his power over her. “Reluctant as I am to leave you just now, the dust of the road offends me, so I’m off to bathe in the lake. In deference to your—ah—delicate condition, I knew the forty-five-degree water temperature would not appeal to you.”
With a blown kiss he was gone, the quiet click of the lock echoing in the silent room. Alisa burned with shame at her treacherous body and Nikki’s recognition of her response.
Within the hour both Alisa and Nikki were refreshed from their baths and together once again in the large room, mauve and golden rays of the sun striking through the thick atmosphere of silence. Nikki was sunk deep in a
down-cushioned chair, calmly reading, while Alisa moved restlessly about, her thoughts in a confused turmoil, her emotions warring within her mind, all conflicting considerations ultimately overridden by anger at Nikki’s arrogant mastery over her. Damn him! There must be some way out!
But the servants knocked on the door soon after and dinner was carried in. Two footmen set it out on a table near the tile fireplace.
“We will serve ourselves, thank you, Anastasia,” Nikki said courteously to the beaming peasant woman who was directing the placement of the dishes.
“Is there anything more your lordship will require tonight?” she asked.
“No, nothing. I’ll ring for you in the morning and Mrs. Forseus will select a menu for the day.”
The servants cast surreptitious glances at the sullen beauty who was standing near the window, tapping her foot in exasperation, scowling till her brows drew together over dark, heavily lashed eyes. The door closed behind the retreating backs of the cook and footmen. Nikki walked over to the door, locked it, and replaced the key in his waistcoat pocket.
“Don’t be so foolish as to contemplate stealing the key while I sleep. I warn you, you’d find the cabin extremely lonely when I caught you and brought you there. And catch you I would; my Finnish trackers are nonpareil in their trade and have taught me since childhood a certain degree of proficiency as well.”