We were whispering together on our way to geography class. Elena glared at us as she brushed past us. I shook my head. “I don’t think she was acting alone,” I said. “There are people being poisoned throughout the city, the doctor says.”
“By her and her sisters?” Dariya asked suspiciously. “Why would they be poisoning so many people?”
“Princess Cantacuzene wants me to find out,” I said unhappily. “She said we need to be able to prove to the tsar that he is in danger.”
Dariya frowned. “Do you think they could have caused the train wreck at Borki last fall?”
“How?” I couldn’t imagine the Montenegrin princesses being capable of causing such a horrible accident. Besides, I’d overheard my father saying it had most assuredly been due to the train’s traveling at unsafe speeds. The Montenegrins could not have achieved such destruction merely with their poison.
“Please be careful,” my cousin begged. “Princess Cantacuzene has no right to ask you to spy on Elena and her siblings.”
“If I don’t do it, who will?” I asked. We had reached our classroom, where Madame Metcherskey hurried us all into our seats before Dariya could answer.
The Bavarian princesses had returned to St. Petersburg, their mourning period for their uncle, Crown Prince Rudolfe, officially over. Erzsebet told me her grandmother the empress Sissi had gone completely mad with grief over her son’s death. She walked the halls of the palace spouting morbid poetry. Erzsebet was more than happy to get back to the institute, but Augusta would have preferred to stay on. Dariya and I tried to raise her spirits with card games and gossip.
“Tell us about the infamous Black Ball,” Erzsebet said that evening as we sat in the Smolny parlor, playing a game of tarock.
“It was beautiful, with everyone in black dresses!” Elena said. “The ladies’ diamonds and pearls showed up like moons and stars against the night sky. The ballroom looked celestial.”
Aurora Demidova nodded. “Princess Yussopova wore a pearl that was larger than her hand!” she exclaimed.
“And the music was wonderful,” I added, studying my cards carefully.
“I danced with the tsarevitch. He was very, very sweet.” Elena sighed. “Such beautiful blue eyes he has. And Katerina danced with my brother twice!”
Erzsebet and Augusta teased me mercilessly for this. “You are almost engaged now! What did your mother say?”
I rolled my eyes, thinking of my father’s words on the carriage ride home that night. I did not want to share that with Elena, who would know my parents were taking Prince Danilo’s suit very seriously.
Augusta said shyly, “I should have liked to dance with every last cadet from the Corps des Pages. They look so handsome in their dress regiments!”
“Then you shall dance with every last one of them next week, at the grand duchess Marie Pavlovna’s ball,” Elena said. “It is a children’s ball, so you will both be allowed to attend.”
“Oooh!” Augusta said, smiling. “I shall dance all night long! I shall wear a beautiful white dress embroidered with diamonds, and ermine, and velvet slippers with diamonds on my feet.”
I was glad to see the young princess cheered a little. She had looked so glum earlier. As much as it pained me to dress up again for yet another ball, I caught myself wondering if the grand duke George would be there. Not that I hoped he would dance with me, but I did need to speak with him. About my undead friend.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The gown I wore to Miechen’s ball was white, of course, with a pale blue ribbon around the waist and tiny seed pearls sewn into the bodice with silver thread. I had the same diamond earrings I’d worn to Le Bal Noir and a delicate silver tissue wrap. I could not find the obsidian ring, despite turning my room at home upside down. It had not been in my jewelry box at Smolny either. I resolved to be strong if I saw the crown prince. I promised myself I would not fall under his spell so easily.
The empress and her family were not in attendance at Miechen’s ball. I heard whispered rumors that she and the grand duchess were feuding again. I would not see Grand Duke George, so I had no way of knowing if he had found the count.
Prince Danilo was his charming self again, daring to ask me for a third dance, which I declined with a smile. “We mustn’t!” I said as he took my arm and strolled through the fragrant jardinière with me. “The old ladies will talk and my mother will know, and I will never hear the end of it.”
Being with the prince again made me forget everything else. There was something I needed to do that evening, but for the life of me, I could not remember what.
He handed me a cup of warmed wine from the samovar. “Why should you care what the old hags say? Their world does not concern you; I have seen that in your eyes. You would rather be anywhere else than here. Tell me, Duchess,” he said, his black eyes burning into mine as his fingertips gently rubbed the inside of my wrist. “Tell me where you would rather be tonight. Tell me, and I will take you there at once.”
I tried hard not to tremble; I was afraid he could hear my heart pounding in my throat. I was falling under the prince’s spell all over again. And it felt delicious.
I could think of nowhere on earth I would rather be at that moment, and I told the prince so.
He smiled and whispered, “I am glad,” before kissing me.
Mon Dieu! He kissed me! And I kissed him back. His grip on my hands tightened. I could have sworn I heard his heart pounding too.
I broke away first, dazed, with my legs feeling weak. His arms circled me and held me up. He smiled down at me. “Katerina, I want to bring you back to Montenegro and make you my bride. I shall speak to your father in the morning, yes?”
“Yes,” I said breathlessly without stopping to think. What would my father say? I did not care. All I cared about was the prince holding me in his arms. I sighed happily, resting my head on his shoulder. His hand caressed the back of my neck. I trembled all over again.
“Katiya! I have been looking all over for you!” Dariya shouted as she hurried toward us. She stared at me and the crown prince in shock. “Where have you been?”
I blushed, still foggy. I could not think to answer her. I was in Danilo’s arms. How had that happened?
“Katiya, please come with me back to the ball,” Dariya entreated. “Your mother is looking for you.” She glared at Danilo.
“That’s all right,” I said, smiling slowly. “Do not worry about me.”
“But—”
I looked back up into Danilo’s eyes, still smiling. I was hopelessly lost.
“I found something that belongs to you, Katiya,” my cousin said. “Come and talk to me if you’d like it back.” Dariya gave me a frustrated look before storming off.
“We must rejoin the others, my love,” the prince said, sighing heavily. “Will you tell your mother that we have talked?”
“Of course,” I said, leaving his embrace to walk back to the ballroom. I took his arm with a smile, suddenly feeling shy.
“Shall I bring her a gift tomorrow when I come to visit? Does she like flowers?”
“Roses,” I said, not really paying attention to what he was saying. I was intoxicated by the sound of his voice, by his warm touch, by his hypnotic eyes. He led me back to my Bavarian friends, but I honestly cannot remember anything more about the ball other than Prince Danilo’s standing at my side throughout the evening. He had whispered, “Do not dance with anyone else tonight,” low enough that no one else could hear. And I did not dance any more after that. Who else could I have danced with? I didn’t think there was another soul in the world who could make me feel like the prince did. Wasn’t that love?