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CHAPTER ONE

1821

St Petersburg, Russia

COUNTESS NADIA KARKOFF’S house just off the Nevsky Prospect was not the largest hborhood, but it was by far the most luxurious

In the finest tradition, the facade was designed along sleek, classical lines with a great number of s and a wide, columned terrace From the roof, Greek statues overlooked the upper balustrade with cold expressions of superiority Or perhaps they were revealing their disapproval of the large gardens that surrounded the house There was nothing classical about the brilliant profusion of flowers and ornamental shrubs and marble fountains that the Russian aristocracy adored

The interior was equally elegant, with large rooolds and crimsons and sapphires Lush colors that created a sense of war, dreary months of winter

The furnishings were a mixture of satinwood and cherry, the style more French than Russian as suited the Countess’s current fancy and contrasted nicely with the dark, brooding paintings by Fleurines scattered through the rooms were entirely native

It was the vieever, that was the crowning glory of the house

From the upper s it was possible to ad spires and golden do panorama allowed one to appreciate the beauty of the city without sensing the brittle tensions that ran rah the busy streets

Having lived her entire two and twenty years in the house, Miss Leonida Karkoff offered only a brief adlance out theof her bedchaht than the familiar landscape

Moving to seat herself before the mirrored dresser, she allowed her olden tresses into a co a few curls to brush her temple The severe style co her delicate bone structure and the startling blue of her heavily lashed eyes

She would never possess herbeauty, but she had always been considered quite pretty, and perhaps olden hair and clear blue eyes so closely resee

Rather an odd circu that for all practical purposes she was a bastard

Oh, Count Karkoff willingly claimed her as his child And he was indeed married to her itimate in the eyes of society But there were few in all of Russia, and perhaps beyond, who did not know that her mother had been involved in a torrid affair with Alexander Pavlovich, the Emperor, when she had been hurriedly wed to the Count Or that the Count had suddenly co estate outside of Moscow, an estate he rarely left, while the Countess was gifted with this lovely house and a large enough allowance to keep her in elegant style

It was one of those secrets that was known by all, but spoken by no one, and while Alexander Pavlovich did occasionally send an invitation to Leonida to visit hiue, benevolent figure that drifted in and out of her life than a parental figure