Page 41 of A Swirl of Shadows
If anything,the decorative embellishments within the private wing of the palace were even more sumptuous than those in the State Rooms. Paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens graced the walls, and fluted columns made of semi-precious stone flanked every archway.
Ye heavens, thought Arianna as they passed through a room where the walls and floor were made entirely of malachite. She had never seen a place so dripping in extravagant splendor.
A gentleman dressed entirely in black, save for a sky-blue silk sash draped diagonally across his chest, fell in step beside the Tsar as they turned down a corridor paneled in Siberian spruce. The scent of beeswax added a pleasant note to the tang of the polished wood.
And yet, the odor of treachery lurks beneath the sweetness.
Tsar Alexander stopped in front of the paneled door. “Allow me to introduce Prince Golitsyn, my second cousin, who also serves as my private secretary.”
Golitsyn gave a solemn bow.
“Kindly open the door for me, Yuri,” said the Tsar as he pulled a ring of four keys from his tunic pocket. “I wish to show off some of my glittering baubles to my dear friends who are visiting from England,” he added, handing it over to his secretary.
“Shall I help with laying them out on the display tables?” asked Golitsyn as he opened three complicated mechanical locking devices built into the iron-dark oak.
“No, no, that won’t be necessary.” Another laugh. “I’m sure the ladies will enjoy handling the jewels for themselves.” The Tsar held out his hand. “And I shall lock up myself.”
Golitsyn handed back the keys and wordlessly retreated.
Tsar Alexander ushered them into a room filled with glass-paned display cases and velvet-covered tables on which to place the treasures to be examined. In one corner, noted Arianna, was a large iron safe. It, too, required a key.
“Where do you keep your set of keys for the Jewel Room, Your Majesty?” inquired Saybrook after taking a look around.
“In a locked drawer in my bedchamber.” Tsar Alexander touched the gold-braided collar of his military tunic. “The key to which I wear around my neck on a filigree chain.”
“And your private secretary is aware of that?”
A flush crept over the Tsar’s features. “As I said, Yuri has proved himself over the years to be utterly trustworthy.”
But things change, thought Arianna.
Saybrook acknowledged the reply with a small nod and then began a slow circle of the room, intent on examining each case and its contents. Arianna gave Sophia a discreet signal to join him, then took the Tsar’s arm and drew him to a secluded spot between two of the cabinets.
“While Saybrook searches for practical clues,” she murmured. “I wish to have a more heart-to-heart discussion with you on the situation.”
A glimmer of emotion lit beneath his golden lashes. “You and I have a higher plane of understanding, Lady Saybrook. You are one of the few people who comprehend that I have a very sensitive soul.”
“Yes, I have always seen that.”
“Women, more than men, perceive my delicate sensibilities,” continued the Tsar.
“By nature, we are attuned to such things,” she agreed. “I understand that you have a new spiritual advisor to guide you—”
“Yes,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “And she predicted this trouble!”
Arianna repressed an unladylike snort. Not that it took much imagination to see that the Tsar’s increasingly erratic behavior was cause for grave concern. A sardonic thought, perhaps, but no less true.
“It sounds like you trust her wisdom.”
“With all my heart!” he said fervently.“My court is a nest of vipers. I can’t tell friend from foe.”
She patted his arm. “I think I should meet with her, as no doubt her insight will help me to find the missing medallion.”
Hope flared to life in his eyes. “Yes, yes—between the two of you, I am certain all my troubles will disappear.”
Be careful what you wish for, thought Arianna. Finding the medallion was only part of her mission. She was sure that Grentham hoped to end the American adventuress’s hold over the impressionable Tsar, so she needed to expose the woman as a charlatan . . .
“The French ambassador is holding a grand ball on the day after tomorrow,” continued Tsar Alexander. “I will make sure you are all invited.” A besotted smile. “I look forward to introducing you to Katya. I just know the two of you will connect as kindred souls.”
