was strong enough to resist Ana’s coercion, and, for all he knew, Ana’s effort might bring about the prize she wanted most in the world. A common goal, she had said, meaning the defeat of Napoleon, but now Marianna offered the possibility of another common goal.
Poor dove, he was about to offer her up to the tigers.
“Why are you not arguing with me?” she asked warily.
“But I want you to go to Montavia.” He smiled at her and added with complete truthfulness, “I always want you with me, Ana.”
The morning was frigid, and the breaths of the horses milling about the courtyard were like plumes of smoke. Marianna was mounted and waiting impatiently when Jordan came out of the palace.
He was dressed all in black even to the seal fur on the collar of his cloak, and he appeared lean, tough, and faintly sinister in the early light.
“Good morning.” He mounted his horse and gathered the reins. “I regret to keep you waiting, but I was having a discussion with the ravin. It seems she’s going with us.”
She frowned. “Why?”
He shrugged. “Who knows? What she says isn’t always what she means.” He took stock of the waiting horsemen. “But she apparently meant it when she said she’d furnish us with quite a large troop. This is almost an army.”
“How long are we going to have to wait for her?” she asked.
“Not long.” His gaze returned to the palace. “There she is now.”
Ana Dvorak looked very much like the warrior in her stained-glass window, Marianna thought, as she watched the woman mount her black stallion and then ride toward them. The ravin was not wearing armor, but her back was straight, her seat on the horse magnificent, and her manner bold and autocratic.
“I don’t suppose you’ll reconsider? This is not necessary, you know,” Jordan said as she reached them. “There’s no use putting you in danger as well.”
“I’m touched by your concern. But I do think it necessary, and I rule here, not you, Jordan.” She gestured for him to ride ahead. “Now run along with Gregor. I wish to speak to the
“Why?” Jordan asked.
“I’m merely being cordial to a guest. You gave me no opportunity to become acquainted with her last night.”
Jordan hesitated and then glanced inquiringly at Marianna.
Sweet heavens, Marianna thought, he was behaving as if the woman were going to cut her throat. She was not sure she was looking forward to becoming acquainted with the ravin, but there was nothing to fear.
“Go on,” she said curtly.
He shrugged and nudged his horse into a gallop.
“He is very protective,” the ravin said as she guided her horse along side Marianna’s. “It is a fine quality in a man.”
“If one wishes protection.”
“Don’t be absurd. A woman always needs protection.”
“Do you?”
“I’m the ravin. I have an army to protect me.”
“And before you were the ravin?”
Ana Dvorak burst into laughter. “Very well, I admit it. I would have hung a man up by his toenails if he’d offered me protection.”
“Even Gregor?”
Her face softened miraculously. “Gregor will not listen. He never offers, he just gives of himself.” She frowned. “But I am not here to talk of Gregor, and I’m not here to answer your questions.”
“You said you were here to become acquainted, Your Majesty,” Marianna said.
“No, I’m here to tell you that you should take Jordan back to your bed.”
Marianna’s eyes widened in shock. “I beg your pardon?”
She shrugged. “I’m not like Jordan; I have little subtlety. Men are prone to dance around a problem, when confronting it would bring an instant solution.”
“And I am a problem?” Marianna asked carefully.
“You’re angry with Jordan, but it’s nothing that can’t be resolved. It’s foolish to ruin your future over a present dispute. Of course, Jordan cannot offer you marriage, but you’ll find him a very generous protector.”
“Oh, will I?”
“And if you don’t trust him, I’m prepared to ensure that you’re well cared for when he leaves you. I will give you a comfortable income and a lovely house here in Kazan. Gregor says you’re very fond of your brother. I will see that he gets a fine schooling and an opportunity to succeed in any career he chooses.” She looked intently at Marianna. “Is there anything else you could ask?”
“Yes, I wish to ask one more thing.” Marianna’s voice was shaking with anger. “Did he tell you to speak to me?”
“Jordan does not tell me anything. I make my own decisions.” She studied Marianna’s expression. “You’re very angry. I don’t think you’re prepared to be reasonable.”
“Reasonable? You consider it reasonable for me to become a whore at your bidding?”
“I did not- Well, perhaps I did, but it was for your own good.”
“And what if I had offered you the same suggestion?”
“In your circumstances I would have considered it a fine-” She stopped and then said bluntly, “I’m not in your circumstances. I
“You’re just like him,” Marianna said in disbelief. “Nothing matters but what you want.” She drew a deep, shaky breath. “No, thank you, Your Majesty. I don’t want your fine house or your son. All I want is your help in getting Alex back and then to say goodbye to both of you.”
Ana took in Marianna’s face and blazing eyes, then gathered her reins. “No doubt worry over your brother has made you a trifle overwrought. Think about it. I will talk to you later.” Her gaze slid away from Marianna before she added, “It would be best if you did not tell Jordan of our discussion.”
“Why? I’d think you’d want him to know how helpful you’re being to him,” Marianna spat.
“I did not succeed yet. One does not boast of failures.” She kicked her horse into a gallop and rode toward the head of the column.
Marianna was shaking so badly, she could barely sit her horse. Anger. Yes, it was anger that was almost making her ill. What did she care if the ravin considered her worthy only of a temporary place in Jordan’s life? She wanted no place at all. None of the other words had cut or disturbed her.
“Take deep breaths.” Gregor was beside her. “And think of cool, clear water. It sometimes helps.”
Marianna took a long, deep breath. It did not help.
“What did she say to you?”
“She offered me a fine price to become her son’s whore.”
He sighed. “I thought as much. Ana has always been overly blunt.”
“Blunt? I wonder why they ever chose her to be ravin. She could start a war just by being in the same room with a foreign envoy.”
“True.” He smiled. “But she is usually not this bad. Her emotions are getting in the way of her thinking. She is becoming desperate.”
“Desperate” was the last description she would use for the arrogant woman who had just left her.
“You do not believe me, but she is desperate.” Gregor cast his eyes on Jordan at the head of the column. “She loves him. She has always loved him.”
“You don’t desert a son you love.”
“You are as hard as he is,” Gregor said. “He has never forgiven her. When he came to Kazan the first time, she thought he might relent, but there has always been a barrier.’
“And she wishes to bridge it with me?” she asked incredulously.
“She is desperate,” he repeated. “And determined. Be wary of her.”
“Tell her to be wary of me,” Marianna said grimly. “I’m not a bone for her to throw to her son.”
“You are angry with her, and that is right,” Gregor said. “But also try to understand her. Sometimes she is like
