To Love a Horseguard (16 page)

He motioned for the men to dismount and secure their horses.
Then he signaled for a couple of them to stay behind to keep watch and the others to follow. Dimitry and the duke drew their guns at the same time and nodded to each other with grim expressions. They crept up the path, alert in case Sergi was waiting to ambush them. When they reached the cave they slipped around to stand one on either side of the opening. When Dimitry nodded, they moved with caution into the dark recess of the cave mouth.

Chapter Eighteen

Rose’s arms ached from the strain of being forced behind her back for so long. Twisting her hands, she worked at the ropes securing them. Little by little they loosened. She winced as the stiff rope burned the soft skin of her wrists. Somewhere an animal howled. A shiver ran up her spine at the thought of what kind of horrific wild creature might be out there, stalking her in the dark. Was she safer here in the cave than wandering alone in the woods? Probably, but she couldn't just sit here and wait for Sergi to come back. Being eaten was preferable to being defiled by the Cossack's touch. Something warm trickled down her wrist as she strained at the ropes and she wondered how badly she was shredding the skin but she was determined to get free. The ropes gave a little more and she managed to squeeze one hand out of the loop. Scraped and bleeding she slipped the other coil from her wrist. The sting of dirt and air against her flesh made her hiss and then bite her lip for fear of waking the bats.

Something moved above her. She held her breath. Everything was quiet
. With a sigh she stood and groped her way through the dark to the side of the hole. Her fingers clawed the loose dirt trying to find a hold on the steep side. Every time she found a root or rock for purchase it pulled loose and fell to the cave floor. Fingernails broken and caked with dirt she finally gave up and crouched in the dark, dejected and sobbing. It was no use, it was impossible to climb out of the hole without a rope.

A scuffling
in the cave roused Rose from her self-pity. She held her breath, straining her ears to pick up the sound again.
Are there voices?
She sat up and listened. Again she thought she heard someone whisper.
Is Sergi back?
Gravel crunched, and this time she was sure she detected a man’s voice. She huddled against the wall as the noises got louder.

“Rose?”

She tipped her head back.
Am I imagining things? Surely that is not Dimitry calling me?

“Rose, are you in here?”

“Dimitry?” Rose croaked.

“Rose, answer me if you are here.”

Rose began to cry, relief filling her. It was Dimitry, but her voice was so hoarse he couldn't hear her. “Dimitry,” she wailed. The noises stopped. Had he left? “Dimitry!”

There was a thud. “Bloody hell!” someone cursed in English.

She took a deep breath and forced her vocal cords to respond, “Dimitry!” Her hoarse rasp echoed off the cave walls.

“I he
ar you, Rose.” His voice came closer, “Are you alone?”

“Yes,” she croaked again.

“Where are you?”

“I…I am in a hole.”

“Keep talking to me Rose, so I can find you.”

Elation and relief flooded over her. “I
-I was so afraid...there were noises...an-and things crawling on me,” she sobbed.

“It is all right. I am coming to get you. Keep talking to me, flower.”

“I am so c-cold,” she whimpered.

The scraping sound
came closer. “Hang on Rose, I am going to light the torch so I can see.”

S
omeone or something moved above her, and soon a shaft of light brightened the hole. Mice scurried away, and Rose shivered as big black spider crawled up the side of the cave by her head.

“Rose?”

She looked up, squinting at the light as Dimitry poked his head over the edge of the hole. “Dimitry, I am so c-cold.”

“I know, flower. Hang on, you will be warm soon, I promise.”

When his head disappeared from sight Rose panicked. “Dimitry!”

“I am here.” His head reappeared. “I just had to tie a rope around a rock so I can come down and get you.” He looked behind him and spoke to someone. “Lower me down and I will send her up. Then you can lower the rope again for me.” He smiled down at her. “Cover your face Rose, so you do not get dirt in your eyes when I come over the edge.”

Rose bowed her head as dirt worked loose from the side of the hole and rained down on her. After a few minutes the shower of dirt subsided. Something touched her. She shrieked and shrank back in fear.

Dimitry's voice was soft and soothing. “It is all right. It is just me.” 

She opened her eyes as he knelt beside her. Through her tears she tried to explain what happened.

He shushed her with a finger against her lips
. “It is all right Rose, I know what happened. Dinah told me everything. Let us get you out of here.” He shrugged out of his bright red army coat and slipped each of her shaking arms into the sleeves. He kissed the top of her head as he fastened the buttons all the way up to her chin. “Come, let me get you out of here and back home before your English navy unleashes their cannons on St. Petersburg.”

Her mind reeled with the gravity of the situation. “The British navy is here?”

He nodded and helped her to her feet. “Yes, every dammed ship is in my harbor as we speak.” He tied the end of the rope around her waist.

“How did they get here so fast?”

“I am not sure. Hopefully your brother can shed some light on that situation.”

He ca
lled up to the young man kneeling at the rim of the hole. “John.”

“John?” Rose gazed up in wonder as her brother looked down at her.

He gave her a tight smile. “Hang on Rose, I will pull you up.”

Rose closed her eyes and clung to the rope as she was lifted off her feet. When she reached the rim Victor pulle
d her over and set her on the ground. She huddled there shivering as he untied the rope from around her waist and sent it back down into the cavity. A couple minutes later he helped Dimitry over the rim.

John clapped him on the back and grinned. “I am glad I do not have to shoot you.”

Dimitry smiled, and then stood. He offered his hand to the duke and helped him to his feet.

Victor held the burning torch high as Dimitry scooped Rose into his arms and made his way to the entrance of the cave.

Rose looked over his shoulder at her brother as he limped along behind them. “What happened to you?”

He grinned. “I tripped over a stalagmite and wrenched my ankle. It appears I am not as good a knight in shining armor as the prince there.”

Rose smiled and pressed close to Dimitry’s chest, seeking warmth. She laid her head against his shoulder and blinked at the gray midday light as they cleared the cave entrance.

A fire crackled in a makeshi
ft pit just outside. Dimitry walked over to it and sat down on a log rolled into place by the side. He said something to a young man in an army uniform and a tin cup was passed which he held to her lips. “Here, drink this. It will warm you up.”

Rose sipped the heated brandy. When she finished he gave her
a gentle smile and passed the cup back to the guard.

John limped over and sat down beside them. “You look terrible,” he said with a teasing smile.

“I feel terrible.” She tried to smile, but instead began to cry.

The smile faded from his lips. “Hey, I was only teasing.”

“It is not that,” Rose sobbed. “Everything is my fault. If I had not been such a silly goose and switched costumes with Elizabeth none of this would have happened, and now because of me there is going to be a war.”

Dimitry held her close. “Hush now. Nothing that happened was your fault. There will not be any war if I can help it.” The guard offered another cup of heated brandy and he took it, pressing it to her lips. “Drink some more of this.”

When she was done Dimitry set the cup down. “Are you feeling any warmer?”

When she nodded he smiled. “Good, we had best be getting you home now. Victor, can you help the duke to his horse?”

  Victor nodded and helped John to his feet.

Rose gasped. “Sergi said he was coming back.”

Dimitry stood and scooped her into his arms. “He will be surprised when he finds out you are not here. I will leave a couple of guards to apprehend him.” He crossed the small clearing to where the horses waited, and passed her to a waiting guard so he could mount his steed. Once he was seated, he reached down and hoisted her across his lap, wrapping a soft fur robe around her. Finally, he gave last minute instructions to his men, reached around her and picked up his reins. She snuggled against his broad chest as the horse picked up an easy canter, and it began to drizzle.

Chapter
Nineteen

Dimitry rode through the gates of his palace, grimacing as icy rain water trickled down his neck. A dry towel, a fire and something hot to drink would be most welcome right now, he thought as a guard hurried and took Rose from him so he could dismount. She smiled up at him, her gaze sleepy and unfocused.

“Summon the physician at once,” Dimitry ordered and gathered her back into his arms.

The guard paused, his eyes downcast.

Irritated, cold, tired and hungry, Dimitry scowled at him. “Well? What is it?”

“The maid... escaped, sir.”

Dimitry sighed. “We will find her tomorrow.”

When the man nodded and rushed off, he stalked up the steps and into the palace.

Anya met him at the door. “Is she all right?”

“She is cold, bruised, dirty and sleepy, but other than that I think she will be fine.” Dimitry hurried up the stairs. “Show our guests to my study then have coffee and something to eat readied. Everyone is cold and wet.”

He continued on to Rose’s bedchamber knowing his guests would be taken care of
, laid her on the bed and draped a heavy wool blanket over her. She sneezed and he checked her forehead, frowning when it was warmer to the touch than he thought it should be.

“Dimitry?”

“Yes, Rose?” Dimitry crossed to the fire.

“Are you going to fight my brother?”

He added a couple of pieces of wood to the flames, before returning to her bedside. “No flower, most definitely not, there is nothing to fight about.”

“That’
s good,” she mumbled.

He took her hand in his. “You just sleep now. I have already explained everything to your brother.”

She sighed. He laid her hand on top of the blanket and turned to leave.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Dimitry’s heart lurched in his chest.
She loves me!
Was her fever making her delirious, or did she really love him? He leaned over her. “Rose?”

When she didn’
t answer him he realized she was fast asleep. He straightened and slipped from the room. Catching a passing maid with an armload of towels, he asked her to send someone to sit with Rose until the physician arrived. Then taking one of the towels he headed downstairs.

He opened the study d
oor and rubbed the towel through his hair to dry it. Victor and the duke were already seated in front of the roaring fire, both with towels draped across their shoulders and a cup of steaming brandied coffee in their hands. Dimitry poured himself a cup of coffee adding a generous measure of spirits to it. “I have sent for the physician.” He pulled a third chair up to the fire. The duke nodded. The tension in the room stretched on until Dimitry was ready to scream.

Finally the duke broke the silence. “I think I need to apologize to you, Prince Peterlovsky. I should not have assumed you meant my sister harm. Perhaps we could start over?”

Dimitry nodded and reached over to shake the duke's hand. “Please call me Dimitry.”

The duke nodded. “Then you must call me John.”

Dimitry nodded again. “I too, must apologize. I should have taken better care to protect Rose.”

They sat in silence for a few moments.

Victor cleared his throat. “So, what do we do now?”

“I hunt down that whore-son Sergi and see he is executed for all the damage he has done,”

Dimitry said with grim determination.

John looked over at him, wearing a m
atching look. “I, and my men, shall be glad to help. I have a score to settle with the vermin myself.”

All three looked up at the knock on the door. “Enter,” Dimitry called, tired and annoyed they were disturbed. One of his young officers entered.

“The men have found Sergi.”

Dimitry
scrambled to his feet and ran out of the study with Victor and John close on his heels. They hurried down the steps and mounted a trio of horses which had been made ready for them. The officer led the way, pushing the horses to their fastest. Before long they rode into a makeshift camp. A dejected looking group of Cossack rebels sat by an empty fire pit surrounded by the tsar’s army.