The Seeds of Power

by Christopher Nicole

  Anna bit her lip. ‘Oh, I wish Colin were here.’

  ‘If I may be permitted to offer some advice...’ Dubaclov ventured.

  Anna looked at him. ‘Yes?’

  ‘Well, Your Excellency, I would suggest that you take the Countess back to Bolugayen, and keep her there, until this affair blows over.’

  ‘Will that stop her being, as you put it, implicated?’

  ‘Well, Your Excellency, I happen to be a friend of Colonel Taimanov, which is why I was able to help the Countess in the first place. I think I can persuade him not to press charges against her, and indeed not to mention her in his report at all, if I can also assure him that she is returning to your estate and will not be back in St Petersburg for the foreseeable future.’

  ‘That is terrible!’ Alexandra declared. ‘I am not guilty of anything.’

  ‘Nevertheless, what Colonel Dubaclov says makes sense,’ Anna said. ‘Certainly until Colin comes home. Thank you, Colonel. We are most grateful for your help. And now, Alix, I think it is time you went to bed. You’ll excuse us, Colonel.’

  *

  Dagmar and Dubaclov looked at each other as the younger sisters disappeared.

  ‘Perhaps you would be good enough to close the door again, Constantine,’ Dagmar suggested. Dubaclov obeyed. ‘Now, come and drink your brandy, and tell me the truth of the matter.’

  ‘You have heard the truth, Your Highness.’

  ‘I think you should call me Dagmar. After all, we are old friends, are we not?’ Dubaclov flushed, and Dagmar rested her hand on his. ‘So, after having been expelled from Bolugayen most ignominiously, you decided to save my sister, nonetheless. You are a perfect paragon, Constantine. Unfortunately, I know that you are not a perfect paragon. So I would like the truth.’

  Dubaclov had been doing some very rapid thinking. He had to make his way back into the heart of the family. Alexandra had been nothing more than an idea. But here was an invitation. ‘Then, if you will forgive me, Your Highness,’ he said. ‘I am sure you know how much I treasure the memory of those precious moments you and I spent together, how deeply resentful I was, and am, at the way you were treated by your husband and your sister.’ He paused, but Dagmar’s expression never changed. He reckoned she was doing some calculating of her own. ‘But I had deemed us separated forever,’ he went on. ‘Until tonight. My finding Alexandra in a police cell was entirely an accident, but I recognised at once that it was a way to see you again. Perhaps to touch you again...’ He put down his glass and picked up her hand.

  She made no effort to free herself, but said, ‘You are an even bigger scoundrel than I had supposed, Constantine.’ She smiled. ‘But I think I could do with the help of a scoundrel. What would you desire more than anything else in the world?’

  Dubaclov drew a deep breath. ‘To hold you naked in my arms.’

  ‘Me? Not Anna?’

  ‘You,’ he lied, firmly.

  ‘I find that a very attractive suggestion.’

  ‘Well, then, Your Highness...’ He took her in his arms.

  ‘Not quite so fast, Constantine,’ Dagmar said. ‘A good thing loses nothing by being anticipated for a little while. You have not asked me my dearest dream.’

  He licked his lips. ‘Tell me.’

  ‘To regain control of Bolugayen.’

  He pulled his head back.

  ‘By any means possible,’ Dagmar said.

  ‘But...you are the Prince’s wife...The Prince is away, is he not?’

  ‘Yes, and he will be coming back, unless we are very fortunate.’ Dubaclov stroked his chin.

  ‘There is also my sister Anna,’ Dagmar remarked. ‘She is the Prince’s mistress. Did you know that?’

  Dubaclov swallowed. ‘No, Your Highness, I did not know that.’

  ‘Do you resent that, Constantine?’

  ‘Very much.’

  ‘As do I. I think you and I have a great deal in common. The point is that the Prince has given Anna full control over all things on Bolugayen even should he die. Of course, should he die, it might be possible to do something about his arrangements. I, for example, would need a husband. Bolugayen would need a prince. And incidentally, as I am sure you are not as disinterested as you pretend, Anna would need a new lover. I would be quite happy about this.’

  Dubaclov realised that his mouth was open, and hastily closed it again. This woman was offering him everything he had ever dreamed of. ‘However, there are one or two other small problems,’ Dagmar said.

  ‘They shall be resolved.’

  ‘I am sure of it. But for one, at least, I will again need your help. My husband has gone out of his way to make himself popular with our people on Bolugayen. And he has succeeded, and is highly considered by the Tsar. He is also very popular with the Governor of Poltava, Baron Lebedeff. These are factors that will have to be considered when the Prince dies, in case Anna attempts to oppose me. She will be able to call on considerable support, from His Majesty down. What we need is a crisis which will be perceived as one only you and I can resolve. It is well known that a few years ago there was a cell of the Will of the People on Bolugayen, and the Englishwoman was deeply involved. Now, it is supposed that the cell no longer exists, and as a matter of fact it does not. But can it not be recreated?’

  Dubaclov frowned. ‘I am not sure that I understand you, Princess.’

  ‘Use your imagination, Constantine. My sister was arrested tonight, in the company of known conspirators.’

  ‘Yes, but I am quite sure she did not belong to their group.’

  ‘That is not relevant. What is relevant is the name of the man she has confessed to meeting: David Fine.’

  ‘I still do not understand,’ Dubaclov admitted.

  ‘Fine, Constantine, Fine. This lout’s father is the Prince’s personal physician. Do you not remember?’ ‘By God!’ Dubaclov muttered.

  ‘So, you see, Fine took Alexandra to this den of iniquity. Why, do you suppose? Now he has got away. What you need to do is find him, and make him confess that he is a member of the Will of the People and that he is part of an assassination plot. Once that is done, you will have no difficulty in obtaining a warrant not only for his arrest, but for the destruction of the entire Jewish community on Bolugayen. Given the Tsar’s known fear of assassination, he will probably sign the warrant himself. Then you will bring your people down to Poltava, link up with Colonel Vorontsov, and carry out your pogrom. This will serve a dual purpose. In the first place, Anna will undoubtedly oppose you, as will Alexandra, but if you hold the Tsar’s warrant, they will be placed beyond the law and will need my protection. And in the second place, such an exhibition of legal ferocity as you will loose will terrify the rest of my people into supporting me, especially if I intercede to prevent you from carrying out a pogrom against them.’

  ‘With respect, Princess, but you have a very devious mind,’ Dubaclov said.

  Dagmar recalled that this man had been somewhat faint-hearted at the time of her father’s death. ‘Am I not offering you the greatest of prizes?’

  ‘Indeed. And you may be sure I will support you to the hilt. But I confess that I am concerned about the Englishwoman. It is well known that the Tsar always listens to the advice of his mistresses. And she will be implacably opposed to us.’

  ‘I have said, you may leave the Englishwoman to me, Constantine. By the time all our plans are ready, she will no longer be in a position to oppose us.’

  ‘Then there is but one other matter you have not considered: Alexandra. If I have Taimanov track Fine down and break him, and he involves Alexandra in his confession, we may not be able to save her.’

  Dagmar gazed at him. ‘Then she will have to be sacrificed, Constantine. This is the future we are considering. Our future. But is it not possible for your people to find Fine, and extract a confession from him? I have heard the Cossacks are expert at that sort of thing.’

  Dubaclov gulped. ‘Tell me what I must do first.’

  ‘First, you w
ill find David Fine. Secondly, you will handle the Polish affair. You understand that this must be carried out in the utmost secrecy, by someone you can trust.’

  ‘I understand, Princess. But you must understand this may take some time to arrange.’

  ‘I understand,’ Dagmar said. ‘But not too much time, I hope. All our plans rest on this.’

  ‘And in the meantime?’

  ‘I will commence dealing with Jennie Cromb. But first of all, Constantine, as you are here, and it has been so very long, I think we should consummate our partnership, properly.’

  ‘You and Dubaclov seemed to have a lot to say to each other, last night,’ Anna remarked at breakfast.

  ‘We did have a lot to say to each other,’ Dagmar said, equably. ‘Like me, Dubaclov is profoundly disturbed by this whole affair. How is Alix this morning, by the way?’

  ‘In a terrible state. Both her face and her ass are swollen. However, we are definitely leaving today. I really think it would be best if you were to come with us.

  ‘And I think it would be best for me to remain here, just to make sure that Dubaclov can keep his word and suppress any suggestion that Alix might be involved in this absurd plot.’ Anna regarded her for several seconds, but Dagmar met her gaze without any discomfiture. ‘Are you going to tell Colin what happened?’

  ‘Yes, I will write to him,’ Anna said. ‘I think I will do that now, and post it from here. That has got to be quicker than from Bolugayen.’ She stood up.

  ‘Then I shall wish you bon voyage now,’ Dagmar said. ‘I shall not be here when you depart, as I am taking tea with the Countess Dolgoruka.’

  Again Anna studied her for several seconds, then she nodded. ‘We shall expect you on Bolugayen whenever you can spare the time to join us.’ She went into the writing room, closed the doors, and sat at the desk. For several seconds she tapped her lip with her pen before writing. When she did, she commenced her letter, ‘Dearest Charles...’

  *

  ‘My dear Dagmar,’ Alexandra Dolgoruka said, sympathetically squeezing Dagmar’s hand. ‘What a terrible thing.’

  ‘Alix is utterly innocent, of course,’ Dagmar said. ‘She just has this terrible weakness for involving herself in bad company.’

  ‘Of course,’ Alexandra said.

  ‘I am more concerned about other aspects of the matter.’

  Alexandra Dolgoruka poured tea. ‘What other aspects?’

  ‘Well...the Tsar’s new mistress, for example.’ Alexandra frowned. ‘Is she not a member of your household?’

  ‘She is, or was, a member of my husband’s household. I am not allowed to interfere in such matters.’

  ‘Ah,’ Alexandra said.

  ‘What is more important is that she belongs to a secret society. Perhaps you have heard of it,’ Dagmar said ingenuously. ‘It is called the Will of the People.’

  Alexandra’s jaw dropped, and then came up again with a snap. ‘The Tsar’s mistress belongs to an organisation which is sworn to murder him?’

  ‘Have they really?’ Dagmar asked, more ingenuously yet.

  ‘You are sure of this?’

  ‘My dear Alexandra, she was part of the conspiracy which resulted in the death of my father.’

  ‘And was not executed?’

  ‘She was reprieved by my husband. He said it was because the facts against her were not proved, that her confession was extracted under torture and therefore invalid, but of course it was because they are both English.’

  ‘And presumably she was also his mistress?’

  ‘Oh, undoubtedly. He is an absolute roue. How I regret the day Papa forced me to marry him. But none of us then understood the nature of the beast. Or ever supposed he would be Prince Bolugayevski.’

  ‘The Tsar’s doing,’ Alexandra said, darkly. ‘But this is a most serious matter. Why did you not mention it before?’

  ‘Simply because I have only just found out that the woman has become the Tsar’s mistress. The question is, what are we to do about it?’

  ‘It is no simple matter,’ Alexandra said. ‘In the first place, I would imagine that the Tsar already knows at least something of this woman’s background. The police will certainly have informed him of it. When he becomes infatuated with a woman, he is totally infatuated. I speak from experience.’

  ‘Then is there nothing to be done?’

  ‘There is a great deal that can be done. The Tsar’s infatuations can pass very quickly, if he is given reason to relocate his affections. If, for example, your friend Dubaclov were to find some link between the Englishwoman and those people arrested, that would at least cause His Majesty to have some doubts about her. And if, at that same time, he were to meet someone even more attractive than the Englishwoman...’

  ‘Who do you have in mind?’ Dagmar asked. ‘He obviously does not find me very attractive.’ She touched her scarred cheek.

  ‘Oh, no,’ Alexandra said. ‘With respect, Your Highness, he likes them young. Even the Englishwoman is somewhat old for the position. No, no, what we require is someone very young, very fresh, very virginal...the complete contrast, indeed, to the Englishwoman.’

  ‘And where are we going to find such a woman?’ Dagmar asked. ‘I’m afraid my own sisters do not qualify, at least when it comes to being fresh and virginal.’

  Alexandra Dolgoruka tapped her teeth with her fan. ‘I think I may know the very woman we want. All that is required is that she be brought to St Petersburg.’

  ‘Prince Bolugayevski! My word, sir, but it is good to see you.’ Count Dolgoruki hurried into the hall of his Warsaw home, waving the card Colin had sent in by the butler. ‘Welcome to my home, Your Highness. Welcome. We knew of your arrival, of course.’ The Count was of middle height, with rather large features and heavy shoulders. Colin was surprised that he was supposed to have a daughter as beautiful as Alexandra had described, but the surprise vanished as he met the two other members of the family.

  ‘Your Highness!’ The Countess curtsied. ‘My daughter Catherine.’ The girl was quite startlingly attractive, with curling yellow hair and pert features. ‘I believe you have met our cousin Alexandra.’

  ‘I have had that pleasure, Countess.’

  ‘She writes such exciting things about St Petersburg,’ Catherine said eagerly. ‘I am to go there.’

  Colin raised his eyebrows. ‘Alexandra thinks Catherine will do very well in St Petersburg,’ Dolgoruki explained.

  ‘I am sure she will,’ Colin agreed.

  ‘Now tell us what you think of Warsaw, and its people, Your Highness,’ the Countess said, brightly. ‘Is the Grand Duke well settled in?’

  ‘Oh, indeed, and he is enchanted with your city, as am I. I must apologise for not calling before, but we have been very busy.’

  ‘Of course, Your Highness, of course,’ Dolgoruki said. ‘But still, now that it is a new year, we must hope for better things.’

  ‘Yes,’ Colin agreed. ‘I think you are very lucky to be leaving Warsaw, mademoiselle,’ he told Catherine Dolgoruka.

  ‘What is that noise?’ inquired the Countess.

  They went to the windows, and the butler came in. ‘A great crowd in the city centre, Your Excellencies.’

  ‘Doing what?’

  ‘Protesting, Your Excellency. They are always protesting.’

  ‘Fetch me my hat and coat and have my horse brought round,’ Colin said. ‘And I must beg you to excuse me, Countess. Mademoiselle, I wish you a happy visit to St Petersburg.’

  *

  He mounted his horse, his breath clouding in the cold February night air. His servants fell in behind him, and they trotted down the street to the edge of the great square. Here there was a detachment of Cossacks, overseeing the mob, which was ranged in front of the Governor-General’s palace, separated from it by the high wrought-iron railings, and making a great deal of noise. Not that they were getting too close to the railings, which, Colin knew, would be guarded by a regiment of infantry. ‘What are your orders?’ he asked the ca
ptain in command of the cavalry.

  ‘To charge if any assault is made on the palace, Your Highness.’

  ‘Well, we must avoid bloodshed if possible. We do not wish a recurrence of last year’s massacre.’ He urged his horse forward.

  ‘Your Highness!’ the captain protested. ‘I cannot answer for your safety if you ride into that mob.’

  ‘I will answer for my own safety, Captain,’ Colin said. Heads turned as he forced his way into the midst of the crowd, and there were some hostile gestures. But he was recognised by several of the people, and in the five months that he had been in Warsaw he had become a popular figure.

  He advanced until he was in the very midst of the mob, and then drew rein. The noise around him was tremendous, and he could see now that there were quite a few people gathered on the balcony of the Governor-General’s palace, watching him. He drew his revolver, pointed it into the air, and fired three times. There was an immediate upsurge of noise, then it died away into a complete hush as it was realised that the shots had been fired by the lone horseman in their midst. ‘You know me,’ Colin shouted. ‘I am Prince Bolugayevski. I, and the Grand Duke, have been sent here to deal fairly with you. This we have done, and shall do.’

  ‘No conscription!’ someone shouted. The cry was taken up.

  Colin raised his hands, and the noise died. ‘Conscription is a necessary and universal part of Russian life,’ he shouted. ‘But there will be no hardship. Any man who can prove he is needed at home will be exempted.’

  The crowd jostled and growled, but much of the hostility was ebbing. ‘Now you must go home,’ Colin shouted. ‘Gatherings such as this are illegal. Disperse peacefully now, and no action will be taken against you.’

  More jostling and muttering, but a good many people were beginning to sidle off towards the streets leading into the square. Colin turned his horse and walked it back towards the Cossack regiment, intending to give it orders to return to barracks. He had not gone more than a few feet, however, when a shot rang out.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN - THE REVENGE