He could feel her beginning to respond to him. Slowly he undid the ribbons of her silk gown and pulled it from her shoulders. He touched the hem and raised it past her softest place. Finally, her arms pulled him to her and he knew the long days of his enforced celibacy were over.
He took her time after time that night, wanting her to need him, wanting her to cry out for him, reassuring himself that she really was his, that he had her in his bed, in his house, at his demand. Perplexing emotions raced through his subconscious but he felt most the need for reaffirmation of his dominant role in their relationship, a role most gratifying when she was pleading for him to grant her release in exquisite pleasure. Alisa loved him that night hopelessly, incoherently, as again and again he wakened her body to bewitching sensation. Each touch made her feel her body for the first time, as if in a rebirth. And finally sated, they fell asleep coiled around each other, arms and legs entwined, the warmth of her breath on his chest, the powerfull beat of his heart beneath her ear.
Chapter Eight
THE RECALCITRANT MISTRESS
Early the next morning the bedroom door burst open and one small curly-mopped, red-gold head popped into sight, babbling excitedly in Finnish.
“Momma, Momma, Look what Uncle Nikki bought—” She stopped abruptly, broke off, and immediately switched effortlessly into French.
“Uncle Nikki!” She let out a squeal of delight when she spied him lying in bed next to her mother.
Katelina tightly clutched a large china doll with long flowing blond hair in her chubby arms and flew across the marble floor, her splendid new velvet robe and dimity nightgown streaming out behind in her impetuous dash toward the huge, gilded four-poster bed majestically installed on a dais over which four flying cupids suspended a gold and mother-of-pearl half shell. Katelina was an engaging and lively child, a beautiful little girl with all of her mother’s good looks and devastating charm.
Scrambling into bed like a frisky, rambunctious puppy, she promptly discarded her doll and threw her plump arms around Nikki’s neck, excitedly entreating, “Will you take Rakeli and me to the toy shop again today? Please, please!” she implored, her dark eyes wide with hope and expectation.
The Prince smiled amiably at the small girl clutching him and said, “You may speak Finnish to me, my pet, I, too, have a Finnish mother.” (He had unwittingly spoken French to Katelina the past few days and she had responded in kind.)
In the days Alisa had been ill and recuperating, Nikki had spent a great deal of time with Katelina. The first time he’d stood in Alisa’s room and seen the young child crying pitifully, it took several seconds for the tableau to register as reality. A young child crying sorrowfully in his house was so alien that his reaction was delayed. Nikki hadn’t talked to a small child or been within touching distance of one in years. Having heard the wailing for over an hour since his return that first afternoon, and surmising that the nanny and maid were unable to stop the distress, Nikki decided to lend a hand in an attempt to mitigate her unhappiness.
Nikki was by nature kind and cheerful, as any of his friends would agree, and altogether capable of tenderness and gentleness as well, as any of his lovers would concur. Nikki’s phenomenal success with women was not due solely to his remarkable handsomeness and princely fortune, although, in the glittering society in which he moved, those were often attributes enough. His conquests were due as much, if not more, to his charm, his ability to give a woman pleasure in the drawing room as well as in bed. He could be jesting, tender, gentle, interested, and concerned as the mood moved him, and this charm was marshalled in an effort to soothe Katelina’s fear while at the same time making his beautiful mistress better able to recover from her overdose of laudanum.
During the days of Alisa’s recovery, Nikki had offered adventures to the young child that soon took her mind off her fears. Katelina almost immediately adopted Nikki as a kind of vice-uncle and behaved toward him with an uninhibited and sometimes embarrassing affection.
Turning quickly to her mother as if it were the most natural sight in the world to see her with Uncle Nikki in bed and hardly pausing for a breath, Katelina rattled on, reverting back to Finnish. “Oh, Momma, the toy shop is just beautiful. Everything is most—” She stopped. “Rakeli said I shouldn’t be so greedy, didn’t you, Rakeli?” She turned her wide eyes toward her nanny, who had tarried doubtfully by the door upon seeing Prince Kuzan. Katelina’s brief regard for humble courtesies over, she rushed on breathlessly. “But Uncle Nikki said that I was a little princess and I could have anything I wanted. Didn’t you, Uncle Nikki?” Katelina beamed widely into Nikki’s amused countenance as she perched on his broad chest.
“That’s right, moppet,” said her benevolent “uncle.” “Oh, Uncle Nikki, could we please go again today, please?” she begged delightfully, and gazed with pleading brown eyes into Nikki’s face.
“Of course, dear, you shall have another doll if you like.”
“Oh, Nikki, I would much rather have a train!”
Nikki’s eyes twinkled gaily as he shot a sidelong look at Alisa, grinned faintly, and said, “Already an independent young lady not content to play with dolls. Very well, minx, the train it shall be,” he finished indulgently.
“Oh, Momma, isn’t Uncle Nikki just wonderful?” Katelina pronounced with all the uninhibited candor of her five years.
Nikki turned to glance wickedly at Alisa and smirkingly asked, “Yes, Momma, aren’t I just wonderful?”
“Say yes, Momma! Say yes!” Katelina insisted, bouncing with excitement and delight.
Before Alisa had to answer that awkward question, Katelina blithely continued her chatter.
“Momma, I’m so very glad you’re feeling better. Nikki said I must be so very quiet for so long. I’m glad I don’t have to be quiet anymore!” she finished emphatically.
Unable to hold her youthful enthusiasm in check, she continued bouncing up and down as she inquired relentlessly, “When can we go, Uncle Nikki, when can we go?”
“After you eat breakfast and Rakeli dresses you,” he answered patiently, “then we’ll leave. Now, go and get ready.”
The volatile little body that gave every indication of a perpetual motion machine grabbed the doll, immediately slid off the bed, and bounded across the large room. At the door she paused, one hand in Rakeli’s, one plump fist clutching the enormous doll by her blond hair.
“May I have strawberries and cake again for breakfast? May I, may I, Nikki?” she entreated her new and generous uncle.
“Of course, dear, whatever you like.”
“When can we leave?” she repeated again with the impatience of her five years.
“In about an hour,” Nikki replied, then, looking down at Alisa, warm, tousled, and languid in bed beside him, he reconsidered. “Make it an hour and a half, Rakeli,” he said matter-of-factly. The door shut behind the small whirlwind, and Alisa remarked gratefully in a low, quiet voice, “Thank you for being so kind to Katelina while I was ill.” Nikki took Alisa’s hand in his and very simply replied, “You’re welcome.” He went on teasingly with an affectionate grin, “I’ve had to entertain that little brat for three days while you have been lazing in bed. Rakeli was at her wit’s end, with Katelina insisting on crying at your bedside and you still in a half-drugged state, unable to respond to her. Maria couldn’t check the tears either, so the task fell to Aleksei and me to devise some schemes to distract Katelina and keep her from disturbing you.
“We slid down the grand staircase on silver trays, dressed her as Empress in lace tablecloths (I was a reluctant Emperor, I might add, and Katelina manifested the true imperiousness of born royalty by ordering Aleksei and me about shamelessly), we sailed paper boats in the monteith bowls, I had the grooms bring the new kittens from the stables, and Maria fetched her some new clothes from some children’s modiste Ivan knew of.”
Nikki was massaging Alisa’s wrist absently with his thumb.
“Thank God you began to feel yourself once agai
n yesterday afternoon, because I’d taxed my ingenuity to its limits and had quite exhausted my meager repertoire of amusements for children. I’m afraid I’m woefully out of practice. My memories of childhood pleasures are extremely dim, overborne, no doubt, by the myriad and vastly more pleasurable adult pastimes. I’m happy to see,” Nikki said with a flame of passion kindling in his golden eyes as he turned to her, “that you have been restored to vibrant, blooming health once again. I’ve sorely missed your warmth these last few days.
“You’re my delectable, enticing bed warmer,” Nikki said with a natural proprietary air as he ran his finger up her bare arm. “You suit me admirably,” his husky voice added.
Alisa felt panic rise within her at his words. Uncertain, confused, aware of the dangers in succumbing to Nikki’s seductive charm, she wondered how deeply her untutored emotions had entangled her. Each touch, each caress, seemed yet another strand woven in the net that was slowly but inexorably enveloping her. Faint with helplesness at her situation, she was still heavy with love, heedless to all but desire.
Nikki was caressing her now with both hands, slowly running his fingers down her soft curves. He bent his head and touched her warm, inviting lips. And then Alisa had no further time to reflect as her passions rose to meet his demands.
Sometime later, Nikki rose from the rumpled bed.
“We must hurry and dress if we hope to meet Katelina’s schedule.” Saying this, he turned and walked stark naked with a most unaffected composure to the door of the adjoining dressing room. Pausing in the open doorway, he reached one long arm out for the bellpull, remarking, “I’ll ring for the servants to draw your bathwater. I hope roisterous Rubenesque nymphs and black onyx Turkish sunken tubs don’t offend you, but our ancestor Platon was not distinguished for his refinement and leaned rather toward an erotic purism.” Neither expecting nor waiting for an answer, Nikki shouted for his valet and strode out of the room.
Fifteen minutes later Nikki sauntered back in, the valet bustling after, easing a crisp white shirt onto the muscular shoulders.
Alisa swiftly pulled up the sheet and covered her shoulders.
“Aren’t you out of bed yet? Tut, tut, dear, Katelina will be fidgeting.”
“I know. I’ll get up directly. But the bed felt so comfortable.”
“You’ll like the toy shop. They have the best selection in the city.” As the valet hovered about, buttoning the gold shirt studs, adjusting the turquoise cuff links, straightening the soft collar to the right degree of perfection, Nikki carried on an easy conversation explaining the direction of the establishment where Katelina’s train was to be found, noting the beautiful day, discoursing convivially on Katelina’s impetuous charm, until he suddenly realized Alisa’s responses to these mundane observations were rather stilted. Glancing over to the bed, he saw an obviously distressed and embarrassed figure clutching the bed linen to her chin.
“That will be all, Georgi.” He crisply dismissed the valet.
“Yes, my Prince,” said the diminutive man, and quickly left the room.
Walking over to the bed, Nikki leaned over and kissed Alisa’s cheek. “Forgive me. I didn’t realize Georgi disturbed you.”
“It’s silly, I’m sure, but, well … I’m not used to having a manservant in my bedroom.”
“Of course, dear. I should have considered. I’ll dress myself from now on.”
“Oh, no! I don’t want to cause trouble for your valet … and … how will you manage?” Alisa stammered apologetically.
“Nonsense! Georgi will find his extra leisure no hardship, I assure you, and I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself. Men don’t have all those frippery buttons and laces women do. Now, come, my sweet, into your bath, or Katelina will complain vehemently at the delay. I’ll go and explain to Georgi.”
In an incredibly short time Nikki returned through the dressing room doorway extremely well-turned out in a fastidiously tailored coffee-brown frock coat of exquisite fit across his broad shoulders, a finely tucked open-neck lawn shirt, brown brocade waistcoat, and pale biscuit trousers resting the required bare half inch from the ground over his brown kid half boots.
Alisa was being dressed by Maria while Katelina sat upon a tufted hassock, watching with a very unusual and quiet patience. Alisa was turned out in her only dress, which had been miraculously washed and pressed overnight, a navy and green striped silk serge skirt and a green silk blouse clasped high under her neck with a cameo brooch. Nikki had instructed Maria to find a wrap in his mother’s wardrobe, and Maria was now arranging the soft folds of a navy blue pelisse edged in silk braid over the voluminous skirt.
Alisa’s golden coppery hair had been arranged simply, pulled back and up on top of her head, long curls falling down her back, soft tendrils framing her delicate face. Studying Alisa critically from head to foot, Nikki said, “We must see to some clothes for you, Alisa. I’m afraid the gowns left in Mother’s room are sadly out of date. However, that pelisse will do. And you, moppet, look quite elegant.” He grinned as Katelina jumped from her seat upon hearing Nikki speak and rushed toward him. Maria had found on her shopping expedition a dress of white organza with pale green ribbons that fit Katelina admirably as well as a short green coat and an enormous pale yellow straw sailor hat decorated with long green taffeta streamers.
“Shall we, ladies?” Nikki inquired with an elaborate flourish, and Katelina tumbled out of the room a full five yards in advance of Rakeli, who ran after her impetuous young charge.
The landau, with its top down, stood ready outside the main entrance, its coachwork freshly beeswaxed, its four horses so well groomed, their gleaming chestnut coats seemed to have been brushed with oil. After everyone was comfortably seated, the coachman, in his best livery of green velvet, set the animals into a fashionable high-stepping trot.
It was impossible for Katelina to sit tamely on the velvet upholstery. She hopped about, asking questions, excitedly pointing out items that interested her and demanding and getting most of Nikki’s attention. Alisa was pleased to see that adjusting to a new environment was evidently not going to be a problem for her daughter. With Katelina’s natural curiosity, vitality, and open, affectionate nature, each new experience was avidly enjoyed. As Katelina’s father had studiously avoided her since her birth five years before, no emotional pangs of separation had developed since leaving Viipuri.
Katelina had wrung a promise from Nikki to ride to the Summer Gardens first, and as they approached the Gardens, the other occupants of fashionable carriages out to enjoy the balmy temperatures were astounded to see the city’s most sought after bachelor riding with a beautiful young woman, a nanny, and a child!
Two smartly uniformed Chevalier Gardes astride magnificent blacks rode up to the carriage as Rakeli and Katelina were disembarking to take in a short expedition to feed the swans. The coachman finished tying the horses to a hitching post and retired to the shade of a nearby tree.
Both officers bowed deeply from their saddles and the fair-haired young lieutenant remarked politely to Nikki, “Good morning, Nikki, I don’t believe we’ve met your charming companion before.”
“No, that’s right, you haven’t,” Nikki replied rudely. “Now, get about your business,” he added discourteously, and sketched them a brief salute. With no rebuke possible to that direct cut, they wheeled their horses and left, puzzled at his response.
“It looks like our Colonel has discovered a new bit of fluff he’s jealously guarding,” the young blond subaltern remarked to his companion with a chuckle as they continued their leisurely canter down the Admiralteski.
“Nikki in public with a child is enough to shock the most redoubtable aplomb. Do you think it’s his?”
“Can’t say. With that red hair, the little girl looks like her mother, not like Countess Souvanieff’s last child that bore the stamp of Nikki Kuzan so blatantly, it fair took your breath away.”
As these speculations were being bandied about farther down the avenue, Nikki and
Alisa were interrupted once again by a passing horseman. Major Cernov, riding up to the open carriage, doffed his hat in greeting. Nikki’s face set into a scowl.
“So nice to see you once again, Mrs. Forseus,” Cernov said pointedly with a lopsided grin, and his Oriental eyes narrowed speculatively.
Alisa flushed hotly at the insinuating tone of the greeting and at the eyes that stripped her.
“Good morning,” she returned coolly, angered at the bold scrutiny he was directing at her.
“Haven’t seen you at the Yacht or Nobles’ Clubs lately, Nikki. LaSalle Square and the islands seem quite dull without you, but now I can see good reason for your absence.”
“I didn’t know my absences were noted with such assiduity,” Nikki observed dryly.
“Come now, don’t be so modest, Nikki; as you well know, your activities have been substantial material for ondits and observation since you were a mere stripling.”
“Surely people have better things to occupy their time than listen to absurd gossip. In point of fact, don’t you have some more pressing business, Gregor? We wouldn’t want to detain you,” Nikki said, brushing off yet another attempt at conversation.
“As you wish, Nikki. Your servant, Madame,” Cernov said soothingly as he took the rather direct suggestion amiably. Taking a silk wipe from his sleeve, Cernov flicked an imaginary speck of dust from his spotless cavalry boots, pushed the kerchief back into his sleeve so a few inches trailed elegantly below his silver-braided cuff, wheeled his horse to leave, and winked at Nikki.
“If Tanya’s pattern should reoccur, please inform me. I’d be interested in the merchandise.”
“Don’t get greedy, Cernov,” Nikki quietly retorted. Cernov’s long, flowing mustache only twitched as his thin lips smiled faintly. “I’m a patient man, mon ami, no hurry.” He gently spurred his horse to a trot and disappeared into the stream of carriages and riders.
Seized by Love Page 10
