point where their paths divided? Would Captain Valyev relent and take her on, or . . Nadya preferred not to think of the alternative, for her pride rebelled at the idea of breaking down and begging for his help.
A quarter of an hour or so before noon, they reached the point of decision. There was a belt of woodland where the side-road turned off, and a stream, so they halted there to eat and rest. Captain Tuchin’s horse was hanging its head in distress by now, and was allowed to stand in the stream for a while as the Captain said it liked standing in water, and the poor beast had earned a little pleasure. The other three soldiers nodded in agreement at this, which surprised Nadya, who had not expected the Military to be so considerate of their horses’ feelings.
No one said a word about what was to happen to Nadya now, until, as they were preparing to go on, Captain Valyev said in business-like manner, ‘Don’t part with a kopeck of the money until you’ve at least a hundred animals checked and found up to standard, and don’t scamp the inspection. The escort won’t arrive until Friday, so there’s no frantic rush.’
‘We’ve only three days before they come, and we need two hundred animals at least,’ Captain Tuchin pointed out. ‘And I have been on this sort of assignment before, you know!’ he added good-humoredly.
‘Yes. That was one of your purchases!” Captain Valyev replied, casting a disparaging glance at his friend’s horse, which was leaning against him as he adjusted the saddle-girth. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.’
‘Enjoy your evening,’ Captain Tuchin replied wistfully. ‘Give my deepest respects and regards to the beautiful widow!’
‘If she can remember who you are!’ Captain Valyev replied amicably, strapping Nadya’s valise to the back of his saddle, balancing it against his own small pack. He looked at the old canteen, which was all that remained of her bundle of food.
‘It was my father’s,’ Nadya said as he strapped that on too, but he made no reply, and his set, cold expression returned as he mounted and turned his horse into position to swing her up before him.
‘Thank you!’ Nadya said to Captain Tuchin. He reached up to clasp her hand, smiling encouragingly, his kiver on the back of his head and his sunburnt, good-humoured face streaked with dust.
‘God go with you!’ he said.
‘And with you,’ Nadya replied.
Captain Valyev merely nodded, and set off along the straight, still-crowded post-road.
Alone with him, Nadya made no attempt to talk. She thought fleetingly that her reputation would be ruined if anyone ever found out that she had traveled a hundred and fifty versts unchaperoned, about half of it alone with four men, and, even worse, fifty with one man, and sharing the same horse! She could imagine what some of the censorious dowagers of Moscow would say about it, with pursed lips and raised eyebrows. Petersburg ladies, on the other hand, would indulge in knowing looks and significant smiles.
She wished she could summon the courage to ask Captain Valyev point-blank why he hated her family so much, but was too weary and depressed to face such an ordeal. It was hot again today, and she began to feel very drowsy, swaying with the motion of the horse. Her eyelids kept dropping shut, and eventually it was too much of an effort to force them up again.
When she did open her eyes, she found that she was comfortably settled in the curve of Captain Valyev’s left arm, her head resting on his shoulder and the soft fur of his pelisse hanging over that shoulder, pillowing her sore cheek. His right hand was resting lightly on her waist, preventing her from sliding off the horse. She was horrified to find herself in such a position, and with him, of all people! Yet it was comfortable, and really quite pleasant.
She’d never been in a man’s arms before, except while dancing, which didn’t count, and had often wondered what it would be like—well,
A quarter of an hour or so before noon, they reached the point of decision. There was a belt of woodland where the side-road turned off, and a stream, so they halted there to eat and rest. Captain Tuchin’s horse was hanging its head in distress by now, and was allowed to stand in the stream for a while as the Captain said it liked standing in water, and the poor beast had earned a little pleasure. The other three soldiers nodded in agreement at this, which surprised Nadya, who had not expected the Military to be so considerate of their horses’ feelings.
No one said a word about what was to happen to Nadya now, until, as they were preparing to go on, Captain Valyev said in business-like manner, ‘Don’t part with a kopeck of the money until you’ve at least a hundred animals checked and found up to standard, and don’t scamp the inspection. The escort won’t arrive until Friday, so there’s no frantic rush.’
‘We’ve only three days before they come, and we need two hundred animals at least,’ Captain Tuchin pointed out. ‘And I have been on this sort of assignment before, you know!’ he added good-humoredly.
‘Yes. That was one of your purchases!” Captain Valyev replied, casting a disparaging glance at his friend’s horse, which was leaning against him as he adjusted the saddle-girth. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.’
‘Enjoy your evening,’ Captain Tuchin replied wistfully. ‘Give my deepest respects and regards to the beautiful widow!’
‘If she can remember who you are!’ Captain Valyev replied amicably, strapping Nadya’s valise to the back of his saddle, balancing it against his own small pack. He looked at the old canteen, which was all that remained of her bundle of food.
‘It was my father’s,’ Nadya said as he strapped that on too, but he made no reply, and his set, cold expression returned as he mounted and turned his horse into position to swing her up before him.
‘Thank you!’ Nadya said to Captain Tuchin. He reached up to clasp her hand, smiling encouragingly, his kiver on the back of his head and his sunburnt, good-humoured face streaked with dust.
‘God go with you!’ he said.
‘And with you,’ Nadya replied.
Captain Valyev merely nodded, and set off along the straight, still-crowded post-road.
Alone with him, Nadya made no attempt to talk. She thought fleetingly that her reputation would be ruined if anyone ever found out that she had traveled a hundred and fifty versts unchaperoned, about half of it alone with four men, and, even worse, fifty with one man, and sharing the same horse! She could imagine what some of the censorious dowagers of Moscow would say about it, with pursed lips and raised eyebrows. Petersburg ladies, on the other hand, would indulge in knowing looks and significant smiles.
She wished she could summon the courage to ask Captain Valyev point-blank why he hated her family so much, but was too weary and depressed to face such an ordeal. It was hot again today, and she began to feel very drowsy, swaying with the motion of the horse. Her eyelids kept dropping shut, and eventually it was too much of an effort to force them up again.
When she did open her eyes, she found that she was comfortably settled in the curve of Captain Valyev’s left arm, her head resting on his shoulder and the soft fur of his pelisse hanging over that shoulder, pillowing her sore cheek. His right hand was resting lightly on her waist, preventing her from sliding off the horse. She was horrified to find herself in such a position, and with him, of all people! Yet it was comfortable, and really quite pleasant.
She’d never been in a man’s arms before, except while dancing, which didn’t count, and had often wondered what it would be like—well,
Similar Books
