Page 12 of Benet

Marushka turned away from them, sipping her drink. “I can handle myself and him.”

The rest of the drive was made in silence.

The house where the party was being held was huge, much like the estate where Marushka and Dmitri lived, and there was a great bustle of limousines coming and going. The Nichevsky chauffeur had to wait for several minutes for their turn at the grand entrance.

“Copy me, do what I do and you’ll be fine,” Dmitri said to Benet as they exited the groundcar and put their massive hats on again. He opened the door for Marushka and then he and Benet walked behind her as she made her way through the crush of people, many of whom seemed to be there merely to gawk at the arriving nobility. Benet had to shove a few overeager people behind the velvet ropes meant to contain the spectators. He remembered what Dmitri had said about assassination and his gut tightened. Marushka was completely vulnerable out here and didn’t seem aware at all of the danger she could be in. He ramped up his situational awareness about a thousand times as she went to the rope to greet people she evidently recognized.

“Your grace, we shouldn’t linger,” he said, touching her elbow as she admired a rosy cheeked baby and exchanged pleasantries with the mother. “It might not be safe for you out here.”

“Nonsense, these are Vasili’s people, which means they’ll be mine as well soon,” she said, but she did move toward the stairs, which satisfied Benet.

“Medieval much?” he whispered to Dmitri as he climbed the imposing flight of stairs toward the house itself.

Dmitri merely shrugged. “It’s Outlier. This is how they do things here.”

There was a receiving line and Marushka accepted cold kisses on the cheek from various older women, who Benet gathered must be Vasili’s relatives and overly enthusiastic embraces from several elder men, one of whom tried to kiss her full on the lips but she gracefully evaded him. Vasili was at the end of the line and he left his family to pull her in for a passionate kiss, while his mother protested the lack of decorum and his father loudly proclaimed the lovers should be allowed to reunite however they wished.

Benet kept his face expressionless but he was disturbed. They hadn’t even made it into the damn house yet and already he didn’t like the way the evening was going. When Marushka stepped away from Vasili, he and Dmitri got closer and escorted her inside. Benet glanced over his shoulder to see the prince staring at him, eyes narrowed, obviously not happy Marushka had brought her bodyguards to his party.

“I need to freshen up,” Marushka said as the men handed off their fur hats to a uniformed footman. “This way.”

She seemed quite at home in Vasili’s mansion, leading them through a corridor to what she said was a lady’s retiring room. She disappeared inside while Benet and Dmitri stood guard and prevented anyone else from entering. He figured a place this big must have plenty of other retiring rooms for guests and Marushka needed a few minutes alone. Eventually she reappeared, wearing a huge, fake smile and they followed her to the next destination, which was a giant ballroom.

Benet barely managed to repress a whistle as he entered in her wake. As big as the room was, it was filled with people. There was a live orchestra and people dancing energetically, while throngs of other guests sat or stood along the walls in small groups and chatted. Waiters moved among the crowd passing out drinks and single bite appetizers. Marushka made her way to a small group sitting on sofas, who made room for her to sit and immediately engaged her in conversation in rapidfire Outlier. Benet didn’t speak the language but he recognized cattiness when he heard it and guessed there was a lot of gossip going on. Marushka said little but watched the couples whirling across the floor with barely disguised longing.

“She can’t dance until Vasili gets in here,” Dmitri said quietly. “He insists on being her first partner but he’s in no rush.”

Benet kept his negative opinion of the prince to himself. He checked out the room, realizing the walls were covered in slabs of pure amber, broken up by long gilded mirrors and elaborate paintings the likes of which he’d only seen in museums or historical trideos. There were candles in golden holders everywhere, but more modern lighting subtly illuminated the party as well. The ceiling was one huge painting, of what he couldn’t be sure, but perhaps a depiction of a myth or a legend, given all the clouds and winged figures. These people have credits to burn.

Dmitri nudged him in the ribs and Benet saw the prince finally making his way into the room. He was surrounded by a bevy of women, who seemed to be flirting heavily with him and trying to get him to dance.

“Later, I promise,” he said as he arrived in Marushka’s vicinity. “Have to do my duty and have the first dance with my fiancée, y’know.” He then proceeded to kiss them each on the cheek and finally the group went away giggling in search of other partners. Vasili bowed to Marushka and held out his hand.

She stared at him for a moment. “You promised me Olgana and Svetlira wouldn’t be here. You swore after the last time you wouldn’t see them again.”

Vasili was unmoved, snagging a glass of feelgood from a passing servant and draining it in one gulp before casually setting the glass aside. “Their families are old friends of my parents. My mother insisted—what could I do? This is still my parents’ home after all. Now get off the damn sofa and dance with me. People are staring.”

In fact, the girls on the sofa next to Marushka were whispering behind their fans and giggling, although they quieted when Benet glared at them.

Marushka rose, shaking out her skirt a bit and took Vasili’s hand reluctantly. He closed his fingers over hers so tightly Benet saw her wince but then the couple swept smoothly into the mix of dancers. He watched them closely the entire time they danced and it appeared to him the prince was lecturing Marushka about something. She maintained her calm demeanor but he noticed the signs of stress around her eyes and lips.

There was no time to talk to her though. Having danced with the prince she was now free to accept invitations from others and was whirling and twirling her way through complicated dance after dance while Benet and Dmitri watched.

If she was his woman, he’d spend the entire evening with her and etiquette be damned, Benet thought, watching Vasili dancing and flirting with yet another richly dressed girl.

And where on the seven hells did that fantasy come from? He liked Marushka, enjoyed her presence at breakfast every day, and appreciated her support during the training sessions but he was focused on escaping. Wasn’t he? And what did he have to offer an Outlier Grand Duchess even if he did find a way to get off the damn planet and go home? Fiercely Benet ordered his cock to stand down as she came toward them after yet another dance, which she’d actually seemed to enjoy. She’d been laughing and obviously comfortable with the young gallant who escorted her to the sofa when the song ended, which was a marked change from her previous turns around the floor. Fanning herself, she sank onto the embroidered cushions and accepted a refreshing drink from Dmitri, while the young man bowed and continued their conversation.

Suddenly Vasili was there, shoving past the man with a curse, and grabbing Marushka by the wrist so hard she dropped the glass, spilling wine all over her dress. He dragged her to her feet and pulled her in the direction of the nearest door. Footmen were coming to escort her recent partner from the room. Benet was in motion without conscious thought, hastening after the engaged couple, Dmitri at his back.

When he emerged into another of the endless halls, he hesitated. There was no sign of Marushka and her hot-headed fiancé.

“This way,” Dmitri said, moving to the righthand corridor. “His father’s library is up these stairs and he’s taken her there before for discussion, as he calls it.”

“What’s the guy’s problem?” Benet asked, catching up with Dmitri. “How can she let him treat her like that?”

“Marushka has been well trained in the social graces,” the Badari replied, scorn in his voice. “She doesn’t make scenes and she understands she has to defer to Vasili, especially at his own home. I’ve tried to support her in her independence but a woman can only go so far on Throne in asserting herself, unless she’s the Empress. She’ll be his to do with as he pleases when they’re married. You have to understand this. She’s as trapped as you are.”

Benet ascended the stairs two at a time and at the top went toward the sound of raised voices, only to arrive at a pair of heavy, embossed doors at the end of the short hallway. He heard Vasili’s sharp tones in the room beyond and tried to open the door but it was locked. “Now what?”

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