Page 82 of My Queendom for a Horse

“A few years ago, my nearest relative died, leaving no heir. Or so the government thought.”

“But?” Sean asks.

“With the help of a competent lawyer here in England, I was able to submit DNA evidence that proves that I’m the last heir to the Volkonsky family fortune—including the land that was regranted and the accumulated funds from the exportation of the oil they’ve been drilling for on it.”

Is he kidding?

“The Russian government is in the process of transferring the property and estate back to me.”

Back? I cough.

“Rather, of transferring it to me,” he says. “As you can see, English still trips me up on occasion.”

Of course, the truth is more ridiculous, so they’ve really got no choice but to accept this is legitimate. It’s not like they’re more likely to think that he speaks the same languages as me because I’m the one who broke his curse. Or, halfway broke the curse.

They’re certainly not going to guess that he still can’t use his powers or shift without being in physical contact with me, or that every time I touch him, I want to rip his clothes off.

I take another big swallow of wine. It’s so good that it should be savored, but this isn’t a savoring type of conversation.

“Will you be heading back to Russia right away, then?” Sean sounds almost absurdly hopeful.

Before Aleks even has a chance to answer, Lord McDermott asks, “It sounds like it’s quite a windfall for you. Does it come with a house, did you say?”

Aleks’ lips twist and he shrugs. “I believe there’s an ancestral palace, though what shape it’s in is anyone’s guess. I hear it was used as a children’s home. I’m not in a huge hurry to rush back. After all she’s done to help me reclaim my birthright, I can’t leave Kris while she needs me.” He turns toward me and flashes a bright, warm smile.

I kick him under the table, and this time he can’t dodge.

Infuriatingly, he still doesn’t give any sign that he even felt it. I’m beginning to wonder whether he suffers from chronic insensitivity to pain.

“What a wild story,” Lady McDermott says.

“It has been quite a week,” he says. “But the bank that holds my late cousin’s assets moves much faster than the government itself. They’ve already released control of his accounts to me.”

“Oh?” Sean wipes his perfectly clean mouth with a napkin. “Is that how you bought that car?”

“Of course. Finally having the money to do whatever I need to do is a real relief.” Aleks turns and looks pointedly at me. “Apparently women don’t like you unless you’re rich. I had no idea.”

Sean is many things, but unintelligent is not one of them. It’s very clear, from the flare of his nostrils, that he knows Aleksandr is referring to me. Somehow, stupid Aleks managed to insult me and infuriate Sean at the same time.

I want to stab him with my fork, but since I’m holding a spoon, and even if I had a fork, it would only make matters worse, I drink more wine. Since I weigh almost nothing and rarely drink, downing my second glass might have been too much. I feel a little lightheaded.

“Did Kristiana pay for this solicitor who handled all this for you?” Sean asks. “Were you imposing on her for a job and borrowing money from her as well?”

“Certainly not,” Aleks says. “That would have been too much.” He lowers his voice and leans forward almost an imperceptible amount. “And as you know, she doesn’t have any extra money to loan me even had she wanted to.”

The conspiratorial smile he flashes at Sean makes my blood boil.

“Luckily,” Aleks says, “I had in my possession a number of flawless stones—demantoid garnets, mostly—that collectors of rare stones will give their left arm to find. Have you ever heard of them?”

“Even though they’re garnets, they’re green,” Lord McDermott says, “right? And they’re usually found in Russia?”

Aleks smiles. “Exactly. They were given to me by my father, and to him from his father. We’ve kept them this entire time, knowing they would help us prove our claim. In fact, they’re the exact type of stone that was prized by the Czars of Russia for almost a hundred years.”

The stones he kept kicking at me on runs and in the pasture were green. Were they these garnets? Where did he get them from?

“You don’t say,” Lord McDermott says. “They’re recognized by their horsetail inclusions, aren’t they?”

Judging from his earnest expression, Aleksandr appears to actually like Sean’s father, or perhaps he’s just impressed by his knowledge. “They don’t all have horsetail inclusions—it’s not a requirement—but some of the more beautifully formed inclusions can raise the value of the stone, which runs contrary to the general rules for other gems, where any inclusions lower their worth.”

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