Love and Triumph: The Coltrane Saga, Book 8 by Patricia Hagan Page B

look for Brandt. “Listen to me, Elenore,” he said tightly. “Things are happening faster than we thought. There’s a lot going on, and I can’t have you getting in the way. Just do as you’re told because the abduction is going to take place very soon. We’ve received word the PG will fall any day, and Hanisch and the others want to leave for Russia to help the Bolsheviks take power. We have to hurry and take care of things here.”
    Elenore had known that Cord might be leaving. She sensed he would not want to take her with him, and she really did not want to go, anyway. After all, while she pretended to believe in the Zealots’ philosophies, the truth was she enjoyed the comforts of the well-to-do, comforts the Zealots found so abhorrent. But as long as Cord was around, she wanted to be with him as much as possible.
    “So just remember he won’t like it if you mess things up,” Rudolf reminded her.
    She knew that was true. With a defeated sigh, she conceded, “What is it you want me to do?”
    Rudolf glanced at Amalia. She was out, but he could take no chances of her waking up and stumbling downstairs in the middle of dinner and causing another scene. “We’ll just lock her in here. Her room is far enough away from Marilee’s that she won’t be heard if she starts yelling.”
    “What about Marilee? How can you have her aunt spirited away if she hasn’t agreed to marry you?”
    “Let me worry about that. You just go get ready for dinner.”
    “What will happen if you leave Zurich?” She certainly had no intention of taking care of their mother the rest of her life.
    Matter-of-factly, he declared, “We’ll put her in a sanitarium. That will be best for everyone.” He got up to leave, then paused. “By the way, I don’t want you lingering after dinner. Just say you’re worried about Mother and go check on her and then don’t come back. Maybe our Romanov princess will take a hint I want to be alone with her niece and retire early. Since we’re going to have to move faster than planned, I’ve got to have some time for seduction, don’t I?”
    Elenore’s expression was piteous. “I’m afraid that’s a part of your plan you’d better be prepared to see fail, dear brother. Frankly, I think the only reason she agreed to this visit was because she doesn’t have anything else to do for the moment, not because she’s in love with you.”
    Harshly, hotly, he informed her, “It doesn’t matter whether she loves me or not. She’s going to marry me—and soon. Who knows?” He gave a wicked wink. “By tomorrow morning, she may be begging me to marry her.”
    Elenore did not have to figure out what he meant. “It won’t work, Rudolf. She’s not the type. Marilee is too shy to be seduced. She’ll run like a scared rabbit.”
    He threw back his head and laughed jeeringly. “Do you really think I would be sporting enough to give her a chance to run?” He headed on out, then flippantly called from the doorway, “Just make yourself scarce after dinner, little sister, and leave the hunting to the fox!”
    He stopped by the kitchen to make sure Gerda had prepared the special after-dinner cordials for his guests —Zwetsch ,a plum brandy.
    And it was to be a very special brandy, indeed.
    Jade’s drink would contain a drug made from the snakeroot plant, which would make her sleepy.
    Marilee’s cordial would have a smaller dose, just enough to make her weak…and vulnerable.
    And later—Rudolf smiled to himself—she would also sleep…but in his arms.
     
     
    The shabbiness of the dining room was camouflaged by the use of mellow candlelight. Rudolf had Gerda inform Marilee and Jade that his mother would not be at dinner, and when they came down to the dining room, they both expressed concern.
    Jade said they had no idea Amalia was so ill. “Perhaps we should make arrangements to leave, Rudolf. We don’t wish to impose,” she offered.
    “I was afraid you’d feel that way,” he murmured, eyes