Petersburg, she was the rarest gem. And if he was going to marry, why not the fairest?
Dimitri hadn’t thought of Tatiana since he had mentioned his courtship to his grandmother, and she wouldn’t have come to mind now if he hadn’t just woken from an unpleasant dream of her. She had led him a merry chase, and even in his dream his goal had not been reached.
It was not that he wanted to marry her or any woman. He did not. What did he need with a wife when he never lacked for female companionship? She would just be an added responsibility, when he was already responsible for thousands. And this marriage arrangement wouldn’t have been necessary at all if his older brother, Mikhail, hadn’t foolishly extended hisservice in the Caucasus, so enamored with fighting Turks that he had stayed year after year until his luck finally ran out. He had fallen behind the lines early last year, and although his body had never been recovered, too many of his comrades had seen him shot down for there to be any hope he was still alive.
It was a black day for Dimitri when he had been told. Not that he bore this half-brother by his father’s first marriage any great love. When he was much younger, he supposed, they had been closer, even though the seven years’ difference in their ages made for a lack of like interests. The Alexandrovs had been a close-knit family then, when their father was alive. But the army had always fascinated Mikhail, and as soon as he was old enough, he had made it his life. Dimitri had rarely seen him after that, except for the one year when he had served in the Caucasus too.
Dimitri had seen enough of killing in that year to last him a lifetime. He didn’t thrive on the danger, as Mikhail did. He had wanted adventure, as had so many of his young friends in the Imperial Guard, and like them, he found it aplenty. It was enough to make him resign from the army. Not even the distinction of the Guard had drawn him back. He was a younger son, but he didn’t need the army for a career, as most other younger sons of the aristocracy did. He had wealth of his own, apart from the vast wealth of his family. And he had better things to do with his life than risk it needlessly.
If only Mikhail had felt the same way. Barring that, if only he had found the time to marry and leave an heir before he died, then Dimitriwouldn’t have been the last legitimate male Alexandrov. He had five other half-brothers, but they were bastards all. And his father’s sister, Sonya, had made it perfectly clear that it was now his duty to marry and produce an heir before something happened to him as it had to Mikhail. Never mind that Mikhail had put his life in jeopardy every day and Dimitri did not. Aunt Sonya had been so shaken by Mikhail’s death that she wouldn’t hear of any delay.
Dimitri’s life had been carefree up until then. Mikhail had been head of the family ever since their father had died in the cholera epidemic of 1830, and he had made all major decisions. Dimitri had overseen most of the family’s holdings, but only because finances had become a fascination, a safe way to take risks, and he was willing to do so. But now all responsibilities fell to Dimitri, the vast holdings, the serfs, the bastard siblings, even Mikhail’s half-dozen bastards. And soon a wife too.
A thousand times he had cursed his brother for dying and leaving him to control it all. His life no longer seemed to be his own. This trouble with his sister was a prime example. If Mikhail had been alive, the Duchess would have written to him. The problem would have been his, even though Anastasia was only Mikhail’s half-sister. He would undoubtedly have turned the problem over to Dimitri, but the difference was that Dimitri wouldn’t have been in the middle of a courtship and wouldn’t have minded a trip to England at all. Traveling, which he loved, was another thing curtailed now.
At least his sister was one responsibility that he could soon turn
Dimitri hadn’t thought of Tatiana since he had mentioned his courtship to his grandmother, and she wouldn’t have come to mind now if he hadn’t just woken from an unpleasant dream of her. She had led him a merry chase, and even in his dream his goal had not been reached.
It was not that he wanted to marry her or any woman. He did not. What did he need with a wife when he never lacked for female companionship? She would just be an added responsibility, when he was already responsible for thousands. And this marriage arrangement wouldn’t have been necessary at all if his older brother, Mikhail, hadn’t foolishly extended hisservice in the Caucasus, so enamored with fighting Turks that he had stayed year after year until his luck finally ran out. He had fallen behind the lines early last year, and although his body had never been recovered, too many of his comrades had seen him shot down for there to be any hope he was still alive.
It was a black day for Dimitri when he had been told. Not that he bore this half-brother by his father’s first marriage any great love. When he was much younger, he supposed, they had been closer, even though the seven years’ difference in their ages made for a lack of like interests. The Alexandrovs had been a close-knit family then, when their father was alive. But the army had always fascinated Mikhail, and as soon as he was old enough, he had made it his life. Dimitri had rarely seen him after that, except for the one year when he had served in the Caucasus too.
Dimitri had seen enough of killing in that year to last him a lifetime. He didn’t thrive on the danger, as Mikhail did. He had wanted adventure, as had so many of his young friends in the Imperial Guard, and like them, he found it aplenty. It was enough to make him resign from the army. Not even the distinction of the Guard had drawn him back. He was a younger son, but he didn’t need the army for a career, as most other younger sons of the aristocracy did. He had wealth of his own, apart from the vast wealth of his family. And he had better things to do with his life than risk it needlessly.
If only Mikhail had felt the same way. Barring that, if only he had found the time to marry and leave an heir before he died, then Dimitriwouldn’t have been the last legitimate male Alexandrov. He had five other half-brothers, but they were bastards all. And his father’s sister, Sonya, had made it perfectly clear that it was now his duty to marry and produce an heir before something happened to him as it had to Mikhail. Never mind that Mikhail had put his life in jeopardy every day and Dimitri did not. Aunt Sonya had been so shaken by Mikhail’s death that she wouldn’t hear of any delay.
Dimitri’s life had been carefree up until then. Mikhail had been head of the family ever since their father had died in the cholera epidemic of 1830, and he had made all major decisions. Dimitri had overseen most of the family’s holdings, but only because finances had become a fascination, a safe way to take risks, and he was willing to do so. But now all responsibilities fell to Dimitri, the vast holdings, the serfs, the bastard siblings, even Mikhail’s half-dozen bastards. And soon a wife too.
A thousand times he had cursed his brother for dying and leaving him to control it all. His life no longer seemed to be his own. This trouble with his sister was a prime example. If Mikhail had been alive, the Duchess would have written to him. The problem would have been his, even though Anastasia was only Mikhail’s half-sister. He would undoubtedly have turned the problem over to Dimitri, but the difference was that Dimitri wouldn’t have been in the middle of a courtship and wouldn’t have minded a trip to England at all. Traveling, which he loved, was another thing curtailed now.
At least his sister was one responsibility that he could soon turn
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