blindly to the horror, starting toward those who were beating Grinevich, but strong fingers caught hold of her arm and pulled her back across the lawn toward the shadows. She whirled to confront her captor.
Small, round spectacles gleamed in the moonlight.
“Dr. Zinnovy!” she gasped.
“Run into the trees at once, hurry,” he commanded and then disappeared.
S EVEN
The Black Carriage
D azed, Karena fled into the darkness as police whistles shrieked in the night.
I should have listened to Ilya
. The police would know she’d been present at the gathering tonight. Sergei would not escape detection this time, as he had in St. Petersburg. They could both be detained in Peter and Paul prison.
She dashed back to the trees where Sergei had tied the horse—
It was
gone
. She whirled, scanning the area. Had Sergei escaped and left her?
No, not Sergei
. Her brother was reckless at times, but he’d not leave her in danger.
She made a quick search in case the horse had wandered, but she knew Sergei would have tied the reins securely.
She ran back to the road and looked in both directions. Except for the crackling of dry leaves in the little bursts of wind, there was nothing.
Then, farther down the road came the sound of approaching hoofbeats and the rush of carriage wheels. She stepped back in caution. A moment later, a black carriage stormed into view, the driver in a red capwith a short, dark cloak floating behind. The passenger thrust his head out the window, peering along the road. As the carriage came closer, she saw with a burst of relief that it was Dr. Zinnovy. She stepped to the roadside and lifted her hand. He told the driver to stop and swung open the carriage door. “Quickly, inside.”
Karena put her foot on the carriage step prepared to climb to safety when policemen burst from the darkened trees.
“Halt! In the name of the czar!”
Karena turned her head. Her spirits crashed to the dust. Men she recognized from the local gendarmes bolted toward the carriage.
She stood still. The horses snorted, and her heart thumped in her ears.
Leonovich, Policeman Grinevich’s second in command, strode up. His lecherous gaze betrayed his thoughts. “Eh? Well now. So it’s
you
, Miss Peshkova?”
“Yes, it’s me. Is there any trouble? If you’ll excuse me, sir, I’m in a hurry—”
“Hold on there, miss. I thought I was chasing down that girlfriend of your troublemaking brother.”
“Anna? I haven’t seen her since she was working our fields this morning, just as she always does. I’m most certain she’s home with her brother and his wife, eating supper.”
Dr. Zinnovy leaned out with great bluster. “What is the meaning of this delay, Constable?”
“Uh, good evening, Dr. Zinnovy, sir. I didn’t know it was you. Mind telling me where you’ve come from?”
“Certainly not. From my hotel. What’s all this about? A robbery?”
“There’s been another Bolshie meeting on the college square. Gendarme Grinevich was attacked and beaten. We must question everyone in the vicinity.”
“Surely I am excluded as a revolutionary,” came the warning voice.“Recently I’ve been called to Tsarskoe Selo to take up residence as a physician to the royal Romanov family.”
There came a startled hesitancy. “Just so, sir, just so. I plead your pardon. But this young woman was at the meeting. She was seen by one of our policemen.”
“Surely there’s an error. Miss Peshkova’s been with me, reporting on the medical supervision of the peasants on the Peshkov lands. She left to walk home not more than fifteen minutes ago, but hearing police whistles I rushed here to make sure she was safe. I intend to bring her home to her parents without further delay.”
“She was with you, Dr. Zinnovy?”
“She was indeed. Do get in, Miss Peshkova. Schoolmaster Josef will be expecting you.” He leaned out the door and held his hand toward her.
Karena stepped into the coach, aware the policeman was unable to
Small, round spectacles gleamed in the moonlight.
“Dr. Zinnovy!” she gasped.
“Run into the trees at once, hurry,” he commanded and then disappeared.
S EVEN
The Black Carriage
D azed, Karena fled into the darkness as police whistles shrieked in the night.
I should have listened to Ilya
. The police would know she’d been present at the gathering tonight. Sergei would not escape detection this time, as he had in St. Petersburg. They could both be detained in Peter and Paul prison.
She dashed back to the trees where Sergei had tied the horse—
It was
gone
. She whirled, scanning the area. Had Sergei escaped and left her?
No, not Sergei
. Her brother was reckless at times, but he’d not leave her in danger.
She made a quick search in case the horse had wandered, but she knew Sergei would have tied the reins securely.
She ran back to the road and looked in both directions. Except for the crackling of dry leaves in the little bursts of wind, there was nothing.
Then, farther down the road came the sound of approaching hoofbeats and the rush of carriage wheels. She stepped back in caution. A moment later, a black carriage stormed into view, the driver in a red capwith a short, dark cloak floating behind. The passenger thrust his head out the window, peering along the road. As the carriage came closer, she saw with a burst of relief that it was Dr. Zinnovy. She stepped to the roadside and lifted her hand. He told the driver to stop and swung open the carriage door. “Quickly, inside.”
Karena put her foot on the carriage step prepared to climb to safety when policemen burst from the darkened trees.
“Halt! In the name of the czar!”
Karena turned her head. Her spirits crashed to the dust. Men she recognized from the local gendarmes bolted toward the carriage.
She stood still. The horses snorted, and her heart thumped in her ears.
Leonovich, Policeman Grinevich’s second in command, strode up. His lecherous gaze betrayed his thoughts. “Eh? Well now. So it’s
you
, Miss Peshkova?”
“Yes, it’s me. Is there any trouble? If you’ll excuse me, sir, I’m in a hurry—”
“Hold on there, miss. I thought I was chasing down that girlfriend of your troublemaking brother.”
“Anna? I haven’t seen her since she was working our fields this morning, just as she always does. I’m most certain she’s home with her brother and his wife, eating supper.”
Dr. Zinnovy leaned out with great bluster. “What is the meaning of this delay, Constable?”
“Uh, good evening, Dr. Zinnovy, sir. I didn’t know it was you. Mind telling me where you’ve come from?”
“Certainly not. From my hotel. What’s all this about? A robbery?”
“There’s been another Bolshie meeting on the college square. Gendarme Grinevich was attacked and beaten. We must question everyone in the vicinity.”
“Surely I am excluded as a revolutionary,” came the warning voice.“Recently I’ve been called to Tsarskoe Selo to take up residence as a physician to the royal Romanov family.”
There came a startled hesitancy. “Just so, sir, just so. I plead your pardon. But this young woman was at the meeting. She was seen by one of our policemen.”
“Surely there’s an error. Miss Peshkova’s been with me, reporting on the medical supervision of the peasants on the Peshkov lands. She left to walk home not more than fifteen minutes ago, but hearing police whistles I rushed here to make sure she was safe. I intend to bring her home to her parents without further delay.”
“She was with you, Dr. Zinnovy?”
“She was indeed. Do get in, Miss Peshkova. Schoolmaster Josef will be expecting you.” He leaned out the door and held his hand toward her.
Karena stepped into the coach, aware the policeman was unable to
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