Love and Splendor: The Coltrane Saga, Book 5 (34 page)

She eyed him coldly. “Drake would. I told you, he’s used to getting anything he wants. He did this to show me that once and for all.”

Colt shook his head, threw up his hands in surrender to such mad theory. “If you don’t want it back and you don’t want to have him punished, fine. Don’t report it.”

Stubbornly, coldly, she announced, “I’m going to get it back.”

He laughed uneasily. His sister sounded too sure of herself. “And how do you propose to do that? He’s far, far away from here by now.”

“I’m going to Russia,” she quietly replied.

“You are
what
?” he said, stunned, then, quickly recovered. “You’ll do no such thing.”

“You can’t stop me!”

“You just watch me.” He was glaring down at her with steely eyes. “If I have to tie you to a post, I’ll be damned if you’re going to go traipsing off to Russia after a worthless painting.”

“It isn’t worthless. It’s part of a collection that the Paris art world has talked about for months. And it belongs to me. I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back and do nothing and let that bastard just walk off with it. He knows I know he took it. He’s probably laughing right now to think how naïve I was.”

“Dani, I won’t let you. I’ll go to Pa and—”

“Shhh!” She cut him off, waving her hands frantically at the sound of the bell above the door and the sight of Cyril walking in. Her lips slowly curved in a secret smile as the devious plan began to form. Leaning closer to Colt, she confidingly whispered, “You don’t have to worry. I won’t be going to Russia alone. Here comes my traveling companion now.”

Colt followed her gaze, shook his head in disgust. “If you think I’m letting you travel with him by yourself, you’re crazy.”

Dani was assailed with yet another interesting thought. “Then come with us, Colt. It would do you good to get away.”

She started toward Cyril, calling out a warm greeting.

Colt looked on and slowly began to nod his head in agreement as he thought over her invitation, deciding that maybe a trip to Russia was the very thing to help him forget that once again he had been deceived by a woman.

Cyril was momentarily stunned by Dani’s warm welcome and her overall ebullient mood. He had dropped by on the pretext of inviting her out to dinner again, all the while anxious to see her reaction to the theft of the Alexandrovsky Palace painting. Certainly he had not expected to find her so happy.

She greeted him genially, reaching out to squeeze both his hands in welcome, and gushed, “Cyril, I’m so glad you came. I was just telling Colt how bad I feel about turning down your invitations to dinner. I’ve neglected you terribly, I’m afraid. Let me make it up to you by preparing a cozy dinner for you at your place tonight.”

Cyril was really baffled then. “I—I don’t have a nice place, Dani,” he attempted to explain, disappointed to have to do so. “I live in a small room above my office, and—”

“That’s all right.” She waved away his excuses, then steered him to where the coffeepot waited. “Poppa and Kitty have gone on a holiday, so we’ll just go to their house, and I’ll dismiss the servants and make dinner for you myself.”

Cyril was flabbergasted, could not fathom what was happening but was nonetheless pleased. “Well, I’d love to, Dani.”

Colt and Cyril exchanged cool greetings, and Colt, sensing that Dani wanted him to leave, politely did so.

“I’m afraid you were right about Drakar, Cyril,” Dani said after a while. “He’s everything you said he was.”

Cyril’s eyebrows rose. Things were working out just as he’d hoped. “Oh? What caused such a revelation, my dear?”

She shrugged, hated having to bring up the subject but knew it was important for him to know Drakar was no longer a part of her life. If not, he might be reluctant to take her to Russia with him. “Suffice it to say you were right. I really don’t care to discuss it.”

Politely, he obliged. “I certainly don’t want you to talk about anything that upsets you, Dani. Just remember that I’m your friend, and I’m always ready to help any way I can.”

“And I’m your friend, too, Cyril.” She felt no guilt at the adoring way he was looking at her. Forcing enthusiasm, she said, “I’ll have dinner ready at eight, and we’ll have a nice evening, all right?”

“Wonderful.” He wanted to crush her in his arms but did not dare.

After he left the shop, Cyril paused outside to ponder. She had said nothing about the painting or blaming Drakar for its theft…and she had to have noticed. Probably that was the reason her brother was present so early in the day. She’d sent for him first thing.

But, he mused, it was no surprise that she hadn’t said anything to him. After all, she had her pride, and it had probably been hard for her to even admit he’d been right, without the pain of confiding everything. She probably felt like a terrible fool, which was certainly understandable.

Cyril felt so good inside, and the smile that touched his lips transcended all the way to his very soul. Everything was working just the way he’d planned. Dani, so beautiful and desirable, was turning to him in her frustration, and that was wonderful!

Whistling merrily, he continued on his way…very much looking forward to the evening ahead.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Why do you need Cyril Arpel? If you want to go to Russia to try and find Drakar, I’ll go with you. Besides, you don’t even know for sure that’s where he went, and if he did, how in the hell would you know where to even start looking for him?”

Colt paused to draw a ragged, exasperated breath before continuing his diatribe, shaking his head in disgust. “It’s a wild-goose chase, Dani. Why don’t you just call the police and report the theft and let them take it from there? Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?”

She wondered for the hundredth time why he couldn’t understand something so utterly simple and struggled for patience as she attempted once more to make him understand. “It’s a personal vendetta, Colt, if you want to call it that. I’m just not going to let him get away with it. Besides, I need Cyril—he has the necessary social connections to take me places I need and want to go. As for not knowing where to look for Drake,” she added with determination, “if he’s in Russia, believe me, I’ll find him. He’ll be where the glitter and excitement is, and that’s where I intend to be.”

Colt threw up his hands in resignation. “So be it. We’ll go, but I think you’re crazy.”

He left then, not wanting to be around when Cyril arrived.

Dani hurried to put the finishing touches on the dinner she had carefully prepared. She had set a cozy table for two on the balcony outside the upstairs parlor, which overlooked Kitty’s rose garden, still fragrantly lovely with meager late-season offerings. The moon was at its fullest, and the air was not terribly cool, so the setting would be lovely.

She had selected a simple but elegant gown of black velvet with long sleeves that tapered to points at her wrists. The neckline, demurely heart-shaped, was exquisitely edged in a thin band encrusted with tiny blood opals. Her hair was brushed back from her face and cascaded down to hang full and loose around her shoulders, and she wore a headband across her forehead identical to the opal trim of her gown.

A last glance in the mirror as the doorbell sounded assured her of the look she had sought to achieve—delicate refinement.

Cyril took one look at her and gasped aloud. “My God, Dani, you are beautiful!”

Dam curtsied playfully. “Why, thank you, kind sir.” Then she beckoned him to follow her upstairs.

As they made their way, he curiously asked why the house seemed so deserted. “I know you said your parents were on a holiday, but didn’t your brother have a house guest?”

She stiffened at the allusion to Lily. “
Mademoiselle
Deauneve left for England unexpectedly.”

Cyril noted the chill in her voice, opted not to pursue what was obviously an unpleasant subject that did not interest him anyway.

Upstairs, Dani served an aperitif of champagne with
crème de cassis
and an appetizer of thin Lyonnais sausage, and Cyril was delighted. “If this is a sample of your culinary talents, Dani,” he said, “I’ll propose before the second course!”

Before the first course had ended, Cyril inquired as to whether she had finalized her plans to travel to Denmark. She seized the opening at once. “I’ve decided to take you up on your kind offer!” she stated.

He blinked, pretending not to know what she was talking about…all the while feeling cold apprehension descend. Surely she did not mean what he feared she meant.

Then, with her next words, he was forced to realize his suspicions were sadly correct.

“I’m going to Russia with you.”

He swallowed hard, reached for his glass of wine and took a quick sip, wanting precious time to react properly. Finally, when he trusted himself to speak, he asked, “Are you quite sure, my dear? I plan to stay until spring, and you’d have to travel back alone because you certainly couldn’t stay away for that long.”

She agreed but was not about to tell him she would not be returning alone because he might not be pleased about Colt joining them. That would have to come as a surprise.

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” she said dismissively.

“Why do you want to go? And isn’t this rather sudden?”

Dani shook her head. She’d been prepared for his surprise and his questions. “I need a change. I’m rather tired of Paris, and you’ve whetted my appetite for Russia with your wonderful tales of the season there. Besides, you know all the right people, and you can show me around…if you still want me to come,” she added, deliberately sounding as though she were on the verge of being terribly hurt and disappointed should he renege on his invitation.

Cyril could do nothing except be reassuring and hope he appeared sincere. “Yes, yes, of course I do.”

Dani grinned and sat back in her chair, folded her hands in her lap as she looked at him in happy anticipation. “Then when do we leave?”

Dammit, he knew he’d be happy to have her with him as far as Denmark, but once they were in Russia she could prove to be a problem when he started searching for the Fabergé egg. He told her he had already booked passage. “You might not be able to make a reservation on the same ship. The agent told me they were terribly crowded.”

She was undaunted. “Nonsense. First class is never fully booked.”

He looked at her a moment, hidden longings surfacing, doubts and fears submerging. “I think we can arrange things, Dani,” he whispered, “and I think the two of us can have a trip we’ll always remember.” He reached out to cover her hand with his.

She gently withdrew from his touch, thinking how grateful she was that Colt had decided to go too. No doubt, Cyril would probably be making advances at every turn, and the last thing she wanted for a long, long time was that kind of relationship with a man.

They finished dinner and had coffee inside, then Dani pointedly looked at the mantel clock and said she hoped he’d not think her rude but felt it time they ended the evening.

“Remember, I gave the servants the night off, Cyril. It isn’t proper that we be here alone together so late.”

It was the moment he had been waiting for. Setting his coffee aside, he lunged for her, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her against him as he heatedly declared, “Yes, I know we’re here alone, Dani, and you just don’t know how long I’ve waited to do this…”

His lips came down on hers bruisingly, and he held her so tightly she feared she could not breathe. She struggled out of his grip. “Cyril, no!” she protested vehemently.

At once he let her go. He forced himself to quell the resentment bubbling inside as he recalled how she’d stayed so late in Drakar’s apartment unchaperoned. Well, there would be many opportunities for them to be alone together once they were on the ship, and he was confident that sooner or later he would be able to break down her reserves and have her the way he wanted.

When Dani and Colt arrived in the resort town of Chantilly, twenty-five miles outside Paris, they were instantly impressed by the sight of the massively elegant château where their parents were staying during their holiday. Perched high on a hill rising out of a lake, it was surrounded by beautiful gardens and a deep, mysterious forest, giving the impression of an enchanted palace found only in fairy tales.

The château, Dani was later informed by Kitty, had been the Renaissance country home of the noble and illustrious Condé family, and when the last descendant, the Duc d’Aumale, built an additional building to house his immense collection of paintings, it turned out to be even larger than the original dwelling.

They had arrived unannounced, and Kitty and Travis somehow felt the surprise visit had nothing to do with the situation concerning Dani’s indiscretion with Drakar, or their disapproval of Colt’s engagement to Lily.

Later, during dinner, they learned their suspicions were justified.

Colt announced he’d broken his engagement to Lily, without explaining why, and that he and Dani were going on a holiday to Russia and had no idea how long they would be away.

Dani enthusiastically described plans to stop in Denmark on a buying jaunt for her shop.

The elder Coltranes exchanged glances, eyebrows raised, intuitively acknowledging there was another reason for the trip that was not being divulged.