To Love a Horseguard (14 page)

Ducking behind the bushes Rose tried to still her thumping heart. It didn’t matter where she went she reasoned,
stripping off her gown and petticoats, it mattered only that she get away from Dimitry. With trembling hands she tossed the uniform over her head and tugged it down into place while Dinah kept watch for the guards. When she was dressed she peeked around the brush. “Now what?”

“Put this cap on your head and follow me.
I am going to create a diversion by setting the tiger free.”

Rose gasped and then clapped a hand over her mouth.

The maid paused. “What is it?”

“You cannot let Ivan free! He will eat us.”

Dinah squeezed her hand. “I am going to lift the latch, fling the door open, toss in a chicken leftover from dinner and then we’ll run as fast as our legs can carry us. The chicken should occupy the tiger long enough for us to make the back gate. We are going to pretend to be the palace staff going home for the night. Whatever you do, don't speak.”

Despite the absurdity of the plan Rose
watched with bated breath as the maid eased open the heavy bar keeping the tiger caged and threw in the chicken. Without looking back to see if Ivan was eating his prize they ran down the maze of paths until they came to the one leading to the servants’ entrance. They had to wait only a couple minutes before a group of girls came along the trail and then followed along behind them. When the girls reached the back gate to the palace, they giggled and called out in Russian to the two guards who kept watch. Rose looked down at her feet as they passed by afraid they might stop her. As soon as they cleared the back gates, Dinah clutched her arm and pulled her down the alley in the opposite direction the rest of the women had taken.

In her hurry Rose dropped her gown. Dinah ignored her
protest and kept jogging. At the end of the alley a coach sat waiting. The driver didn't get down from his seat atop the coach as they approached; instead Dinah reached up and flung open the door. She pushed Rose ahead of her into the dark interior. Rose scrambled into the coach, but before she could sit down a pair of hands took hold of her. When she tried to scream a hand clamped down over her mouth. Rose kicked and struggled as she was forced to the floor, hands twisted behind her back and secured. She kicked with all her might, but soon found her feet bound as well. The door slammed shut, and the coach lurched into motion as a gag was forced into her mouth.

Rose ceased struggling and lay
there panting in defeat as it bounced down the street. After a few minutes the scrape and subsequent flicker of a match broke the silence. Someone lit the lantern above her head and trimmed the wick. In the shifting shadows of light Sergi’s face appeared.

He
shook out the match and leered down at her. “Nice to see you again, Princess,” he said, malicious intent dripping from his voice. “You will not escape me this time. I have found a nice little cave for you. If you try to run away the tigers will eat you.” He turned to Dinah sitting on the forward facing seat. “Well done.”

Rose’s heart sank in the face of her maid’s betrayal.
Why Dinah, why?

Sergi
sat in the opposite seat, pulled a coin purse from his pocket and tossed it to the maid. “I have booked you passage on a ship bound for Spain in the morning.”

The maid gaped at him,
mirroring Rose's surprise. “What? You promised me a career in the theater, Sergi.”

He smirked at her. “You are not pretty enough to be on the stage.”

“You promised,” Dinah whined.

“I make many promises my dear, some I keep, others that are not important, I do not.”

Her face reddened. “You used me!”

A lewd grin spread across his face. “I will admit you gave good sport in bed, but I am not interested in a long term relationship. After all, if my plan works I shall be the new tsar.”

Dinah shrieked and threw herself at him. “You bastard,” she howled, trying to claw his face. He captured both of her hands in his and laughed as he overpowered her. “You better be on that ship come morning or the tsar will find you and you’ll hang from the gallows.” As the coach slowed he opened the door and shoved the maid out. With a high pitched shriek she tumbled to the ground. Sergi slammed the door shut and banged on the roof of the coach to signal to the coachman to go on. Dinah’s angry obscenities echoed behind.

Sergi poked her with the toe of his boot.
“It is just you and me now, Princess.”

Rose squeezed her eyes shut
terror constricting her chest until she feared she was going to expire from lack of air.
What does Sergi want with me? Is he going to rape me? Will Dimitry know I have been taken against my will, or would he think I ran away to help Sergi?
Tears rolled down her cheeks and pooled in the dirt on the floor under her.
I just want to go home.
She winced as the carriage hit a bump and her head bounced against the floor. Her temples began to throb. Slowly memories filtered into her consciousness through the haze of pain. She shuddered as she recalled the events of her capture in England and her previous escape from Sergi.

The coach picked up speed and she bumped and banged
against the floor unable to shield herself from the rough road beneath.
Will I ever see my family or England again?
The coach bounced on through the night. Rose’s arms and legs began to cramp from being unable to move or stretch in the close confines of the coach. She clenched her teeth, flexing her fingers against the pins and needles sensation. When she tried to sit up in effort to relive her discomfort Sergi gave her a poke in the ribs with his boot. Resigned to her torture she dozed off and on. Just when she thought she could not take it any longer, the coach slowed and came to a stop.

Sergi flung open the doo
r and jumped to the ground. Reaching into the coach he grasped her by the arms and dragged her to the door. It was still dark she realized before he hoisted her up and tossed her in an unceremonious manner over his shoulder. He stalked down a trail in the woods with the coach lantern swinging from his belt. She wheezed as her stomach bounced against his shoulder with each step. The path became narrower the farther he walked until it was little more than a deer trail through the brush. Rose winced as branches slapped her face and snagged her hair.

Sergi came to an abrupt stop. He dumped her on her feet and pulled a knife from his pocket. A cold sweat broke out on her brow.
Is he going to kill me?
Her stomach recoiled at the thought until he reached down and sliced the rope binding her ankles. She sagged against him as her numb legs tingled and threatened to give way under her. With sneer Sergi spun her around and shoved her into the mouth of a low cave.

When she stumbled he yanked her up and pushed
her against the cave wall. Reaching down he grasped the lantern at his waist, tugged it free and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. Her legs complained but she forced them to shuffle forward. The meager light of the lantern bobbed along the cave walls as they walked lending eerie shadows to the slick surface. Rose slipped on the loose gravel as they made their way down an incline further into the dark recesses. A squeaking above caught her attention. She looked up and shuddered at the sight of hundreds of little black creatures hanging from the roof of the cave. When Sergi swung the lantern some of the creatures flapped and she cringed as their wings brushed her head.

“You will have lot
s of company during your stay, Princess.” Sergi laughed.

R
ose kept walking until he yanked her back against him. She was about to protest his callous treatment until she looked down into a deep, dark cavity in the cave floor at her feet. Sergi kicked a rope tied around a large rock and it tumbled into the hole. After hooking the lantern back onto his belt he tossed her over his shoulder again. Terrified, she tried to kick her way free as he grasped the rope and began to lower them into the abyss. He grunted and growled something in Russian, but kept sliding until his feet finally touched the bottom. He stepped from the side of the vertical incline and set her on her feet. She glared at him as he yanked the gag from her mouth.

“Welcome to your new home, P
rincess.” He unhooked the lantern and held it up.

Rose judged the hole to be
about ten feet deep, round and four feet across. A straw pallet with a colorful wool blanket lay on the floor in the center. Sergi shoved her onto the blanket and held his water skin to her lips. Rose gulped the water, afraid it would be the last drink for a while. When she had enough she turned her head away. He re-tied the top of the skin and hooked it, along with the lantern to his belt.

“I will be back tomorrow, P
rincess, have a nice night.” He turned and grasped the rope.

Nothing but sheer panic registered to her. “Wait! You cannot leave me here alone.”

Sergi grinned at her over his shoulder. “You are not alone, the bats and rats will keep you company.”

Rose shivered at the thought and scrambled to her feet. “Please Sergi. Do not leave me here.”

Sergi climbed up the rope. When he got to the top he crawled over the edge of the hole and hauled the rope up after him.

“Sergi, please,” Rose pleaded.

“There is nothing to be afraid of Princess. I have not seen a tiger around these parts in months.”

With an evil chortle he
disappeared from sight.

“Sergi! Sergi!” T
he light from his lantern and the crunch of his boots on the gravel faded away leaving her in inky black silence. “Sergi! Sergi! Please, come back.”

She called until her v
oice became hoarse and then groped her way back to the straw pallet in the dark. She huddled there not knowing what else to do. Somewhere above water dripped the sound echoing off the walls around her. The steady percussion made her eyelids grow heavier and heavier, until she finally lay down. Hands still bound she fumbled for the blanket and rolled up in it the best she could, teeth chattering as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position. Something ran across her feet and scurried across the floor of the cave. She screamed and scrambled to her feet. The bats above took flight disturbed by her cry. Her only defense was to crouch on the floor as they flapped about. After a few minutes they settled back on the cave ceiling. She listened. Except for the steady drip of water and the occasional squeak from a bat or a rat, all was silent again. When the beating of her heart returned to normal she walked along the perimeter of the pit in effort to keep warm. A scuffling from above made her freeze. The sound continued getting louder as it got closer.

Is Sergi coming back already?
“Sergi?” When he didn't answer she tried again, “Sergi is that you?” The noise continued. Terror gnawed her insides.
What if the noises are caused by a Siberian tiger? Sergi said one had been seen in the area before…
Somewhere outside the cave an animal howled and she fought to control her fear before it overrode all reason.

“Go away,” she yelled, trying to frighten anything that might be in the cave away. The remaining bats screeched and took to the air
and she dropped to cower on the floor. After a few minutes the bats flew from the cave or settled back on the ceiling.

Rose felt her way back to the straw pallet, knelt down and tried to work her hands free from their bonds, but her fingers were too stiff and
cold. The rope scraped against the tender skin of her wrists, but didn't loosen enough to slip her fingers free. Frustration built in her and she sobbed in her distress. A few moments of weakness were all she allowed herself before she took a deep breath and took control of her emotions. Her teeth still chattering, she felt for the blanket and again rolled up in it. She lay there in the dark shivering until something crawled across her face. Biting back a scream she sat up and brushed the offending creature off
. I want out of here! I have to get out. How? How? Get a hold of yourself! I need to take my mind off the creepy crawly things…

Rocking back and forth she began to sing to take he
r mind off all the frightening things she imagined in the cave. By the time she sang all the church hymns she knew, her voice was no more than a croak, but she was calmer. She licked her cracked lips, desperately wishing for a drink of water.
How long have I been here, a few hours or a whole night? It could be morning, but I do not see any light. Would the sunlight reach this far back in the cave?

Her mind wandered to
Dimitry.
Does he know I am gone? Is he looking for me? Does he know Sergi took me, or does he think I ran away?
It seemed hopeless. Dimitry wouldn't find her. If something happened to Sergi, no one would know what happened to her. It was possible she would never see her brother, grandmother, Victor or Dimitry ever again.
I do not want to die here all alone in the dark.

Chapter Seventeen

Dimitry finished his report and leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on the desk. It was just past midnight and time he retired for the night. He had an early morning meeting with the tsar to inform him of any new developments in the hunt for Sergi and the rebel Cossacks. Maybe he should take Rose with him to meet the tsar. His heart told him she was telling the truth, and she really had been kidnapped from her home in England. Unfortunately, he could not release her without the tsar’s permission. Until a message was received from England, she would have to stay with him.