Written on the Wind (The Blackstone Legacy #2)(31)
Dimitri’s eyes softened in pained sympathy, and a hint of misgiving took root. He wanted something from her . . . something he knew she would be reluctant to provide. Suddenly, she felt very cold.
“Dearest Natalia,” Dimitri said, a world of grief and regret on his face, “I’m afraid you don’t understand. My mission in life is to correct the wrong I saw that day at the Amur River. The only way I can do that is to stop the Trans-Siberian Railway.”
It was as if he’d slapped her. She must have misheard, but when she asked him to repeat himself, the words were the same.
“I intend to stop the Trans-Siberian Railway,” he said simply. “It is the only way I can get the czar’s attention and force him to act.”
He must have lost his mind. The Trans-Siberian was the largest civil engineering project in the world. It would invigorate the Russian economy and improve the lives of countless millions. Her heart pounded so hard she felt dizzy, but she needed to stay calm and reel Dimitri back from the precipice he was about to fling himself over.
“How on earth will stopping the railroad solve anything?”
“Thousands of innocent civilians were slaughtered to secure passage for that railroad, and you ask me why I want it stopped?” He sounded appalled, as though she were the one who was being irrational.
“Stopping the railroad won’t bring those people back.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “The Russians are still driving eastward. They won’t hesitate to commit more atrocities if the local population gives them resistance. More lives are in danger as we sit here, and it is the Blackstone Bank that is paying for it all.”
His voice cut through the din of the restaurant. People at neighboring tables had swiveled to gawk at them.
Natalia switched languages. “If you are going to say my family’s name in that tone of voice, please speak in Russian.”
The last thing she needed was bad publicity for the bank, but Dimitri conceded to her request and spoke in Russian.
“I know this will be difficult for you, but the railroad must be stopped. It has a stain on it that can only be scrubbed away by the czar himself. I want nothing to do with the railroad other than to halt its construction until the czar does penance for what happened and ensures it does not happen again.”
Natalia clasped her hands together so he wouldn’t see her trembling. Everything about this conversation felt unreal and disorienting, like the world had suddenly flipped upside-down. Her father had invested a fortune in that railroad on her recommendation. Pulling out now would be a financial and political disaster. Nations from all over Europe were helping build this railroad. The czar wanted it done. Dimitri might as well lay his head on the chopping block and invite the state to hack it off.
Dimitri continued bombarding her with questions and strategies for stopping the railroad. “Have you authorized this month’s payment for railroad supplies yet? Is that what you were going to contact your associate about?”
It was, but suddenly she no longer felt comfortable discussing railroad business with Dimitri. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.
“Natalia, I asked you a simple question.”
“Since you are no longer affiliated with the railroad, it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss it with you.”
He didn’t let her frosty tone dissuade him. “I know very well that the payments are released on the first of the month, so please wire someone at the bank to stop it. The sooner we starve the project of money and supplies, the sooner the czar will pay attention.”
She clenched her fists. The bank was contractually obligated to deliver that payment, and failing to send it was unthinkable. “Do you know what breaking the contract would do to the bank’s reputation?”
“Do you know what a thousand bodies floating in a river look like?”
She took a fortifying breath and fought to rein in her temper. Dimitri had always let passion rule his life, but there had to be a way to make him see logic.
“Dimitri, you must draw a distinction between the railroad and the actions of the Russian government. The bankers and engineers behind the railroad had nothing to do with that massacre. It was the fault of the army.”
“But it was done to secure the railroad. I want it stopped. You can wire your father and bring construction to a standstill.”
“There are other banks in the world. If we don’t fund it, there are plenty who will.”
Dimitri was not deterred. “That will take months to arrange, giving me time to force the czar to the negotiation table. Wire your father to stop the funds.”
She stood so quickly that her chair bumped into the gentleman behind her, but she was too angry to slow down. “I won’t wire my father, and I won’t let your overblown emotionalism destroy us both. Whatever you think you saw—”
“Do you think I’m lying?” He was shouting, and everyone was staring at them.
She fumbled in her purse to set payment on the table, then stormed out of the restaurant. Dimitri could follow or he could stay inside and sulk, but she wasn’t going to continue this insane conversation. A wall of chilly air hit her as she stepped outdoors, and the clanging of a bell heralded a cable car heading her way. She intended to board it.
Dimitri drew up alongside her, his expression mutinous. She couldn’t bear to look at him and turned her attention to the cable car as it drew near. Their luggage had already been delivered to the depot, but she had the train tickets. “This car will take me to the depot. You are welcome to accompany me, or you can meet me there for its departure at five o’clock. Or you can stay in San Francisco and lob your bombs at me and the railroad from here. I don’t care.”