Written on the Wind (The Blackstone Legacy #2)(67)

They loved each other. Against all odds, they had found each other from opposite sides of the world, but Dimitri’s bone-deep love for his homeland was going to pull them apart. She leaned her head against the window, the rhythmic clicking of the wheels keeping pace with her whirling thoughts as they sped across the countryside. Dimitri’s mission would not be complete until they had the official word from the czar. They would continue whipping up publicity about the Amur River upon their return to New York until they had the czar’s promise in writing.

And then?

She sighed. Then Dimitri would return to Russia. She would lose everything if she followed him. Alexander. Her ability to have a meaningful job. Her ability to carry a child. She would be isolated on a rural estate with little to occupy her mind and no children of her own.

She gazed fondly at Dimitri on the other side of the compartment where he played cards with Poppy. A report on the turpentine industry lay unread on her lap, but she’d rather admire Dimitri. Soon he would be gone forever, and she wanted to engrave this moment in her mind to remember in the years to come. She didn’t want to miss a moment of it, even though Poppy chattered incessantly.

“If we arrive in the city before five o’clock, we must attend the symphony tonight,” Poppy said.

“And why must we?” Dimitri asked, coolly laying out another hand of cards.

“Maxim Tachenko is the guest violinist. Gwen telegrammed me to report that he will be performing “Waves of the Amur” in your honor, and it is his last night in New York. I have box seats at Carnegie Hall, and it will be a grand opportunity for us to show you off.”

Poppy was practically glowing at the prospect of the chance to sit beside Dimitri in the family’s box seats. Emotions warred inside Natalia. This was precisely the sort of high-profile event Dimitri needed to solidify his celebrity in America, but their time together was growing short. Every hour seemed precious, and she didn’t want to share him with Poppy.

Two hours later, the train approached Grand Central Station and slowed to a crawl while navigating the railway switches across six lanes of track. Dimitri sat on the bench beside Natalia as they watched the station come into view. She rotated to look up into his profile, and he met her eyes, a fond smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The train finally halted, its gears clicking and hissing as it settled into place. Natalia reluctantly stood to depart the car. Outside, iron girders arched over the huge terminal. It was always so loud in here, with the noise of engines and people echoing off the massive overhead tunnel. The open fretwork of steel frames was supposed to minimize noise, but it wasn’t very effective.

A familiar figure stood on the crowded platform. Natalia hadn’t expected Liam to meet them, but what a delight. Maybe he would even join them at the symphony tonight if he could refrain from throwing darts at Poppy. A porter came to open the door of their compartment, and Dimitri descended first, lifting his hand to help Natalia step down onto the platform.

“Natalia!” Liam called out as he pushed through the crowds to reach them, a grim look on his face.

Dimitri stayed to help Poppy down, but Natalia made her way toward Liam and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Hello, Liam. Why so glum?”

“We need to talk,” he said. “I don’t think you want to go home. Come stay on the Black Rose with me.”

Liam had been living on his splendid yacht ever since he moved to New York. His sudden urgency that she retreat to it made her worry.

“Why?” she asked. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t want to talk here, but you need to trust me. Let Poppy take Count Sokolov back to her house, but come with me to the Black Rose. You don’t want to go home.”

“Why not?”

“Trust me, Natalia.”

Something was clearly going on, but Dimitri and Poppy had joined them, and aside from a quick greeting, Liam made no move to discuss what bothered him. She was going to have to trust him.

“Dimitri, you go along with Poppy back to Fifth Avenue. I’ll be joining Liam on the Black Rose. My townhouse is still a mess.”

“Are you sure?” Dimitri asked. “I thought we were all going to the symphony tonight.”

He looked so dear, so tender as he frowned down at her in concern. She rushed to embrace him, grabbing both cheeks to kiss him directly on the mouth. She didn’t care who saw. Something about the pity in Liam’s eyes worried her.

“I’m sure,” she said, even though uncertainty swamped her. “I’ll meet you at Carnegie Hall tonight, but I want to join Liam for a meal.”

Poppy looked typically annoyed at Natalia’s abrupt change of plans, complaining mightily as they summoned a porter to bring an additional pushcart to separate Natalia’s trunks from the others. It took a while for them to navigate back up to Forty-Second Street, where it was so crowded that Natalia barely managed a wave of good-bye to Dimitri as he escorted Poppy to the Blackstone carriage. Liam already had a cab waiting to take them on the twenty-minute ride to the marina where he docked the Black Rose.

It was snug inside the carriage, with two benches facing each other and a stack of newspapers taking up part of the bench opposite her. Once Liam climbed aboard, she had to angle her knees to accommodate his long legs.

“Well?” she asked as soon as the cabbie closed the door on the compartment.