A Diogenes Club for the Czar by Gorg Huff & Paula Goodlett

Author:Gorg Huff & Paula Goodlett [Huff, Gorg & Goodlett, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-10T06:00:00+00:00

Location: Diogenes Club

Date: March 11, 1638

The private dining area near the Stranger's Room was exceedingly well appointed. There were incandescent lights behind screens. The wood was Russian oak, lacquered and polished to mirror smoothness. The chairs were padded and the table was of the same wood as the walls. There was also gilt on the walls.

Alla Lyapunov showed Marta to a seat just as if they'd been in the main dining room, and a waiter came to take their order. The waiter left a tray of rolls and a pitcher of water on the table. There were already plates and glasses sitting there. Marta sat and poured herself some water.

Miroslava came in and she looked perfectly normal, if quite pretty. She had rich auburn hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing makeup, but the sort that Brandy Bates had introduced to the czarina, which had since become the style across the Sovereign States of Russia. And Muscovite Russia, for that matter. She was wearing the sort of tight fitting pants that Brandy Bates had introduced as well. They were brown and her top was blue green, which brought out her eyes. And even the briefest of glances told Marta that Miroslava Holmes didn't care about it at all. It was a costume, nothing more.

Vasilii stepped up to her and said something. He didn't make any noise and Marta couldn't hear anything, but Miroslava nodded and gave him a little smile.

She came to the table, sat down, and asked, "How did you know about Wassily?"

"What about Wassily? You mean the counter guy?"

"You are a fairly good liar, Marta, but not nearly good enough. This will go a great deal faster if you don't keep trying to deny things we already know."

Marta was tempted to try anyway, just to see if she could match wits with this woman. Their backgrounds were fairly similar, after all. Not the same, but less different than Marta would have preferred. She shook her head and put the thought aside. Even if she could manage to get a lie past Miroslava Holmes, it wouldn't be worth it. "I noticed that he'd run off without his coat, and he'd left the paper on the counter, and he usually keeps the counter immaculate." She shrugged. "It made me curious."

Miroslava nodded. "Go on."

"I followed him here and he went in the private entrance, not the public one that goes to the restaurant." Marta decided to try it. "I figured he was coming to see his boss, Ivan Petrov."

Miroslava smiled a little bit, but Vasilii looked shocked and Alla blurted, "How did you know?"

Miroslava looked at her adopted daughter and said, "She didn't know, Alla. Not until you told her just now. She was guessing. Just the way she guessed about you being Anna, the servant girl."

Alla blushed bright red.

"You're very good," Miroslava said. "Why haven't you told your boss about Wassily?"

"I was angry with Iliad, but not with Wassily. Why shouldn't I tell him now? No. First, tell me why Ivan Petrov placed him there?"

"That happened fast," Vasilii muttered.

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