The Crown and the Crucible by Michael Phillips

Author:Michael Phillips [Phillips, Michael and Judith Pella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042000, FIC026000
ISBN: 9781441229748
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

36

Now that she heard the music, Anna realized that the sounds had been gradually filtering into her consciousness for some minutes as they approached down the long, wide hallway.

Walking at the side of Prince Sergei Fedorcenko, she had not even noticed. Nor had she been aware of the many people suddenly about—servants and footmen, guests, even royalty—all mingling and talking and milling about and going in and out of the ballroom. She had been so engrossed in the conversation with Katrina’s brother that she had completely forgotten the intimidation she had felt upon first entering the Winter Palace. All at once it returned to her in full force, and she felt like melting through the floor. What was she, a mere servant, doing here!

“Shall I go inside and fetch the count for you?” asked Sergei with a sympathetic smile.

“Oh yes, please!” answered Anna with visible relief.

“Wait here. I’ll be back in two or three minutes.”

He swung open one of the huge, gilded doors, and as he walked confidently through, Anna caught a momentary glimpse of splendors beyond any she could ever have imagined. The music of violins and cellos poured into the corridor, and with it the sounds of voices and dancing. The sparkling candles from what seemed a hundred crystal chandeliers sent thousands of bright rays throughout the enormous ballroom.

Before her very eyes stood the most important people in all Russia. Even though the tsar himself had left the ball, there remained grand dukes and duchesses beyond counting, perhaps the tsarevich and his wife—aristocrats and nobles every one!

All this Anna took in with wide eyes in the three or four seconds it took the great door to swing closed. She marvelled at the ease with which Sergei flowed through the crowd, greeting here and there an acquaintance with a smile and a word or two. And then just as suddenly as the grand scene had appeared, it was gone. Anna was left in the corridor, reflecting upon the prince who had accompanied her. For all his talk about equality of station, there could be little doubt that the young Fedorcenko was very much a member in good standing of Russia’s most elite class. That she could feel so comfortable with one who could mix so readily with servants and royalty alike made Anna wonder even more at the character of this young nobleman.

When the door swung open again, Anna could not help feeling relief, accompanied by a thrill of pleasure, as the prince stepped into her sight once more. Only with great effort did she notice the dashing Count Remizov who followed Sergei into the hall. As she took him in, she saw immediately that he was indeed handsome, more so than Prince Sergei. Yet the expression of his face lacked something. He possessed striking good looks, but he seemed to be missing an indescribable depth of character.

Involuntarily Anna’s eyes flitted quickly back and forth between the two young Guards. There could be no mistake. The quality of spirit

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