The Dawning of Deliverance by Judith Pella

Author:Judith Pella [Pella, Judith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042000, FIC026000
ISBN: 9781441229694
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2015-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

Sometime later Countess Eugenia Remizov, in attendance at the same party, managed to get her son off alone.

“I saw you talking with Princess Barsukov earlier. What was it all about? You realize the Barsukovs are among the richest, most influential families in Moscow—probably in all of Russia. What did she want? It seemed a most pleasant exchange.”

“Oh, my dear mama. It was! It was!”

“Well, tell me about it?”

“If you would read Mariana’s letters,” he said with just a hint of rebuke, “perhaps you’d know.”

“My name may be on the envelopes, but it is obvious her letters are for you. I don’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“I think it is sweet that she includes you. You never write to her.”

“And would she care to hear from me?” Eugenia sniffed with derision. “Now, tell me about the Barsukovs.”

“Well, it seems my Mariana saved their son’s life. Princess Yalena is most grateful, as is her brother. Apparently he is quite taken with Mariana.”

“Taken . . . ? Hmmm, this sounds promising. What a match that would be! I couldn’t have come up with a better one had I worked night and day. Perhaps her crazy notion of being a war nurse wasn’t so bad after all.”

“Is that all you think of, Mariana’s marriage?”

“Why not? Regardless of her feminist notions, the girl will have to marry one day; there’s no reason why it can’t be to a man of family and substance. I might remind you, my suddenly idealistic son, that a Barsukov dowry would set you up for life.”

“There is more to life than money, Mama.”

Eugenia laughed at that. “Maybe if you had to pay your own bills for a change, you’d think differently.”

“Besides,” Dmitri said, adroitly skirting the touchy subject of his financial accountability, “Mariana also mentioned in her letters that she has met that American fellow, Trent, in Manchuria. They were quite taken with each other four years ago, and I rather liked the man.”

“That uncouth reporter? Bah!”

“Well, Mama, I must tell you unreservedly that I wish for Mariana to marry for love, not position.”

Eugenia had begun to discover that her self-centered, rather foppish son, who in most cases could be easily manipulated, was almost impossible to argue with where Mariana was concerned. Eugenia had made an enormous mistake in backing down the first time he had stood up to her, over the issue of medical school. Now he seemed to think he had complete license where his impudent brat was concerned.

But Eugenia wasn’t going to give up easily on this issue. They all stood to gain from a good marriage. “Do you mean to tell me you’d consent to her marrying a foreigner—an American?” She slurred over the last word as if it were the same as saying “leper.”

“Well, I—”

“Ha! And you, who so extol the glory of Russia! How you spout off about your pride in being Russian. It all must be rhetoric in order to ingratiate yourself to the powers that be.”

“I mean every word of

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