The Midwife of St. Petersburg (34 page)

“I’ll do no such thing. Snooping into someone’s private life—”

“You don’t appear troubled over snooping into Dr. Zinnovy’s and Madame Peshkova’s lives. You have no qualms about bringing misery to them or to Countess Zinnovy.”

She walked away again, her back toward him. “I want to buy the pendant from Yeva. What’s so dreadful about that?”

“Don’t pretend. I heard what you told Sergei. You want to hurt Karena. You’re jealous of her.”

“She’s come between us. Why shouldn’t I resent her? She’s ruined everything.”

“She’s ruined nothing. She’s helped to reveal the truth about us. Will you read this Okhrana report, or won’t you?”

“No. And Czarina Alexandra won’t read those lies either. All of you are against him—merely because he’s an uneducated peasant—and yet he shows all of you to be smaller than he. He has power to do good, and you wish to destroy him because of it.”

“Then I’ll read a few of the reports for you.” He tossed the folder open. “Here is a copy of a letter from the czarina to Rasputin—”

“I won’t listen!”

“Don’t be so hypocritical. You’re willing to shame others, including a great doctor. If this dossier were on Karena, you’d pay a high price to get your hands on it! Sit down!”

She did so.

He read from the Okhrana agent’s report: “ ‘I followed Rasputin. Tonight Rasputin brought a prostitute to his flat; later in the day she was set free by the servant.’

“Twenty-sixth of May, ‘Rasputin and a prostitute came home in Manus’s (a financier) car in an inebriated condition. While saying good-bye, he kissed and fondled her passionately. Later he sent for the porter’s wife to fetch the dressmaker Katia, but she was not at home.’

“Second of June. ‘At one o’clock in the morning, Rasputin came home drunk in the company of Manus. Without going to his flat, he sent the porter’s wife for the masseuse Outina, who lives in the same house, but she could not be found. Then he went to flat number 3 to see the dressmaker Katia. Here, he was apparently not allowed to enter, as he came back directly, and on the stairs he assaulted the porter’s wife, asking for kisses. The woman managed to disengage herself and ring up his flat, whereupon Dounia, Rasputin’s maid, led him away.’

“Twentieth of July. ‘Rasputin paid another visit to Arapov. He left his host’s house in a drunken condition and immediately repaired to the palm
reader’s wife. On his return home at five-forty in the afternoon, he once more set out in spite of Dounia’s endeavors to prevent him. He rudely pushed her aside, telling her to “go to the devil,” and, drunk as he was, splashed through the mud without picking his way. Later, he came out of his house and began questioning the agents about yesterday’s happenings, sighing and wondering at having got so drunk, since, according to his own words, he had only three bottles of vodka.’ ”

He turned a page. “And this is a letter from the czarina to Rasputin when he’d been away from Petrograd. ‘My beloved, unforgettable teacher, redeemer, and mentor! How tiresome it is without you! My soul is quiet and I relax only when you, my teacher, are sitting beside me. I kiss your hands and lean my head on your blessed shoulders. Oh, how light, how light do I feel then! I only wish one thing: to fall asleep, forever, on your shoulders and in your arms. What happiness to feel your presence near me. Where are you? Where have you gone? Oh, I am so sad, and my heart is longing. Will you soon be again close to me? Come quickly, I am waiting for you and I am tormenting myself for you. I am asking for your holy blessing, and I am kissing your blessed hands. I love you forever. Yours, M.’ ”

Alex looked at Tatiana and saw her shocked and sickened expression.

“Shall I read more?” he asked quietly.

Tatiana stood and swept past him to the door. She looked back, her face white and strained, her dark eyes bright and feverish with emotion. “I hate you for what you’ve done, Alex.”

“I’m sorry you do. A doctor who diagnoses a disease takes no pleasure in seeing his patient’s grief upon learning the facts. But to ignore the disease will bring death. That letter from the czarina, with a few changes, might have been a prayer to the only one worthy of such devotion.”

“I don’t believe a word of that lying report. The Okhrana is persecuting Rasputin.”

“Your father has ordered me to go with you tonight to Rasputin’s meeting at Anna Vyrubova’s place.”

“You jest! Do you think I’d bring you there, knowing you’re a spy? And you needn’t worry about your commitment to me. Our engagement is broken. After tonight, I don’t care to ever see you again.”

He bowed in deference to her request.

“As far as Karena and Dr. Zinnovy are concerned,” she continued, “I intend to learn the truth. If she’s not related to me by blood, I want to know it.”

She turned abruptly, opened the door, and walked out.

Alex flipped the dossier closed and walked toward the door. His emotions were mixed. He’d just unearthed another man’s sins, and he didn’t feel particularly pleased with himself for having dragged Rasputin into the bright light. Alex was fully aware that he, too, fell far short of God’s perfect standards. His one consolation was the fact that Rasputin was standing in a position of holy authority, allowing the czarina and others to put their trust in him as someone righteous, someone who could carry them on his strong, wise shoulders in their weakness. Alex had learned from Michael’s correspondence that there was but one holy Redeemer to whom every knee would bow.

In unmasking Rasputin to Tatiana, he’d turned on the light. She hated him for it.

What now troubled him more than her devotion to Rasputin was Tatiana’s determination to learn the story about Dr. Zinnovy and Madame Yeva. She’d already promised him once that she would walk away from the matter of Zinnovy and the pendant. But even before he’d angered her about Rasputin and disappointed her about his growing feelings for Karena, she had baited Sergei with the secret knowledge she had vowed to forget. How could he trust her again?

Countess Olga Shashenka’s mansion presented the sight of smartly uniformed Imperial officers and richly gowned women in a fairy-tale scene during the lightly snowing night.

Alex was late in attending the ball. He’d spent the last hour with Gennady, Ivan, and General Roskov, discussing the assassination of Count Kalinsky. Alex had also to inform him of the sober news of his daughter’s bitter resentment.

“I read a few pages of the dossier to Tatiana, sir. I did my best to convince her of the hypocrisy of Rasputin’s immorality and the danger his influence over the czarina presents to Russia. Her response was decidedly negative, and at the close of our discussion she informed me that she would not allow me to accompany her to Rasputin’s meeting tonight.”

The general frowned his discouragement and insisted he would smooth matters over.

“I think it best, sir, that I reconsider my relationship with your daughter.”

The general looked too stunned to speak. Fortunately for Alex, Tatiana walked in with Madame Zofia and, ignoring Alex, called the general away to his guests.

Alex wondered again about Karena and her mother. He then noticed Dr. Dmitri Zinnovy, who’d just come from the library with the countess. Alex looked for Tatiana and saw her waltzing with Captain Karl Yevgenyev. He watched her float away in shimmering satin and pearls. For once, Alex felt relief at the sight. He turned away, walking the circumference of the ballroom until he came up beside Zinnovy.

“Good evening, Dr. Zinnovy.”

“Colonel Kronstadt.”

Alex recognized the wariness in his gaze. Zinnovy was probably wondering if he was about to question him on Karena’s alibi.

“Doctor, I’d like to speak with you alone for a few minutes, if I may. It’s rather urgent.”

The wariness became veiled. He straightened his shoulders and gave a brief, polite nod of his head.

“Why, certainly. Will the library be sufficient?”

“Yes sir. Thank you.

“After you, sir,” Alex said at the door. He reached over, opening it for him. Dr. Zinnovy entered, and Alex followed.

The orchestra’s music was muffled in the countess’s library, but Tchaikovsky’s wedding song from
Swan Lake
was heard in the background. Dr. Dmitri Zinnovy sat at the desk, hands clasped and folded upon the glossy table. Alex sat across from him. He pushed a handwritten paper across the table.

“I copied this directly from a paper on file with the Okhrana. It details your visits to Yeva Menkin in years past.”

Dr. Zinnovy read it and sighed.

“I have brought this to your attention, sir, to save time and argument. No man in public position who has money or power escapes being noticed by agents of the czar’s secret police. You married Countess Katya Rezanova, and it is known that her father leaned toward government reforms. That is why they watched her—and you as well.”

“Why do you bring this up now? If this has anything to do with the Bolshevik meeting back in August, I did happen to be in Kiev then, as my medical practice would have it, but it is known that I am strongly opposed to the Bolsheviks—not to mention their vile tactics. It was unfortunate I was in Kiev at the time.”

“That depends on how you see it. You saved your daughter from arrest, and that was very fortunate.”

Zinnovy met his gaze sharply.

“Karena is your daughter, sir. Is she not?”

“Karena should not be brought into this Bolshevik problem—”

“Dr. Zinnovy, I’d better declare myself. I’ve a personal claim in this. I’m falling in love with Karena Peshkova. I’m trying to protect her, and Madame Yeva. It’s presently a serious concern. As soon as I can get transferred from the Okhrana to my old regiment, or to the czar’s guard, I’ll be done with dusty files of secrets. I’ve no interest in digging through dirty closets. We all have them. Some are not as dark and ugly as others, but we all have our trespasses against God and man. I believe, sir, this is a foundational truth of Christianity, that all have sinned.”

Dr. Zinnovy removed his spectacles and placed a hand across his eyes.

“Let me go straight to the reason I’ve come to you, Doctor. There’s a pendant that belongs to Madame Yeva—of great value. It has recently been recognized by someone as part of a set belonging to Countess Rezanova. If it’s brought to the attention of your wife—well, you do see what I’m suggesting?”

He looked at him with a flash of realization. “The pendant!”

“Yes. I’ve a plan, sir. If you could buy back the pendant from a third party and return it secretly to the countess’s set, would you cooperate? It would remove the pendant from exposure, and the possibility of embarrassing questions.”

“I swear I’d forgotten all about it. Yes, of course. I would certainly cooperate to buy it back—discreetly, that is.”

“I was hoping you would say that. I believe Madame Yeva is in difficult financial straits. You know about her husband’s being sent to the Peter and Paul fortress. He’s likely to get a harsh sentence when the case of Policeman Grinevich goes to trial. Without her husband, Madame Yeva lacks enough support to live and care for her two daughters until they marry. I’m sure she’d sell the pendant for a reasonable price. She’s not the
kind of woman who would extort, as you know. A reasonable price is all we would ask.”

Dr. Zinnovy studied him for a long moment. “You’re seriously interested in Karena?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t ask how this will affect your relationship with the Roskovs or your military career. But I’m sure it won’t aid you in the least.”

“I’ve already thought that through. I’ve made my decision. Even if Karena will have nothing to do with me, I’ll not marry Miss Roskova.”

He nodded. “A wise decision. Yes, of course, I’ll buy the pendant at more than a fair price.”

Alex snatched up the incriminating paper and laid it on the fiery coals in the fireplace. He turned to Dr. Zinnovy.

Dmitri stood and came around the table. “Thank you, Colonel Kronstadt.”

Alex gave a small bow of his head. “Where shall I meet you?”

“At the medical college. I’m there each day from noon until seven.”

“I’ll contact you with the pendant as soon as I can arrange to meet with Madame Peshkova.”