monarchy? “I don’t know, Luba. I have no food, money.”
“Take our bread for today.”
“How can I leave you here alone? What if another mob comes for you all? They would have killed Father if Taras hadn’t stepped in. What if Taras leaves?”
“You have a better plan? The alternative is we die here. Besides, I have plans of my own.”
Soon the door opened, letting in a freezing draft, and Mrs. A. stood silhouetted against the weak light of day. She set a tray down on the table, took our latrine bucket by the handle and tossed its contents.
As Mrs. A. replaced the bucket and started to close the door, Luba hurried to her and spoke in a hushed voice. “Thank you, Mrs. A. You are most kind. May I have a word? I have a proposition for you.”
“What could you propose to me?”
“Agnessa needs medicine. My sister can get it for her if you let her go.”
Mrs. A. sent a quick look my way. “I can do nothing of the sort.”
“She knows where she can find it, but she must get out. She promises to come back as soon as she has it.”
“Why should I do such a thing?”
“Father was always so good to you,” I said.
“If you call not paying your bill good. Do you know how much pineapple and fancy sardines your cook ordered? The tobacco bill alone almost broke us. Your father’s man of affairs never paid us close to the full amount.”
“I’m sure he meant to settle up,” Luba said. “I have a way to pay you now.”
Mrs. A. continued to shut the door.
“Wait,” Luba said. “Something valuable to give you.”
Mrs. A. paused.
“It is a very fine emerald necklace. The tsarina herself admired it.”
Through the door opening, Mrs. A. squinted an eye at Luba. “Let’s see it.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, but as soon as you free Sofya it will be yours.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“You have the rest of us as hostages. And my word. And you will soon have a Fabergé piece worth a fortune. Vladi is stealing anything of value from the estate. Why should he have all the reward while you toil as his servant?”
Mrs. A. craned her neck to look toward the house. “Be quick about it. And you better make it look like she’s still here.”
Luba smiled. “That won’t be hard. Vladi seldom comes up here.”
I stood, heart pounding, freedom on the other side of that door. I brushed the dust from my pants and smoothed my hair. Would the tsarina even recognize me in such a state? My whole body pulsed with something I hadn’t felt in so long. Hope.
CHAPTER
24
Eliza
1917
The following spring America finally entered the World War to fight alongside France, England, and Russia. On April 6, 1917, planes zoomed over New York City and dropped two tons of confetti, which drifted down over the rooftops and buildings and covered the streets like late spring snow. Once Julia Marlow sang The Star-Spangled Banner at the Hudson Theatre, her coat on and a black hat down over one eye, the recruitment office was deluged with men of all ages and social strata enlisting. Would Merrill enlist? I had watched the society pages for news of their wedding, with no sign of it. I brushed away thoughts of him.
America entering the war didn’t surprise me, really. After a German U-boat sank the British ocean liner Lusitania, killing 128 Americans, and the U.S. intercepted a secret telegram from Germany to Mexico proposing Mexico turn against the U.S. in exchange for the return of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany and got his wish.
That February in Russia, yet another revolution had broken out, a major one this time, and by March the tsar had abdicated his throne. Lenin was back in Russia, heading up the Bolshevik Party, and on his second day in power abolished the free press. Seemed he was bent on liquidating Russian civil society top to bottom. Could the world get any more chaotic?
How was it impacting Sofya? I found myself waking at night, mind racing with thoughts of her. I rubbed my little telegram charm that I wore around my neck, the only cure for the terrible worry.
In desperate attempts to learn her whereabouts, I sent letters and telegrams to Alexander Palace, where the royal family lived under house arrest, but heard nothing back. If only the war would end so I could travel abroad and find her.
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ONE