uniform, his hat under his arm.
“Welcome, Commander,” she said. “May I offer you some refreshment? Wine or vodka perhaps?”
Vittorio shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t have leisure to stay long, Lady Portinari.”
“As you wish, Commander. Thank you, Dmitry, that will be all.”
“Yes, my lady.” Dmitry bowed and left.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Commander? Presumably something pressing, if it has taken you away from your busy schedule.”
“Exactly so, my lady,” he said. “I do wish I had the luxury of calling upon you earlier, but tensions with our neighbors to the west are rising, and I fear we will be engaged in conflict no later than midsummer.”
“That is dire news indeed,” said Irina. “Is there some way I can assist in this stressful time?”
He smiled. “In a manner of speaking, yes. I spoke with your son yesterday after one of his many visits to Roskosh Manor, and he seemed to be almost drunk, except I could not smell even a hint of liquor on his breath.”
“Sebastian has never had much interest in drinking, or really in any sort of gluttonous activity.”
“Yet another admirable character trait no doubt passed along to him by you and his father.” Vittorio certainly was studious about slipping in compliments whenever possible. “At any rate, it did not take long to ascertain the cause of his elation. He is to be married to Galina Odoyevtseva.”
“The engagement has not been formalized yet,” said Irina. “I have sent the proposal to Lord Prozorova but I am still planning a great many details for the ball.”
“So you have not committed your resources yet?” asked Vittorio. “Excellent. I’m glad I spoke to you as soon as I did.”
“And why would that be, Commander?” Irina asked carefully.
“So that I might offer my own support, financial and otherwise.”
Irina was not one to show surprise. Indeed she was not one to even be taken by surprise very often. But perhaps her eyebrows bounced once at Vittorio’s reply.
“You are not opposed to the engagement?”
“Good heavens, no,” said Vittorio. “A man needs a good woman to come home to. A soldier doubly so, especially if he must go to war. I hope you will forgive me, but in the absence of a family I can call my own, I confess that I have taken a paternal fondness toward Sebastian. Especially since he is now without a father of his own.”
A father killed at your command, thought Irina, but her face expressed only gentle concern as she said, “I’m certain it must be lonely at times to have no family of one’s own.”
He nodded gravely. “It is indeed, my lady. And that is why I am resolved that Sebastian be engaged, and ideally married, with all due haste. In my experience, a soldier may fight with passion for his empire and his sovereign, but the truest commitment comes from a man fighting to protect a beautiful woman and achieve the peace that will allow him to return to her arms.”
“A commendable view,” murmured Irina, “but I would expect no less from you, Commander.”
“It is a conclusion I have drawn after a number of years observing the sustaining power of love. Admittedly, I don’t quite understand young Sebastian’s fondness for this particular woman. If you’ll permit me to say so, I find Galina Odoyevtseva to be a strange and mousy little thing bereft of her mother’s charms and handsome figure. But thankfully, each man judges beauty on his own terms, and in doing so guarantees that there is indeed a match for everyone. I had only to observe the manner with which the young captain treats her for a few moments before I recognized that she is quite a suitable match.”
“I am glad we are in accord on this view,” Irina said with genuine warmth and perhaps a little relief.
“Indeed. And to make certain things move smoothly in the negotiations with Lord Prozorova, I would like to offer my aid. I am aware that the Turgenev family is presently not at its peak, and your resources are limited. At the risk of sounding boastful, my means are considerable and it would please me greatly if you would allow me to arrange the finest engagement ball yet seen in Gogoleth. I intend that no expense be spared in this, one of the most important and impactful events in the life of our young Sebastian.”
“Your generosity overwhelms me, Commander.” Irina’s expression was appropriately fawning even as she fought back the bile that crept up