“How about you find out? I think it will be better that way. Take a good look at her inheritance. At the vineyard her grandfather left her.”
“The vineyard?” I give him a deadpan look. I’d seen details about the vineyard in her records, but it didn’t really look like it was that valuable. Just a little family business in the Russian countryside.
“Yes, the vineyard. When you find out what I’m talking about, remember it was me who gave you the information. Then maybe you can trust me,brother. I’m away until next week. We can talk then.”
Pressing his lips together, he turns and walks away, leaving me with that interesting bit of news I’ll be looking into straight away.
ChapterTwelve
Anastasia
“Do you need anything else, dear?” Ehlga asks, closing the wardrobe doors.
She has that heartfelt expression again, a sign she still feels bad about today.
Not just for the horrid encounter with Gytha, but also for the barbaric experience at the clinic.
“No, I’m just going to turn in for the night.” It’s a lie. There’s no way I’m going to sleep. My head is a damn mess.
“Okay. I’m going to do the same. It’s been a long day.”
She forgot to say it was fucked up too, but I don’t think Ehlga uses words likefuck.
“Any news on when Desmier will be back?” It’s just after ten. If he’s coming back tonight, I want to be prepared.
“No. But I’m sure he’ll be here in the morning if you need to speak to him.”
“Alright.” I do need to speak to him, but maybe it’s best I don’t tonight. I’m too worked up and I’ll only get myself in trouble.
“See you in the morning.”
“Good night.”
As soon as she leaves, I sulk down onto the bed, resting my head in my hands. I allow all the tension to drain from me and take deep breaths to calm my mind.
I’ve never been more humiliated in my life. The doctor Desmier sent me to works for the Knights, which means his methods for sexual health checks are as archaic as in the Middle Ages. Whatever the hell tests that asshole conducted on me were barely a step away from a purity test. In fact, he actually asked Ehlga if he should do one because he had a few minutes to spare. Thank God she said no, but that asshole doctor just made me feel worse than I already do.
Now that I’m alone, the weight of everything sits on my shoulders like a fifty-ton trailer. And I haven’t stopped thinking about the crest.
I know I’m adding to my stress, and Lorelai would tell me off if she was here. But I don’t think I can help feeling like I should be trying to find out more information.
Regardless of what that is, it’s pieces of a life I was told I’d never remember.
Desmier’s arrival has unearthed that reality.
Lifting my head, I stare at the wardrobe and something occurs to me.
Ehlga said Desmier had stored some of the Butyrskayas’ things.
What if I found the room and looked through their stuff?
Okay, that would definitely be asking for trouble, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Finding something like a photo album with a picture of the crest from my dreams might at least help me with a location.
And I have an idea where I could start looking. When Ehlga showed me around, there was a section of the house she said was out of use, so she didn’t take me there.
My guess is the room is on that side. And since Desmier isn’t here, tonight might be the best time to look around. Who knows what could happen tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after? This might be my only chance, providing, of course, the guards don’t stop me.
If I get caught, I could say I got lost, but that might not go down so well.