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There was no word on the fate of Count Cher fro in the newspapers I read in the library As each day passed without news, hter in my stomach I had unleashed a h I didn&039;t kno And I orried about the poor creature&039;s safety

I received an invitation to go sleigh riding on Saturday with the Montenegrin sisters and their brother, followed by tea at the Tauride Gardens pavilion The thought of seeing Prince Danilo again after my latest horrid drealy attracted to hi was cold and crisp, with pale Russian sunshine casting a weak light across the snow Dariya orried about rins "Perhaps you should pretend to be ill, Katiya?" she asked nervously

"Do not worry aboutthat I wear She says it will protect er before donning loves I wore it all the time now, mostly on a ribbon around my neck, hidden under

Dariya crossed herself and muttered but still tried to be helpful and told ainstparticularly rosy, was entirely too chatty as we took breakfast in the nearly e hall It was a sih to warm our bell ies I usually returned ho students The foreign students remained at the institute unless invited home with another class anyone to witness one of Maman&039;s seances I did not think Madame Tomilov would approve if one of s had been known to happen before-at my aunt Zina&039;s one and only seance, for exa hall to tell us Elena&039;s siblings were at the front gate She helped us both into our woolen cloaks

Prince Danilo s "Katerina Alexandrovna," he said, extending his hand to help ood to see you on this beautiful " He smiled at Elena too "And you as well, my sister"

She rolled her eyes as she clirand duke Peter Nikolayevich, Militza&039;s fiance, sat on the other side of Militza I bowed to the grand duke and said hello to Militza and Anastasia

We rode through the Summer Gardens, which were just as beautiful in the wintertih was pulled by four handsoer to tell her sisters aboutwith the imperial family "Our Katerina must find our company too dull for her when the Romanovs call upon her so often"

"They did not call uponin the woods and found a soldier as ill I was trying to help hiet theto do," Militza said "That man is most lucky that you happened upon him"

"I&039;d like to believe that" was all I could diploree if anyone should ask hirand duke Peter Nikolayevich said toalone in the woods was rather foolish, but I cherish winter days like this" I&039;d go insane if I did not have soh if every day was like that one, I&039;d go insane even faster

The horses were lively, trotting past the frozen ponds along the arden path I hoped the count had found a safe place to hide Did he even realize he was in danger? He&039;d had the sense to run away frouards at the hospital

"And tell us, what do you think of the mysterious princess Alix?" Stana asked "I have heard so very little about her Is she rand duchess Elizabeth?"

I nodded "I think she is a good deal younger, but she favors the grand duchess veryher visit to St Petersburg"

Stana looked at her older sister and set to make her acquaintance soon"

"Maybe she will be at the ball et toht," Elena said "I wonder what she thinks of Tchaikovsky"