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A four-wheel drive aiting and Diht road which looked uncannily quiet after the crowded streets of Moscow Soon they were entering the forest through a concealed and guarded entrance and passing h, dense hedges, while others offered a tantalising glimpse of turrets and towers

Die pair of electronic gates and Erin peered out of the‘What is this place?’ she asked

‘It’s a private estate and each house is called a dacha In England some people own second homes in the country and this is sirowing up’

‘I thought you grew up in Moscow’

‘No My father was in the city a lot, but my mother preferred it here They call it Moscow’s secret city Many people think it doesn’t exist—that it’s just a myth—but as you can see for yourself, it isn’t Just that not everyone knohere to find it, and that’s deliberate It’s where the rich live—and play Where there’s no pressure to beoff your wealth They say that security here is tighter than in the Kremlin and very few outsiders are pered, Erin’

Privileged? She felt closer to panic, especially when Leo clutched at her hand

‘Look, Mummy—look!’

Erin turned her head to see hinised iraph Up close, the tall house was even larger and lossy photo, and the unusual curved wooden doorout of a fairy tale

There were so many questions Erin wanted to ask but there wasn’t ti woman whose creased face broke into a wide smile when she saw Di her arms around him but didn’t quite dare And Erin was surprised by one of the arch’s face as he bent his head to kiss the wo to her in rapid Russian

‘This is Svetlana,’ he said, ‘who used to look after er than you are now, Leo Svetlana—this is Erin, Leo’s mother’

‘You are verywelco as she looked down at Leo ‘Come inside, little one You must be tired’

Automatically, Leo shook his head ‘I’m not tired,’ he said

‘Well, that is good!’ Svetlana serbread, Leo? We have erbread here in Russia and we like to eat it with hot, sweet tea It was Dimitri’s favourite when he was a little boy Would you like to try some?’

Expecting continued resistance, Erin glanced down at her son—but he earing the same expression he’d had the first time she’d taken him to meet Father Christmas Was the child as notoriously picky when it ca Svetlana’s outstretched hand and wandering off with her towards the back of the house as if they’d known each other all their lives? It seemed he was

For a while she stood listening to the sound of their retreating footsteps until at last they became silent and she was left alone with Dimitri His hands were on her shoulders as he helped her out of her coat, his fingers brushing softly across her back and le

‘Come with me,’ he said and she followed hiardens at the back of the house It was a breathtakingly impressive room and she looked around it with an undeniable sense of wonder Who would ever have guessed that such an exquisite place lay in the middle of some random forest?

Fabergé eggs stood on gilded furniture, and a bonsai tree which stood in pride of place on a lacquered Chinese table made her think of his apartment in London She walked over and stared at the perfectly foret experts to come and tend it—all these miles from Mosco many apartments and houses and bonsai trees did he actually own? Did they all ot which city he was in? Were the woeable as his houses?

She looked up to aze ‘Is this your real home?’

He gave an oblique smile ‘I visit here maybe three or four times a year—more if the opportunity arises’