The Rebel Daughters

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

E very step was an effort as Anna went on up. She stopped outside the small salon for a moment, then lifted her shoulders and opened the door. The room was warm and cheerful. Sofia was sitting with Valentina in front of the fire. Her mother was reading a book which she quickly put down. Both women turned to look at her, their faces taut with worry.

‘Thank God you’re home. We’ve had no news! Did you find Papa? Is he safe?’ Valentina asked.

‘Omelko thought it best that I came home. He’s gone back to look for him. I’m sure he won’t be long.’

‘And Sasha?’ Sofia’s voice was a whisper.

‘I didn’t see him. There were so many people it was impossible to get beyond St. Isaac’s bridge.’

Anna had left the door open and, as she spoke, voices rose from the hall below. A man was giving orders and Valentina came to her feet, brushing past her daughter as she walked out onto the landing.

‘Thanks be to God!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’re safe, Vanya. Are you hurt? Bring him up here, Josef. And someone help Count Bulgarin. Fetch me warm water, bandages and iodine.’ Valentina was herself again, brisk and in charge as she came back into the room. ‘Your father’s been injured – I hope not too badly. Stay here and help me.’

Anna and Sofia stood motionless as a thumping sound came up the stairs and across the landing. The three men entered together. Nicholas’s hand was at Count Brianski’s elbow and Josef had his arm around his waist as they propelled him forwards and into an armchair.

Josef circled the room, lighting more lamps and Valentina knelt down beside her husband. There was a gash across his forehead. She rinsed a linen towel in warm water and wiped off the blood.

‘Please tell us what happened?’ she asked without turning her head from the task.

Nicholas took a cloth from Josef and wiped his hands. ‘The tsar ordered his troops to cut off Senate Square and the mood of the crowd turned ugly. Count Brianski was caught in the middle of a riot. Fortunately, I was passing and managed to extricate him. No one was safe.’

Valentina applied iodine to the wound and the count winced. ‘Count Bulgarin intervened at considerable risk to himself.’ He spoke faintly. ‘I’m most grateful to you, sir.’

‘Please be so kind as to tell us everything?’ Anna glanced at Nicholas. His hair was ruffled and there was a bruise on his cheek. ‘Would you like to sit down?’

Nicholas shook his head and leant an arm on the mantelpiece with his legs crossed at the ankles. It was a moment before he spoke. ‘The tsar spent the day vacillating. Only when he was sure the majority of the army supported him did he decide to take action. He ordered cannon trained on the insurgents. At first, the gunners were reluctant to obey and the protesters held their ground, but then the serious stuff began. The artillery was loaded with grapeshot and fired indiscriminately, killing soldiers and civilians alike.’

Sofia gasped, struggling to hold back tears. As if unaware of her presence before, Nicholas looked at her for the first time. ‘Forgive me, Madame Brianski. I should have told you at once. Your husband’s alive and unharmed. I believe he’s being held at the Winter Palace with Sergei Volkonsky.’

His words were met with stunned silence. Anna could hardly believe what he was saying. Sasha and Sergei were men of integrity who wanted a better future for Russia. Was the tsar so afraid of the nobility that he was prepared to cut them down rather than consider their requests? She heard her father’s rasping cough and Valentina’s sharp intake of breath.

The mantel clock went on ticking, but time seemed to stand still until Sofia asked in a low voice, ‘And officers of the Imperial Guard? Do you have news of my brother Michael Pavel?’

Her cheeks were drained of colour and Nicholas answered gently, ‘As far as I know, apart from General Miloradovich, there were no casualties among government forces.’

‘General Miloradovich – how can this be?’ Ivan Brianski’s eyes stared at Anna in disbelief. Twisting in his chair, he clutched her hand. ‘What’s he saying about Miloradovich, Ivitsa ?’

‘I don’t know, Papa.’ Overwrought nerves made Anna sharper than she intended. ‘We must let Count Bulgarin explain everything to us.’

‘You’re aware Nicholas Romanov proclaimed himself tsar this morning?’

The three women nodded. Anna felt her father’s grip tighten around her fingers until they hurt.

‘The rebels believed their show of military strength would rally the regiments in support of Constantine.’ Nicholas spoke clearly and steadily. ‘When it was finally proven Constantine had sworn allegiance to Nicholas, the army turned against them. Their only route of escape was onto the Neva. As the defeated men broke ranks and fled to the river, the tsar moved his cannon onto the ice. They were mown down like animals. Those who survived were pushed into the water along with the wounded and dead.’

Anna heard a soft moan and saw Sofia’s head fall forwards as she fainted in her chair. Nicholas moved swiftly, leaning over her and feeling for a pulse in her wrist. Freeing herself from her father’s grasp, Anna ran to the dresser and poured water from a jug. She lifted the glass to Sofia’s lips as she opened her eyes.

‘I’m so sorry…’

‘It’s alright, dearest. Sasha’s alive and unharmed. Count Bulgarin assures us he’s safe.’

‘Will he be released tonight?’

A sob caught in Anna’s throat. She had no answer and raised her frightened eyes to Nicholas’s face.

‘The tsar holds your family in high esteem,’ he said slowly. ‘We must trust he will show mercy and compassion.’

The fire crackled and Sofia stiffened her spine. ‘Thank you for your honesty, sir.’

‘It pains me to bring you such distressing news.’

‘You saved my husband, Nicholas Petrovich. Please accept our deepest gratitude.’ Valentina tried to be dignified as Josef came in with a tray of cakes. ‘I hope you will take some sustenance. Please will you join us for tea?’

‘Thank you, but I must go home.’

Nicholas made a bow and left the room.

Ivan Brianski let go of Anna’s hand. The veins on his cheeks were colourless, his mouth slack, as Valentina held a glass of brandy to his lips. Sofia seemed to have recovered and was nibbling on a cake as Anna slipped out of the room. She could see Nicholas going down, taking the stairs two at a time, and ran after him, her hand on the banister rail to stop herself falling. By the time she reached the hall, a page was helping him on with his greatcoat.

As she stood watching from the bottom of the stairs, her shuddering breaths turned to sobs and he looked round.

‘They wanted to be martyrs for Russia.’ His expression was grave. ‘They were determined to succeed or to die in the attempt.’

Anna’s chest was tight with tears and she fixed her gaze on the round table at the bottom of the stairs. ‘Sasha promised me everything would be alright. Why was he there? He’s always been so…’

‘It was a point of honour for your brother to stand with his comrades. Pestel, Muravyov-Apostel and Ryleyev are some of the finest men of their generation.’

‘But they didn’t have a chance… You told them so!’

‘My opinion was irrelevant. Their loyalty was to Alexander and Constantine, not to their brother. The tsar’s death gave them an opportunity they couldn’t resist.’

‘And Peter Dashkovy?’ At last, Anna asked the question burning in her mind.

Nicholas Bulgarin gave her a long look, then walked across the hall. ‘I’m afraid Dashkovy was one of the leaders. Both he and your brother will be interrogated personally by the tsar. And now I must go and tell Olga.’

His words shattered the last vestiges of Anna’s control. She swayed on her feet and Nicholas’s hands dropped on her shoulders. Her face was pressed to the rough material of his coat and he held her against him until the weakness passed. Then she stood back and wiped her hand across her eyes. ‘Yes, you must go immediately. It was kind of you to bring Papa home. Thank you.’

‘We don’t yet know how many died today. You must be brave, Anna Ivanova. Your family have need of your courage.’

As he opened the front door and went out, Anna put her back to the wall and slid slowly to the ground. Nicholas had known the revolution was doomed. He had tried to warn them and failed, just as she had failed Sasha. What would happen to them now?

The candles were burning low and hissing as wicks drowned in melted wax. Anna could hear no voices from staff quarters or from upstairs, and waves of guilt licked through her. She had prayed for something to happen. But not this! Never this! Dear God, let Peter marry Olga rather than face death!

I didn’t try hard enough to convince Sasha. If I’d told Sofia, she might have made him change his mind. Why didn’t I warn Mama and Papa? It would have made no difference, a voice in her head answered. Nothing on this earth could have stopped Sasha. He believes in freedom for all men. He risked his life to put an end to serfdom and you should be proud of him.

Anna was too distraught to feel proud. The first day of Tsar Nicholas’s reign had been stained with blood and he would never forgive them. Cold terror seized her and she covered her face with her hands. ‘Lord Almighty, protect our loved ones,’ she prayed out loud. ‘Spare them the tsar’s retribution. Save Sasha, Peter and Sergei, and I swear I will never ask anything for myself again.’