Once Upon a December

Chapter 6

St. Petersburg 1874, The Kuragin Palace

Her maid stood behind her, fixing her braid in silence, and Violet couldn't help admire the glow the Russian night seemed to give her face. She smiled to herself in the mirror and caught her maids eyes in the mirror "Thank you Lily, that's fine" she said and pulled the braid to the side. "Will that be all Your Ladyship?", "I think so yes. Have you put out the clothes for tomorrow?" the maid nodded and bowed her head before she left the room. Lily had been with Violet ever since she married, and even though she was terribly shy, she did a wonderful job, and these days it was particular important to Violet, that she looked her best. Now here she was in front of her dressing table, in her night gown, her hair let down and ready for bed. Only it wasn't this bed she was planning on sleeping in, but of course she hadn't told Lily that. She got up, and put on her dressing gown, which she had taken off only 10 minutes before, so as to not make Lily suspect anything. Then she gently opened the door and was careful to close it only in a tiny click. She tiptoed down the large and dark corridor, which led to the men's rooms. She of course was searching one in particular. As she made her way down the cold floor on her bare feet, she thanked the Lord the Russians did these things different from back home. The staff let the family alone as soon as they had said goodnight, and if the Russian servants did happen to see you outside of your room after the lights had been turned out, they completely ignored you. Igor had laughed at her, when she had told him how frightened she had been, when she had almost bumped into a servant the night before. "My Darling, you are so deliciously naive. Maybe you don't do this in England, but here the only ones never sharing a bedroom is the husband and wife. What I mean is, I don't think the servants care wether or not I have a mistress, at any rate, they wouldn't dare have an opinion on it!" Violet had been quite chocked at that realisation and equally so by the sound of the word mistress. Was that what she was? She shook that thought, and couldn't help to feel relieved by his words. Then her only problem would be Lily, and of course Patrick, but he still had almost two months left in Moscow. And anyway, she didn't want to think about that.

The clock in the hall struck 1 so she was right on time. She had to go through several private rooms, libraries and sitting rooms, where nobody but Igor entered, before she arrived at his bedroom door. She realised she had almost been running, so she stopped for a moment to catch her breath before she knocked gently. "Enter" she heard from behind it, and so she did. The door closed behind her, and he was standing, waiting there by the foot of his large and imperious bed. They didn't say anything. This was the second time she was in this room, and she already felt completely at home. It was him, everything in there was him. Their eyes locked and as if they had rehearsed it, they both practically ran towards each other. Violet threw herself desperately into his arms, his hands already messing up her hair while his nose was taking in it's sweet scent. "Darling!" He panted in her ear, and she turned to kiss him hungrily on the mouth. Never had she felt passion like this before. She felt as if she was simply not whole without him, and she couldn't get close enough when they were finally together. For the first time, it was Violet who pressed herself against him, and it was she who opened her mouth to him, and chanted his name in his mouth. Everything went fast. They were like impatient children not wanting to wait for their present, and they unwrapped it hastily and clumsy. Violet felt as if he was floating when he touched her, when he lifted her naked form from the floor and placed her on the bed, when he kissed every part of her and indeed when he finally made love to her. For the first time, she suspected she might have become religious. If God and Heaven is real, she thought, this must be it.

As much as Violet loved their lovemaking, and the way he had brought out sides in her, she didn't even know she had, her favourite moments with him was now. Afterwards. When they laid snuggled up agains each other, their legs tangled together and both as naked as could be. This was her favourite time. He had his strong arm around her, and sometimes she would turn her head and kiss it tenderly. She had her hand on his chest, stroking it up and down, taking in his looks and his scent. She didn't even bother being self conscious about their nakedness, in fact she had never felt more free or alive. It almost seemed wrong not to be naked with him. She felt her body belonged to him anyway. She was his, fully and completely. They stayed that way for a long time without speaking, simply enjoying each other. Violet glanced at the clock by the wall, it was almost half past 5 in the morning, and she stretched out lazily in his embrace. "It's time to go" she yawned and started to sit. He followed her and sat behind her, leaving kisses down her naked spine as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Will you come tomorrow?" he murmured against her skin. "What do you think?" she answered back quite sarcastically. "He laughed at turned her around, kissing her passionately once again. "Good" he murmured. She let out a loud sigh "Oh God, I wish I could stay. I wish we would never have to get up, I hate this". He started kissing her bare freckled shoulder, brushing away her red curls as he did "then stay" he said, and she took his face in her hands, looking into his dark eyes. "You know I can't. Lily will come to wake me in half an hour", "Let her wait" he answered and planted a soft kiss on her parted lips. She smiled patiently at him "You really don't know the English way, do you?" she kissed him one last time, and then started to get dressed. Before they parted, she went to his bedside and bent down to give him a final kiss "I'll see you soon" she said, and then she left. She tiptoed back through the many private chambers, through the long hallway, and when she was finally back in her own room, she threw her dressing gown on the chair, jump into bed, laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. Only a few minutes later, she heard Lily's voice "Good morning Your Ladyship. I trust you've had a pleasant night?" Violet faked a yawn "Thank you Lily. I've had a glorious night!"