A/N – My longest chapter yet! It does start off with a nightmare sequence. For those of you who dislike things like that that, I'll put asterisks around the section so you can skip it if you want.
*Anya stood before him, her head thrown back. In the dim light, the gems in her crown and on her stunning dress glittered faintly. As she moved, he caught a waft of the orange blossom perfume she wore. Her arms were at her sides, exposing her heart to his gun, hands clenched behind her. Her features were delicate and extraordinarily beautiful, but her eyes burned fire as she stood there, defiance showing in every fiber of her being.
He fired. Anya's proud form crumpled to the ground, her hands grabbing instinctively at the spot where the bullet had pierced her chest, her face was twisted into a mask of agony. Her scream cut through him…*
Gleb started awake with a gasp, sitting up quickly. He was covered in cold sweat and he could feel himself trembling. Shakily, he realized that he had been dreaming again and lay back with a pounding heart. A spasm of pain from his ankle told him that he must have jerked it badly as he sat up. The dream had been so real that the smell of orange blossoms was still in his nostrils. Gleb covered his face with his hands. Why was she haunting him like this? Almost every night for the past three weeks he had dreamed about her. In his sleeping brain, her proud, beautiful, defiant face stood out crystal clear.
Suddenly it came to him as though he had been struck. He loved Anya; loved her dearly. He loved the way she spoke, her little oddities, the way she held her head. Yes, he even loved the way she had faced him, fearless as she stared down death. And her face, her lovely, lovely face… Gleb felt the same quick rush in his pulse just thinking about her. And now he was leaving her too.
Never before this had Gleb found himself particularly attracted to anyone. He had always been reserved, keeping himself to himself and never bothering to give much attention to anything other than his duties. He realized now that he had thrown away a priceless chance for happiness, one that would never come again. It made the taste of his exile even more bitter in his mouth.
-xxxx-
Elena stood at the dishpan, scrubbing away rapidly. As fast as she set the clean dishes on the now-soaked cloth beside her, little Vera took them in her small, capable hands and stacked them in the cupboard. Marianne popped in and out, taking the still-warm dishes out to be used in the main dining room.
Elena glanced at the clock. Ten more minutes, she noted with relief. She had been on dish-washing shift for the past two and a half hours and her hands were ready for a break. Since Gleb had come, her mother had excused her from the waiting shift that would have come after so that she could take him his dinner. He got very irritable when he was hungry, she had noticed. She had taken to staying with him for a few minutes after giving him the tray, just to give him someone to talk to for a little while.
As soon as she was free from the dishes, she hurried to compose a tray for Gleb. There was a flavorful soup and a large piece of fresh bread with plenty of butter along with his tea. Gleb had discovered that Elena had a talent for brewing tea as well as coffee and he had taken to having a cup with supper. The crispy crust on the bread looked terribly tempting and Elena laughed as she opened Gleb's door.
"You're lucky that I'm nice," she said, "or you wouldn't have any crust left on your bread. I could swallow it in a single bite it looks that good."
Gleb looked up as she entered. "I doubt it would fit into your mouth whole," he said. His smiled a little, but his face looked pale and strained.
To Elena, who had grown up in the inn, surrounded by people of all descriptions, it seemed that there was a shadow on him. She had noticed it often, especially when he had first come, but he had seemed to settle down after a few days. Recently, however, she had begun to see it again and he seemed especially bad today. There was something in his face which made her heart ache. She wondered if his foot was giving him trouble and asked him how it was feeling.
"My ankle? Oh, it seems to be mending after its fashion," he replied staring out the window. He glanced over and, seeing the worry that had involuntarily crept into her face, attempted to smile.
"What have you got for me today, mademoiselle?"
She told him and he nodded.
"Sounds worthy of your mother's cooking," he said.
His voice was playful but there was a hollow ring to it and his eyes did not look happy. Elena couldn't bear it any longer.
"Gleb, what's troubling you?" she asked, using his first name without meaning to.
He glanced up quickly at her face looking suddenly guarded.
"Nothing," he replied.
Elena wasn't fooled.
"But there is something," she insisted, setting down the tray. "The whole time you've been here something has been bothering you. I don't want to be nosy, I hate people who pry into others' affairs, but you have been unhappy since you came and I cannot bear to see it. Please, is there anything I can do?" she pleaded.
Gleb's face darkened.
"You would do best to stay out of my business," he coldly, "if I wanted help or advice I would ask."
He picked the cup up off the tray and tasted the tea. Elena felt crushed.
"I'm sorry," she said, turning to leave. Gleb looked up quickly.
"Mademoiselle?" he called after her and she half-turned, her eyebrows raised in a question mark.
"Thank you," he said, not knowing what else to say.
She nodded slightly and left the room. Gleb closed his eyes in exasperation. Now he had upset her. Never mind. If she chose to poke her nose into his affairs… Gleb opened his eyes and sat up suddenly. He needed to get his letter to Gorlinsky! He had forgotten all about it and he suddenly realized with growing panic that he had been gone from Leningrad for nearly a month and had sent no word. What would his superior be thinking? And how to get the letter mailed. He thought for a moment and struggled with himself.
"She is a nice girl. Maybe it would set her mind to rest," he said aloud.
-xxxx-
It was dark by the time Elena returned to collect the tray. Vincent, her little brother, had lighted the two lamps, the small one by the bed and the larger one on the desk. As a result, the room was well lit. She came in quietly, in case he was asleep, but, seeing he wasn't, she smiled.
"Good evening," she said.
Her voice was a little cautious and Gleb felt sorry about his reaction earlier.
"To you all well," he replied, "supper was excellent as always."
Her smile was more genuine this time.
"I'm glad to hear it," she said, picking up the tray. "Is there anything else I can get you?"
Gleb mused for a moment.
"Do you play chess?" he asked suddenly and Elena nodded vigorously.
"I love it, though my mother is says that it isn't the sort of game a lady should be playing." She smiled ruefully.
Gleb waved his hand impatiently.
"Do you have a board we could use?" he asked.
"I could probably find something," Elena grinned and hurried away with the empty dinner tray.
In a few minutes she was back and in her hands she carried a battered looking wooden box.
"Look what I found in the boy's room," she said, setting down the box on the bed-table. "It was Father's first set when he was younger and he gave it to them, but none of them like chess. I'm sure they wouldn't mind us using it."
Elena opened the box and took out the game board and pieces. She set them up quickly, then went over and took the chair from the small desk. She carried it over and placed it next to the bed-table for herself. She gestured to Gleb.
"You take the first move, monsieur," she said.
"It's Gleb, please," he said quickly.
Elena smiled.
"Then call me Elena," she said.
Gleb nodded already contemplating his move. He selected a pawn near the center of his line and moved it two squares forward. She did the same. They played in silence for some time, each countering the other's moves.
"I always found it annoying that pawns only get to go one square at a time after their first move," Elena said at last pretended to pout. "They are so hopelessly slow."
"Ah, but if they weren't slow, then the game would be over too fast," Gleb replied and she nodded.
"I suppose so," she said, "but there are definitely times, like now, they nearly make go mad with impatience."
With a sly grin, Gleb moved his queen, killing one of Elena's pawns who had been sitting patiently for the horse to move so it could reach the other side of the board.
"Oh, how could you? I had one square to go!" she cried, grabbing her head in mock horror.
Gleb laughed.
"Well seeing as you have possession of five of my pawns, both bishops, a horseman, and a castle I don't think you have the right to complain," he said and Elena laughed in return.
"I suppose," she said, "but that poor little pawn! It had been sitting there for half the game while your stupid horse sat on that square like broody hen on an egg!"
Her simile made them both laugh so hard that they couldn't continue for several minutes.
It was nearly an hour later and they were within the final few moves, Elena's queen chasing Gleb's king around the board, when her older brother Jean stuck his head in. Both players were so engrossed in their game they didn't notice him. An impish grin appeared on his face and he tiptoed forward quietly until he was behind Elena's chair. Without any warning, he reached out and grabbed his sister's shoulders. She shrieked and leaped up, bumping into the table as she did so and scattering the chess pieces across the room.
"Jean Michael Nathan Dassin!" she cried, "how dare you jump on me like that, tu petit grenouille?"
Jean only laughed.
"Mama says to come down and go to bed. It's nearly midnight."
"Midnight? I have to get up at five tomorrow!" Elena exclaimed in dismayed disbelief.
"Then you had better come down, hadn't you? Goodnight."
With that Jean left the room.
"I'm sorry, Gleb, I spoiled our game," Elena said as she hurried around, picking up the chess pieces.
"Think nothing of it," he replied, "you would have won anyway. My poor king was on the run for his life. You are quite the chess player."
Elena laughed.
"Why thank you," she said, "I'm a bit out of practice. I haven't played in a while."
"Well then I guess it's lucky for me that you're not in practice," Gleb replied with a wry smile. "Just leave the box on the desk. Maybe we can have another game sometime," he added as she prepared to take the game box with her.
"An excellent idea," she said. Walking quickly to the desk, she set the box on it and went to the door.
"Goodnight to you," she said.
"And to you as well," Gleb replied, "I'm sorry for keeping you up so late."
"Oh, I enjoyed myself immensely!" she said and then disappeared into the hallway outside, shutting the door behind her.
Only then did Gleb remember that he had forgotten to mention his letter. Never mind. She'll still be here tomorrow and I can tell her then, he thought.
Little did he know that he wouldn't see her again for nearly two weeks.
...
tu petit grenouille – you little frog