A mile north of town, Andrei made Stephan stop the truck and get out.
“You won’t get away, Andrei.”
“I’m already away.”
“For now. But I’ll find you. I’ll get you.”
Drained now of practically all emotion, Andrei wearily shook his head. “We’ll see.”
“The only way for you to get away from me is to leave the country, and even then, you’ll have to keep looking over your shoulder.”
Instead of a response, Andrei slid into the driver’s seat, shifted into gear, and drove off. What did it matter anyway, if he couldn’t find Talia? Still, even in his despair, he could not give up. Stephan had never actually said Talia had been hurt. There was still a chance. There must be a chance.
He circled around the town toward the south. The Whites and the Czechs were strongest there, and if there was a way of escape, it would be in this direction. It might also be that Bruce, realizing it was only a matter of time before he was captured too, had gone to the Whites. Perhaps he had found Talia and taken her also. Maybe Daniel was there—
Andrei knew he was dreaming. Even if he could hook up with the Whites, he wasn’t about to leave this area until he was certain Talia was gone. He wondered if he could risk another visit to town. Perhaps he had missed her before and she would be there now.
After driving five miles, he stopped the truck near a steep canyon, jumped out and, putting the vehicle into gear, sent it over the edge of the road into the canyon. That might throw off pursuit for a short time at least. He was so completely exhausted and hungry that he could hardly think straight, much less continue his search. He had to find a place to rest for a few minutes, and he thought the old deserted barn was not far—at least that had been his plan when he ditched the truck. He would be in trouble if he had miscalculated.
He walked for a half mile, across fields, scrambling through brush and vaulting fences. By the time he caught sight of the barn, he could barely drag his tired body there. Once inside, he threw himself onto a mound of hay in a corner, and though he had not intended to do so, he fell instantly asleep.
It had to be several hours later when he awoke, for the broad light of day no longer splintered through the cracks in the walls. But that was not the first thing he saw. When he rolled over, there was a figure, hidden in the evening shadows, seated beside him in the hay. He rubbed his eyes and looked up, wondering if he was still dreaming. But this was a sweet dream, and it made him forget all the horror that had so recently been haunting his sleep.
She reached a hand to brush straw from his tangled hair, but he took her hand and knew that the soft, tender feel of her was very real.
“Talia . . . you are alive!” He nudged her to him, and she came into his arms. He now knew for certain that she was indeed a dream, but one from which he would never awake.
“Of course I am, my love. We yet have a life to be lived together.”
His lips sought hers in hungry passion for what he feared he had lost, and what he hoped for the future.
A timid sound interrupted from a short distance away. When Andrei glanced in its direction, he saw Bruce, his back turned politely toward the couple.
“I do hate to be a wet blanket,” Bruce said, full of apology, “but we really ought not to linger here very long.”
Andrei sat up. “Is there a minute to fill me in on what has been happening? Talia, what happened to you? Why couldn’t I find you?” Andrei spoke in English and the conversation continued in that language. Talia, who had a better mastery of English than Andrei, had to help occasionally with interpretation.
“Had I known you had been released from jail I would have come here immediately,” she said.
“I wasn’t exactly released.”
Deeming it safe to do so, Bruce turned and faced the pair seated in the hay. “You escaped? What?” As Andrei nodded, he continued, “Then they are after you?”
“With a vengeance, I fear,” said Andrei. “Commissar Kaminsky is an old adversary, and I’m certain he won’t rest until I’m caught. But I looked everywhere for you. What happened? And do you know what is going on now?”
“Do you know what became of the Romanovs?” Talia asked, and when Andrei nodded grimly, she went on, “I had been let go from my job in the kitchen. I heard they were going to move the family, so I decided to hide outside the house in hopes of getting some idea of where they might go, or something. I heard the shooting of the executioners. I saw the . . . bodies being carried out. Then one of the guards caught me. They held me in the jail—”
“We must have been there at the same time then,” said Andrei. “Were you still there this morning when I escaped?”
“They released me last night. I finally convinced them I knew nothing. It was hard knowing you were in the jail, but I dared not say anything about you—”
“That was wise, Talia, otherwise they would never have let you go.”
“I didn’t care for my protection, but I knew it would help nothing if we were both locked up—and Daniel, too.”
“Did you know they took him away early this morning, apparently to deport him?” asked Andrei.
“I’ve been at the British Consul for hours trying to get him released,” said Bruce. “And those blackguard Reds had already deported him and said nothing! The first chance I get, I will create an international incident over this. See how far Lenin will get without foreign aid.”
“I pray Daniel is safe,” said Talia.
“I have no doubt he can take care of himself,” said Bruce. “But now we must concentrate on getting ourselves away from here.”
“You and Talia should have no difficulty—” Andrei began.
But Talia broke in. “We will stay together. On that point there will be no debate!” She folded her arms together adamantly and with her eyes dared him to dispute her.
Andrei smiled with pride and deep affection. She was indeed a treasure in which each moment he seemed to discover a new and more precious gem.
“Our best chance then would be to try to hook up with the White Army.” Andrei glanced down at his jacket with its Red Army insignias and immediately stripped it off, tossing it into a corner. “Will I pass as a good monarchist?” he asked wryly.
“Why not?” Talia replied. “You are a Russian prince.”
Andrei was saved pondering that sobering thought as Bruce began to suggest a plan.
“I believe Captain Sedov might help us with that,” explained Bruce. “He’s the officer who helped Daniel on his first trip to Siberia and who has been in contact with us since our arrival in Ekaterinburg. I believe he is still in town. I doubt he even knows about what happened to the Romanovs, since it has hardly been made public knowledge. At any rate, I can slip into town in order to enlist his aid. He has also been in contact with the Whites, so I am certain he could get us through the lines.”
“That might take time,” said Andrei.
“Would you feel safe staying here?”
“As far as I know, no one suspects this barn as a rendezvous point.”
“Then I’ll go now and be back in a couple of hours, should all go well.”
“Do be careful, Lord Findochty,” said Talia.
“I only hope no one tries to talk to me.” A wry grin bent the Brit’s lips.
As Bruce started to leave, Andrei called after him, “Would it be possible for you to bring back some food? I am nearly starved enough to try the taste of roots and insects.”
Bruce nodded, then exited the barn, leaving Andrei and Talia to a long, uncertain wait.
Bruce did not return to the barn until after midnight, but Captain Sedov was with him. They brought with them disguises for each. An hour later, dressed as peasants, the little group of fugitives left the barn and trekked by foot south across the countryside, avoiding roads and populous areas. They encountered the first outpost of Whites the following evening. The password Sedov knew had been changed, and there had been a tense moment before an acquaintance of the captain appeared and vouched for them.
Without conclusive proof, the commanders refused to give up hope that the Romanovs had survived. And regardless, they were determined to fight on against the Bolshevik menace. If they could not put Nicholas back on the throne, they could surely find a far better leader than the usurper, Lenin.
After a night in the White camp, Andrei, Talia, and Bruce were helped on their return journey to Petrograd. They traveled by train when it was safe to do so, but also by truck or even horse cart. It took them about a week.
As the three fugitives were viewing their first welcome glimpse of Petrograd, many miles away to the east the White Army pushed into Ekaterinburg and captured the city. A contingent of Whites rushed immediately to the Ipatiev House, only to find their worst fears realized. Their beloved tsar was dead, along with his entire family.