ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 48

With those words, he turned and left. No doubt to find someplace where he could shed his tears

in peace. It brought a funny feeling within me knowing that a better Vladimir existed and that

maybe this one I could have. I still wanted to know what happened to his brother? Was he older

or younger? Was the sister older? I don't know. Nora was right. Vlad didn't trust people. I mean, 

what sort of man walked around with a device that tracked listening devices? I wanted Vladimir

to trust me...no I needed him to, and not for just satisfying my curiosity about him.

Every time I found out something about him, I realized I was living with a virtual stranger for the

last decade. I was married to this man and knew absolutely nothing about him. I don't know his

favourite food, colour, drink, sports team...nada. I didn't even know he was still mourning for a 

mother that died when he was a child.

Maybe, the small voice prodded, you should learn a few things about the man to make him

happy, other than how to keep your legs open. It was a good suggestion, but I was beginning to

hate the voices in my head. Mainly because I didn't know whose side they were on.

I shook my head to clear it and went to check on Irena. Once I was assured, she had settled in, I 

headed back to our room. I couldn't go anywhere else anyway. Unless told otherwise it was rude

to wander around your hosts home without being given a proper tour and I was never promised

one.

It didn't take a degree to figure out I wasn't completely welcome here. The Countess did her due

and wasn't rude to me and bowed when necessary as I outranked her, but she didn't offer me a 

visit nor a tour of the house. No future plans were made to see to my entertainment at any time. 

I was tolerated relation at best. Welcome, yet not.

She may be following the lead of her husband who acted as though touching me would contract

him a disease. A maid stopped me on my way back, curtsied deeply and informed me tea would

be served in thirty minutes. Another slight, one; to send such a low ranked member of the

household to tell me this and two; for the hostess not to remind me in ample time.

They were hoping I would be insulted and snub them which was my first thought but then if His

Royal Stuck-up-ness couldn't deal with me at mealtimes what was I to do, eat every day in my

room? I've had enough of that with Vladimir, I didn't intend to continue the habit here. I told her

to wait to escort me down and her eyes widened at the breach in the protocol but she didn't 

argue.

I headed to the walk-in and changed out of my travel clothes and into a three-quarter sleeve off