Mission To Seduce

‘I am an architect, and an official in the department that deals with government buildings.’

‘And quite a high official,’ Drake put in.

Sergei smiled and didn’t deny it, but went on, ‘And as the Kremlin is the most important government building in Moscow I have to keep a close eye on it.’

‘What a wonderful job,’ Allie said with open awe, but wondering if she was overdoing it a little.

It seemed not. Sergei took her admiration as his due and said expansively, ‘It will be my pleasure to show you over the museum.’

‘How very kind of you. Actually I do have an appointment to meet a Professor Martos. I understand he’s the curator in charge of the Fabergé eggs.’

‘Ah, yes. I know him. I will speak to him and make sure he gives you all the help you need.’

‘That’s really very kind of you. I’m most grateful. I just know I’m going to have a wonderful time here.’

She smiled sweetly at the Russian and he became expansive, telling her about the delights of Moscow that she mustn’t fail to see. After another half an hour and a couple more drinks that he allowed Drake to buy, he remembered he was supposed to be somewhere else and took himself off, first bowing low over Allie’s hand. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss it but he contented himself with pressing it meaningfully while looking into her eyes in open admiration.

When he’d gone, Drake gave him five minutes, then said, ‘Drink up. Let’s get out of here.’

They walked out into the late afternoon sunlight and made their way to Red Square. For a while Drake pointed out the familiar landmarks that she’d heard of so often: the Kremlin with its high surrounding wall, the Gum department store opposite, and the angular red stone of Lenin’s tomb.

There were quite a few people about, mostly groups of tourists, but it wasn’t at all crowded. As they strolled along, Drake looked at her and said dryly, ‘You handled Sergei very well.’

‘He seems nice,’ she said guardedly, and saw his mouth quirk in wry amusement. ‘And wasn’t that what you intended—that I should be nice to him?’

His head came round sharply and his eyes became intent. ‘Not at all. I merely thought he might be useful to you.’

‘Is he a friend of yours?’

‘An acquaintance. Russians like getting to know foreigners. Both male—and female.’

There had been a definite pause and an inflexion on the last word that made Allie raise her head to look at him. ‘Was that a warning?’

He nodded. ‘Russian men tend to think it something to boast about if they can—get to know a European woman.’

‘What do you mean by “get to know”?’ Allie lifted a guilelessly innocent face to his.

Quizzical grey eyes met her blue ones for a moment, then he said wryly, ‘I’m quite sure you understand me.’

To tease him she kept up the naive act for a little longer. ‘Become friendly, do you mean? Let them show you round the city, that kind of thing?’ For a second he looked uncertain, but then saw the amusement in her face. His expression stiffened a little and she laughed. ‘You mean have sex, don’t you?’

Drake nodded. ‘To allow that to happen would be a very big mistake.’

She felt a sudden flash of anger at his presumption in warning her off. What kind of woman did he think she was, for heaven’s sake? Did he think that she could be swept off her feet so easily? Did he think her so cheap that she’d allow herself to be seduced by some stranger, albeit a rather good-looking one? Or was it just that he had a low opinion of women in general and expected them to fall for every glamorous foreigner they met?

‘Thanks for the warning,’ she said shortly, adding on a falsely artless note, ‘I’d never have known men could be so despicable if you hadn’t pointed it out’

His eyes growing contemplative, Drake said, ‘May I ask you a personal question?’

‘You can ask—but I don’t guarantee to answer it.’

‘How old are you?’

Her mouth creased in amusement. ‘How old do you think?’

‘In your mid-twenties?’

She nodded. ‘Near enough. Why do you want to know?’

But he didn’t answer, instead saying, ‘And do you have a partner—isn’t that how people in a lasting relationship are euphemistically described nowadays?’

‘You sound as if you don’t approve.’

‘Of the wording or the relationship?’

She shrugged. ‘Both.’

Drake looked at her for a moment, his face brooding and his eyes hidden under lowered lids, then he said, ‘You haven’t answered my question.’

Seeing that she’d only just met him that was hardly surprising, Allie thought indignantly. She said, ‘I told you I didn’t guarantee an answer.’

‘And you’re not going to?’

Tilting her head to one side as she looked at him, Allie said, ‘I think—not.’

For a moment he looked annoyed, as if he wasn’t used to being thwarted, but then his tone became brisk and formal again. ‘Very well, as you wish. I’ll walk you round to the entrance to the Armoury museum so that you’ll know where to go when you visit.’

He led her round the side of the wall and through a gate in a low iron railing that led through an archway guarded by armed soldiers. Through it they came into an open area where a section of pavement in front of the main building had been given a cover supported by scaffolding poles. A means of keeping the rain and snow off the queues of tourists waiting to enter, Allie presumed. Today, though, it served the purpose of providing welcome shade from the heat.

‘Isn’t it open yet?’ she asked, puzzled.

‘Yes, but visitors are only allowed in at certain times and for a set period.’

‘I hope that won’t apply to me,’ she said in some alarm. ‘I’ll need prolonged visits, preferably when there aren’t any visitors around.’

‘I dare say that can be arranged.’

Allie swept her eyes over him assessingly, wondering if he had any influence here. ‘I understand your company is setting up a branch in Moscow,’ she remarked casually.

‘Yes, that’s right.’

It was far from being a helpful answer, so she had to come right out and ask, ‘What sort of business is it?’

‘Banking,’ Drake replied shortly.

So he was nothing but a glorified bank clerk. Dull stuff, and he certainly couldn’t have any influence that would be helpful. He had probably already done the most that he could in introducing her to Sergei.

Turning, they left the Kremlin to walk back to her hotel. Allie had travelled a lot in the past, on holidays and with her job, so she was used to new countries. But Russia was somehow different. Perhaps the first thing she noticed was the road and street signs; they were completely impossible to decipher because Russia used the Cyrillic alphabet where some of the letters looked the same as the ordinary alphabet but had different meanings. An H for an N, for example. And then there was the beauty and colour of the splendid churches and the Kremlin, compared with the ring of concrete apartment blocks that surrounded the city.