An Innocent in Russia

Chapter one ~ 1836-2

“Arranged – what?” Zelina asked in a frightened voice.

“That you should go out to Russia and stay with the Prince and Princess Volkonsky, who will welcome you as a – member of their household.”

There was just a slight hesitation before the word member and Zelina asked,

“What would be my position in the house, Aunt Kathleen? Am I a guest or am I being – employed in some – way?”

She knew by the way the Countess looked at her that she was embarrassed.

“You really cannot expect to stay for any length of time in any household unless you can contribute something towards the expense that they incur on your behalf.”

Zelina drew in her breath.

“What am I – expected to – do, Aunt Kathleen?”

“The Princess has children of various ages – ”

“What you are saying,” Zelina interrupted, “is that I am to be their Governess.”

The Countess put down the letter.

“Now, Zelina, I do not like that attitude or the way you are speaking to me. I am trying to do what is best for you and you will surely appreciate that, if you go to Russia, it will give you a knowledge of the world, which has been sadly lacking in your education up until now.”

“Papa considered that I was very much more – knowledgeable about the world than – most girls of my age.”

“Your father’s opinion was one thing and mine is another,” the Countess replied. “I have watched you closely since you have been here and I consider that you very ignorant in all the things that matter where a young woman is concerned.”

“But you still – consider me capable of – teaching children!”

“I have not said you are to teach anybody,” the Countess snapped. “But because you are so ignorant, you do not seem to be aware that the great aristocratic families in Russia employ a number of European attendants for their families,”

She paused and then continued slowly,

“The Ambassadress tells me that the Emperor’s children have a Scottish Nanny who has been with them now for nineteen years, besides which they have numerous Governesses and Teachers of many different nationalities. Moreover English and French are the languages usually spoken in all the Russian Royal Palaces.”

“So I am to – teach English?” Zelina persisted.

“You will speak English,” her aunt contradicted her again. “You are English and the Ambassadress is certain that you will find Russia extremely congenial.”

“How – long am I to – stay there?”

The words seemed to be dragged from Zelina’s lips.

She felt the fear growing inside her that she was being taken away from everything that was familiar and that she would never be able to return home.

The Countess shrugged her shoulders.

“Why should there be a time limit on your visit?”

There was a little pause and then Zelina said,

“I am sorry, Aunt Kathleen – but, although as you say it is an opportunity for me to see the world – I would rather – stay in England. I am sure, if you find me a nuisance that ‒ as I have a little money of my own – I could live with one of our cousins until I can think of something – better I could do.”

“And what do you think that might be?” the Countess asked coldly.

Zelina put up her chin.

“If I have to work, Aunt Kathleen, I would rather work ‒ in England.”

“And have people say I am not looking after you properly?” the Countess asked angrily. “You seem to have forgotten, Zelina, that now that your father is dead, I am your Guardian and, as I have decided that you are going to Russia, that is where you will go!”

Zelina was about to say defiantly that she would refuse, but then she remembered that until she married she was legally under the jurisdiction of her Guardian. In that capacity her Aunt Kathleen could really do as she liked with her.

As if the Countess knew without words that Zelina had capitulated, she said,

“Now stop being a bore. I have certainly done my best by providing you with what is almost a trousseau of expensive clothes and you will thank me by not making scenes, but by going to Russia as you are told.”

“When you bought me my clothes that I thanked you very – profusely for, had you – this in mind for me?”

Her aunt did not have to answer for Zelina knew by the expression on her face that this was the truth.

After a moment’s silence she said,

“When am I – expected to – leave?”

“Your travelling arrangements will be made by the Russian Embassy. I believe you will go in a British ship to Stockholm and then you will change to a Russian vessel, which will take you to St. Petersburg.”

Zelina did not answer and after a moment the Countess said,

“Oh, for Heavens sake, stop being sulky. You should thank me for what I have done for you and certainly you must have some sense of adventure! Who knows? It may turn out to be the chance of a lifetime.”

Zelina did not reply.

She merely curtseyed and left the room.

Only when she reached the sanctuary of her own bedroom did she sit down as if her legs would no longer carry her and put her hands up to her face.

It was not that she was not adventurous.

She and her father had often talked of how, if they could afford it, they would explore France, visit the Greek Islands and perhaps, if it was at all possible, see a little of Africa.

But to go to Russia alone and to be cut off from everything that had been part of her life up to now made Zelina, although she was ashamed of it, feel afraid.

She had never been particularly interested in Russia as a country, although her mother had been very fond of her Godmother.

Whenever people met Zelina, they always exclaimed at the strangeness of her name and she often wished she had been christened differently.

Perhaps, she thought now, it had been a perception of what might happen in the future that had made her feel that Russia was a place that she had no wish to know about and what she did know was not very reassuring.

She had read a great deal about Catherine the Great and her long succession of lovers and the incredible cruelties of her son Czar Paul.

She had no wish to learn any more about such people who apparently, while living in the height of luxury and amazing extravagance, allowed the ordinary people of the country to suffer incredible privations.

“Russia!”

She felt a little shiver run through her at the thought that she must go away and be so far from the England that she loved and which had filled her whole life until now.

She and her father had had so many friends where they had lived in Gloucestershire, not only amongst the County families, who had shown them so many kindnesses, but also among the ordinary people in the village.

There had been farm labourers on their estate, the old people in the alms houses, whom her mother had visited regularly and the pensioners, who had known her father since he was a little boy and his father before him.

It had been hard to leave them all when she came to London. At the same time she had hoped to make new friends and meet girls of her own age who would perhaps share some of her interests.

And, of course, gentlemen whom she would talk to as she had talked to her father and with whom she had several common interests if they had been in the Army and were keen on horseflesh, shooting or hunting,

‘But Russia!’

The words seemed to vibrate round her and grow louder and louder until she felt as if she was already encountering the strong icy winds of Siberia that were terrifying her with their violence.

She took her hands from her face and rose to her feet.

“I will not go!” she shouted out aloud. “I will run away!”

Then she knew that her aunt was determined to be rid of her and it would be extremely ignominious to be brought back if her escape bid should fail.

The Countess was not as empty-headed as her father had thought and Zelina, having lived with her for nearly three weeks, was aware that she always had her own way.

The Earl might be of importance in the House of Lords, but in his house in Grosvenor Square he did whatever his wife wished.

It might well be because he had no desire for any kind of scene, but he was also, Zelina thought, genuinely proud of his wife’s beauty and her place as one of the indisputable leaders of London Society.

‘To him she is like a decoration that he can pin on his coat to know that other people are envying him the possession of it,’ Zelina mused shrewdly.

She was therefore quite certain that, if she appealed to the Earl for help, he would merely tell her to obey her aunt and for the moment she could think of nobody else to approach with her great problem.

The only comfort was that in the Bank she had what seemed to her a quite considerable sum of money from the sale of her father’s house, estate and furniture.

‘At least I shall be able to come home if I want to,’ she told herself reassuringly.

She decided to make quite certain that she had enough money with her to pay for her return fare.

*

Having got her own way, as was inevitable, the Countess was quite pleasant for the next few days, but still she made no effort to take Zelina anywhere or to even invite her to dine downstairs when there was a dinner party.

Next she took her to tea alone with the Russian Ambassadress, which meant, Zelina knew, that she was being more or less interviewed for the position that she was to occupy in the Princess’s house.

The Ambassadress had shrewd eyes and a sharp mind, which told Zelina that she missed nothing.

She gossiped with the Countess, but it was obvious that she was looking over her niece and calculating what sort of impression she would make in St. Petersburg.

When it was time to leave she said to Zelina,

“Enjoy yourself, my dear. The Russian character is difficult to understand, but its very complexity makes its people some of the most interesting as well as the most unpredictable in the world.”

Zelina smiled. It was not what she had expected to hear.

Then, as the Countess moved towards the door, the Ambassadress added,

“Keep a diary. You will find it interesting to look back and read it to your grandchildren when you have some.”

What she said seemed to Zelina to lighten her fear of the future a little.

Nevertheless, when the day of her departure arrived, she felt as if she was being sent into exile and would never see her homeland again.

The Countess with great condescension escorted her to Tilbury to take her on board the English ship that was to carry her as far as Stockholm.

Zelina was well aware that she would not have done this if the Russian Ambassador had not said that he was sending one of his officials from the Embassy to see to all the travelling arrangements.

“This is really very inconvenient for me,” the Countess complained to Zelina.

“I am sorry, Aunt Kathleen, but you will not be seeing me again for a very long time.”

She thought that, at this remark, there was an expression of pleasure on the Countess’s face, but she merely said,

“The Ambassador has given instructions to somebody on the ship to see you aboard the Russian vessel that you will transfer to at Stockholm.”

As the Countess disliked travelling, they talked very little until they reached Tilbury, where Zelina saw that she was to travel by Steamship.

In the last few years Steamships had been used for crossing the North Sea, the Straits of Dover and the Irish Sea, after previously being used only as passenger carriers along the South coast to holiday resorts.

The ship that was to take Zelina to Stockholm had auxiliary sails and side paddle-wheels, which would accelerate its speed.

When they boarded the ship, the Countess asked to see the passenger list and read it with the expression of one who does not expect to find any acquaintance amongst a collection of nonentities.