The next morning the two ladies left the ship at Brindisi before
either the Prince or Stephen Strong was awake. Both were silent upon
the subject of the night before, until Millicent at last said when they
were in the train:
"Tamara--you won't tell Henry or your family, will you, dear? Because
really, last night he was so fascinating--but that dancing! I am sure
you feel, with me, we could have died of shame."
CHAPTER VI
When Tamara reached Underwood and saw a letter from her Russian
godmother among the pile which awaited her, she felt it was the finger
of fate, and when she read it and found it contained not only New
Year's wishes, but an invitation couched in affectionate and persuasive
terms that she should visit St. Petersburg, she suddenly, and without
consulting her family, decided she would go.
"There is something drawing me to Russia," she said to herself. "One
gets into the current of things. I felt it in the air. And why should I
hesitate now I am free? Why should I not accept, just because one
Russian man has horrified me. It is, I suppose, a big city, and perhaps
I shall never see him there."
So she announced her decision to the dumfounded household, and in less
than a week took the Nord Express.
"The Court, alas! is in mourning,"--her godmother had written,--
"so you will see no splendid Court balls, but I daresay we can divert
you otherwise, Tamara, and I am so anxious to make the acquaintance of
my godchild.
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