The Princess pushed through the guest-house door, her eyes going straight to the tiny child in Lady Sophia’s arms.
‘I have her, despoina, she is all right,’ Lady Sophia said, bending back over the infant. ‘Aren’t you, my dove?’
‘What do you want me to do, my lady?’ Katerina looked at the Princess, at the baby Lady Sophia was cooing over, and then back at the Princess. She was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy.
‘It is simple. I should like you, Katerina,’ Princess Theodora said, ‘to pretend to be me.’
Chapter Two
‘I must pretend to be you?’ Katerina’s jaw dropped. ‘My lady, you are not serious!’
‘I regret to say that I am.’ Princess Theodora glanced pointedly at the infant in Lady Sophia’s lap. The Princess’s tone intensified, the words tumbling out. ‘My time with my daughter is likely to be short. You must forgive me, Katerina, but I am desperate to be with her as long as I may.’
Hurrying to one of the travelling chests, the Princess pushed back the lid and leaned it against the wall. She reached inside and sent a stream of silks and satins flying towards her pallet: first came her favourite pink gown, the one with the silver embroidery at the neck and hem; next came the blue one made from finest English wool; then the brown silk, which shimmered with silver threads when she walked; the cream one with green acanthus leaves embroidered at the hem; the delicate green with pearl-encrusted cuffs.
Several veils floated through the air and settled on the gowns: the deep purple one that was reserved for important ceremonies because only members of the Imperial family were entitled to wear purple; the cream; the grey; the yellow …
‘Despoina?’
The Princess whirled and grabbed Katerina’s hand. ‘Here, these will suit you. What a blessing we are similar in height and build. Do you like them?’
Do you like them?
Katerina’s insides turned to water. The Princess means this! The Princess really means this!
Princess Theodora’s eyes were bright and intense, her jaw was set. She looked so determined, she seemed not to have noticed that Katerina had reservations, that sheer terror was a breath away. That, or she was choosing to ignore it. The Princess wanted more time with her baby daughter, which was perfectly natural. Princess Theodora was not the first princess to anticipate her wedding night; she was not the first princess to bear a child before she was married. Unfortunately, it seemed likely that little Martina would be taken from her the moment she set foot in Constantinople.
In preparation for her forthcoming marriage, all evidence of Princess Theodora’s transgression would be swept away.
Heart full, helpless in the face of the Princess’s pain, Katerina watched her mistress turn to another of the iron-bound chests and dip into that. A pair of kid shoes landed on the bed; some short riding boots; sandals; purple slippers …
Katerina’s heart sank when she saw the purple slippers. ‘Despoina?’
‘Mmm?’
Katerina extracted the purple veil and matching slippers from the rapidly growing pile and held them out. ‘I can never wear these. You know it is forbidden. Ordinary people just cannot wear purple! I was not born in the Great Palace. I am not remotely related to the Emperor. What would happen to a slave who did such a thing?’
‘I gave you your freedom some time ago, Katerina.’
‘That does not alter the fact that I am just a poor girl from one of the islands. Surely any offence would be compounded if someone like me committed it? I could be beheaded—’
‘Nonsense!’ Princess Theodora drew herself up, her eyes looked haughty even while her mouth was trembling. ‘I will see that no harm comes to you. I cannot force you, you are a free woman now. But if you do consent to take my place, Katerina, I will write a letter exonerating you from all blame. It will be made quite clear that you are acting under orders, my orders.’
A shadow fell over them, Lady Anna was standing in the doorway.
‘Not now, Anna.’ The Princess waved her away.
Lady Anna ducked back outside and the light strengthened.
Princess Theodora drew in a breath and took the purple slippers and veil. Pointedly, she replaced them on the pile. ‘Katerina, you said you wished to repay me for releasing you from servitude. Here is your chance.’
‘Yes, but…but…to impersonate you! Despoina, I could never carry it off!’
‘Of course you could.’ The Princess turned Katerina’s hands palm up. ‘When I bought you, your hands were work-worn, your nails broken. See how they have healed, you have the hands of a lady now.’
‘But—’
‘Think. You have learned our ways. I taught you to read. You can even write—’
Katerina let out a short laugh. ‘Only my name!’
‘That is enough to convince, particularly since most ladies cannot even read.’ The Princess glanced at her sleeping daughter. ‘Besides, if you agree to help me, I can offer you real freedom.’
‘Real freedom?’
‘I will give you a grant of land in…where did you say you came from?’
‘Crete.’ There was a lump in Katerina’s throat. She swallowed hard. She was not certain she wanted to set eyes on Crete again and had opened her mouth to say as much, but the Princess was unstoppable …
‘Crete it is then. I shall give you a grant of land in Crete. And gold. And since your time with us has turned you into a lady in all but name, I will also find you a noble husband, if you so wish. Katerina, I know it is no light thing that I ask of you.’ She gave a great sigh. ‘But perhaps you have changed your mind about wishing to help me.’
‘No…but …’
The Princess fell to her knees.
Katerina blinked. Lady Sophia stared. Princess Theodora, niece to the Emperor, was on her knees before her body-servant.
‘Katerina, I beg you, I implore you! Take my place, let Commander Ash…what was his name?’
‘Ashfirth Saxon.’
‘Let him escort you to Constantinople. Give me a month, pretend to be me for a month or two, that is all that I ask. I will try to wean her…and…and another couple of months will give me more time to get used to the thought of losing her. Please, Katerina?’
‘Despoina, do you really think matters will be easier two months from now? I am afraid you are merely delaying the inevitable.’
‘I need more time with her! Please, Katerina, if you had a child, you would understand. Go with the Commander. Please.’
For a moment Katerina could feel the penetrating blue eyes of Commander Ashfirth boring into her. ‘But…but he is a barbarian!’
The Princess’s expression softened. ‘Not all barbarians are cast in the same mould as Vukan, Katerina.’
‘Yes, I understand that. But the Commander will soon realise that I am no princess. My speech…it…it is not that of a lady.’
Her mistress shook her head. ‘It may not have been when you joined us, but it is now. Besides, he mistook you at the gate.’
‘It is one thing to mistake someone who is speaking through a grille and quite another to embark on a journey with them and not discover their true nature. The Commander will find me out and…and …’