The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t know why my father would delegate this task to me. I’m the least capable of anyone in my family of actually succeeding.”
    “Don’t sell yourself short, Tatiana,” said Alexander. “Besides, I can help you.”
    “You can?”
    He told her he would take her to one of the officers-only army stores called
Voentorgs
, where she could buy many of the things she needed.
    “But I’m not an officer,” she pointed out.
    “Yes, but I am.”
    “You are?”
    “Yes,” he said. “Alexander Belov, first lieutenant. Impressed?”
    “Skeptical,” she said. Alexander laughed. Tatiana didn’t want him to be old enough to be a first lieutenant. “What’s the medal for?” she asked, looking at his chest.
    “Military valor,” he said with an indifferent shrug.
    “Oh?” Her mouth lifted in a timid, admiring smile. “What did you do that was so military and valiant?”
    “Nothing much. Where do you live, Tania?”
    “Near Tauride Park—on the corner of Grechesky and Fifth Soviet,” she instantly replied. “Do you know where that is?”
    Alexander nodded. “I patrol everywhere. You live with your parents?”
    “Of course. With my parents, my grandparents, my sister, and my twin brother.”
    “All in one room?” Alexander asked, without inflection.
    “No, we have two!” Tatiana exclaimed happily. “And my grandparents are on a housing list to get another room when one becomes available.”
    “How long,” asked Alexander, “have they been on this housing list?”
    “Since 1924,” replied Tatiana, and they both laughed.
    They were on the bus forever and a second.
    “I’ve never known anyone who was a twin,” said Alexander as they got off. “Are you close?”
    “Yes, but Pasha can be very irritating. He thinks because he is a boy he always has to win.”
    “You mean he doesn’t?”
    “Not if
I
can help it,” said Tatiana, glancing away from his teasing eyes. “Do
you
have any brothers or sisters?”
    “No,” said Alexander. “I was my mother and father’s only child.” He blinked and then quickly continued, “We’ve come full circle, haven’t we? Fortunately, we’re not far from the store. Do you feel like walking, or do you want to wait for bus 22?”
    Tatiana watched him.
    Did he just say,
was
?
    Did he just say, I
was
my mother and father’s only child? “We can walk,” Tatiana let out slowly, staring thoughtfully into his face and not moving. From his high forehead to his square jaw, his facial bones were prominent and clearly visible to her curious eyes. And all were set in what seemed like cement at the moment. As if he were grinding his teeth together. Carefully, she asked, “So where are you from, Alexander? You have a slight… accent.”
    “I don’t, do I?” he asked, looking down at her feet. “Are you going to be all right walking in those shoes?”
    “Yes, I’ll be fine,” she replied. Was he trying to change the subject? Her dress strap had fallen off her shoulder. Suddenly Alexander reached out and with his index finger pulled the strap back up, his fingertip tracing her skin. Tatiana turned red. She hated that about herself. She turned red all the time for no reason.
    Alexander stared at her. His face relaxed into—what
was
that in his eyes? It looked almost like bedazzlement. “Tania—”
    “Come on, let’s walk,” Tatiana said, mindful of the protracted daylight and the burning embers and his voice. There was something nauseating about these sudden feelings clinging to her like wet clothes.
    The sandals were hurting her feet, but she didn’t want to let him know it. “Is the store far from here?”
    “Not far,” he said. “We will have to stop at the barracks for a minute. I’ve got to sign out. I’ll have to blindfold you the rest of the way. I can’t have you knowing where the soldiers’ barracks are, can I?”
    Tatiana was not about to look at Alexander to see if he was joking.
    “So,” she said, trying to sound casual, “here we are,