An Imperial Lover by Mary Imlay Taylor

IT was not until the day after the meeting with mademoiselle at the Kremlin that M. de Lambert confided to me something of her talk with him. It appeared that Zotof was straining every nerve to bring about her union with the czar, with or without her consent; Dolgoruky, the Marshal Sheremetief, and a dozen more of the nobility supporting him in his desire for an alliance that would destroy rather than strengthen the influence of Mentchikof. The old jealousy of the favorite, "the man of the hour," was glowing in the bosoms of Mentchikof's associates, and it was probable that they would go to any length to defeat his attempt to establish Catherine Shavronsky in the czar's favor, and the fact that Peter had openly expressed his admiration for Najine supplied a weapon ready to their hands.

There was an old custom that the czar should send the bridal robes to the maiden whom he had selected, as a sign that his choice was made. Mademoiselle told her lover that Madame Zotof was already making preparations for some such event. Najine herself was determined to resist any coercion, and she had a fine spirit. Peter had declared against the old compulsory marriages, and he would scarcely care to be the first to violate his own regulations; so there was the better opportunity for mademoiselle to assert her independence. The czar had probably not foreseen the possibility of any woman being indifferent to his advances; his success in affairs of the heart having been already but too conspicuous. But, after all, I fancied that mademoiselle's resistance could scarcely endure under the pressure that would be brought to bear. Peter's temperament was not one to brook disappointment, and there was the force of his powerful will which it would be hard for one young girl to resist. I saw that even M. de Lambert was much cast down, and I felt more anxiety than he did, for I had also the responsibility of steering him clear of the quicksands of trouble that were spreading about his feet. I staked my chief hopes on Mentchikof, on his ambition, diplomacy, and influence, and I determined to keep him informed of the Dolgoruky intrigue by a delicate hint now and then which would serve as a guide for his ready wit. He was not slow to divine my friendliness to his scheme, and I saw that he was inclined to extend every favor in his power to Guillaume de Lambert; his kindness to him somewhat reassuring me, for I was convinced that he would not willingly injure Mademoiselle Zotof, if she could be removed from his path without violence.