An Imperial Lover by Mary Imlay Taylor

MADEMOISELLE CATHERINE had fallen into a dangerous habit of sending me little billets, written at her dictation by Madame Golovin. Subtle enough in many ways, the Livonian had still a woman's excitable temperament, and was without patience to watch the results. In these missives she and Madame Golovin veiled their meaning but thinly, and it was not difficult to identify the czar, Najine, and Prince Dolgoruky. Since Peter's gift of a ring to mademoiselle, Catherine had been little noticed, and those who thought they saw in her a possible successor to Anna Mons began to doubt her influence, but I was not one of these. She actually loved the czar, and her nature was one that would be peculiarly adapted to his, and, knowing that she was aiming at the throne, I believed that nothing stood between her and her desire but Mademoiselle Zotof. Mademoiselle, however, had a tremendous advantage over her rival; Catherine was of humble origin, and her passions and ambitions were alike involved; on the other hand, Najine was noble and entirely indifferent to her imperial lover; she would be betrayed into no indiscretion, and her birth, her beauty, and her friends would all demand the crown for her. It would be impolitic -- almost impossible -- for his imperial Majesty to put a slight upon the faction that supported her, and mademoiselle's personal repugnance to the marriage only piqued the pride of a suitor who had never before been rejected. Catherine was quick to see all the disadvantages of her own position and the advantages of her rival's, and was therefore urgent in her desire to forward M. de Lambert's fortunes.

Immediately after Najine's message reached him, Mademoiselle Shavronsky sent me a note warning me that the czar's personal attendants had been commanded to watch M. Guillaume. I read the missive twice over to be certain that I understood it, although not surprised that such instruction had been given. The czar's manner to the young Frenchman indicated extreme displeasure, but I was astonished that the order had been issued so carelessly as to reach the ears of Mentchikof. Either Peter was willing that his favorite should see that he preferred mademoiselle, or else Mentchikof had so environed him with spies that nothing was concealed and he could manipulate every thread in the skein. It seemed almost useless to tell M. de Lambert; he was in a heedless mood, bent only on seeing mademoiselle and with all a brave man's indifference to peril. In fact, I think the danger of the situation had its own peculiar charms for him, and he counted every risk for Najine's sake a source of comfort and rejoicing. To Pierrot I could speak with more confidence, and instructed him to be doubly cautious, especially as we could place less trust in Touchet's sagacity.