In dealing with the tribesmen they had had no weapon but money to use against the natural hostility of the wild mountain men for the dvoriane from the north. Why should they betray their own to the interlopers, the conquerors? But Akim Shan Kalmuck, besides being the Prince of one of the ‘tame’ tribes – for what that was worth – called himself her friend. He had placed himself at her service, and that, surely, must count for something?
She put it to Feodor. ‘Do you know where he lives – where he is to be found? I imagine he is quite an important man, and therefore well known?’
Feodor considered, and his face lightened a little at the prospect of a new avenue to explore, which perhaps offered more of a chance than the search for an unidentified high, cold place. ‘I don’t know exactly,’ he said, ‘but it will be easy enough to find out. He comes from somewhere near Vladikavkaz, between there and the Pass of Dariel – on this side of the mountains, anyway.’
Sergei frowned. ‘I didn’t like the look of him,’ he said. ‘Why should he help us, any more than any of the other tribes?’
‘Because he likes me,’ Anne said shortly.
Feodor glanced at Sergei. ‘It isn’t much, but it’s better than nothing. Besides, he has bought our horses more than once, and that makes a bond between us. And I believe he does a great deal of business with the regional agent in Vladikavkaz, which makes him almost civilised.’ Sergei looked sceptical, and Feodor added with a shrug, ‘It’s worth trying, anyway.’
‘Oh, yes, by all means,’ Sergei said neutrally. ‘I’m willing to go, if you like to trust me with the business.’
Anne fixed him with a hard look. ‘Whoever else goes, I must.’
‘Nonsense!’ Sergei said quickly. ‘It’s out of the question – much too dangerous.’
‘Sergei, consider – no one but me can put a personal request to him on my behalf. Put yourself in his place – would you lift a finger to help, unless approached in person?’
Danil said slowly, ‘She’s right, Seryosha. Why, I’ll bet he wouldn’t even listen to us.’
‘But it isn’t seemly. Anna’s a gentlewoman. Quite apart from the danger, there’s no knowing what sights she might be called upon to witness.’
Anne shrugged. ‘None of that matters. I must go. You know I must.’
‘Then I will go with you. I owe it to my father,’ Sergei said. ‘While he’s away, I am responsible for his household.’
Feodor had passed beyond that stage of the argument, and was already planning details. ‘We’ll have to take him gifts, to sweeten him; and armed men, to let him see we’re not in his power. It’s a delicate business.’
‘A show of strength that isn’t a threat – a present that isn’t a bribe?’ Anne said with a faint smile. ‘Yes, delicate – and from what I know of him, he will be more adept at the game than any of us could ever hope to be.’
‘That’s a certainty,’ Feodor said.
There was no time to be lost, and they set out just before noon for Vladikavkaz. The party consisted of Feodor, Dmitri, Grishka, Sergei, Anne and ten armed men. Ekaterina was both worried and disapproving that Anne should have no woman to attend her: it was indecent, and dangerous, she thought. But Anne would not oblige anyone to come on such a mission against their will, and there were no volunteers. Besides, speed was of the essence, and none of the female servants could ride well enough to travel fast, and stay in the saddle all day long. When Katya went on protesting, Irina interrupted on Anne’s behalf.
‘Nonsense, Katya, hold your tongue. What do such things matter at a time like this? They are going to rescue my child, not to have a picnic at Pyatigorsk.’
Anne had been afraid that Irina would want to go herself, but she seemed to understand that she would only be a hindrance. However hard it would be to remain at home waiting for news, she accepted it without protest, only showing her emotions at the moment of departure by putting her arms round Anne and hugging her briefly.
‘God bless you, Anna Petrovna,’ she whispered into her ear; and stepping back a little, added, ‘Find her!’
They took with them a mule laden with gifts: sunflower seeds, oil, fine cloth, skins, and a jar of perfume – not overwhelmingly expensive things, which might look too much like the bribe of desperate men, but the sort of pleasant gifts that might be exchanged between friends. Anne dressed in her best habit, for she would need to impress – though probably Quassy would do that for her well enough. Anne had already decided that if all else failed, she would offer the Prince the mare in return for his help. As he believed Quassy to be in foal, she would now be twice as valuable to the man who had long coveted her.
It was fifty versts – about forty miles – from Chastnaya to Vladikavkaz; but the days were long, and the roads dry and hard, and they were able to reach the city long enough before dark for enquiries to be made by Feodor and Sergei, while the others looked for lodgings, saw to the horses, and bespoke a dinner. It was after dark when Feodor and Sergei joined them, but from their expression it was plain that they had achieved their object.
‘We know where he is,’ Sergei said the instant he came through the door. ‘It’s a village up in the hills about eight versts along the road towards Kazbek. It’s called Karzerum, and he’s the chief man of the whole area. A very important person, your admirer, Anna Petrovna.’
‘We’ll set off at sun-up,’ Feodor said. ‘We can’t approach a man like that in the dark – open to misinterpretation.’
‘If we left before dawn, we could be there at first light,’ Sergei suggested. ‘It might be better for us if we arrive unexpectedly.’
‘Unexpectedly?’ Feodor said.
‘Throw him off balance – it would give us the upper hand.’
Feodor gave a tired smile. ‘My dear Seryosha, you don’t know the kind of people you’re dealing with. It’s two hours since we began asking questions about Akim Shan Kalmuck, and he lives only eight versts away. If he does not know by now that we are come looking for him, I promise you I’ll eat my hat – new ribbon and all.’
Anne slept heavily, tired from the long ride and the emotions and worries of the day, but woke feeling refreshed, with the consciousness that at last she was doing something positive to try to find Natasha. Despite the arguments of her reason, she could not help feeling absurdly hopeful. Irina believed her daughter was alive. Anne saw now what she had been doing all those days when she walked up and down holding Nasha’s shoe: not brooding, but searching – letting loose her mind to cover those distances impossible for her body. Akim Shan Kalmuck would help them; he must help them.
It was a fine day, but humid, and there were clouds covering the high jagged peaks of Mount Kazbek and the Mountain of the Cross, so that they looked mysterious and withdrawn, like inaccessible judges withholding their counsel, waiting to pass sentence. The road out of the town was steep, and the horses were soon sweating, early though it was, and clouds of little black flies descended to torment them. Sergei and Grishka got off and walked, leading their horses, and Anne would have liked to do the same, to save Quassy, but dared not: she could not remount quickly, as they could, in case of sudden need.
The village of Karzerum was built above the road, on a hilltop which was a natural fortress, a flat, green plateau above bare cliffs, impossible to scale. Above it the mountains rose sheer, uncolonised except for the gorse and thorn clinging to ledges. The village was dominated by a stone-built fortified house, presumably the Prince’s, behind which was a cluster of wooden and daub cottages, sheltered from the north by a stand of trees. A little apart, on rising ground, stood the inevitable little white church, its Byzantine dome just catching the rising sun.