A woman who was prepared to sacrifice herself in an exaggerated and ridiculous manner that, once it was known, would cause an immense sensation over the whole of the Christian world.
“Listen to me,” he said forcefully. “You cannot do this thing! I know you love your brother and that you wish to save him, but the way you are trying to do so is impossible!”
“Why?” Natasha enquired.
“You know the reasons as well as I do,” Lord Athelstan replied in an irritated tone. “What you don’t understand is that it is only a question of time before Shamyl is defeated. He cannot hold out much longer against the Russians. His army is depleted. They are being driven further and further back from the territories they once held and Field-Marshal Bariatinsky is harassing them all the time.”
“If the Russian
