“He killed a wild boar once, on the estate of his uncle.”
“A boar!” gasped Eugenia.
“Yes, miss. With his bare hands. He strangled it. He’s awfully strong, is Gregor.”
Eugenia gave a barely perceptible sigh.
“He was in the Russian Army,” continued Bridget, “and – killed a man in a duel. He almost married a Countess, once. She was very rich but – ”
Bridget regarded Eugenia slyly from under her dark brows.
“Yes?” Eugenia prompted.
“He didn’t love her. He said, ‘what’s money without love, Bridget’?”
“Of course.” Eugenia gave a solemn nod but her heart was dancing in her breast.
Gregor was just like her. Just like her!
The effect of these stories was to create in Eugenia’s mind a veritable romantic hero, a man of almost superhuman strength, whose feelings once roused would sweep a
