Chapter Four
VALERI HAD DIFFICULTY concentrating for the rest of the day. His conversation with Yuri weighed on his mind. It was true they’d been rivals, more or less, since the day they were born. It seemed ridiculous they could still carry on such pettiness some thirty years later, yet Yuri’s accusations bothered him. Did he always desire whatever Yuri had, just on principle? Certainly the opposite was true; he had more wealth, education, loyalty from his men and security from enemies than Yuri ever would.
His thoughts inexorably turned to the young woman being held in the office below. Definitely not Yuri’s style. She was too intelligent, too worldly for the likes of him. They could barely have a relevant conversation if they married. But again, the marriage was clearly one of conveni
