Inventing Wonders

Chapter 16: Betting It All

"My dear Mark Nikolaevich!" Lara exclaimed, rushing to the birthday celebrant. "It's your celebration, yet you're giving me gifts. How awkward!" She giggled, grabbing the man's hand.

Lara's incredible paradox was that she could easily flirt with pleasant but non-intriguing people, yet she would get completely lost when interacting with objects of her hidden passion. Poor Bulgari, of course, had no idea about this, so his heart skipped a beat at the light touch of the countess. Lara stepped back and twirled around, showing off the dress that had arrived the day before.

Frivolity and trust mixed in Lara's head, taking on the most incredible forms. Now, having received a luxurious dress as a gift from a new, dear friend, Lara didn't see it as a payment for some service, a bribe, or anything like that, but as a kind gesture. After all, what kind of trick could one expect from a good Christian she had met in a church?

"I was afraid you might not come at all," he smiled.

"And deny your guests the sight of my new dress? I'm not that cruel, Count."

"May I invite you to a waltz?"

"You are a lucky man, my dear Mark Nikolaevich!" Lara clapped her hands. "The waltz is still the only dance I perform without stepping on my partner's toes."

Bulgari's name day became a truly significant event in St. Petersburg's social life: the mystery of the young diplomat was surrounded by an aura of importance. Today, Mark Nikolaevich had to make a favorable impression on Countess Vovk, at whose feet he wanted to lay the whole world.

Lara, however, harbored no illusions about her new admirer: she was happy to be friends with him, but what kind of romance could there be when the suitor was a Taurus? No, she didn't believe in mysticism but readily believed in certain traits associated with each sign. Therefore, once convinced that he was indeed a Taurus, Lara smirked and branded him as "my dear friend."

The emerald dress shimmered in the evening sun. Today, Lara felt like a star. This sense of superiority lasted until her gaze met Nikolai's. It happened when Larisa Konstantinovna laughed approvingly at a joke from her dance partner, twirling her around the hall. This fleeting eye contact made her pale, and her entire being tensed. She felt like a helpless kitten thrown onto a busy highway.

"Larisa Konstantinovna, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost," Bulgari said, noticing her sudden change in demeanor.

"I thought I saw someone familiar who shouldn't be here," she muttered.

"Shall we step out onto the balcony?"

"It's nothing," Lara composed herself and forced a smile.

Nikolai Pavlovich was irritated to find that Larisa Konstantinovna had also been invited to the celebration. The Grand Duke didn't work with a psychologist, so he was terrible at understanding his own emotions. In fact, he wasn't angry with Lara; he was just hurt by what he perceived as her betrayal: how could she dance with someone else besides him?

The engineer gritted his teeth as he saw his Lara disappear onto the balcony with Bulgari. Without realizing it, he quickly excused himself and soon left the count, who was telling him about the construction of the railroad in America.

"Your Highness, you seem out of sorts," Mark Nikolaevich remarked, meeting him at the door while fetching water for Lara. "Is the celebration not to your liking?"

"Don't worry about it, Count," Nikolai replied curtly. "I just needed some air."

"In that case, let me introduce you to Countess..." he followed the duke back to the terrace.

"No need, Count. We are acquainted," the engineer interrupted. "Larisa Konstantinovna," he nodded.

"Nikolai Pavlovich," she responded coldly.