He turned on his heel, and as soon as the door clicked shut, Tatiana turned to Maria and hissed, “What on earth happened last night? You were gone for ages. What did you and Ivan get up to?”

Maria burst into tears. “Nothing! I just went to thank him for the cake.”

“Really, Mashka,” her mother reproached. “You mustn’t talk to the guards. They are not our friends, and it’s not seemly.”

“Are you all right?” Olga asked kindly, placing a hand over Maria’s. “Did he take liberties?”

“No,” she sobbed. “He made my birthday special by bringing that cake, and now it is ruined.” She scraped her chair back and stood up. “I wish we could leave here. I’m so fed up with everything.”

“Sit down, Maria,” Tatiana ordered, but she ran from the room. Instead of turning toward the girls’ bedroom, she headed for the lavatory, wondering which guard was on duty that day. When she saw it was Peter Vasnetsov, she checked the hall was empty before whispering through her tears, “What has happened to Ivan?”

“He’s in jail,” Peter replied, looking solemn.

Maria choked on a sob and ran into the bathroom, burying her face in a towel and crying till her eyes were raw and her chest ached.

* * *

After breakfast and morning scriptures, Tatiana took Maria to the dining room, where they could talk in peace.

“What happened in the hall last night?” she demanded. “I could tell from your face when you came back to the bedroom that you were distressed, then you were flushed when Avdeyev came in this morning . . .”

Maria stared at her lap, fidgeting. “I just said thank you to Ivan for the cake.”

Tatiana scrutinized her. “Do you have a crush on him? I know what you’re like with your silly crushes. We all remember Kolya Demenkov.” She rolled her eyes.

Maria was cross. “If I like someone, you call it a silly crush. But you like Dmitri Malama. Isn’t that a crush too?” Maria was referring to a cavalry officer from home, a man Tatiana was very keen on. They had corresponded throughout the war, and Maria knew he was finding secret ways to keep in touch now they were in captivity, although Tatiana never spoke of it.

Tatiana bristled. “It’s completely different. Dmitri and I plan to marry someday, and we are old enough to know our own minds, but you change your crushes with the prevailing wind. You really must stay away from the guards, Mashka. If Avdeyev gets riled, you put us all in danger.”

Maria was defiant. “On the contrary, my friendships with the guards could save us. None of them would hurt a hair on our heads. They are kind, gentle souls and I think it is only right to be civil to them.”