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The photo on the bedside table glared back at her. Beady eyes belonging to her grandmother seemed to be judging her every movement as she pulled the undergarment over her head. Ana had brought the picture with her from Russia. It had been taken before the revolution. They were a family then, or at least they actually looked like one. Like many high society families, appearance vs reality was a constant battling war and their mother did not like to lose.
Her grandmother was the perfect example of deceiving looks. Despite her pale and gentle figure and sweetly tied hair, behind the facade, Ana knew the woman was cold and calculating. She was stubborn and prejudiced and had a tongue so sharp it could cut, had she believed anyone worthy of even a single moment of her attention.
She placed the photo flat on its front and paused staring down at the rusted frame. Even without the presence of her family, she could feel their austerity and acerbity. It was if they had followed her from Russia.
Heavily, she sighed, pulling the thin cloth onto her body and feeling for the rough string of the bodice that she had sewn in, drawing it tightly around her, like a second skin before moving to reclaim her dress. She picked up from where it was thrown upon the modest vanity of the guest room, covering the small, dusty mirror. Ana glanced in the mirror, watching her arms as they slipped through the short arms of the material, her scrutinizing eyes trailing over the pasty, ghost-like hands that spread over her stomach, smoothing out the wrinkles of the wide dress. Her sister had always said that her taste was old-fashioned at times, although over the top, with the fuller figured dresses, mixed with a long length and modern coat. It will be dark, she thought, taking pleasure in it.
A harsh and short knock at the door interrupted her. She looked over her shoulder, glancing downwards.
"We need to leave." Ana nodded and Tatiana sent her a pointed look, her dark eyes surrounded in a soft, chalky black. She watched as she left quickly, the thick cloak trail clumping and swaying below her knees as she walked.
Ana sat down at her vanity, leaning toward the dainty mirror, until her nose threatened to smudge against the glass. Her hot breath brushed against the surface. She blinked. A dark rouge was painted upon her crackled lips, the deep ridges smoothed over and soft outlines hardened in the dark crimson. She blinked again.
"Perfect." She whispered, her calmness reckoning with the dormant, ready glint in her eye.
Tatiana stood by the door silently as she went down the stairs. She nodded as Ana came to stand in front of her, before turning and stepping out of the door, her heels clicking. A driver waited for them by the car, a new car, black and wealthy, and opened their doors, waiting as they climbed in next to each other. He wore a navy blue uniform which had badges sewn to the breast and his hands were bare, continuously being ran through his thin gingery hair. He was a police officer. He was nervous. A large leather box separated the two sisters. Tatiana's arm was wrapped around it tightly, her hand resting over the lock.
Not much had been said to Ana about what they were doing. She knew it would all be to their benefit, more importantly hers, in the long run, and so she complied simply, offering her assistance. The two girls were told to hand the money to a Mr Kaledin. She didn't know much more about the place they were going or the people she would meet.
They drove down a straight, dusty road. It was off the main path and towered over by tall trees that swooped over, blocking what little light was given by the moon. The car stopped toward the middle of the road. They were blocked in at both sides: a tall, ivory covered wall to one side and the forest to the other.
The copper climbed out of the car, standing beside the hood. They waited quietly in the car as another car pulled up a few feet from them, of which three men climbed out, all walking to stand in front of it.
"Tommy, Arthur, Collins, may I introduce you to the Grand Duchesses Tatiana and Anastasiya Petrovna, from Tbilisi, Georgia." The police officer called and the two girls slid out of the car, walking to the group of men, empty handed.
"Grand Duchesses, may I introduce you to the Shelby brothers? Small Heath, Birmingham."
Ana's eyes trailed across the boys. The man in front stood straight with a look that said he was unimpressed or bored, as the copper leant to talk to his ear.
"And, erm, good luck with this one, Tom."
Tommy released a breath and leaned forward, as if it would make him any clearer to the foreigners. "Give me the money."
"We were told to give it to Mr Kaledin." Ana said, stepping in line with her sister, glancing at her. Tatiana stayed tall, looking the men up and down, clearly judging them. Ana wondered what she thought. "Whoever it is up there, he gave the wrong name. We asked him the name and he gave the wrong one." Tommy's voice was loud and slow.
"What name did he give?" Tatian started and was quickly answered.
"No." Thomas said, shaking his head. The two men beside stood, glancing to their feet and looking more like body guards as Thomas spoke for them. "I don't trust any of you."
"Now you give me the money." Tatiana was taken aback, she paused before answering, glancing to her sister, annoyed. "I know Mr Kaledin by sight from Tbilisi. Is his hair dark?"
"The instructions I was given was anyone using the wrong code name was an infiltrator for the Soviet Embassy."
"Just let me go to the house." Tatiana asked.
"I do not want this anywhere near my house." Thomas shouted, his eyes gleaming in comparison to his emotionless expression. He stood still, checking himself and continuing calmly. "All I know is no variations. That's from Churchill himself. Whoever is up at the house, he gave the wrong name."
He paused, staring straight back at the two girls coldly. "And you do this to me on my wedding day." He clicked his tongue and tutted his head.
"The money is in the car, Mr Shelby." Ana said, watching as her sister stared straight back at him. What did she think? "Fetch it out and count it." Tatiana finally said.
Thomas breathed out and nodded his head to the side. "Good. Finn." He ordered, pulling out a cigarette and lighter silently as a young boy moved toward the car. He pulled out the black case, moving around the officers, reaching on of the other men next to their own car.
"Yeah. We're good." The older one said.
"You can go. Moss." He said, turning to the case. Ana began to step towards the car until she heard her sister. "Can you do it? Can you kill?" She asked, eyebrows raised.
"Moss, you take the Duchess and her sister back to Birmingham." He said lowly, breathing the thick smoke through his parted lips. "Righto, Tom." The officer shuffled the them back towards the car, this time empty handed, the case of money now in the hands of the men they had met. The officers words were patronising as he shut the door closed behind them. "Go on, love."
The two girls were silent for the rest of the journey back to the house. Ana glanced at her sister every so often, observing as she placed her head against the cool, foggy glass, watching as the dark trees rolled by. She looked out of her own window, the rough shape of the small wall barely discernible in the shadows. It was quiet.
