A Full Countess

Valentina was allowed to walk near her guard, but was not bound or restrained. After about two hours, her guard instructed her to squat and relieve herself, as a number of the men watched.

In time, they encountered an old truck carrying several soldiers. There followed a heated conversation between the detachment’s commander and someone in the truck. At length, Valentina was brought forward and ordered into the back of the truck. She was ordered to sit, two soldiers also sitting and watching her. The truck reversed course and went back down a dusty road.

More and more soldiers appeared on the road. It was evident that a fairly large military body was in the area. The truck finally stopped in front of what appeared to be a large house, with numerous uniformed men about.

Chapter 8

Valentina was left in the truck for over an hour, the men watching her carefully. Then, in response to a summons from inside, they ordered her out of the truck and into the house.

She was taken into a room in which several men, obviously officers of some importance, were present. Two were seated at a table, and others stood about. On the table she could see piled papers, several small packages, and a pistol.

She was led to stand before the table.

The senior officer surveyed her closely. After a few moments he spoke.

“Your name?” he asked.

“Valentina Norosova”, she answered, loudly and clearly, her head held high. “Countess, cousin of his Imperial Majesty, and wife to Ivan Nosorof, Colonel in the Imperial Service!”

The officer took it in without emotion.

“You were captured in the uniform of the insurrection, dressed as a man, in the company of,” he hesitated, reflecting his contempt of the words, “soldiers opposing the government. Why would you come with this story? I, too, am a colonel of the Imperial Service. Why should I believe your tale? Perhaps you are a clever spy, helping the insurrection. Perhaps you are an opportunist, looking for release through an intriguing story.”

“I have no evidence. But, you may question me as you wish. I know my identity, and the route through which I have come to you. I seek help, as a friend and family of the Czar, to escape from the danger which confronts us all!”

“My report says you disrobed yourself while being taken for relief, and openly disclosed your sex before soldiers. This does not sound to me like a lady of breeding! Look at you - hair cut in masculine fashion, soldier’s clothes, you are dirty, you have conducted yourself without shame or modesty! Why am I to believe you?”

“I do what I must to escape those who disgrace our land! I did indeed disrobe myself - that your soldiers would know I was indeed a woman, and not one of those swine with whom I found it needful to travel! I did so with utter reluctance, but in these times we do what we must.”

“From where have you come?” he inquired further.

Valentina recounted her flight from her home and the ploy of disguise to get past the revolutionaries who might have sought her life. She pleaded for his acceptance.

“As you stand before me, you look more like an insurrectionist than a woman of noble birth. However, whatever you are, I do not find it fitting that we keep you in the markings of those…..” His voice stopped, hesitating to use his expected coarse epithet in the presence of what just might be a lady of breeding.

“Now, if you feared not to disrobe while the soldiers watched, we will see if your resolve is still with you. If, indeed, you appear to be the lady you claim, we will seek other dress for you. Now, remove those offensive garments and show us your true self!”

Valentina stood, stunned just a bit. She had expected better of one of the Czar’s officers. Still, her modesty had suffered so much she was not about to retreat at this point. Without a further word, she began to remove her soldier’s attire. The colonel and his officers watched with interest.

Quickly she dropped her garments. She removed her soldier’s shoes. She took her cap from her head. Finally, naked and barefoot, she drew herself erect in front of the table. The men looked her over carefully. The colonel uttered one observation, and one command.

“She’s dirty, she smells foul, and she’s a mess. Take her and give her a bath. I’ll send for her when I want her!” He slapped his hand on the table to emphasize the order. A soldier took her by the arm, leading her away, naked. Her clothing remained on the floor.

Valentina found herself taken, in full view of assorted men, to a room which had a large tub. She was ordered to bathe. Two men stood by, watching the proceedings.

Valentina scrubbed herself as best she could. The available water was cold, the soap coarse and rough. She washed her body, even her hair, as the men watched every move. She was cold, uncomfortable, and hugely humiliated at doing this in front of strange men.

Finally she finished. A rather dirty towel hung nearby, and she dried herself with it. She looked for something with which to comb her wet hair, but there was nothing. She smoothed it as best she could with her hands.

Her guards then took her, still unclad, to a small room upstairs. It contained a low table, but no other furnishings. It did have a window looking outside, and she could see it was now dark. She entered. The door closed behind her. She was alone.

A few minutes later, the door opened again. A uniformed man entered, carrying a plate with a bit of bread and cheese, and a bottle of water. Also, he had a bedding roll, obviously something on which she might sleep, and a small tattered blanket. She took them, murmured a bit of thanks, and heard the door close.

She laid on the pad, covering herself with the blanket. The food assuaged her hunger a bit. She tried the door, finding it locked. She tried to sleep.

The first rays of dawn awakened her. Her training had been to empty her bladder at such an hour, in preparation for the day. But where? The door was locked, and there was no facility in the room. She looked at the window. Outside was a courtyard, just picking up the rays of dawn, but deserted. She stood at the window, wondering if she could be seen by anyone. She saw a man below, and withdrew.

She waited. For what seemed hours, she waited, her distress becoming steadily greater.

Suddenly, with no warning, the door opened. A soldier entered. She drew the blanket around herself.

“I am to take you for you to relieve yourself”, he informed her. “But you must leave the blanket”. She dropped it and followed him. He took her to a toilet, a very dirty one, on the same floor. She expected him to stay and watch her, but instead he closed the door and left her alone as he waited outside.

Relishing the luxury of a toilet to use privately, she attended to her needs, taking her time. When she had finished, she opened the door, and her escort returned her to her room.

She was held for two more days. Three times a day she was taken to the toilet, always naked. Every second day, she perceived, she was allowed a bath, but under watch of soldiers. Food, though crude and coarse, was brought to her. Yet she was not questioned, nor given any communication as her status.

Then, in the morning, her door was opened. She was told simply, “Come!”

She was taken downstairs to the office where the colonel had first interrogated her. Still much aware of her nudity, but adapting to it, she was ushered into the office.

The colonel sat behind the table. A lady, in the dress of one of the nobility, sat next to him. Both stared at Valentina as she entered. Her hands instinctively flew to cover her breasts and pubic area; not so much because of the colonel, she thought, but because of the woman.

“This is the one who claims to be the Countess”, announced the colonel.

“So we will see if she is!” replied the lady.

The woman began an intensive questioning of Valentina. She was asked about her schooling, her friends, her home, her husband’s career and friends, the families she knew, the relatives of the Czar. Again and again some questions were repeated, in slightly different ways. Learning that she had studied French and German, the woman asked her questions in both languages.

The woman walked around Valentina, carefully looking at her skin, searching for markings. She was questioned on the origin of scars and minor marks. The woman scrutinized her hands and her feet, with careful attention to her nails.

No comment was made to Valentina as to the conclusions. She was simply sent back to her room, under the usual guard. There she was left for another day.

Chapter 9

On the afternoon of the following day, her door opened, and her guard stood at the door with a stack of clothing. “You are to put these on and then I will take you downstairs”, he informed her.

The clothing was regulation attire for White Army soldiers. There was nothing that seemed suited to a female, though underwear was included. The shoes, she noted, were the ones in which she had arrived, though they had been cleaned.

She dressed in front of the guard, who then took her to the office and the colonel.

“Madam”, he addressed her, speaking now with some deference, “We have come to believe your account. I must express regret that we put you through so much difficulty and indignity. These are, as you know, very difficult times. It is our desire to assist you in moving you to safety, which most likely means to depart our country for now. At present it seems best that you continue your soldier’s disguise, though we have put you in a more friendly uniform. In that attire you will not draw attention. I am going to send you with our dispatch carrier to a small fishing village not far from Riga. There you will wait with those whom you consider friends, until a boat is arranged to take you to Sweden, where you will find others of your family.”

Valentina expressed her gratitude. She was shortly taken to a military vehicle in which a young soldier was seated. She greeted him, and introduced herself.

He sternly warned her. “Madam, I know of your identity, but there will be others who do not. It is best that you maintain the identity you had earlier established, and so I will call you Valery. You must treat me as though I am your fellow in arms.”

She understood. The trip was through more friendly territory, and seemed generally uneventful. Only twice were they stopped by military patrols, both friendly. Valentina began to feel more comfortable than she been since leaving home.

After many hours, they arrived at a small house in a village on the Baltic coast, where several fishing boats were docked. It was dark. Valentina was taken into the house, where a man and a woman greeted her.

“Madam”, the man addressed her, with a polite bow. “Our poor home is honored. I am sorry we have so little to offer as comfort to one so noble born. But such as we have, we offer you!”

The woman, dressed quite humbly, greeted her also. She was immediately offered a bit of wine, a plain but warm meal,. and shown to a cot placed in part of the kitchen. “It is not much, but it is warm”, the woman pointed out. Valentina was grateful.

She remained with her hosts three nights, instructed not to go outside during daylight, and to avoid showing herself to strangers.

At long last, she was told a signal had been received from a boat offshore that was prepared to take her to Sweden. She was told to make ready that evening, and to go with the man to a small fishing boat nearby.

They entered the boat, and began to leave the pier to which it had been moored. They made out toward the open water. Valentina scanned the dark sea for some sign of her rescuer. Eventually they saw a small light. The man with her flashed a light in response. Closer and closer they came.

She almost held her breath, as freedom and safety seemed so near. As she watched, she made out the outline of a larger craft, perhaps some kind of private yacht. Closer and closer they drew.

The engine of her boat was cut, as the two craft drifted closely. Two men, standing on the deck of the larger vessel, called down to them.

“Is the water ripe for sturgeon?” asked the man. Valentina wondered at the cryptic expression, which she realized was a recognition signal.

“No - the blue tides have stopped them”, was the reply.

“Male or Female?” called down the larger craft.

“Female”, was the response.

Immediately a rope was passed down to her boat. Her escort helped her secure it around her waist. She was then helped up to the other craft. Her erstwhile escort bade her farewell, and began to pull away.

Valentina stood on the deck, in her soldier’s uniform.

“I thought we were to rescue the countess, not one of the Czar’s soldiers!” one of her rescuers observed, just a bit skeptical.

There were several others aboard the vessel, all men. She quickly observed that she was among friends.

“It is, though, an honor to be of the Czar’s soldiers. But I understand your skepticism. I am sure I do not look like the countess! In recent days, many have so noted. But, please, I am indeed Valentina Norosova!”

“Forgive us, Countess”, she heard one of them address her, “But you hardly look like a woman, and we were anticipating to rescue a lady. We understand the necessity for disguise, but we hardly expected--”

“You have doubts I am a woman?” The countess replied, smiling a bit.

Another grasped her hand warmly, “Countess, forgive us all! We are overjoyed to have you. We do not doubt your identity, we are only surprised! We know you have been through much!”

“Please, is there a place where I might rid myself of this mannish garb I have worn too long? You do not want to appear to be bringing in a Czarist soldier-”

The five men looked at one another. One moved to the bridge, keep the vessel under way.

Another, a bit embarrassed, tried to reply.

“Countess, I regret we did not anticipate your situation. We have no women’s clothing to offer you. Yet, I will show you a cabin where you may arrange yourself as you think proper!” He took her into the main cabin, which she noted was comfortably warm after her time on the chilly sea, and from there to a small cabin with a single bunk.

She thanked him, entered, and closed the door. Throwing herself on the bunk, she rejoiced for a moment in her rescue and impending freedom. Then, quickly she began to rid herself of her military garments. She wadded them into a bundle, including the men’s shoes, and, opening the porthole, thrust them through it into the sea.

She relaxed for a moment, pleased to be rid of her male clothing and masculine disguise. She reached for a blanket on the bunk, and began to wrap it around her. Then, thinking a bit, she returned it to the bunk.

She opened the door, sticking her head out.

Four of the men were in the main cabin, where she had left them.

“Gentlemen”, she called to them, “I am deeply indebted to you for your rescue of me. I have nothing to offer of value, but as you have questioned whether my appearance was womanly, perhaps I might make a gesture of appreciation while satisfying that concern. Would you permit me to join you for a few minutes?”

“Of course, Countess, we should be most pleased”, one replied politely.

With that, she burst forth from the small cabin, striding directly into their presence in the larger room, her body adorned with not a single stitch of covering.

“Gentlemen, I present myself, Valentina Norosova, for your viewing. I have nothing else to offer in gratitude, but as numerous others have looked upon my undraped body in recent weeks, it would seem ungracious for me to deny that privilege to the friends who have gone to such lengths to help me. I am sorry the view is not as I would like myself to appear, but perhaps you will observe portions which you may find thoroughly female!”

The men absorbed the presentation offered. Even the one from the bridge came back to partake of it. Valentina stood motionless, offering herself for viewing to all of them.

The captain came up to her, knelt, kissed her hand, and uttered, “Countess, there is no way in which you might have better shown appreciation!”

END