Bluebeard's Wife

They married in 1910. Young Countess Arina Baryshnikova and a river hauler’s grandson—merchant Egorov, not young anymore: stout, gloomy, and not handsome. The father had pampered the princess, who grew up in a palace, and she married the man whom the town called Bluebeard. Egorov had already buried two wives and found himself a third. No problem, that her father squandered the whole fortune—there were enough money from the merchant for everyone… Egorov sincerely believed he could keep his demons under control in a new marriage. Arina hoped that over time she would come to love her husband—about whose reputation her father had said nothing. But both were wrong. On the very first wedding night, Countess Baryshnikova learned what hell is like…