The Princess Dashkova, Part II

Dashkova returned to Russia in 1782, after an absence of six years. Now at last came a change in her fortunes, and a real improvement in the uneasy relationship that had subsisted between Catherine and herself since 1762. Both women were now considerably older: Catherine was in her mid-fifties, Dashkova approaching forty. Her arch-enemy, Grigory Orlov, had long since fallen from favour. Her absence had served to mitigate the severity of her old offences; and Catherine, whatever her qualms over Dashkova’s ambitiousness, genuinely relished the stimulus of her fresh and lively intellect. Catherine was now all smiles and forgiveness, and Dashkova, who, despite all that had happened, still idolized her as artlessly as she had done at fifteen, was ready once more to fall into her arms. ‘Nothing,’ she wrote, ‘could be more kind and cordial than the reception I experienced and the manner with which she welcomed me on my return to Russia.’ As a special mark of Catherine’s favour, Prince Paul Dashkov was raised to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and Dashkova herself was presented with a large estate in White Russia.