The Diamond Eye

Mila wakes in her White House guest room to find a threatening note, written in Cyrillic: “Go home you communist whore, or you’ll die here” (288). Mila’s dread is compounded by knowing that the newspaper headlines about her are decidedly mixed. When Mila uses her free time for shopping, she is followed by an NKVD official named Yuri whose presence is meant to deter her from any political missteps or defection. She refers to him as her “minder” (290). She impulsively buys herself a yellow evening gown. Alexei follows her, leading her into Rock Creek Park and suddenly becoming flirtatious. He suggests this trip could lead to more fame for them and even asks about Slavka. Mila reminds him he once doubted their son’s paternity, and Alexei tries to claim that he has changed and Slavka needs him.

Alexei argues that Mila herself knows boys need fathers, or she would not have sought marriage to Lyonya. She reminds him that her fame has nothing to do with him and that their shared surname is a mere coincidence. Alexei is outraged at her defiance and suggests she should be grateful he permitted her romance with Lyonya. When Mila insists she will divorce him, he counters, “I’m going to change your mind […] and, kroshka, you’re going to like it” (298). Mila informs her delegation handlers she will no longer attend social events with Alexei. She decides that she has the right to enjoy the trip before her return to combat and near certain death. She dresses for the opera in her new finery. When Kostia stops by her room, she worries that she made a mistake by trying to look feminine, as the gown likely shows a large scar from one of her war wounds. Kostia agrees that the scar is obvious but comes closer to press a kiss to it, telling her, “[W]ear it with pride” (300).

That evening, while Mila and Kostia are at the opera, the unnamed American sniper seeks out Alexei in the bar. The sniper realizes Alexei’s tense interactions with Mila may be useful for his assignment. He stays at the bar and presses Alexei for more information.

Eleanor takes Mila and Kostia to a private meeting with President Roosevelt, and Mila is won over by his sharp questions and warmth. She is honest with him about the dire need for a second front and her dislike of intrusive journalists, though she avoids mentioning her death threats. Dinner that evening goes well, and Eleanor tells Mila there may be more opportunities ahead. Eleanor makes certain she is photographed with the Soviet delegation, a sign of her husband’s hopes for the alliance to grow more tangible.

At the end of the conference, Mila is at an outdoor reception. She learns more about the history of Rock Creek Park’s deep woods and that President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt famously lost a signet ring there. Eleanor takes Mila aside, complimenting her on her ability to make the reality of war more tangible for American audiences. Before Eleanor can say more, Alexei interrupts them and tries to draw Mila away. Eleanor thinks that Alexei is asking about President Roosevelt and tells them she has good news: Their tour is being extended to more American cities, in hopes of further influencing public opinion. Mila is surprised to hear that Eleanor considers her key to the plan’s success. Eleanor herself will accompany them to several stops, beginning in New York. Mila is still skeptical, recalling Eleanor’s early concerns about her palatability to American audiences, and she longs to be home with her son.

The perspective shifts to the American sniper, who is explaining to his furious contact that because the president was absent from the reception, the assassination plan will have to change. Alexei’s conversation with Mila was meant to increase suspicion of her, as she would be absent from the crowd during the shooting. The sniper explains he will need a new hidden identity, as Eleanor travels only with female journalists.

The narrative turns back to Mila, alone in a car with Kostia as she approaches her first speaking engagement in New York City. She tells him she wishes they were part of the fight to defend Stalingrad, a southern city on the Volga that was a major scene of fighting that summer. Mila is anxious about speaking in a new city and recalls the threatening notes she is still receiving. She and Kostia speak of Lyonya’s faith in her, including her speaking skills, and he promises to be with her “from here to Stalingrad” (314).

At her speech, Mila is surprised to find herself speaking passionately, if awkwardly, about the need for military support for Soviet troops. The applause is thunderous, and she begins to wonder if her future as a celebrity may endure longer than she anticipated.

The narrative picks up in Baltimore, where Mila speaks with an American millionaire named Mr. Jonson, who keeps making romantic overtures to her. Mila, however, finds him disconcerting and tries to avoid interacting with him. The delegation is soon to leave for a week at the Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, in New York. Alexei justifies his continued presence by claiming the other delegates will need medical attention.

At the Roosevelt estate, Alexei is clearly taken in by the grandeur and tries to tempt Mila with a future vision of living in such splendor. On the first morning of her visit, Mila is relieved to find no threatening notes and persuades her NKVD minder, Yuri, that she needs a walk, as she finds herself less tense in open country. She is unsurprised to meet Kostia on a dock near the river, and she persuades him to go canoeing with her.

Kostia surprises Mila with the news that he is returning to Washington soon. He has planned a secret stop in New York City to find his American family. Mila is terrified for him, knowing that unsanctioned foreign contact poses immense political and personal risk. Before Mila can say more, she accidentally tips the canoe over. Kostia turns the canoe so that Yuri cannot see them, and he kisses Mila. He confesses his love for her, explaining their time together is short, especially if she returns to combat, as he is now physically unable to serve in battle. Mila tells him she shares his feelings, but her grief is too fresh. He accepts this answer, acknowledging his own deep mourning for Lyonya.

Mila returns to the house alone. Eleanor ushers her into a private bedroom to put on dry clothes. Mila is stunned when Eleanor offers her a pair of her own pajamas and sets to work hemming them. Eleanor asks about Mila’s scar as Mila changes clothes and offers her an embrace when Mila begins to weep upon thinking of her dead comrades. Mila says her mother would like Eleanor, and she admits that her family misses the person Mila was before. Eleanor says that she knows Mila does not like combat for its own sake or the press coverage that suggests she is bloodthirsty. Eleanor says that she, too, dislikes reading negative things about herself but that Mila should keep working to change her public image.

The two friends discuss the harsh standards for women in the world, and Eleanor surprises Mila by saying that failure is unavoidable, even for powerful people like her and President Roosevelt. She says, “You’ll do yourself a grave disservice if you judge your every moment—not just your wartime moments, but your gentler ones, by a standard as harsh as never miss” (331). Mila and Eleanor part with a hug, and Mila is left reconsidering her choices and approach to life.