Leading Lady (19 page)

‘I do indeed. Both of you.' With a smile for Lady Helen. ‘And I will give your comparatively good news to your mother.' What else was there to be said? He rose to go, but she put out an eager hand to detain him.

‘But, please, before you go, tell us what is going on at the palace? What happened last night? Martha and Franz? Max? He's not harmed them? The upstart prince! Traitor! Hypocrite!' She spat it out.

‘Far from it.' He could feel the tension in her, coiled, dangerous. ‘In fact, I've just been with Martha and can't think when I've seen her so happy, so relaxed. No – no cold cells for them last night, and Franz and Max have been with their brother this morning. It's a very strange business, but I think it is too early to call that young man traitor or hypocrite.'

‘What? Coming here in disguise? Napoleon's spy! Currying favour with Martha? With us all? Worming out our secrets in the guise of priest and doctor? I tell you, count, if I could have killed him last night, I'd have done so.'

‘Well,' he said pacifically. ‘I think you will probably live to be glad that you could not.'

When he had left, Lady Helen crossed the room to sit down by Cristabel and take her hand, a rare gesture. ‘Something is wrong, my dear. Tell me what it is? What can I do to help?'

‘Nothing, aunt. Everything! I wish I was dead.'

When Tafur got back to the palace he found a summons to the new prince.

‘You are leaving us, I hear.' Prince Joseph was sitting at what had been his father's and then his brother's desk, surrounded with papers.

‘With your permission, prince.'

‘Oh, that's of course. But I hope you do not mean to take Lady Cristabel with you. We are going to need her badly here this winter. That was a brave thing she did last night. She seems to know more than any of us about these strange people, the Lissenbergers. I didn't think it would work, but I'm very glad it did.'

‘And that it got a chance to,' said Tafur dryly.

‘Oh, the Emperor is a great man. And he has his instincts too. But – you've been to see Lady Cristabel – will she stay?'

‘Yes. She tells me she had already promised the princess that she would. What has happened only makes her more determined to do so.'

‘That's good. Tell me, count –' He was suddenly, surprisingly, human. ‘Is she very angry with me?'

‘Yes.'

‘She has every right to be. I wish you would tell her … No, there's nothing … What could I say? Her husband will stay too?'

‘I assume so.' Well informed as he was, Prince Joseph doubtless knew about their separation already.

‘I suppose he will. Please convey my respectful greetings to the Signora Aldini, count, and my wishes that next year we may persuade her to visit us, to find, I hope, that we are not entirely barbarous here in Lissenberg. We will do everything to see that her daughter does not regret her decision to stay.'

‘I am sure she will not, so long as her friend the princess is safe and happy.'

‘I think I can promise that too. Prince Gustav and his train are on their way back to Gustavsberg, to a much more stringent form of captivity than they had endured previously. That dream of his is over for good.'

‘And little Gustav?'

‘I would not dream of separating mother and child. And it's early to be worrying about an heir in the next generation.'

‘With three able bodied princes in this one.' Count Tafur found himself liking the man more and more. ‘But I am taking too much of your time.' He glanced at the paper-strewn table.

‘The future of Lissenberg. I studied a little engineering before I turned to medicine. It is the question of the road out through the mountains. I have been studying the ground all summer and hope that when the Emperor sends his experts, as he has promised to do before the pass is closed, we will be able to make a good start on our planning, before the deep snow. Who knows, maybe you and the Signora Aldini will be able to come to us by an easy route next year? Do give her my kind regards.' And with this reiterated message he ended the interview.

‘The new road next year?' Martha was amazed. ‘It would change everything.'

‘It would guarantee Napoleon uninterrupted military supplies from the mines at Brundt,' said Franz.

‘But if he is certain of conquering Austria in this campaign, will that be so important to him?' Max asked.

‘He's a soldier,' said Franz. ‘That's where I think our brother is wrong about him. Joseph thinks that presently he will be satisfied, and stop.'

‘The question is where, isn't it?' Tafur had come to say goodbye to the three of them. ‘Not at the Rhine, so, at the Elbe, the Oder –'

‘Or the Indus,' said Martha. ‘There was something Minette said, made me wonder.'

‘Do you know,' Tafur was on his feet, ready to leave, ‘in our long talk, Prince Joseph said not a word about her.'

‘Well, poor fellow,' said Max. ‘He hardly would, would he?'

‘He sent the kindest messages to Lucia.' Tafur kissed Martha on the cheek. ‘And has invited her to come and visit Cristabel next year.'

‘Do try and persuade her,' said Martha eagerly.

‘Next year,' said Franz, and a small silence fell.

Deferring as prettily as possible to Martha in public, Minette de Beauharnais made it crystal clear in private that she looked on herself as senior lady in the palace. ‘Of course, as a princess by marriage, you must take public precedence over me, dear Martha, but we must never forget that I represent my uncle here.'

‘No, indeed.' Oceans deep in her honeymoon with Franz, Martha was too happy to care.

‘So,' Minette went on, satisfied, ‘it is my duty to think how to smooth over any little awkwardness that remains in our situation. I think a modest entertainment, don't you, love? A party for the élite of Lissenberg, with dear Cristabel to sing for us. I understand that there might be a little difficulty to be ironed out between her and Prince Joseph, since he actually acted doctor to her.'

‘He is a doctor, and a good one.'

‘Made of talents! And an engineer as well, would you believe it? You should see his study, full of the most extraordinary drawings. And so much business! No time for us ladies yet, but he gave me carte blanche for my little party, referred me to you for the details. You'll be pleased to hear he insists that our dear Cristabel come as guest as well as entertainer. Oh, and there are a couple of other people he wants invited, said you'd know where to find them: a Frau Schmidt and someone called Ishmael Brodski.' Doubtfully. ‘Can that be right? Will he be quite the thing?'

‘It depends a little what kind of thing,' said Martha. ‘But I will be delighted to invite them both. When are you proposing to give this little party?'

‘Oh, soon, don't you think?'

‘Yes, best before the weather gets bad, if some of the guests are coming from Brundt.'

‘Next week then. I'm sure, admirable Hausfrau that you are, you can manage everything by then. And I shall treat myself to driving down to call on Cristabel, congratulate her on both her performances, and command her appearance. Do you think she and that handsome husband of hers would sing some of the duets from
Night of Errors?
I quite long to hear that opera! Well,' without giving Martha time to reply, ‘I must be off if I am not to be benighted on my way back. I'll give your love to Cristabel, shall I?'

Left alone, Martha sighed and smiled, and started making a guest list. Franz and Max were down at the opera house busy with the inevitable reorganisation, since Franzosi had gone the day before. She, too, had been busy enough in the few days since Napoleon had left. The whole palace had been in a state of shock and confusion. Prince Gustav and his train had left their apartments in chaos. Prince Joseph had refused to move into the royal apartments she shared with Franz, saying that he preferred the Blue Rooms. The housekeeper, the groom of the chambers, the cook and even Baron Hals had come to her, one after the other, to protest, to complain, to grumble, even to threaten she did not quite know what. Or want to. She had made this crystal clear, calmed them, soothed them, and sent them back to work. Would this party be a last straw, or might it not prove a useful distraction?

She was wondering whether Ishmael Brodski would accept, and what the Lissenberg aristocracy would think if he did, when Baron Hals appeared with a summons to Prince Joseph's study. ‘If it is convenient. He says he knows how busy you are.'

‘Civil of him.' She rose, shook out her skirts. ‘I'll come at once.'

She had not seen Prince Joseph alone since he had been Doctor Joseph and helped her smuggle Franz out of the palace. How strange it all was. He looked exhausted, visibly older now than his two brothers, his newly cropped hair emphasising the family likeness.

‘No, no.' He forestalled her curtsy as Hals closed the door. ‘I'm your brother, remember. And proud to be.' Kissing her firmly on both cheeks. ‘And I have an immense apology for you, and a heartfelt thank you. Don't think I haven't known
how you have been easing things for me, here in the palace. Without you, I don't know how I would have gone on. There is more to taking over a country than guards in the streets, and so I am beginning to learn. But, sit down, please, and tell me if you think we are going to pull through.'

‘Oh, I think so, don't you? Franz says Lissenberg itself is calm enough, but there is always the problem of Brundt.'

‘Yes. We still have guards on duty there, I'm sorry to say, and a curfew. If there is going to be trouble, that is where it will start.'

‘And where the mines are.'

‘Just so. This party Mademoiselle de Beauharnais wants, do you think it a good idea?'

‘Admirable, if it works.'

‘If they come, you mean. Frau Schmidt and the senior citizens of the town. And your friend Brodski, whom I badly want to meet.'

‘He'll come, if I ask him. And Frau Schmidt, but the other town elders … I'm not sure about them.'

‘The ones who backed your husband as revolutionary and found themselves landed with him as prince.'

‘Just so.'

‘Oh, well, they will just have to learn that now they are landed with me. But, tell me – I am going to take a brother's privilege and call you Martha – may I?'

‘Of course.'

‘Lady Cristabel.' He hesitated, then plunged into it. ‘Will she forgive me, do you think?'

‘She's very angry.' It had surprised Martha. ‘She won't, talk about it.'

‘She has a right to be angry. But what could I do? Martha – what could I do? And I am a doctor.'

‘And you did her good. But that's hardly the point.'

‘I know.' She had never seen him so subdued. ‘But,' more hopefully, ‘that bold choice of
Crusader Prince!
Her doing, of course. She took a great risk.'

‘Not for you.' Martha felt it must be said.

‘No, for my brothers, of course, and for you.'

‘And for Lissenberg, I think.'

‘And she will sing – for Lissenberg – at my party?'

‘Oh, she'll sing. She's a professional. Mademoiselle de Beauharnais wants the duets from
Night of Errors
.'

‘I suppose we have to have the husband too?'

‘Oh, I think so.' Something made her absolutely certain that he knew of the separation that had taken place between Cristabel and Fylde. Well, of course he did. He was formidably well informed.

‘But not in
Night of Errors
?'

‘Don't you think that opera – and how Prince Gustav tried to use it – is best forgotten?'

‘Yes. Such a pity! Because what Lady Cristabel managed to do with that inferior bit of work was amazing. But I have something that I hope will prove really worthy of her.'

‘Oh?'

‘I found it yesterday, hidden among Prince Gustav's papers. Would you believe it? The young composer Beethoven sent in an opera to the Lissenberg contest last year and Prince Gustav chose to suppress it.'

‘Good gracious! And never said a word? But why?'

‘Characteristic. Herr van Beethoven had left out the essential element of flattery.' His smile was very friendly. ‘I confess I long to know how your husband was persuaded to put in his prologue to
Crusader Prince.
'

‘Not by me.' She smiled too, remembering how Franz had had to explain it to her. ‘He knew he had to win, you see.'

‘His was a clever choice of subject, mind you. Gustav was bound to identify with the gallant Saint Brandt, and would not have noticed a little thing like his ill-treatment of his wife. Beethoven's subject was not nearly so tactful, but I think Lady Cristabel will like it. It's a political tragedy, the story of Regulus. Do you know it?'

‘A Roman general? Something about Carthage?'

‘That's the one. The Carthaginians took him prisoner, sent him back to Rome on parole to offer peace terms. When he got there, he urged the Romans not to make peace, then refused to breach his parole and went back to torture and certain death.'

‘A strong story! I think I can see why Herr van Beethoven didn't think it suitable for Vienna. Sent it here instead. But what part would Cristabel play?'

‘There's a devoted page, Marcus. In love with Regulus' daughter Livia, but loving Regulus still more. Even Regulus urges Marcus to stay in Rome, to live and marry Livia. Marcus won't do it. There's a tremendous duet about honour; her and Regulus at the end. You can imagine the kind of thing. As she will sing it, it should bring the house down. I thought, if she only agrees, we might have her sing that at our party. Will you ask her, please, for me?'

‘Would it not be better to do it yourself?'

‘You are absolutely right. But – she's a great lady as well as a great singer. I am afraid to ask her to come and see me, in case she refuses.'