Polonaise (32 page)

Paul Genet loitered to some purpose outside the Princess's quarters, and was able to take the news of her change of plan back to Talleyrand.

‘So?' Talleyrand thought about it. ‘The Tsar had been to see her in person?'

‘Apparently. Talked with her for half an hour alone.'

‘Promising great things for the little Prince, no doubt. Did he see him?'

‘Yes. Patted his head.'

‘He's no fool, Alexander. I see that more and more. I wonder just how he means to use the Princess. Remind me to have a word with Savary about her before he leaves for Petersburg.'

‘Savary? You can't mean that he is going as Ambassador? One of d'Enghien's killers?'

‘I'm afraid so. I should think he would find it an uncomfortable appointment, would not you? Russian society will hardly welcome him with open arms.'

That was the most brilliant autumn season in Petersburg for years. The Tsar had returned to find that the Russian people did not share his enthusiasm for Napoleon. The Treaty of Tilsit had seriously damaged his popularity, and the presence of the detested Savary as French Ambassador did nothing to improve matters. At Tilsit, his brother the Archduke Constantine had hinted at a threat of assassination if he did not make peace with Napoleon. Now, back in his capital, he found the threat looming because he had. But at least he had peace, and a chance to rebuild the army that had been shattered at Eylau and Friedland. Handing this duty to his protégé Arakchayev, who had already revolutionised the artillery, he plunged himself into the social whirl, aiming to charm where he could not convince.

He was a regular visitor at the Ovinski Palace, where the Princess was now established. ‘I treat you quite like an old friend.' He had found her and Jenny taking tea in the conservatory Prince Ovinski had had built between his palace and the Fontanka Canal. ‘Before I leave for my travels, I want to know how things go on in the new Duchy of Warsaw, Princess, and I am sure you two ladies will know as well as anyone.'

‘You are going away, sire?' asked the Princess.

‘A small tour in White Russia, to look at some garrison towns: Polotsk, Vitebsk, Minsk. He who wants peace must be ready for war.'

‘So far? You are a most intrepid traveller, sire.'

‘Too much of the sire, ma'am. It is plain Pan Thaddeus today, wanting news of his Polish friends.'

‘There is so little. But I did hear from Countess Potocka the other day. She does not seem altogether enamoured of the new arrangement.'

‘No?' He drew his chair closer to hers, holding out his cup for more tea.

‘No.' She poured it for him, smiling into his eyes. ‘A French army of three thousand men to be supported, after all the sacrifices Poland has already made! And the country more cut off than ever … No foreign representatives … The King of Saxony shows no sign of coming to see his new Duchy. The French Minister is all-powerful. They are disappointed, I think, bitterly disappointed.'

‘Are they so?' It was, Jenny thought, what he had wanted to hear. ‘The Countess Potocka,' he said thoughtfully. ‘I remember her well. She entertained me most delightfully at Willanow two years ago. A charming young lady. Do pray send her my kindest regards when you next write to her. Tell her I look forward to our next meeting. And you, Princess, may an old friend ask about your plans? Do you mean to honour us with your company here in Petersburg this winter, or do the claims of home call you?'

‘To tell you the truth, sire, I have not quite made up my mind. It is hard to decide what would be best for my son, who must be the centre of my thoughts.'

‘How long since he has been at your beautiful palace of Rendomierz?'

‘Just since the spring.' She and Jenny looked at each other, remembering the desperate return to Warsaw after little Casimir had been kidnapped. ‘But we were hardly there for any time.'

‘I hope you are not letting him forget his Polish?'

‘Oh, no. His servants are all Poles, of course.'

‘Quite so.' The Tsar rose. ‘Just the same, I wonder if you might not be wise to think about taking him home.'

‘To Vinsk, or Rendomierz, sire?'

‘Both, surely. Tilsit has ushered in a period of peace and prosperity. We are all to be friends now. Protected by me, your young Prince should be equally at home in Vinsk, Rendomierz or even Warsaw. Not to speak of Petersburg!'

When he had gone, the Princess turned to Jenny, eyes shining. ‘You heard him! It was as good as a promise, Jenny. He wants Casimir brought up as a Pole, the hope of Poland. Give the orders to leave at once.' And then, ‘But, no. I must take leave of the Empresses, and that takes time to arrange. When the roads have hardened will be best. Maybe after the
Tsar returns from his tour, God bless him. I should be sad not to see him to say goodbye, and thank him.'

‘So long as he does not change his mind,' said Jenny. ‘He does seem rather to do so.'

‘Oh, must you always croak at me, and believe the worst? You British are all the same, constantly making difficulties. And that reminds me, if Mr. Rendel calls again, you are to see him for me. I am tired of having him dawdling round the palace as if he had nothing else to do. Make him see that. Isn't it time he went back to England, anyway? We both knew very well what the Tsar meant when he said he hoped we could all be friends. It's you British who insist on keeping on with this interminable fighting. If only they would come to terms with Napoleon, perhaps we Europeans would be able to settle our own destinies.'

‘I wonder if Napoleon would let you,' said Jenny.

‘Croaking again! I tell you, I'm sick of it!'

‘Then perhaps, Highness, it would be best if I were to make arrangements to go back to England.' The words were out almost before Jenny knew what she was doing. ‘With so many people leaving, I am sure I could find someone to go with.'

‘What?' This had surprised the Princess. ‘You want to leave us? Casimir would miss you.' She was thinking about it.

‘I think perhaps it is time I went, Highness. I shall be more sorry than I can say to leave Casimir, but the fact remains that I am British; all the rumours suggest that we will be ordered out any day now. Do you want an acknowledged enemy in your household?'

‘Oh, enemy! It won't be like that. We're not going to war, or anything so absurd. It's just that your nation of tradesmen are making life impossible for us.'

‘You're sure it is not Napoleon who is doing that? His Berlin Decrees came first, after all.'

‘Oh, politics! I'm sick to death of them. Ring for my maid, Jenny, I must go and start making arrangements for my official farewells. You know how long it can take.'

‘But about me,' Jenny paused, hand on the bell-pull. ‘If I am to go, Highness, I must start thinking about arrangements, too.' It was not going to be easy, either. She had lived luxuriously with the Princess, but the only pay she had ever received
had been the ruby necklace Prince Ovinski had given her, so long ago. She would have to arrange to sell it, and hope that it would fetch enough to pay the expenses of her journey. And return home penniless … It was not a happy prospect.

‘Oh, do as you think best,' said the Princess impatiently. ‘If you are homesick, pray don't let me keep you. Casimir will miss you, of course.' She did not choose to say that she would.

‘But not for long.' Jenny rang the bell.

The serf who answered it brought the news that Mr. Rendel had called and was waiting in one of the small salons.

‘Tell him I'm out,' said the Princess. And then, ‘No, you see him for me, Jenny. Perhaps he will help you with your arrangements. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Give him my best wishes for a safe journey home, and bid him goodbye for me. Tell him there is no need for him to call again.' She turned to the maid. ‘My furs, Gabriela. I'm going out.'

Dismissed, Jenny made her gloomy way to the seldom-used parlour, where Glynde Rendel had been left to wait. The Princess must have already given orders that he was to be treated as a less than welcome guest.

He was standing, looking out at the bleak garden, where snow was falling idly. ‘Highness!' He turned eagerly at the sound of the door, then: ‘Miss Peverel,' on a falling note.

‘Mr. Rendel. I am so sorry, the Princess has had to go out. She asked me to make her excuses, and wish you well for your journey home.'

‘Home? She thinks I am leaving?'

‘Perhaps she thinks you would be wise to do so.'

‘Kind of her to think about me. It's true; my friend Leveson Gower was approached by someone, just the other day, offering to buy his horses, assuming he was leaving.'

‘As if they knew something he didn't?'

‘Exactly. The town is so full of rumours it's impossible to be sure of anything. But the Princess –' his tone softened when he spoke of her. ‘She must have access to the most reliable information. Such exalted company as she keeps.' He coloured. ‘Forgive me, I do not wish to sound like another Petersburg gossip, but it was impossible not to recognise the guest who was leaving as I arrived. No wonder I have been left to cool my heels!' He smiled at her, that heart-twisting smile. ‘Do you
remember the first time they met? And what a disaster it would have been, but for your quick wits? And hers! I'm so glad she has such a good friend in him,' he went on, careful, Jenny noticed, not to name the august name. ‘It's a heavy burden of responsibility she carries since the Prince's death. The little Prince – the hope of Poland – and all his estates. Will she stay here in Petersburg much longer, do you think?'

‘No.' Here was her chance to get her unwelcome message across. ‘I think she plans to leave quite soon.'

‘His advice?'

‘I think, Mr. Rendel, you must see that that is entirely her affair,' she said gently.

‘Forgive me! I care so much … If only I could be of use to her … serve her in some way.' His colour was high again, and she actually felt herself sorry for him. ‘We were such friends, such good friends, back at Rendomierz …'

‘Yes.' She smiled, remembering. ‘But everything was different there, Mr. Rendel. You must see that. There, she was the
châtelaine
, the mistress of the house. Here, she's a great lady.'

‘You feel it, too?' Suddenly she had his attention.

‘Yes. In fact, Mr. Rendel, I had it in mind to ask you …' She paused, looking for the right words. ‘If you should know of an English family, going back, who might need a travelling companion, a governess, anything?'

‘You?' Now she had his concentrated attention. ‘But you'd never leave her! Not you. Her right hand. Her support. Surely, her friend? You'd never fail her so!'

‘Fail?' She could have shaken him. ‘It's not quite like that, Mr. Rendel. We British are sadly out of favour here. I think the Princess is beginning to wonder whether she could afford to keep me.'

‘Afford? But she's rich beyond measure, beyond comprehension …'

Jenny laughed, surprising them both. ‘Not that kind of expense, Mr. Rendel.' She looked down at her silk dress, her cashmere shawl. ‘The Princess has been kindness itself to me, generous, as to all her dependants.' She thought about it for a moment. ‘We must look well, or shame her. But,' she looked up and met his eyes, ‘she treats me like the rest of her serfs.
I've never had a penny in salary from her, all the time I've been with her. I have to tell you this.' She had seen how it shocked him. ‘Because I need to ask you, Mr. Rendel, if you could bring yourself to help me in selling my only earnings, a ruby necklace the Prince gave me, years ago, at Rendomierz. That has to pay my passage home.'

‘But why do you want to go? To leave her?' In his deep concern for the Princess, he was hardly taking in her own predicament.

‘Because she thinks it's time I went. Just now, the British connection is an ill-omened one. We have to face it, Mr. Rendel, she is better without us, you and me.'

‘Oh.' She watched him, infinitely sorry for him, as he took it in. ‘You mean, she wants me to go, too?' He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I've been stupid, haven't I? Time I went. And of course I'll help you to a safe way home to England, if that is really what you want; what she wants! But the boy, Prince Casimir, who will care for him as you have done?'

‘That does worry me, he's such a promising child! But even his mother doesn't seem to see what harm it does him to be let run wild as he is.' She could not tell him or anyone of her greatest anxiety: the strong, unreasonable dislike Casimir had taken to the Tsar. Or was it unreasonable?

‘She has so much on her mind.' Glynde took Jenny's hand, and felt it quiver in his. ‘Don't go! Don't leave her. I'm sure, in her heart, she knows how badly she and the boy need you. If I do have to go, I'd be so much happier to know you are still with them. Please?'

‘It's not my decision. If she wants me to go, I go.'

‘And if she does, I'll help you. She's really out? If I could only see her; try to persuade her.'

‘She's really out.' Withdrawing her hand. ‘But, Mr. Rendel, she doesn't want to see you. I'm sorry.'

She found Marylka waiting in her room. ‘There's a message, Pani Jenny. Lech brought it. Someone spoke to him as he left the cathedral this morning. They say it is time the Princess went home. And took you with her. You weren't thinking of leaving us, pani? They told Lech to remind you and the mistress that their arm is long. If you try to go to England,
you'll be stopped as a spy. Were you really thinking of leaving us?'

‘It had come up … The Princess …'

‘Is thinking Russian thoughts,' said Marylka surprisingly. ‘They're right, pani. It is time we went home.'

The Princess came back from her afternoon round of visits in a thoughtful mood. She surprised Jenny by sending for her at once.