She curtsied, then entered the room hesitantly. “You wish to see me, milord?” she asked. Her voice was timid, soft—a young girl’s voice. She spoke in good English, with enough accent to delight the ear. There was nothing so seductive, he thought, as a little layer of French accent in a lady’s voice.
Moncrief found his mind reassessing her, in that fraction of a moment that he watched her, while she gazed at him, her head slightly cocked at an angle. The woman—girl really—did not look like a dealer in stolen gems. It was still possible she was being used as an instrument, an innocent tool of someone else. He would stick to his original plan. He introduced himself, explained the interest he had felt at seeing Palgrave’s ruby, and finally began hinting whether she might have additional pieces for sale.
“Alas,
non
, milord,” she said, a little sadly. “No one was more shocked than myself to discover my bauble was a real ruby. It has made all the difference in my life, the fortune from it. Now I shall be able to live in dignity, hopefully here in Austria, or perhaps England. It has long been a dream of mine to go to your so beautiful Angleterre. My companion too, Madame Blanchard, has often expressed the wish.”
“Why would you wish to leave your home—France?” he asked, and discovered with a jolt of dismay that he was neither making small talk nor fishing for information. He was genuinely interested to hear her answer—to hear all about her.
“France is no longer a compatible place for me. My father was a colonel under Napoleon Bonaparte. I am loyal still to the Emperor. If a Bourbon is replaced on the throne of France, as you
anglais
plan, I shall never return to my country. My father, brother and—other loved ones gave their life for the cause. I am only a woman—little help to the Emperor, but I will show my disgust by speaking openly against the hated Bourbon regime. That cannot be done in France. I am not alone in my feelings, milord. The Congress overestimates Louis’s popularity. If Napoleon should come marching back, the King would not last a week. No, not a day.” Her voice rose and resonated with fervor as she spoke.
“We realize Louis’s shortcomings. He is considered as only a poor alternative. About Napoleon we shall never agree, I fear, but that is not why I am here. I am curious to learn where you got the star ruby, and whether you might have access to other pieces from the same collection.”
“It was given to me by a friend,” she answered readily. “Fiancé actually. Killed at Leipzig. He gave me the brooch before he left, telling me to keep it safe. I realize now he was trying to secure my future, in case he did not return. He did not say it was worth so much money, but I knew it to be a cherished possession—given to him by Napoleon himself,” she added, with a little boasting smile.
“He knew I would cherish it doubly, as coming from himself and our Emperor. Napoleon was short of funds, you see. He wished to reward his most loyal men, in case of defeat. It is my belief—I have given the matter considerable thought after learning my brooch was genuine—that the Emperor disbursed the collection amongst his officers. I do not know how he came into possession of it. Still, who more likely to have it than Napoleon? Of course he was not involved in its original theft, but over the years, some ardent follower obviously turned it over to him. He kept it as a sort of—emergency fund, I think you call it? I have no idea where the other pieces are. I do not think the crown jewels will ever be reassembled again.”
He considered her story and found it plausible. For all his faults, Napoleon was generous and considerate of his loyal followers. Yes, this sounded like him. If the jewels were to do no more than provide a living for his loyal followers for a few years, there would be no great mischief in it. The trouble was, the more valuable stones might have been given out for a quite different purpose: namely, to raise funds against the Emperor’s return. “Who do you figure would have got the Blue Tavernier? Who was his most loyal follower, in other words?”
“I expect the blue diamond is at the Schonbrunn, with his wife and son. That is only a surmise, you understand. I am afraid I cannot help you, milord. You will have to be content to have defeated the Emperor. You will not have the pleasure of flaunting the jewels of France at court in England.”
“That was not my intention,” he said, and felt unaccountably guilty. He was not eager for Mademoiselle’s poor opinion.
He had twice noticed the girl glance nervously towards the hallway, and followed the line of her glance. A shadow moved quickly. The light from a window cast an elongated shadow of a person on the floor. It flashed so quickly he could not be sure he had seen it, but combined with the girl’s nervous glances, it seemed likely. The housekeeper? Or was there someone else sharing the small apartment?
“Is there anything else you wish to speak of?” she asked.
“No, that’s all.” He thanked her for her time and left. He should be relieved, he thought. There was little likelihood of Palgrave buying the diamond and causing an unwanted stir amidst the dovecot of the Congress. It had all been a tempest in a teapot. Still, it was odd that the Krugers had rented their apartment to an anonymous French woman. And what had Miss Kruger been crying about? A falling out with her suitor, perhaps. This possibility roused no interest in him, as it might have done a few weeks ago. He returned to Minoritenplatz to relay his findings to a satisfied Castlereagh.
Moncrief's news was the only thing that did satisfy the Foreign Minister that day. On the political front, things had taken on an embarrassing complexion. Piqued at England’s insistence that a part at least of Saxony be preserved, the Tsar was threatening to go home, and leave his underlings to “bury the Congress,” as he bluntly put it. There were emergency meetings all around—the Austrian Emperor Franz dashing from tsar to king to minister, trying to hold the Congress together. The alternative was war. All of Europe was armed to the teeth, and each country determined to enlarge its holdings, or at least not watch them shrink. Castlereagh posted a dispatch off to England for directions, and in the evening put on his formal clothing to attend an extravagant ball at the Razumowsky palace, in honor of the Tsar’s sister Catherine, to honor her name day.
Everyone was there, trying to cajole, bribe and blackmail everyone else to change his stand on the settlements that seemed never to be settled. Castlereagh and his wife had been taking waltzing lessons, and were both lumbering around the floor, the Viscountess looking hideous as usual in a red gown and an ostrich plume that hit her escort on the nose every time she turned her head.
Further annoyance was added to the English delegation by the antics of Castlereagh’s half-brother, Sir Charles Stewart, who was even more drunk than usual, and being obnoxious to those very parties he should have been conciliating. The Empress Maria Ludovica of Austria grew thinner and paler by the hour, as she stood at her husband’s side. Criminal for that poor, consumptive woman to have to put on a gown and jewels every night and be up till all hours, harassed by opportunists.
There were also sufficient pretty ladies to alleviate the gloom. The Countess Flora Wrbna was batting her rogue’s eyes at the Tsar, who would not forget for a moment she was not only Metternich’s cousin, but his close friend as well. Odd how one became accustomed to being in the same room with tsars, kings and emperors, along with enough princes to populate a large city, and enough diamonds and gemstones to sink a battleship. Several millions of pounds in this one room. So far as Moncrief had heard, there had not been a single theft during the whole Congress. Ladies whined at having to hawk their tiaras to pay for the continual round of parties, but it was a voluntary sacrifice. The taxpayers had a more justified complaint.
Moncrief’s attention turned to the doorway when the Countess von Rossner was announced. She looked every bit as ugly as he remembered her. Why would a lady wear a bile-green gown, he wondered. But she was in high spirits, laughing up at her partner. Kruger walked at her side, a corpulent gentleman who obviously made use of an excellent tailor. Maria, on his other side, looked a very swan amongst these geese. Her long, arched neck, gracefully turning, had the hypnotic influence of a swan.
To his infinite amazement, she let go her father and advanced towards him, smiling a dazzling smile of welcome, both arms extended. “Lord Moncrief, what a delightful surprise!” she said. “You did not mention this morning when you called that you would be here.”
“I am usually to be found at all the Tsar’s parties. It is a member from
Austrian
Headquarters like yourself whose presence surprises,” he answered.
“I never miss the Babel parties! It is only at these huge do’s that we meet. Tsar Alexander will make us polonaise through the palace for an hour, but it will be worth it for dinner. They say he has had delicacies brought fifteen hundred miles from St. Petersburg by sleigh and carriage to impress everyone. Tell me, did you find that blue diamond you were looking for?”
“Not thus far,” he answered guardedly. He had not mentioned the blue diamond to her. She had been speaking to Feydeau then.
“I know you called on Mademoiselle. I am checking up on you, so you had better behave yourself,” she said, waving a playful admonitory finger under his nose.
This sportive behavior was so unlike Miss Kruger that he was thrown for a loss, till he spotted Count Rechberg over her shoulder, well within earshot. He was with a pretty young lady whom Moncrief did not recognize. There had been a falling out between the lovers, and she was trying to make Rechberg jealous. That would account for her morning tears. “Mademoiselle Feydeau is the last woman in Vienna one would misbehave with, I think,” he replied.
“Indeed! I must tell Papa that!” she said, and laughed gaily, never looking towards the Count, but obviously performing for his benefit. “You had better tell your cousin Palgrave as well. I notice he called on Mademoiselle without his wife.”
“You keep a sharp eye on your tenant. My cousin was there, was he?”
“Twice,” she answered. “Once not long after yourself, and again late this afternoon. She has either promised him the blue diamond, or taken him as her lover. Which do you think it is? I am bursting with curiosity, but could not get a word out of her, she is so sly. She is being very mysterious and innocent today.”
“I cannot believe it is either one,” he answered, a little stiffly. A vision of Mademoiselle’s pale, sweet face floated before his eyes. He had had more than one thought of her during the day, always with a tender emotion. He had given no further thought to Miss Kruger. As he looked at her now, he found her undeniably pretty, but not so attractive as she had seemed before meeting Feydeau. She was a spoiled, pampered darling of society.
“She did not bother to bring you round her thumb? Then certainly she has an eye on Palgrave. Pity. You may have to be satisfied with me, at least for the next waltz. Will you dance with me?”
“I would be charmed to. And that will teach him to flirt with blondes,” he added, with a fleeting glance to Rechberg, to show the chit he knew what she was up to.
She looked momentarily taken aback, then smiled in embarrassment. “Was I so obvious as that? I’m afraid I am not a very talented actress. I shall have to take more lessons from my tenant.”
Any mention of Mademoiselle Feydeau was bound to interest Moncrief. “Meaning?” he asked.
“Why, the French are experts in affairs of the heart, you must know! I discussed the matter with her, and she told me the thing to do was to make him jealous. You should be complimented, Lord Moncrief. She told me to pick out the most handsome, richest man at the ball, and I picked you.”
“You have excellent taste, Fräulein,” he said, patting her hand. “I am very happy to be of use to you, and ask in return only that you tell me what the lover’s squabble is all about.”
“Oh, the usual thing. Dowries you know. Settlements.”
“You are young and pretty. You will replace him with a more ingenious bookkeeper in no time,” he said, with a tinge of sarcasm.
“I don’t want to replace him. I want him back,” she said firmly.
Moncrief looked to the gentleman. He saw a tall, wide-shouldered man with a rugged jaw and a face not outstanding for beauty. There were two dozen gentlemen in the room of better appearance. Nor was the Count famed for his brilliance. But he was rich, and titled. That was sufficient attraction for Miss Kruger apparently. “If you want a disinterested opinion, I would advise you to ignore him. He will not be won by chasing. Man’s instinct, when he is pursued, is to run.”
“I of all people should have known that,” she said, nodding in agreement.
“Been legging it after him too hard, have you?”
“Certainly not! That was not my meaning at all,” she answered sharply, with angry sparks lighting her dark eyes. “It is just that a—a certain lady has been chasing Papa for years, and he always runs like a hare, so I should have known.”
“I had not realized it was a romantic friendship between your father and Countess von Rossner.”
“I didn’t mention any names! Well, since you know, it is my aunt I refer to. She is my godmother. She would not refuse to be my stepmama as well.”
They spoke of Congress doings and personages till the waltz was over. A gentleman, not the Count, claimed Miss Kruger, and Moncrief strolled off to speak to a Russian diplomat, then to stand up with dowagers and matrons, with countesses and princesses, and occasionally a pretty young lady. During the intervals, he considered Miss Kruger’s remarks. That the Countess von Rossner was after her father was of not the least interest to him, nor did he care much that Maria was having troubles with her Count. Of some interest was that Harvey had twice called on the French Mademoiselle. One call he took for granted. Harvey had admitted he meant to go after the blue diamond. But why two calls? Was Harvey pestering the girl with amatory advances? It began to look like it. She had that helpless, vulnerable air that incited men to chivalry. Even Kruger, the daughter intimated, was interested in Mademoiselle Feydeau.
It was not to be expected the Palgraves would miss such a choice affair as the Tsar’s ball, Googie’s convalescence notwithstanding. She was there, her brain seething with items to be purchased as the polonaise snaked through the various halls of the palace. One area was hung in silk, to imitate an Arabian tent. The glass houses were blooming with flowers amassed from many continents. Rare artworks from France and Italy glowed on the walls. There were marble galleries and mahogany rooms, the walls lined with manuscripts. Between the dance and the decor and the wine, it was difficult to keep an even head.