‘No, my dear child, I wouldn’t dream of usurping your place on this your special day. We have brought a wedding gift. Festy!’
The Countess opened her reticule and brought out a small leather box which the Empress presented to Augusta. Inside was an enamelled brooch containing a miniature of Sisi surrounded by diamond brilliants. Taking it out of the box, the Empress pinned it onto Augusta’s white satin bosom. ‘There, now you will have something to remember my visit by.’ Augusta, for once, had nothing to say.
Charlotte, who had crept into the drawing room in the Empress’s wake, noticed that everyone in the room looked excited by the new arrival, apart from Bay. He looked, thought Charlotte, as if someone had slapped him in the face. He clearly had not been expecting this. She caught his eye and he shook his head.
She heard Caspar’s voice in her ear, ‘Do you know, I almost feel sorry for Captain Middleton. I don’t think he was expecting a royal visit.’
The Empress was processing throughout the room, with her hosts on either side. When they got to where Bay was standing, Sisi stopped and held out her hand for Bay to kiss.
‘Captain Middleton, you did not tell me how charming your friends were or I would have insisted on meeting them before.’ Sisi turned to Lady Crewe. ‘Easton Neston is close to your house, no?’ She smiled without showing her teeth.
Lady Crewe simpered, ‘The Melton park runs next to Easton Neston. Such a remarkable house. I hope Your Majesty is comfortable there.’
‘Oh, but I didn’t come to England to be comfortable, Lady Crewe. I came to hunt your foxes. I would happily sleep in a tent if it meant I could ride to hounds in Leicestershire.’
Lady Crewe looked aghast. ‘Oh, I hope there will be no need for that.’
‘Ah, here is my great friend, Milord Spencer, and the Countess. How delightful this is. Of course in Vienna we could never be so informal, but what I love about England is that you do not stand on ceremony for its own sake.’
Earl Spencer said with clumsy gallantry, ‘Where you are concerned, Ma’am, the normal rules do not apply.’
‘You are too chivalrous, but there are some rules that even I cannot break, like hunting on a Sunday.’
‘You have to respect the religious affiliations of the foxes, Ma’am.’
Sisi laughed.
A suitable chair was produced for the Empress so that she could preside in state over the rest of the reception. As she sat down, she said to Spencer, ‘Tell me, where is the young woman who took the picture that made Rudi so angry? I take it that she is here.’
The Earl looked embarrassed. ‘I am not sure I know who you mean, Ma’am. I know there was some incident but I was not there.’
‘Ah, then I will ask Bay. He will know, of course.’
Remembering the odd scene with Bay in the carriage, Spencer decided it would be better if the Empress did not ask Bay about Charlotte. So taking a chair, he sat down next to the Empress. ‘I think you must mean Charlotte Baird, she is the bridegroom’s sister.’
‘Can you point her out to me?’
The Earl turned his great head to survey the room. He saw Charlotte standing against the wall holding the remains of the bride’s bouquet; she was talking to a tall young man who was wearing trousers of a most peculiar cut. He could also see that Bay, who was the only person in the room who was not looking at the Empress, was staring at Charlotte so intently that it was as if he was trying to memorise her face.
‘I take it that Miss Baird is the girl holding the bouquet.’
‘Yes, Ma’am, I believe it is.’
‘I should like to meet her. Would you ask her to come here?’
‘It would be my pleasure.’
The Earl walked slowly to the spot where Charlotte was talking to Caspar.
‘Miss Baird, the Empress has asked to meet you. May I introduce you to her?’
Charlotte looked up at him. ‘Can I refuse, Earl Spencer?’
The Earl said nothing, but Caspar clapped his hands. ‘Charlotte, you goose, every girl in the room is dying to meet the Empress. Come along.’
The Earl looked at the American with surprise. Charlotte said, ‘Earl Spencer, may I present Caspar Hewes. He is a photographer from America.’
The Earl bowed his head a fraction, in acknowledgement of the introduction.
‘Will you follow Mr Hewes’s advice and allow me to present you to the Empress?’
‘If Mr Hewes may accompany me.’
The Earl nodded. ‘But I warn you that the Empress is not fond of photography, Mr Hewes.’
‘So I understand, but let’s hope that she has nothing against photographers.’
* * *
While this conversation was taking place, Sisi turned to Bay, who she had not so far talked to directly, and beckoned to him to come closer.
‘This is such a picturesque event. I am so glad to see an ordinary English wedding party.’
‘I am not sure that the bride would call this an ordinary wedding, Ma’am, but I am glad you are amused by it.’
‘I remember you telling me that the Crewes were very dull, and yet they seem quite pleasant to me. I am sorry not to have met them earlier.’
‘You have been busy, Ma’am.’
‘Indeed.’ Sisi looked across the room, and saw that Spencer was approaching with Charlotte. As they came into earshot she said to Bay, ‘Oh Bay, I think I have one of my headaches coming on and I have left my drops in the carriage.’
Bay hesitated for a second and then said, ‘Let me fetch them for you, Ma’am.’
* * *
‘Your Majesty, may I present Miss Baird.’ Charlotte made a perfunctory curtsey and Caspar stepped forward so that Spencer had no choice but to say, ‘And Mr Hewes, an American gentleman.’ Caspar’s bow was so low that his forehead almost brushed the Empress’s skirt.
The Empress signalled for them to sit, and Caspar pulled up two gilt and velvet chairs.
The older woman’s gaze swept over Charlotte.
‘I have heard about you, Miss Baird.’
Charlotte lowered her eyes.
‘You are the young lady who took the photograph that upset my son.’
‘Yes.’ Charlotte paused for a moment, ‘Your Majesty.’
The Empress laughed. ‘Oh don’t worry, I haven’t come here to scold you. In fact I must apologise if Rudi insulted you. He can be so headstrong.’
Charlotte did not smile back. ‘It was Captain Middleton your son insulted. I don’t think he noticed me.’
Earl Spencer, who was listening to this exchange, studied the floor with great attention.
Sisi continued, ‘Poor Rudi. He is so protective of me, he knows that I cannot bear to be photographed.’
‘But how can that possibly be, Your Majesty?’ Caspar broke in. ‘Someone as lovely as you should be photographed all the time. As a photographer I feel it is a crime to hide your beauty from the public gaze.’
Sisi looked amazed at this interruption, but Caspar’s smile did not waver.
‘But I do not wish to be gazed on by the public in a photograph. I don’t care to be gaped at in magazines, or displayed in shop windows. I am a queen, not a mannequin.’
Countess Festetics broke in, ‘Majesty, you sound a little hoarse. May I fetch you some water?’
‘No, no, I am fine.’ Sisi waved her away.
Charlotte was about to reply, but Caspar forestalled her.
‘Well, that is a great pity. The history of art would be much poorer without the great royal portraits – Velazquez, Van Dyck; I believe Your Majesty has been painted by Winterhalter. We photographers only want for the same privilege. How can we ever be respected as artists if we are denied access to the great subjects?’
‘A painting is quite different. It is a product of hours of thought and labour. A great portrait shows the soul of the sitter; that is something a photograph can never do.’
Charlotte spoke up now. ‘I disagree, Ma’am. A royal portrait is bound by its very nature to
flatter its subject, but a photograph cannot lie.’
‘You are young, Miss Baird, and if you will forgive me, obscure. You cannot know what it is like to be photographed constantly without your consent. Photographs taken in those circumstances cannot be the truth, as you put it. They are founded on deceit.’
Charlotte considered this. ‘I sincerely regret taking your photograph without your knowledge, but the photograph itself was not a lie.’
There was a pause, and then Sisi smiled.
‘Ah, but you are young and we all have great opinions when we are young. I think when you are a little older you will see things differently. Here is Captain Middleton. You know Miss Baird, I think?’
‘Yes, Ma’am.’
‘We have been having a delightful discussion about her hobby.’ She turned to Charlotte. ‘Tell me, my dear, do you still have the photograph, the one that so upset my son?’
‘No. I destroyed the negative. You need have no fears on that score.’
‘How very thorough. I feel almost sorry that you had to destroy your handiwork.’
‘I had good reasons, Ma’am,’ Charlotte said, looking briefly at Bay.
The Empress caught the look and signalled to Countess Festetics that she should gather her things. Having seen the Baird girl, she was no longer worried about her effect on Bay. The girl was insignificant.
‘I am afraid I can no longer fight my headache. We shall have to go. Such a delightful occasion, but I am afraid it has quite tired me out.’
The Empress rose, and as the room noticed, they too got to their feet.
‘Such a pleasant occasion, Lady Crewe, and such a lovely bride. Thank you so much.’ The Empress glided towards the door, followed by Countess Festetics and Lord Crewe. At the door she stopped and said in a clear voice, ‘Captain Middleton, I am sure you want to say goodbye to your friends.’
Bay, who had not followed her to the door, stood in the middle of the room – the focus of all eyes. He turned to Charlotte and said, ‘You will remember your promise.’
Charlotte said, as evenly as she could, ‘If you have time to call before I go to America, then I shall be delighted to see you.’
‘You are actually going?’
‘I wasn’t sure before, but now I am. But you don’t have time to stand here talking to me. Your mistress is waiting.’
Bay looked at her, his face contorted with regret. But before he could say anything in reply, Augusta walked to where they were standing and placed herself between them, her cheeks red.
‘Captain Middleton,’ she hissed, ‘the Empress is waiting.’
‘Goodbye, Bay,’ Charlotte said.
The room fell silent as Bay walked towards the door where Sisi stood, her body turned in motion like Diana fleeing Actaeon. When he was about five paces away, the Empress, seeing that he was coming, turned and went through the door and down the stairs, leaving Bay to follow.
He paused at the door and looked back at Charlotte, before disappearing.
Caspar, who was standing next to Charlotte, said, ‘Poor fellow, it can’t be easy being an imperial lackey.’
‘No, and he doesn’t have your talent for flattery either, so it must be harder still.’ Charlotte turned her face away from him.
* * *
As Bay came down the stairs, Countess Festetics appeared as if from nowhere and took him by the arm.
‘Captain Middleton, I am so glad to be seeing you.’
Bay smiled at her.
‘How are you, Festy?’
‘I am worried, dear Captain. It was not kind of you to disappear like this. It has been most sad without you. The Empress has not smiled, I am thinking, since you left. It is necessary that you should come back.’
‘But the Empress asked me to stay away.’
‘For one day, maybe two when the Crown Prince was there. She does not want any unpleasantnessess with her son. But since then she has been waiting every day for you to come back. That is why we came here today, not to see some wedding, but to see you.’
Bay looked at the floor. But the Countess dug her fingers into his arm and forced him to look at her.
‘I know that you do not love my mistress as I do, Captain, but I think you care for her. You made her happy, now you are making her unhappy.’
Bay said slowly, ‘I wish she hadn’t come here today.’
‘I also. I have tried to stop her, but she is not listening. Now, dear Captain, you must go, she is waiting for you.’ The little countess almost pushed him out of the door.
The coachman was waiting to open the carriage door. As Bay climbed in, he saw that Sisi was sitting in the corner opposite him, her face hidden by her fan. The carriage blinds were drawn.
When the coachman closed the door Bay said, ‘Sisi?’, but still she did not lower the fan. He waited for a moment and then, sitting directly opposite her, he gently pulled the hand holding the fan away from her face.
The Empress was crying.
Bay saw that her even her tears were elegant: they left her eyes shining, but had not made her nose red.
He found a handkerchief in his pocket and started to wipe the tears away from her cheeks.
She caught his hand in hers.
‘Oh, I am sorry, Bay. I should not have come today. But I have missed you so.’ She looked up at him through wet lashes.
Bay could not resist the appeal in her eyes. Even though he knew it was a mistake, he could not stop himself. He took her other hand in his and began to kiss away the tears until he found her mouth.
The carriage began to move.
‘I am not worth crying over, dearest Sisi.’
‘I was so happy here in England with you. But then Rudolph has to spoil everything. He doesn’t understand. Please tell me that you have forgiven him.’
‘There is nothing to forgive,’ said Bay.
This time Sisi, her tears dried, kissed him.
‘Oh, I am so glad. But I will make sure that your paths do not cross again. Then we can be happy as we were before. We will hunt every day and forget about my crazy son.’
The scent of her hair, that heady mixture of brandy and eau de cologne, made feel Bay feel quite dizzy. He thought that he would like to open the window.
‘But I can’t come back to Easton Neston now. The National is on Saturday.’
‘The National? I know it is a race but is it really so important?’
‘The Grand National is the greatest steeplechase in the country.’ Seeing that she did not understand, he continued, ‘Imagine the fastest ride to hounds you have ever had with a different jump every minute. Four miles, and sixteen fences against the best riders in the country.’
‘But you are the best rider in the country.’
‘Gentleman rider, perhaps, but there are professional jockeys riding too. Irish boys who ride like banshees. I have seen them at Aintree, they have no fear.’
Sisi put her fingers to his lips. ‘You will have no fear – because I will be there. I shall come and watch you win your race.’
She was smiling now, her mood light again.
‘I will tell Nopsca to make the arrangements.’
The carriage had slowed down, and Bay lifted the blind. He recognised the gates of Devonshire House. A shaft of light fell across the interior of the carriage. He noticed that there were tiny lines forming around Sisi’s lips as she smiled.
‘Oh Bay, I am so glad that we have no more misunderstandings,’ and she held his hand to her breast so that he could feel her heart beating.
As he sat in the carriage, his hand against the Empress’s heart, her eyes fixed on his face, Bay heard a paperboy shouting the evening’s headlines and it occurred to him what the world would think of Captain Middleton riding around London in the Empress of Austria’s carriage with the blinds drawn. Most people would think it was scandalous; some more worldly spectators would think it was perhaps a little ostentatious. All of them would assume that he, Captain Middleton, was the Empress’s acknowledged love
r. The Empress was smiling at him, her eyes shining, her face radiant under the hat with the peacock feathers. Bay wondered if she was aware of any of this. Had she in fact drawn the blinds to the carriage before starting to cry? But if it had been a trap, Bay thought, then he had walked into it quite willingly.
The carriage came to a halt. Bay looked through the blinds and saw that they were outside Claridge’s Hotel.
The Empress said, ‘Will you come in?’
‘I must go back to Aintree. I don’t trust the grooms to feed Tipsy properly.’
‘Till Saturday then.’ Sisi leant over and kissed him.
‘Till Saturday,’ said Bay.
The Adelphi
Liverpool
Dear Fred,
I hope that your wedding trip has been everything you hoped for and that Augusta has found Italy to her taste. I must apologise for not being there to welcome you on your return, but by the time you read this letter I will be somewhere in North America. Depending on the length of your wedding trip, I might be in New York, or possibly at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. At any rate I will not be in Charles Street.
I suspect that you will be very much vexed by my departure. I know that you will be worried about my safety and Augusta will be disappointed not to be able to guide me through the season. But I promise you that I will be exceedingly careful. It may temper Augusta’s disappointment to know that I enclose the key to my jewel case. I have left the diamonds in the vault at Drummonds, except for the tiara, which I had to pawn in order to pay for my passage. I would be grateful if you could redeem it on your return. I imagine that Augusta might like to wear it. Please do not worry about me, Fred, I shall only be gone for a few months. But if you want me to return you will have to wire me money to New York as I don’t think the tiara will take me across the Atlantic and back. Grace, the Melton maid, is with me – so you don’t need to worry about me being unchaperoned, and Mr Hewes will be travelling on the same boat, the SS Britannic. He promises to translate American into English for me.
This is not an elopement, dear Fred, I did not elope with Captain Middleton at a time when I would have been very happy to become his wife, to spare your feelings. I am not eloping now.
I suspect that you may be angry when you read this, but not, I hope, for long. I am sure Augusta will look very splendid in the Lennox diamonds.
The Fortune Hunter Page 36