Madame Koska & the Imperial Brooch

by ILIL ARBEL

  “It’s you, my dear. Several women may use the same kohl or lipstick, but the result would look very different on each one. You give the face its character.”

  “If I looked like that every day, I would not be so scared,” said Natalya.

  “That’s my intention,” said Madame Koska. “Next time the Inspector calls, he will be talking to a confident, strong young lady, not a trembling little rabbit. Feeling good about yourself makes all the difference. And now, take a look at the other clothes I brought. When you sew at night, by the way, no more extra work for the atelier. The dresses I brought are only the core of an excellent collection that you will create with your good sewing skills. We have just begun your transformation, my dear.”

  “I don’t know how to thank you, Madame Koska,” said Natalya humbly.

  “No need to thank me at all. I am doing it for all of us. And tomorrow morning, come to the atelier about half an hour early, and I’ll show you how to apply a proper daytime look. But you always come so early anyway, we’ll have plenty of time. And another thing; when you take a clean smock tomorrow, choose the dark blue with cream stripe. Not the pink and white.”

  “Why?” asked Natalya, intrigued.

  “It will bring out your eyes. Until now, I only saw pale, washed-out blue eyes. With the makeup on, they look like aquamarines.”

  “My favorite stone,” said Natalya, enchanted.

  “Really? Then we must get you some jewellery piece that you should wear most of the time, what they call a signature piece, with an aquamarine. The best thing would be earrings, since they are easy to wear and won’t interfere with your work. We can’t afford the real thing, since those who have the properly saturated colour are extremely expensive, but there are many very good imitations made from paste or semi-precious stones.”

  Natalya laughed. “In the past I would have said that wearing an imitation stone is not for a real lady, but now…with my new look, I would love it! And since I know a lot about gems, I can pick some that no one would guess.”

  “She is learning very quickly,” said Madame Golitsyn, satisfied.

  While Natalya was looking through the clothes, happily absorbed, Madame Koska took Madame Golitsyn to the kitchen, in the pretence of making tea.

  “Annushka, I lost my temper this evening,” she said contritely. “It was very bad.”

  “Not again, Vera…with whom?”

  “Gretchen.”

  “Well, I can’t blame you. I wanted to beat her,” said Madame Golitsyn.

  “But when I shouted at her, I lost my Russian accent.”

  “Oh, Vera…she is the last person you can trust. That is not good.”

  “I know. My only hope is that she did not notice since she was so upset when I told her what I thought of her.”

  “But what did you say to her?”

  “I told her that I knew she did not tell us everything, Annushka, and I was right. You would never guess what she was hiding, not in a million years. Her uncle, the respectable Mr. Howard, goes regularly to a fancy opium den by the river.”

  “And she did not tell the police, the little idiot? Why not?”

  “Who knows? She has no common sense, for all her scholarship. By now the two annoying sisters, the Plimpton-Anderson girls, and Mr. Howard, must be under suspicion of some irregularity. And I remember distinctly, Annushka, that Mr. Howard was very much annoyed when the conversation at dinner led to the stolen brooch. He really did not want anyone to discuss it. It’s getting more complicated every step we take.”

  “You must tell all of that to the inspector,” said Madame Golitsyn.

  “Of course, I’ll be in touch with him tomorrow morning,” said Madame Koska. “Annushka, I just thought about something rather funny. Earlier this evening, when I was screaming at Gretchen, I told her that looks mean nothing, and integrity and character were everything. A few minutes ago, I told Natalya that clothes and makeup make the woman, and her new image would be the cure to her fears. And yet I don’t feel I was wrong in either statement. I don’t feel there is a contradiction here.”

  “There is no contradiction, Vera. Being a woman is a very complicated matter,” said Madame Golitsyn. “You told both of them what they needed to hear. And thank you so much for what you have just done for Natalya.”

  “And for you, Annushka, don’t forget! You will never have to look at Natalya’s red nose again!”

  Madame Koska was surprised when the telephone rang at such an early hour. She had just entered the atelier, and was alone there.

  “They are gone,” she heard Inspector Blount say. “The whole crew skipped town.”

  “Who is gone?” said Madame Koska.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Howard, the Plimpton-Anderson sisters, and as far as I know, Miss Van der Hoven,” said the inspector. “That is why I am calling. I wanted to know if she was with you.”

  “No, she is not supposed to be here before ten,” said Madame Koska. “How did you find out?”

  “I sent a man there to question them, very early this morning; he just called back. The servants are there, swathing everything in the front rooms in dust sheets.”

  “Do they know any details?”

  “They said Mr. Howard was called on urgent business to Paris, and that Mrs. Howard decided to go with him; they thought she wanted to shop there. They don’t know how long their employers will stay in Paris. They may go to Switzerland after that.”

  “Did they leave an address?”

  “No, they said they’ll let the servants know later. They were not sure in which hotel they would stay.”

  “And the sisters vent vith them?”

  “No, apparently the sisters left last night to go to their home. I’ll have to contact someone there, we know the address, but unless I have a good reason I can’t pursue them out of my district. Right now all I have on them are vague suspicions.”

  “And the servants said nothing about Gretchen?”

  “They said she left last night to stay with friends, taking only a little luggage.”

  “So if she comes at ten, should I telephone you, Inspector?”

  “There will be no need, thank you, Madame Koska.”

  “Oh, yes. I forgot. There is alvays a man in the front.”

  “Exactly so; and at this point, more than one has been stationed. If she comes, I will follow immediately. Please don’t say a word to Miss Van der Hoven, it’s best to pretend you know nothing.”

  “Of course, Inspector, but I vant to tell you something new about Mr. Howard,” said Madame Koska, and told him about Gretchen’s revelations regarding the opium taken by Mr. Howard.

  “Interesting,” said the inspector. “That puts everything in a different light.”

  “Indeed,” said Madame Koska, but he had already hung up. She stood by the telephone, thinking about the news, which again did not quite fit in. Mr. Howard certainly made himself look very bad by leaving, but she did not believe he was a key figure in the theft of the brooch. More likely, he was a small, marginal figure in the Eurasian gang, probably did some opium business with them. It would be a good idea to discuss the opium den by the river with Mr. Korolenko. He was bound to know all about it…. Madame Koska stood by the front desk, drumming on it with her fingernails. At this moment Natalya walked into the atelier and Madame Koska smiled at her. “Quite early, Miss Saltykov. Let’s do the makeup before everyone arrives.” She was adamant Natalya must look her best before the inspector came in to terrify her.

  Taking Natalya to her office, Madame Koska gave her one of the blue smocks to put around her shoulders, and explained to her how to apply a small amount of foundation, powder and rouge that would make her face glow but not look obviously made up. She saw with approval that Natalya had done her hair exactly the way she showed her the night before, and had done it quite deftly. She put a touch of the coral salve on Natalya’s lips, showing her exactly how to avoid a heavy layer and create a luminous look by tapping, not smearing the salve. Natalya look
ed in the mirror and smiled with pleasure. “I am a different person again, Madame Koska. Thank you!”

  The seamstresses began to come in just as Natalya settled herself at the embroidery table. One of them looked at her with surprise. “I like your new hairdo, Miss Saltykov,” she offered. Natalya thanked her and the other women also expressed their approbation. “You look very well, quite changed, with this hairdo,” said one of them. Apparently no one could tell that the change involved more than the hair, but they kept sneaking an occasional look at Natalya, who did not seem to notice and was placidly embroidering.

  At a few minutes to ten Gretchen came in. Madame Koska greeted her as if nothing had happened in Gretchen’s home life or as a result of yesterday’s heated conversation. Gretchen went to comb her hair as usual and then sat at the telephones, ready for the day’s work. At this moment, Inspector Blount came in and she greeted him politely. Gretchen did not seem in the least concerned about his arrival, Madame Koska noted with some surprise.

  “Would you kindly follow me to Madame Koska’s office?” asked the inspector, and the three of them went in. The inspector shut the door and turned around, leaning on it. “Miss Van der Hoven,” he said, “I believe there is something you need to tell me.”

  “Do you mean about my uncle?” asked Gretchen, sighing. “Yes, Madame Koska told me last night that you might be interested in his opium habit. He goes to a place by the river where many well-known people go to smoke opium. This is so disturbing. I imagine you know this place, don’t you, Inspector?”

  “I may, if I were sure where it was,” said the inspector. “But that is not what I mean. I am talking about the fact that your uncle and aunt have left home to go to Paris on urgent business.”

  “What?” said Gretchen, “left home? No, no. They did not go anywhere, it was me. I went yesterday to stay with my friend at our neighbours’ estate. She is home for a few days and called me last night to invite me. I asked my aunt and she said I could certainly go, on a lark, why not? So I took just a few things and went there. I’ll be returning home after the weekend.”

  “If you return home after the weekend, Miss Van der Hoven, you will find everything covered in white dust sheets,” said the inspector. “Your aunt and uncle seemed to have been in a great hurry if they did not inform you.”

  “But that is impossible! What about the Misses Plimpton-Anderson?” asked Gretchen. “They were right there when I left and expected to be there when I came back. They did not say goodbye to me as if they were about to depart.”

  “They must have left after you did, then,” said the inspector.

  “I am completely confused, Inspector,” said Gretchen. “Why would they do such a thing?”

  “I have no idea,” said the inspector. “I was hoping you could enlighten me.”

  “All I know is what you just told me, Inspector. This is just too strange…and what am I to do? I can’t stay at my friend’s home forever. Honestly, I don’t understand what they were thinking. They could have at least sent me a message!”

  Madame Koska said nothing during the entire conversation. She felt Gretchen was telling the truth, strange as the story sounded. She also had an uncomfortable sensation that Gretchen was not safe at the friend’s house. It was rather a strange coincidence that they would conveniently invite the girl to stay with them just as her uncle was planning to escape. No, it was too convenient. Who knows what connection the friends had with the opium den, or with the gang, or with the theft of the brooch?

  “Inspector,” she said. “I don’t think Gretchen is safe vhere she is.”

  “I was about to say the exact same thing, Madame Koska,” said the inspector.

  “Not safe?” asked Gretchen. “From what?”

  “I don’t trust your uncle’s friends,” said Inspector Blount. “The neat way in which you were cleared out of the way before your uncle’s departure does not bode well.” Gretchen said nothing but looked extremely scared; her golden skin turned sickly pale and her eyes were full of fear.

  “Do you have a friend in the city you can stay with?” asked the inspector.

  “She can stay with me,” said Madame Koska. “I have an extra bedroom, and ve can send someone to get your clothes, or anything else you need from the house, Miss Van der Hoven.”

  “Thank you, Madame Koska,” said Gretchen very meekly.

  “Don’t vorry, my dear,” said Madame Koska. “You vill be safe in my apartment, and I am sure vithin a few days everything vill fall into place. Can you send someone to the neighbours’ estate to get her things, Inspector? It might be a bit awkvard for me to show them I know they are under investigation. Then ve’ll call the servants at the house, and Miss Van der Hoven can tell them vhat she vants them to send. I don’t think she should go there at all.”

  “Certainly,” said the inspector. “I will be sending someone to question the neighbours right away, anyway, if you will just give me their name and address, Miss Van der Hoven. My man will bring your things. You can go back to work now, everything will be fine.” Gretchen left the room quietly.

  “I did not expect Mr. Howard to be involved,” said the inspector, closing the door carefully behind Gretchen’s retreating back. “He has such a respectable reputation. Who would have suspected he takes opium?”

  “I never quite trusted him, Inspector,” said Madame Koska. “Vhen I visited them, ve had a short conversation at dinner about the stolen brooch. Mr. Howard vas abrupt about it, almost rude; he refused to discuss it.”

  “So you think he is involved with the theft?” asked the inspector, surprised.

  “No, not actively involved, but I think he knows something about it,” said Madame Koska.

  “We may find out more about it after questioning the neighbours, or we may not,” said the inspector. “But one thing is clear—I must visit the opium den. Yes, I know which one the girl was talking about. It’s a place we usually don’t bother since important people go there. But I might ask someone to inquire discreetly before I move in with full force.”

  “Someone I know?” asked Madame Koska and smiled.

  “Perhaps,” said the inspector, smiling back.

  “He is going to be here any minute,” said Madame Koska. “Today is one of the times he comes over to teach me.”

  “That is quite convenient,” said the inspector.

  “I vill get us some coffee and ve can talk,” said Madame Koska. At this moment Mr. Korolenko came in, and stopped to say hello to Gretchen. Before she could say anything, the inspector was out of Madame Koska’s office and by his side. “Come inside, Korolenko,” he said quickly. Mr. Korolenko quietly followed him.

  After hearing the story from Inspector Blount, Mr. Korolenko was deep in thought for a few minutes. “I am not sure it’s a good idea,” he finally said. “I mean, keeping Gretchen with you, Madame Koska.”

  “Why is that?” asked the inspector.

  “It might endanger Madame Koska, since I am certain Gretchen is followed. Something is sure to happen soon,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But I don’t have another solution to offer.”

  “I will place quite enough people around the area,” said Inspector Blount, sipping his coffee.

  “But in the apartment, they will be alone,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Do you know how to use a handgun, Madame Koska?”

  “Yes, I do. A long time ago, my husband taught me how to use it. He felt everyone should be able to defend themselves. He vas quite good at it.”

  “Do you have one?”

  “No,” said Madame Koska. “I am afraid I don’t. My husband took his handgun with him when he vanished.”

  “I’ll get you a small one,” said Inspector Blount. “And we’ll go over the details to refresh your memory.”

  “Thank you,” said Madame Koska. “I hope I von’t have to use it.”

  “So do I,” said Mr. Korolenko, “but one never knows what could happen. Keep it in your handbag all the time, just in case, and keep the handbag close to y
ou. It looks natural enough for a lady to keep her handbag close by.”

  “I do anyway,” said Madame Koska. “My keys, my makeup, a torch, it’s important to have it on hand.”

  “And now, “said the inspector, “I’d like a word with Miss Saltykov.”

  “Is there anything new she is connected with?” asked Madame Koska.

  “No. I only want to inquire about the box of ironing cloths.”

  “Very vell,” said Madame Koska. “I vill go and bring her over.”

  As they entered the room, the inspector said, “No, I needed to see Miss Salt… Oh, sorry, you are Miss Saltykov! You look different… I did not recognise you for a minute.”

  Natalya smiled and sat down without being asked. She was wearing the blue smock which brought out her eyes, and they looked bright and beautiful even when not surrounded with kohl and Rimmel. Madame Koska noticed with great satisfaction that Natalya, who unless working always sat nervously on the edge of her chair, now leaned back into the seat and crossed her ankles in a most ladylike pose. She wore nice low-heeled shoes made of soft black leather, one of the two pairs Madame Koska had brought her.

  “She is vearing a different hair-do, Inspector,” she volunteered. “That is vhy she looks different.”

  “Oh, I see,” said the inspector. “I am not too familiar with such things, not being a married man. You look very nice, Miss Saltykov.” Natalya acknowledged the compliment with a smile and did not say anything. Mr. Korolenko, who grasped the nature of Natalya’s transformation immediately, passed his hand over his face to hide his own smile and glanced at Madame Koska who pretended not to notice.

  “I wanted to ask you a couple more questions about the night of the attack on Madame Koska,” said the inspector, regaining his business image and pulling out his notebook.

  “Yes, Inspector,” said Natalya.

  “I have spoken to the man who sold you the ironing cloths, and everything about your time frame, the way you described it, was correct. One of my men found the box, as you know. I just wanted to ask you if you opened the box at any time during the evening, before or after you saw Madame Koska on the floor.”