A Fatal Waltz

by Tasha Alexander

  “That’s all he’ll need to be able to afford it. I can’t think of anything sweeter than struggling together.”

  “It will be lovely, I’m sure.” Harrison waited until we were at the end of the block, then crossed to the other side.

  “Things are more simple when you’re not swimming in money, don’t you think? Sharing a snug little house, eating soup all the time. It’s so romantic I can hardly bear it.”

  “Poverty isn’t a game, Anna.” My voice was throaty, harsher than I’d intended. I glanced backwards; he was still following us.

  “Of course not. But we wouldn’t really be in poverty. It would be more like Marie Antoinette in her little rustic village at Versailles. Papa would never let me starve.”

  “I’ve seen the circumstances in which the poor are forced to live. It’s appalling. And for either of us, who’ve never known real hardship in our lives, to speak lightly of their plight…I can’t abide it.”

  She fell silent. The footsteps behind us quickened.

  “Come, I didn’t mean to upset you.” I increased my pace, and soon was all but pulling her alongside me.

  “Please, Lady Ashton, can’t we slow down?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m just so cold.” We were only two blocks from her house. “Has Friedrich painted your portrait?”

  “No, but I’m going to sit for him next week. If, that is, you and Madame du Lac will help me come up with an adequate excuse to escape from my house.”

  “That shouldn’t pose a problem.”

  Harrison had crossed the street again and was walking directly opposite us, his top hat pulled low over his face, hands in his pockets, and shoulders hunched. The cold air could not compete with the chill I felt at finding myself so close to him. Another block to go.

  “I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for all that the two of you have done for us. I’d nearly given up hope.”

  “Never abandon hope.” We had reached the beginning of her block. Her father’s house stood in the middle, and though I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I saw it, I did not slow my pace until we’d reached the stoop. I ducked inside with Anna and asked for the family’s carriage to be ordered for me, but when I exited it after arriving back at the Imperial, I realized that Mr. Harrison was not so easily deterred.

  “You will not escape from me unless I allow it,” he said, stepping out from behind the carriage and gripping my arm so hard I knew it would bruise. I twisted to get away from him, but he released me. “And this time I will allow it. But remember, Lady Ashton, that I know where you go, who you see, what you say. It would be remarkably simple to eliminate you.”

  He had scared me, but now I was angry, and I spun around to face him. “Then why don’t you?”

  “Only because I think you may yet be of some use to me.”

  “Highly unlikely, Mr. Harrison.”

  “I hear rumors that you’re planning to return to England.”

  “Idle gossip,” I said.

  “The best kind.” His hands were in his pockets, and I could see he was fingering something in one of them. “I’ve never doubted that you’d choose Hargreaves over Brandon.”

  “I’ve no need to make such a choice.”

  “Yes, you do.” He handed me a piece of paper. “But you should understand that the likelihood of your saving either of them is negligible at best. Brandon’s case is all but hopeless, and Hargreaves…though he’s capable of taking care of himself, I share your concern that his careless arrogance may prove his undoing.”

  I held up the paper. “Shall I read this now or later?”

  “It makes no difference. Either way I’ll know your reaction.”

  “I’m going inside before you grow even more tedious,” I said. “I do hope you enjoy gauging my response to your missive.” I marched into the hotel and doubled back through the lobby to make sure he hadn’t followed me. He did not reappear, but I found Jeremy sitting on a couch in the smoking room, cigarette in his hand.

  “What are you doing still down here?” I asked, taking the seat next to him.

  “Nothing.”

  “I’ve had an adventurous afternoon,” I said.

  “Is that so?” He studied his cigarette as if it held the secrets of the universe.

  “Another encounter with Mr. Harrison.”

  He bristled. “Did he harm you? I shouldn’t have let you leave the hotel without me.”

  “I’m perfectly fine. A bit scared, if I’m honest, but more angry than anything.”

  “Do you need something from me, Em?”

  “I can’t stand this silence between us. I need your friendship. I miss you, Jeremy, and I hate feeling so distant from you. Will you never laugh with me again?”

  “I’ve behaved abominably,” he said, tapping his cigarette on a crystal ashtray.

  “You behave abominably nine-tenths of the time. What makes this instance so different?”

  He dropped his head against the back of the seat and blew a stream of silver smoke towards the ceiling. “I suppose there’s no use hiding the truth from you.”

  “There’s nothing you need hide from me.”

  “Oh, Em…” He groaned. “I love you. I suppose I always have. But when I kissed you…” He sat up straight and at last let a smile escape, then shook his head. “You’ve ruined me.”

  “Jeremy, I—”

  “Don’t say it. I know you love Hargreaves, et cetera, et cetera. Spare me the romantic details, will you?”

  “You’ll meet someone else, these feelings will—”

  “No, I won’t have it. Don’t tell me to look elsewhere, that my feelings will change. I don’t want them to. You know what an obstinate brat I am.”

  “You only feel like this because I’m unattainable. You’ve never wanted to marry,” I said.

  “I’ll admit there’s some truth in that, but you needn’t point it out so callously. I may be a cad, but I do have some feelings. You could at least acknowledge the terrible pain I’m suffering.” I could hear the beginnings of a smile in his voice.

  “Now you sound like your old self.” I stopped myself from reaching across and patting his arm.

  “I see what you’re doing. Afraid to touch me now, are you?”

  “I only—” I sighed. “I don’t want to make things worse for you.”

  “Things couldn’t be worse for me, and you can blame yourself not only for my own broken heart, but for the demise of the House of Sheffield. I shall never marry.”

  “You always were a master of melodrama.”

  “We all must have some skill. But my uncle will thank me. If I lead a dissolute enough life, I may die early. He’s always coveted my estate, and even if I should outlive him, his idiot son will inherit. And you, my dear girl, will have single-handedly destroyed one of the oldest families in England.”

  “Mmm.” I smiled. “I see now why you don’t want to marry. This makes for a much better story.”

  “I shall forever be known as the Bachelor Duke.”

  “I can already hear the mothers of every eligible girl in England keening.”

  “What’s the provision for bastard children? Perhaps I could father some, and they’d challenge my cousin for the title.”

  “They’d never be allowed to inherit.”

  “How disappointing. I’ve quite a wonderful vision of them laying siege to Farringdon. Whose side do you think my tenants would take?”

  “How generous are you with them at harvest time?”

  “I love your cynicism.” He released a long breath. “I feel much better having this out in the open. You don’t despise me for having kissed you?”

  “I could never despise you. Besides, this wasn’t the first time.”

  “Em! I may be a monster, but I do make a point of remembering which ladies I’ve kissed.”

  “I was ten years old. We were by the lake on my father’s estate. I’d fallen out of a tree. You picked me up off the ground, made sure nothing was broken, and kissed
me.”

  “So you’re suggesting that I make a habit of kissing women I’ve rescued?”

  “Yes. And I’ve problems more pressing than your debauched methods of consolation.”

  He lit another cigarette and studied my face, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Tell me—did you enjoy it? Just a bit?”

  “Maybe a very little bit.” I couldn’t help smiling. “Your…technique has improved over the years.”

  “You’re very bad. I shall live on that for the next five years. After that, take heed, I have every intention of kissing you again.”

  “And I every intention of avoiding it.”

  “You’re right, Em, this is why I love you.”

  Chapter 21

  I had glanced at the paper Mr. Harrison had given me as soon as I’d walked into the lobby, and looked at it again now as I sat with Jeremy. It contained a single sentence:

  I will take great pleasure in destroying all your happiness.

  “What are you going to do?” Jeremy asked, leaning over to read it with me.

  “I don’t know,” I said, and quickly recounted for him all that had happened.

  “You don’t need to worry about Hargreaves. No one’s going to kill him.”

  “I’m not certain that’s a subject on which I can trust you.” I smiled.

  “Well, I might kill him, certainly, if the circumstances were right. But seriously, Em. You can’t spend your life trying to save him from his work. You have to trust that he knows what he’s doing.”

  “Schröder will assassinate him if I stop bringing him information.”

  “Do you trust Kristiana to help you?”

  “To a degree.” I rubbed my temples. “I’m just afraid. How can I leave him?”

  “Harrison wants you to stay in Vienna. That’s why he’s orchestrated all this,” Jeremy said. “Have you forgotten that he’s your prime suspect for Fortescue’s murder? Don’t you think he wants you far away from any evidence that could implicate him?”

  “Then who is trying to lure me back to England?” It all sounded reasonable when Jeremy said it, but I could not shake the feeling that he was absolutely wrong.

  “I’ve not the slightest idea.” He let his eyes meet mine for a beat longer than he ought to have, then looked down. “I can hardly bear to look at you. I’m never going to forgive you for bringing angst to my life, Em.”

  “Perhaps it’s the punishment you’ve earned for living such a profligate life.”

  “It would help if you’d stop being so bloody charming.” He kissed my hand.

  “I think my new mission will be to find you a wife. I can’t think of anything that would make me less appealing to you. Let’s see…whatever happened to Lettice Frideswide? She’s not yet engaged, is she?”

  TWO DAYS LATER, Sissi came to us at the Imperial for tea. As one might imagine, the arrival of an empress at a hotel caused a furor. She came with two bodyguards, who stood at her side while the manager made an impromptu speech and presented her with an Imperial torte. She gave a faint smile to the crowd that gathered to watch (Meg alerted us to the excitement so that Cécile and I didn’t miss it) and looked relieved when we whisked her upstairs.

  “I’m so tired,” she said, once we were ensconced in our suite. “But it’s such a relief to be out of the palace.”

  “We’re glad you could come,” I said. “I can’t thank you enough for sending your guard.”

  “I hope it’s helped,” she said.

  “We’ve not been troubled inside the hotel since his arrival.” I had poured tea for all of us and was now cutting the Imperial torte.

  “I can’t have that,” Sissi said, shaking her head at the piece I offered her.

  “What’s your current slimming plan?” Cécile asked. “Are you eating nothing but celery broth?”

  “Does it even matter? It’s clearly not working.”

  “You’re ridiculous as always,” Cécile said. “You’re wasting away.”

  “You’re too kind,” the empress said.

  “It was not a compliment, Sissi.” Cécile put a plate with a slice of torte in front of her. “Eat.”

  She took a single bite, but no more. “What is the amusement you’ve planned for me this afternoon?” she asked. “I was all curiosity when I read your note.”

  “I’ve asked a friend to join us. I think you’ll find him excessively charming,” Cécile said. “He’s an artist, and I want you to let him sketch you.”

  “Absolutely not,” she said. But half an hour later, when Friedrich at last joined us, Cécile had very nearly changed her mind with an artfully delivered series of cajoling compliments combined with a moving account of the obstacles the stood in the way of our young friends’ love.

  “I do wish you had ironed your coat,” Cécile said as Friedrich sat down next to her. “How did you expect to make a good impression?”

  “I had no expectation of Her Highness—Her Majesty—” He looked at Sissi, eyes full of confusion. “Forgive me, ma’am, I don’t even know how to address you.”

  “There is something charming about him,” Sissi said, leaning towards Cécile. “You really think it will make a difference in his career if I do this?”

  “Oui,” Cécile said. “Let him make your likeness and then give the picture to me. I want something to remember you by other than portraits from your youth. You were beautiful then, but you’ve character now.” Her hair—said to be ankle-length—was still thick and surprisingly free of gray, though not as lustrous as I suspected it had been in her youth. An olive complexion that must have once glowed was now dull and pale, but this did not detract from the delicate beauty of her chiseled features and wide eyes. Cécile looked at her closely. “I much prefer this version of you. Perfection, chérie, is not so charming as people believe. It’s bland.”

  “I’ve no energy to argue with you.” Her voice was listless, but her eyes showed the slightest hint of a sparkle. “Go ahead. Do I have to sit still?”

  “I’d rather you didn’t,” Friedrich said. “I need to see the life in you to capture it.” So we ate Imperial torte—layer upon layer of the most exquisite chocolate cake and almond paste—and drank tea while his fingers flew. He worked quickly, charcoal gliding over the paper with remarkable speed. It was like watching someone dance. Before long, he stopped, placed his pencil on the table, and held his sketchbook at arm’s length. “Ja. It is you.”

  He stood and crossed over to Sissi, handing her the pad so that only she could see it. She looked at it, and tears streamed down her pale face. “I am no longer this lovely.”

  “You are to all who see you,” he said. “It is not always wise to believe mirrors.”

  “I think I will give this to my husband.” She had not taken her eyes off the paper. “He will recognize me in it.”

  “Will you show it to us?” I asked.

  “No.” She handed it back to Friedrich, who rolled it into a tube and tied it with a bit of string that he pulled from his jacket pocket. “Danke,” she said.

  “Bitte,” he replied.

  “I almost wish I were wearing a gown that showed off my tattoo,” she said.

  “Tattoo?” Friedrich asked.

  “Yes. An anchor. On my shoulder.” Then she laughed, and the smile that moved from her lips to her eyes made her face come alive and I saw, just for an instant, how beautiful she had been before grief ravaged her. She rose from her chair, and as I watched her prepare to leave us, I found that I could not resist approaching her.

  “Your Highness?” My voice was tentative as I stepped close to her. “May I speak to you privately?”

  “I suppose. What is it?” She had switched to speaking Greek.

  “I share your suspicions about Mayerling.” My command of the modern language was lacking; I hoped that she could make sense of what I said. “There is an Englishman in Vienna right now who may know something about your son’s death.”

  “Who?”

  “A man you’re already familiar
with. Mr. Harrison.”

  “What does he know?”

  “I’m only suspicious of him. I don’t know details.”

  “I know that there was a plot—I know they assassinated my darling Rudolf.”

  “Have you any evidence that I might be able to use to convince him to speak to me? Even a small fact might make him think that I know more than I do.”

  “I’ve had everyone I can think of looking for evidence. It was all destroyed. But I do know this: the gun that killed my son was fired six times. He was an excellent shot. Why would it have taken so many attempts for him to kill the Vestera girl and then himself? It makes no sense. And there were bruises on his body. He must have been struggling with someone.” She clutched my arm. “If you can learn anything, you must tell me. I’m certain my husband knows more than I do, and I must find out what he’s hiding.”

  “I will do all I can,” I said.

  “What were you discussing?” Cécile asked after Sissi had left, surrounded by the bodyguards who had waited for her outside the door.

  “Mayerling,” I said. “She deserves to know the truth.”

  NEW YEAR’S EVE HAD ARRIVED, and the entire city was in a festive mood. People all but waltzed as they walked through the town, anticipating the evening’s balls. Musicians lugged their instruments, ready for a long night, while florists delivered heaping mounds of flowers to fill the city’s ballrooms, the occasional stray petal floating to the snowy street, a bright spot against dirty gray. Young ladies beamed, heads tilted together, laughing voices predicting full dance cards and stolen kisses. The streets even smelled festive: pine garlands left from Christmas mingling with baking bread and mulling spices.

  Colin’s work had taken him to a small town outside Vienna, and he would not return until the next day, but Cécile, Jeremy, and I had tickets to the opera, where Strauss’s Die Fledermaus would be performed. After that, we planned to go to the Imperial Ball. But before I could give myself over to revelry, I had to meet Herr Schröder.