Again the Marquis had questioned if this was true.
“The Imperial Royal employees,” the statesman continued, “the porters and chauffeurs were all in uniforms decorated with gold and silver. The difference lies in that they are engaged by the year, while the women are employed by the month and only engaged while the Court is in session at the Neues Palace.”
“I am only surprised that this story is not publicised in the press,” the Marquis remarked.
“There has been quite a lot of talk about it,” he was told, “but the allowances for the Royal Board are cut so fine as to be only just enough for Their Majesties entourage and their guests.”
He laughed as he added,
“I am told that when the Kaiser invites extra guests at the last moment, the courses are hurried through because there is a shortage of rations. Frequently some of the visitors are not served as if by accident.”
Remembering the grandeur when they entered the Palace today, the Marquis found it difficult to believe that there was such cheese-paring behind the Kaiser’s doors.
Yet he had been told about this situation not once, but several times, of course by those who disliked the Kaiser and his behaviour towards the Prince of Wales.
It seemed extraordinary that the Kaiser should allow women who were actually employed by the Court to suffer hunger on back staircases where the cold wind whistled.
The Marquis felt this scenario was part of the enigma of the Kaiser, who might eventually be a danger to the world where at present England reigned supreme.
Equally the Marquis knew it would be a mistake to underestimate his power or his ambition for supremacy and that he was engaged in what was for the moment a secret war.
Without really meaning to, he had involved that lovely young girl, Simona, in his plans and he was taking her into a precarious situation in which, if he suffered, so would she.
And it was too late to withdraw her from the plot.
‘I must protect her,’ the Marquis told himself. ‘I must keep her away from anything that might hurt her physically or mentally.’
At the same time as he walked downstairs, knowing that the Countess was waiting for him, he was apprehensive.
CHAPTER SIX
When luncheon was over, which as usual in Berlin was early, the Baron looked enquiringly at the Marquis.
“What are you planning to do this afternoon?”
“I need to drop in for a moment at the British Embassy,” the Marquis answered. “Since otherwise I shall be in trouble with the Ambassador. But afterwards I thought that Zivana would like to show me some of the special sights of Berlin.”
As he spoke he saw an eager look come into the Countess’s eyes. She leaned across the table to place her hand on his.
“There is nothing I should enjoy more,” she breathed, “and I have some very remarkable surprises to show you.”
She spoke in such a seductive manner, making her meaning obvious, the Marquis thought, to everyone listening.
“I will order a carriage for you,” the Baron offered, “and I hope that both of you will enjoy your sightseeing tour.”
“It is what I have been looking forward to,” the Marquis said, smiling at Zivana as he spoke.
After they left the dining room, Simona could not help feeling depressed. Surely, she thought, the Marquis understood that the Countess was dangerous. Yet he was deliberately going sightseeing with her.
He was also speaking to her in a deep voice that seemed to compliment her seductive tone. She tried to tell herself the Marquis was not her responsibility, but at the same time she was desperately afraid for him.
It was impossible for one man alone to better the Kaiser and all those who served him.
How, too, could he resist the wiles of a woman who had cajoled secrets from so many other men.
Karoline was of course completely ignorant of the intrigues swirling around her.
“What shall we do this afternoon, Simona?” she asked.
“I do not feel particularly energetic after going to the Palace this morning,” Simona replied.
“Then I know what we will do,” Karoline ventured. “There are some very interesting books I can show you which I believe are the kind you will enjoy, and we can sit in the garden in the shade.”
Simona agreed to this suggestion, and they walked into the garden where there were several comfortable chairs arranged under the trees.
However Simona found it difficult to concentrate on the books that Karoline produced, even though they were indeed the sort which had interested her enormously when they were at the school in Florence.
The two girls talked about the future now that they had completed their education.
“I intend to get married as quickly as possible, ” Karoline asserted. “It is a great mistake to be what you English call ‘an old maid’ in Germany.”
“You are not likely to be that!” Simona smiled, “but surely you want to fall in love first.”
“Papa always says that love comes after marriage and he is very keen for me to marry someone as important as he is. He is already approaching some of his friends who have sons of the right age.”
Simona thought that nothing could be more frightening than an arranged marriage. She did not say so to Karoline, but what she wanted for herself was to fall in love.
It must be with someone who loved her for herself, no matter who her parents might be and however unimpressive her antecedents.
She thought the gentleman should be tall, strong, protective and of course intelligent.
‘That is why I enjoy being with the Marquis,’ she told herself. ‘He is so astute and everything he says seems to be so interesting, quite apart from the situation he finds himself in now.’
However she decided that she must be sensible as if she was so foolish as to fall in love with the Marquis, knowing that he had no intention of marrying, he would only break her heart.
‘When I return to England’, she thought, ‘I am sure that I shall meet some charming and delightful gentlemen when Mama takes me to London for the Season.’
Then some tiresome part of her brain told her what she did not want to hear – none of them would be as handsome as the Marquis, as clever as the Marquis, or as interesting as the Marquis!
She felt that she wanted to scream and run away from him and the very thought of him.
Nevertheless she knew, if she was to be truthful, that she was watching the time until he returned from his expedition with the Countess.
They did not come back until long after tea was over. In fact it was nearly time to dress for dinner.
When they entered the drawing room, Simona could not help but notice that the Countess was looking very pleased with herself. She was also behaving even more intimately with the Marquis than earlier.
They started to tell the Baroness what they had seen and how interesting it had all been. As they did so the Countess was continually touching the Marquis with her hands. She was looking into his eyes in a manner which Simona thought was excessively vulgar.
Yet the Marquis seemed to be encouraging her and she could not understand him.
When she and Karoline walked upstairs to dress for dinner, she felt that there was a stone in her breast.
She suddenly longed to go home and be with her mother and father.
‘If the Marquis does not leave in a few days’, she thought as she dressed, ‘I will say that I have to return for a special engagement Mama has arranged for me. I cannot stay here and watch him being captured and destroyed by that horrible woman.’
As there was no party that night, the Countess was able to flirt with the Marquis all through dinner and she continued to do so when they moved into the drawing room.
Finally Simona felt she could bear it no longer and she was just about to say she was going to bed when suddenly the Marquis began to sneeze.
He sneezed and sneezed, coughed and sneezed again until there were tears in his eyes.
&nbs
p; He staggered to his feet and said,
“I do apologise – it is – hay fever. I often suffer from it – at this time – of the year.”
He spoke jerkily, sneezing between his words as he continued,
“I will – go – to bed.”
“What can we do for you? Can we send for a doctor?” the Baron asked anxiously.
“My valet – is used to – coping with this – sort of – attack,” the Marquis gasped and sneezed again. “I will – be better – in the morning and – in twenty-four hours – it will be gone – completely.”
“I am so very sorry,” the Baroness sympathised.” I do wish we could help you.”
“You – understand – I am better – when I – lie down,” the Marquis wheezed as he staggered to the door.
The Baron hurried after him to help him up the stairs.
Simona noted the expression of disappointment and frustration on the Countess’s face. She knew it was because she would certainly not see anything of the Marquis for the rest of the night.
“I wish I could do something for him,” Simona said as she went upstairs with Karoline.
“It often happens to people this time of the year,” Karoline replied. “When the trees are in blossom in the woods and the flowers in bloom, there is a great deal of pollen about.”
“Well, we are going to bed early at any rate,” Simona said, “and perhaps after being so late last night it is a good thing.”
“I am exhausted,” Karoline sighed. “Goodnight Simona dear and sleep well.”
The two girls walked to their own bedrooms.
Simona undressed and climbed into bed, where she did not feel at all sleepy. She was worrying about the Marquis, hoping that he was not suffering too much.
At least, she consoled herself, he would not have to endure the Countess putting her arms round his neck incessantly.
She heard the Baron and Baroness come up to bed and with them the Countess. They said goodnight to each other in the corridor and Simona was sure that she heard the Countess’s door close.
She wished she was brave enough to go the Marquis’s room and ask if she could help him in any way, but she knew that was something she must not do.
If his valet was there, he would certainly be very shocked. And he might inform the other servants.
‘I will just pray,’ she decided, ‘that he will have recovered by the morning.’
Soon she fell asleep to dream that she and the Marquis were driving in a very fast carriage away from the Neues Palace. They were going so fast that she felt there must be more than two horses pulling them.
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and a voice speaking in an urgent whisper,
“Wake up, Simona.”
She thought for a moment it was a part of her dream.
As she opened her eyes, she saw to her astonishment the Marquis’s face looking at her, the light coming from a candle on the table by her bed.
“What – is – it?” she asked. “Are – you – ill?”
“I need your help and we will have to work very quickly, Simona, because we have a great deal to do. That is, if you will help me.”
“Of course I will help you.”
“Then listen to me,” the Marquis urged.
He moved a little closer to her before continuing, “My valet, Dorkins, has found out how we can release Watson from his prison, but we cannot be successful without your help.”
Simona’s eyes widened.
“I will do – anything you – want me – to do,” she promised.
“That is what I hoped you would say,” the Marquis responded. “To assist me, you will have to put on this ski tight rubber diving suit which I have brought with me.”
Simona looked at him in astonishment.
“And bring with you a dress and coat to wear on the train.”
“The – train?”
“We are leaving Berlin as soon as we have freed Watson, so therefore I want you to pack everything you can into your cases and Dorkins will carry them downstairs so that they can come with us.”
“Is that a safe thing – to do?” Simona gasped.
“Everyone is asleep and there is a carriage waiting for us on the other side of the garden.”
The Marquis stood up and she saw that he was already dressed except for his coat.
“Be as quick as you can,” he pleaded, “and as soon as you are dressed in the diving suit, open the communicating door. Dorkins will come and help you with your packing.”
Simona felt her head whirl. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she realised that the Marquis was in a hurry.
He moved away from her bed and almost before she realised what was happening he disappeared through the communicating door into the sitting room.
She jumped up, wondering for a moment whether she had imagined what he had told her. Then she saw a black rubber suit which would cover the body completely from feet to neck.
She had seen photographs of men wearing similar suits for diving into the sea. The one the Marquis had brought for her must have been for a boy.
When she put it on, it was only a little too big. As she fastened it around her she felt rather embarrassed.
She ran to the wardrobe and took out her travelling coat. She pulled it on over the diving suit before opening the communicating door.
Dorkins was waiting for her on the other side. “Are you ready, miss?” he whispered. “Show me which clothes you want to take with you.”
Simona quickly picked out a dress and coat which the Marquis said she would need to wear on the train. She carried them to a chair together with the hat that matched them.
Dorkins was already taking her cases down from the cupboard and with a speed that she thought any lady’s maid would admire, he was taking her clothes out of the wardrobe.
He packed them into two cases.
He was so fast that by the time Simona had collected her handbag and the items she had placed on her dressing table, all her gowns were packed.
Dorkins closed the two cases and locked them.
“If yer’ve left anything behind, miss,” he said, “I expects they’ll send it on to yer. If not, the Master will buy it for yer – he can afford it!”
Simona smiled.
She was however bewildered and somewhat frightened that everything was happening so quickly.
As if he knew they were ready for him, the Marquis returned through the communicating door. He looked at Simona with her coat covering her diving suit and whispered,
“You said you would help me and now you will have to be very brave.”
As he spoke Dorkins opened the door into the corridor very silently and peeped out. Then he picked up the cases and walked ahead.
“Now what you must do before we leave,” the Marquis said, “is to write a letter to the Baron as quickly as you can and leave it on the writing table.”
“What shall I write to him?”
“Tell the Baron that a special message has been given to Dorkins for me from the British Embassy to say that your father has been involved in an accident and therefore you need to return to England at once.”
He paused to see if Simona had understood, before continuing,
“Say that, rather than upset the household, I have offered to take you back to England in my yacht. Thank them for all their kindness and say that you will let them know what has happened as soon as you have reached home.”
While he was still speaking, Simona had seated herself at the writing desk and was beginning to write.
When she had finished, she folded the letter and wrote the Baron’s name on the envelope.
The Marquis held out his hand.
As his fingers closed over hers she thought how strong and protective he was.
Whatever he asked her to do, she must not be frightened.
Like Dorkins, the Marquis peered round the door into the corridor and after blowing out the candle, he and Simona left the room.
Simona realised with a sense of relief that hers was the only bedroom which overlooked the garden, while the Baron and Baroness’s and the Countess’s windows were on the front.
Nevertheless the Marquis led the way as much as possible in the shade of the trees. At the far end of the lawn there was a gate which Simona had not seen before and it was open. Once through the gate they found themselves in a mews and waiting for them was a closed carriage.
The Marquis had not spoken since they had left Simona’s bedroom. Dorkins opened the door of the carriage although there were two men sitting on the box.
As they climbed in, Simona saw her dress, coat and hat had been placed on the small seat opposite where she and the Marquis were to sit.
There was another bundle and she wondered vaguely what was in it.
Dorkins shut the carriage door, climbed up onto the box and the horses moved off.
The Marquis did not relinquish Simona’s hand and she clung to him as she asked in a whisper,
“Where – are we – going?”
“To the Panzer Haus,” the Marquis replied, “where we will rescue Watson. Then we will leave immediately by train for Hamburg to join my yacht. No one will know we are gone until the morning, and by that time we should be in the open sea.”
“What – do you – want me – to do?”
“I am going to ask something very difficult of you,” the Marquis replied, “but it is the only way we can rescue Watson.”
“What – is – it?” Simona whispered.
“Dorkins has found a door into the Panzer Haus which is not guarded on either side. It is bolted and he noticed that the key was in the lock, but of course on the inside.”
Simona looked up at him.
“What do you – want me – to do?” she asked again.
“The only possible way that we can open this door is for you to climb through the ventilator grating which is above the door. It is unfortunately too small for either Dorkins or myself, but if you are brave enough, we are quite certain that you could squeeze through it into the Panzer Haus and open the door for us.”
Love Wins In Berlin Page 10