As they drove back along the track toward the old monastery, Kai, who was driving the horses, suddenly warned, “People!” Esther and Josephine were thrust down flat in the cart while the boys heaped cushions, blankets, and coats on them, and someone leaned casually on the top.
Esther, struggling between laughter and annoyance, said, “Ouch! Whose elbow is that?”
“Mine,” Lizzie said. “Be quiet.”
Josephine began to giggle, and Vanya burst into song to cover up the noise. The boys joined in and Josephine and Esther laughed harder, even once they were uncovered again and allowed to sit up.
Through her streaming eyes, Esther caught Garin watching her, his lips curved into the nearest thing to a smile she had yet seen on him.
*
Countess Savarina was putting up at the Imperial Hotel. Weber and Nieder sent their cards up to her and were quickly summoned to the countess’ suite. She sat at a table surrounded by piles of letters and invitations, which she seemed to be harassing her female companion into declining for her. On the men’s entry, she rose at once. As Weber had supposed, she looked delighted to have two men on her son’s case rather than just Nieder.
“Have you news?” she demanded as they bowed.
“Some,” Weber said lugubriously. “We have ascertained that your son and his wife left home in a carriage yesterday afternoon and drove in the direction of the Vienna Woods. And they have not been seen since. I have to tell you, Countess, that we are troubled. Deeply troubled.”
“Deeply,” Nieder agreed.
The Countess stared at them, clutching her companions arm. “Speak!”
Weber drew a breath. “It’s a peculiar thing, but there has been a spate of notable disappearances. Perhaps you heard that everyone is now looking for the Crown Prince of Kriegenstein? And though he pretends all is well, for the sake of appearances, I can tell you that General Lisle, a British Ambassador, has lost his daughter. I don’t want to add to your anxieties, Countess, but I greatly fear for their lives.”
“How? Why?” the agitated lady demanded.
“There is a thread, a connection between all those people. The world knows the Crown Prince was engaged to the General’s daughter. And your daughter-in-law, Lady Launceton, was Miss Lisle’s friend.”
The Countess was not, it seemed, an idiot. “Tenuous,” she snapped.
“I agree,” Weber said quickly. “And I would not even bring it to your attention were it not for the fact that they have something else in common. They were all part of police cases being investigated by a colleague of mine. Perhaps you’ve heard of him? He calls himself Agent Z.”
“I’ve heard of him,” the Countess allowed, gazing at him steadily. “Go on.”
“Madame, this is difficult for me. Agent Z is my colleague but I can’t hide that recently his ruthlessness has overstepped the bounds. He seems to think he’s above the state and the law he thinks to protect. To be frank, his work has addled him. He sees dangers and conspiracies where there are none, and he goes to such brutal lengths to prove himself right!”
The countess whitened. “My son. My son was accused only weeks ago of infamous crimes against the Tsar and the Congress. His accusers were convicted instead, and my son was exonerated. But what…do you believe this Agent Z still pursues him?”
“I think it’s entirely possible.”
The countess’ companion lowered her moaning mistress into a chair. Then the countess straightened. “You must take this to Baron von Hager,” she commanded. “I shall come with you.”
“If you wish, Countess, but it won’t do any good,” Weber said heavily. “I tried speaking to the baron myself, but he won’t ever hear a word against Agent Z, which is why the man can do as he likes,” he added with cunning.
“But this is terrible!” the Countess exclaimed. “What is to be done?”
“Well, I’ve been scratching my head about that, and I believe the best thing you can do is speak to Z’s underling, a man called Dietmar. Threaten him with going to the baron. Z’s not afraid of Baron von Hager, but Dietmar is, so if you give him the alternative of taking you directly to your son, I believe he will follow that course instead. Then, I and my men can follow you, make sure neither you nor your son or any of those other missing people come to any harm. With this proof, we can then go to the baron and stop Z once and for all.”
“Sir, you make my head ache,” the Countess complained. Throwing off her companion’s comforting arm, she sprang to her feet. “Very well. Bring me this Dietmar!”
Weber blinked. “Oh, he won’t come for me, Countess. He knows what I think of Z, his master. You must send for him. Write a note and I’ll see he gets it without him connecting it to me. Send me word if you can when he comes. I’ll be watching.”
*
After a rustic dinner of mutton and vegetable stew, Lutz produced a flute and entertained the company with snippets of music of various styles from all over the world. At one point, he began a mazurka, and Vanya, grinning, hauled Lizzie to her feet and made her dance with him. Lively and exuberant, it quickly drew the others to clapping and stamping, and then to imitation. Esther danced with Kai, and Josephine with Menno, but Lutz changed his tune so often that it soon became a free for all, a mix of country dances and waltzes.
Esther, spinning around the kitchen in a waltz with Vanya, found herself next leading Menno in a lively Scottish reel. The tune changed, and so did her partner, and then it was a different reel with Garin, when it turned abruptly back into a waltz.
It was not the first waltz she’d danced with Garin, but she didn’t recall her nerves tingling with quite so much awareness before. His closeness made her whole body flush, and yet the general atmosphere of fun surrounding them, which lent novel, soothing pleasure.
Vanya threw open the kitchen door, spilling into the fresh air, still dancing with Josephine. Lutz followed, still playing, and so did the others. Garin led Esther in the same direction.
“Cool air!” she said, smiling. “Thank goodness.”
He didn’t reply. Just as they got to the kitchen door, Lutz changed tunes yet again to something calmer and Esther stumbled to a halt, conscious of disappointment. For an instant, Garin stared at her, his eyes suddenly hot and turbulent as she’d seen them the night he’d ridden to Vienna. Abruptly, Garin spun her behind the open door, into the dark corner between it and the wall, and with no more warning he crushed her into his arms and seized her mouth in his, hard and wild.
Outside, beyond the door, Lutz continued to play while the others chattered and laughed. Esther hung onto Garin’s shoulders, as though he was all that could stop her drowning in the storm.
“God, how I want you,” he muttered against her lips. “I can’t ever have you, but never doubt the want is there. One more kiss.”
He took it, more gently than the first, but it was no less overwhelming for that. His lips caressed and coaxed, and Esther was lost in the sweetness, until, seeming to force himself, he raised his head.
Desperately, she dragged her hand up to his rough, warm cheek, drawing him back down. “One more kiss,” she whispered, and took his lips back.
Life had never held any greater pleasure than his devouring mouth, with the strength of his arms crushing her to his hard body. Her fingers tangled in his hair, while his hand held her neck, stroking while they kissed and kissed again.
“So tonight you’re not taking advantage?” she teased breathlessly.
His thumb pressed lightly at the corner of her mouth. “I think I just handed the advantage to you.” He kissed her again, long and thoroughly, and then, with clear reluctance, he released her, and drew her slowly around the door to join the others outside.
Esther was sure they must see what he’d done to her tingling lips and her deliciously bemused person. She could think of nothing to say, she just smiled and rejoiced in his nearness.
*
Countess Savarina had never been a lady happy to wait upon events. The police agent,
Weber, had appalled her. She was terrified that this fiendish Agent Z had captured her son and was torturing him even now. So, she paced her hotel apartments relentlessly, desperate to rescue him, to do something other than simply wait for this Dietmar to call upon her.
Over and over again, she remembered every word Weber had said until, eventually, the fact that he’d mentioned other names beside Vanya’s, rose to the front of her mind.
“Miss Esther Lisle,” she said suddenly to Anna, her companion. “Does not General Lisle and his daughter put up here, too? Go and find out, will you?”
The countess resumed her pacing, pausing occasionally to look out into the street, without really seeing what was there. Although she was a great socialite, her children were her life, especially Vanya. When he’d first gone away to fight, she’d had hysterics, which admittedly died down when the realization had struck her that there was nothing she could do from St. Petersburg to keep him alive. Here in Vienna, it was different. She could, and she would, see him saved from the insane police agent.
At the back of her mind also lurked the feeling that somehow her new daughter-in-law was to blame for this catastrophe, but she knew better than to approach Lizzie’s aunt and uncle with her suspicions. She would wait and discover the truth, and then go straight to Vanya. If he lived…
She spun around eagerly as the door opened, but it was only Anna who came in.
“The General and Miss Lisle do reside here, Madame.”
“Excellent! Send him this note—” She broke off, frowning while Anna sat and pulled a sheet of monogrammed paper toward her.
“Madame?”
“I’ve changed my mind,” the Countess said decisively. “If I ask him to wait upon us here, he will no doubt put it off until tomorrow or the day after. I will not give another man any excuse to fob me off. Anna, fetch my shawl. You will accompany me to the General’s rooms. You did discover which they are?”
*
The General’s door was opened by a weather-beaten manservant with a military bearing. The countess recognized his type immediately. Like Vanya’s servant, Sasha, this one was devotedly loyal and had spent most of his time preserving his master from the attentions he did not wish to receive. And so she treated him much as she did Sasha, sailing past him before he could explain his master was not at home.
“Be so good as to take my card to General Lisle,” she said briskly. “I have news of his daughter.”
She was rather glad she got the final words in, for up until then she wouldn’t have been surprised to have been removed bodily from the room. But the man’s expression changed abruptly, he all but snatched the card from her fingers and without a word, strode to one of the inner rooms.
The countess exchanged glances with Anna, who still looked frightened. But only a moment later, a short, but distinguished man with a balding head and an anxious expression spilled out of the same room trailed by a younger man and the servant. She vaguely remembered seeing both gentlemen at Vanya’s wedding.
General Lisle hurried across to her. “Countess, thank you for calling on me.”
Hastily, she gave him her hand and introduced Anna. As if he’d only then remembered the existence of the other young man, the general introduced Lord Henry Niven.
She pressed her hand to her bosom. “General, our children are in danger.”
Lord Harry whitened. It was the general who briskly invited the ladies to sit and to tell him all, which the countess did, repeating everything Weber had told her.
“But this cannot be right,” the general exclaimed. “It is true Agent Z is looking after the safety of my daughter. There is some conspiracy involving the disappearance of the Crown Prince of Kriegenstein—”
“Yet another disappearance,” the Countess said dramatically. “General, this man Weber believes Agent Z is responsible for all these disappearances, including that of my son and daughter-in-law. Think about it, sir. If his intentions were for good, why would he not take you also?”
General Lisle stared at her. Clearly, he’d put it down to everyone accepting the importance of whatever work he did here at the Congress. The arrogance of men. He swallowed.
“Baird,” he addressed the servant. “I desire Mrs. MacVey to step in here. Mrs. MacVey is my daughter’s companion,” he explained, as Baird hurried to obey.
“And she, too, was left behind.”
The General exchanged stunned, desperate looks with Lord Harry. Why could men never see what was in front of their faces?
A plump lady, not much more than age thirty, sailed into the room with innumerable shawls hanging from her person. With the bare minimum of civil introductions, General Lisle hastily repeated what the countess had told him, while Mrs. MacVey lowered herself into the chair set for her by Lord Harry.
She listened, her eyes occasionally flashing. Then she said in distinctly Spanish accents, “The cases are not the same at all. The Crown Prince is a pig. Esther is a sweet-natured girl who would help anyone and who has nothing whatever to do with spies and conspiracies. I have met your daughter, Countess—”
“That isn’t strictly true,” Lord Harry interrupted suddenly.
Mrs. MacVey scowled at him. “I assure you, Lord Harry, I have met Miss Gaunt on several occasions, including that of her wedding!”
“No, no,” Harry said with an impatient wave of one hand. “I mean that Miss Lisle was involved…sort of involved with…spying.”
“What the devil to you mean?” Lisle demanded.
“I mean…she told us all she could about Prince Otto’s plans—you know that, sir. But more than that, the prince hid documents with her before he disappeared—dangerous documents that she was going to pass on to me. Only she never got the chance.”
Lisle’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Dangerous to whom?”
“To whomsoever held them,” Lord Harry admitted miserably. “I’ve been trying to find a safe way to be rid of them, but I was so sure Esther—Miss Lisle—was above suspicion. My God, if anything happens to her, I will shoot myself.”
“That will not be necessary,” Mrs. MacVey said icily. “If anything happens to Esther, I will shoot you.”
“Enough,” barked the general. “We need a battle plan. Countess, has this fellow Dietmar called upon you yet?”
“No,” she replied, rising to her feet. “And I must return to my apartments in case he does. But I take it General, I may count upon your aid?”
“Please be so good as to send for me as soon as he turns up,” Lisle said grimly. “And Juana, maybe we should have Belling in on this too—he’s a useful man in a fight!”
Chapter Fifteen
“You’re wrong,” the man named Dietmar said, staring in consternation at Countess Savarina. He’d eventually called on her at this unconscionably early hour the morning after she’d expected him. “A thousand times wrong.”
“Then your Agent Z is not with my son?” the Countess demanded.
“Well, yes,” Dietmar said, shifting in his chair. “But I assure you, there was no compulsion!”
Countess Savarina lifted one haughty eyebrow. “My good man, my son is a nobleman of Russia and of Great Britain, a hero of the French wars, and a friend of the Tsar himself. What possible reason could he have for seeking the company of a base spy?”
Dietmar’s face flushed, perhaps with anger, or simple shame that his master was being found out. “Agent Z is very far from base, Madame. He serves His Majesty, the Emperor, which is surely a noble profession. As to your question, I don’t know the answer. I do know he and Lord Launceton have a history I’m not privy to.”
“Bah!” the Countess exclaimed. “Do you believe one word of this, General?”
The General who, along with Lord Harry, Mrs. MacVey, and Major Belling, had come to the countess’ rooms as soon as she’d summoned them, even at this unconscionably early hour, shook his head. “So you tell us, sir, that Lord Launceton is with this Agent Z? And my daughter?”
“Agent Z cares for her,
too,” Dietmar said, sounding harassed. “You know this. You had a letter from her, and Baron von Hager himself spoke to you about the necessity of secrecy. Please, sir, speak to the baron again if you have doubts—”
“We don’t have time,” Lord Harry interrupted. “Not if Miss Lisle is in danger.”
“She isn’t!” exclaimed Dietmar.
“Then take us to her,” General Lisle commanded.
Dietmar dragged his hand across his forehead. “I can’t! It could compromise her safety.” He dropped his hand, muttering “And mine,” under his breath.
“My good man,” the Countess said regally, “I believe you’re as duped in this matter as the rest of us, including Baron von Hager. You must take us to where they are kept.”
“No,” Dietmar said, rising to his feet. “I must not. I will pass on your concerns to Agent Z, who will deal with them as he sees fit, but I cannot and will not do as you ask.”
“Then I will have no alternative but to make other inquiries,” the Countess said with triumph. “The general and I will kick up such a fuss about our missing children that your ridiculous secrecy will be blown apart. We will know the truth! We plan this very day to speak to Count von Meyer about the disappearance of Crown Prince Otto. Trust me when I say we will raise the roof on this scandalous imprisonment!”
“For God’s sake, Madame!” Dietmar gasped, whitening. “You have no idea what harm you would do!”
“Then take us,” General Lisle commanded, “to my daughter.”
*
“You were right, sir,” Nieder, Weber’s underling, told him when Weber stopped beside his lamppost opposite the Imperial Hotel. “Herr Dietmar did go in there.”
“Well, let’s hope he comes out again with Countess Savarina in tow,” Weber said.
“I don’t see that it matters whether or not she comes with him. Can’t we just follow Herr Dietmar on his own?”
“He’ll just shake us off as he’s done before,” Weber retorted, “as you know very well. But the countess will require a carriage, which will slow him up nicely. Plus, she’s bound to distract him with her nagging and vapors, and all the other unmanageable behaviors of a high-strung lady in fear for her son’s life. This is our best chance. And this,” he added with satisfaction as an empty carriage hired from the Imperial fleet drew up at the hotel door, “is the countess’ conveyance. Shift, so we can see who gets in.”
Vienna Woods (The Imperial Season Book 2) Page 16