“Yes, yes. But Castlereagh is a stubborn, ungracious fortress. He surrounds himself with an impenetrable stoniness that comes across as a lack of empathy. Whereas you, with your cold arrogance, have morestyle. You will provide a cool dose of realism that may not be unwelcome. Being Russian, he may find your Siberian coldness more palatable. It could be akin to a splash of cold water over the overheated, passionate head of the Tsar. A breath of cool winter air.” He raised a finger as he waxed poetic. “The glacial iciness of?—”
“I understand the gist of the matter, Your Highness,” Julius interrupted. “You want me to speak to Alexander.”
Metternich gave him a bright smile. “That would be the general idea, yes.”
Julius drummed his fingers on the table.
Metternich sat back with his fingers crossed, watching him closely. “I would, of course, be more than generous to reciprocate by helping you with other, shall we say, more personal matters.”
“Personal matters?” Julius echoed. “How so?”
Metternich merely smiled, and Julius thought he looked devious.
“There is very little that escapes my attention,” he said, holding Julius’ gaze. “I have a very extensive network of trusted agents. The amount of intelligence we gather is unsurpassed. It is detailed and usually very reliable.”
“I am surprised you’re so open about it.”
Metternich waved a white hand. “It’s no secret. Everyone knows about it.”
“Yes, it is quite an extensive machinery of espionage you have set up for yourself there. Very much like a toy, yes? No doubt it must be of some use, if only to fill your spare time, to play with when you are bored.” Heshook his head. “I fail to understand where you even find the time to read all that intelligence, as you call it.”
Metternich ignored the sarcasm. “Oh, you’d be surprised. It is quite fascinating, you know, of the things one learns about people. Besides, you will find that I am not at all reluctant to share…my toys.”
A charged pause settled over the room as the two men held each other’s gaze.
“I never mix the personal with politics,” Julius said slowly. “It is a firm rule of mine and it has served me well.”
“How very English of you, I am sure,” Metternich replied with a yawn. “So very pragmatic. Yet you would be surprised at how useful it can be to bend those rules once in a while.”
Julius leaned forwards, his eyes never leaving Metternich’s.
The clock on the mantelpiece ticked.
“Helena Arenheim,” Julius bit out at last. “What do you know of her?”
Metternich’s mouth curved into a slow smile.
Chapter Eleven
It didn’t helpthat they had to perform again that evening, this time in the Palais Auersperg. Lena noted with considerable relief that the British delegation was absent. This time, they left the two younger boys at home. The others received strict instructions to stay away from any brandied cherries, in fact to not even get in the vicinity of the buffet.
“The growling of my poor, starving stomach will drown out the music,” Theo said, and Mona agreed.
They came, they performed, they received a round of applause, and that was that.
The days were also smoother. Agent August no longer hovered in the dark corners of the street, and now that they had some income, Lena was able to hire a laundry maid. That took a considerable burden off her shoulders.
Their neighbour, Emma, helped whenever she could, and Karl came every other day with a box of leftover fruit and vegetables that he could not sell at the market. Thatmorning, he’d dropped off a box of apples, so Lena was busy all day making apple strudel, baked apples, apple cake, apple compote, and, because there was so much left over, she sliced them thinly and left them to dry on a newspaper spread over the ceramic oven.
All the baking and cooking helped her clear her mind.
It troubled her, everything that had happened with the Duke. She was worried about Hector, who’d withdrawn and not been up to his usual pranks.
Yet, they lived their life in their usual routine, as if nothing special had happened.
The children had been playinga boisterous game of musical chairs in the warm parlour, with the addition that whoever lost had to pay forfeits by coming up with a short impromptu performance. These moments, when she felt the support and love of her family, where she knew that she would protect them at all costs were the ones Lena enjoyed the most.
Theo jumped on the table and performed theSchuhplattler, a shoe slapping dance, banging his head against the ceiling as he did so, leaving everyone howling with laughter. Mona performed a pantomime from a Greek tragedy, turning it into a comedy, and Lena acted out a scene from her favourite poem, Goethe’s ‘The Erl-King’, by attempting to be the elf king, the horse, and the child all at once. Hector, who had been in a terrible mood all day, picked a fight with Les because both insisted on choosing the same fable by Aesop. Theyended up rolling around on the floor, wrestling with each other.
