But he remained oblivious of her. She was but a mere servant. Someone one did not notice.
“Tell me, Klem, who is she?” the Archduchess asked Klemens playfully, while they were eating pheasant with fruit compote. “Is she in this room? She must be. Let’s see.” Her gaze wandered from their table to the lower ones in the room.
“She isn’t here,” he growled.
“I wager it must be that charming lady across on the other table. The pretty one with the diamonds in her hair. Or, no, wait. She is Talleyrand’s mistress, isn’t she?” A soft gasp. “Isn’t she his niece…?”
“Yes, to both. She is Dorothea Courland, his niece by marriage. But do you really want to discuss this topic in the middle of the second course?” Klemens replied, a slight teasing in his tone. It was clear they were very close and seemed to get along well.
“Yes I must. I have made it my life's mission to find out who my twin brother's great love is.”
Pippa nearly choked. Twin brother? Klemens and Marie Madeleine weretwins? Why hadn’t she known that?
“So it isn’t her. Let’s see.” She tapped her fork against her lips. “The Princess Bagration certainly not, nor the Duchess of Sagan, though…” She hesitated. “It is possible. She is spectacularly beautiful and just your type. And she may be why you and Metternich hate each other with a vengeance.”
“Trust me, Mimi. It’s not because of a woman.” He shuddered. “I am insulted that you would go as far as insinuating that Metternich and I share the same taste in women.”
Mimi.Pippa’s head whirled. So she was the Mimi from the letter she’d found in his study. Not some mistress, not some obscure lover—but histwin?
“So not the Duchess of Sagan. Hm. How intriguing!” His sister turned to him just as Pippa was about to present the dish. She helped herself without looking at Pippa, talking all the while to Klemens, who played with the food on his plate.
Look at me, look at me, look at me, Pippa chanted to herself.
But he did not.
“…Oh, do tell me! The entire court is abuzz. You are the most talked-of sensation, do you know? Everyone is placing wagers. And Metternich is dying with curiosity about who the lady could be.”
“Is he behind the spreading of such rumours?” Klemens frowned. “It is most disconcerting.”
“You can’t keep delaying the engagement to the Russian Grand Duchess forever.” She bent forward to whisper in his ear, but Pippa heard her clearly. “No, don’t look at her; she is sitting right across from us and no doubt aware that we are gossiping about her.”
Pippa’s eyes flew to the lady on the other side of the table, sittingerect in her chair.
So that was the famous grand duchess whom he was supposed to marry.
Her heart grew heavy.
She looked like she had stepped out of a painted miniature. Beautiful, perfect, and cold. Her heart-shaped lips were sweet but unsmiling, her pencil-thin brows arched over unexpressive eyes.
“I must say I don’t like her, and I’d be glad if you didn’t have to marry her and move to St Petersburg,” his sister muttered. “So I am quite on your side if you decide to marry someone else entirely. But pray tell me now, who is the woman you’ve lost your heart to?”
He sighed. “I told you, she isn’t here. Now, can we change the topic, please? Humboldt is making moon eyes at you. Isn’t he the man for you? Highly intelligent, too. They say he is a linguist in addition to being a statesman.”
“Isn’t he married?” The Archduchess took a sip from her glass.
“Now that you mention it, he might be.”
“What about the man next to him? He is more to my taste.”
Klemens uttered a short laugh. “Oh no. He is not in your league, dear sister.”
“But who is he? Of all the men, he looks the most distinguished. And so very good looking. Isn’t he your friend? I recall seeing him in your company.”
“He is a very good friend indeed. One of the best, in fact. He is the Duke of Aldingbourne.” Klemens’ voice warmed.
“Ooh! That British duke! So he is Aldingbourne. Youhave told me so much about him, and now I get to see him.”
“And he is married, too.” He leaned forward. “Now here’s an interesting story; you will like this. Listen closely. Aldingbourne believed his wife dead only to find her here in Vienna, of all places! Except she can’t remember a thing about him and is living under another name with another family. And to get her to remember him, he has joined them. I’m actually surprised he’s here and not dancing attendance on his wife.”
