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Authors: Rhys Bowen
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do. I am Princess Orlovski, Edwina’s sister.”
“How do you do, Your Highness,” I said, not quite sure if I was supposed to curtsy.
“And I am the Countess Von Eisenheim, the youngest sister,” the painted one said. “By far the youngest. Actually Mummy and Daddy’s afterthought. I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’ve come to visit. Life is so incredibly dull here after the society of Vienna and Paris that one was used to. Our sister’s husband became an awful stick-in-the-mud in his later years, and his son is even worse. The only people he invites down here are dreadful, common young men who are artists or writers. We haven’t had a decent ball in years, have we, Charlotte?”
“Not in years,” the princess said with a sigh.
While we talked we had been making our way slowly down the broad staircase, the sisters arm in arm and taking little, careful steps. We had just reached the bottom when Huxstep appeared in the foyer and sounded the gong again.
“The second gong, Charlotte. We mustn’t be late,” the painted one said, and they picked up the pace to a speed that made me fear for them—flying down the steps on dainty, little feet. They arrived safely, however, and I followed them into the dining room. The dowager duchess had already taken her place at the far end of an enormous table that would easily have seated fifty.
“Ah, Georgiana. Do come and sit down. Over here beside me. You’ve met my sisters, I see. Charlotte had a narrow escape from Russia when the revolution broke out. Her husband, the prince, wasn’t so lucky.”
“Hacked to pieces in front of my eyes,” the princess said. “I’ll never get that image from my mind. Never. And I was to be next, but a loyal retainer snatched me up into a carriage and galloped off with me. I left with the clothes on my back, nothing more.”
I gave her a sympathetic nod.
“And Virginia came to live with us after the war. Her late husband’s money was in German banks and of course it became worthless.” The duchess gave me a knowing look. “Until then she had been quite the merry widow, hadn’t you, Virginia?”
“I’ve had my moments, Edwina,” Virginia said. “Oh yes, I’ve certainly had my moments.”
“And I’d prefer that you didn’t recount them to my grandchildren in such detail,” Edwina said. “I was shocked to the core at what Katherine came out with the other day.”
Virginia laughed. “Oh, yes. That little incident with me and a regiment of Hussars. She was rather impressed with it, I could see.”
The duchess gave an embarrassed cough. “Speaking of my grandchildren, I see they are late again. As is their mother.”
“No we’re not, Mama. Right on the stroke of one.” A younger woman came into the room, followed by two subdued children. She was more than slim; she was gaunt, with her collarbones showing above the neck of her dress. She looked flustered and her forehead was creased in a worried frown. “Go and sit down, children,” she said.
They scrambled into their seats.
“Where is Elisabeth?” Edwina asked.
“Not feeling too well today, Mama. Nanny is having a tray sent up to her room.”
“She needs to get outside more, Irene. You can’t mollycoddle her like this. Good, fresh air every day.”
Huxstep, the butler, appeared behind the dowager duchess. “Should I have the soup brought in, Your Grace? Will His Grace and friends be joining you?”
“I have no idea, Huxstep,” she said. “My son does not consult me in his comings and goings. So yes, please do go ahead and have the soup served. If they come now, they will just have to miss the first course.”
Tureens were brought in by two footmen, and a clear consommé was ladled into the Royal Doulton bowl in front of me. I sensed Irene looking at me with interest and I nodded a smile.
“How do you do,” I said. I was about to introduce myself when the dowager duchess said, “Irene, Nicholas, Katherine—you haven’t met our
“How do you do, Your Highness,” I said, not quite sure if I was supposed to curtsy.
“And I am the Countess Von Eisenheim, the youngest sister,” the painted one said. “By far the youngest. Actually Mummy and Daddy’s afterthought. I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’ve come to visit. Life is so incredibly dull here after the society of Vienna and Paris that one was used to. Our sister’s husband became an awful stick-in-the-mud in his later years, and his son is even worse. The only people he invites down here are dreadful, common young men who are artists or writers. We haven’t had a decent ball in years, have we, Charlotte?”
“Not in years,” the princess said with a sigh.
While we talked we had been making our way slowly down the broad staircase, the sisters arm in arm and taking little, careful steps. We had just reached the bottom when Huxstep appeared in the foyer and sounded the gong again.
“The second gong, Charlotte. We mustn’t be late,” the painted one said, and they picked up the pace to a speed that made me fear for them—flying down the steps on dainty, little feet. They arrived safely, however, and I followed them into the dining room. The dowager duchess had already taken her place at the far end of an enormous table that would easily have seated fifty.
“Ah, Georgiana. Do come and sit down. Over here beside me. You’ve met my sisters, I see. Charlotte had a narrow escape from Russia when the revolution broke out. Her husband, the prince, wasn’t so lucky.”
“Hacked to pieces in front of my eyes,” the princess said. “I’ll never get that image from my mind. Never. And I was to be next, but a loyal retainer snatched me up into a carriage and galloped off with me. I left with the clothes on my back, nothing more.”
I gave her a sympathetic nod.
“And Virginia came to live with us after the war. Her late husband’s money was in German banks and of course it became worthless.” The duchess gave me a knowing look. “Until then she had been quite the merry widow, hadn’t you, Virginia?”
“I’ve had my moments, Edwina,” Virginia said. “Oh yes, I’ve certainly had my moments.”
“And I’d prefer that you didn’t recount them to my grandchildren in such detail,” Edwina said. “I was shocked to the core at what Katherine came out with the other day.”
Virginia laughed. “Oh, yes. That little incident with me and a regiment of Hussars. She was rather impressed with it, I could see.”
The duchess gave an embarrassed cough. “Speaking of my grandchildren, I see they are late again. As is their mother.”
“No we’re not, Mama. Right on the stroke of one.” A younger woman came into the room, followed by two subdued children. She was more than slim; she was gaunt, with her collarbones showing above the neck of her dress. She looked flustered and her forehead was creased in a worried frown. “Go and sit down, children,” she said.
They scrambled into their seats.
“Where is Elisabeth?” Edwina asked.
“Not feeling too well today, Mama. Nanny is having a tray sent up to her room.”
“She needs to get outside more, Irene. You can’t mollycoddle her like this. Good, fresh air every day.”
Huxstep, the butler, appeared behind the dowager duchess. “Should I have the soup brought in, Your Grace? Will His Grace and friends be joining you?”
“I have no idea, Huxstep,” she said. “My son does not consult me in his comings and goings. So yes, please do go ahead and have the soup served. If they come now, they will just have to miss the first course.”
Tureens were brought in by two footmen, and a clear consommé was ladled into the Royal Doulton bowl in front of me. I sensed Irene looking at me with interest and I nodded a smile.
“How do you do,” I said. I was about to introduce myself when the dowager duchess said, “Irene, Nicholas, Katherine—you haven’t met our
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