Read Online The Diamond Slipper by Jane Feather - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jane Feather
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and a circlet of gilded laurel leaves around your head.
Very
appealing.”
Leo was so occupied trying to sort out this image of himself so blithely presented that it took him a minute to realize that she’d thrown him off balance again. He glanced at Christian and saw to his further chagrin that the young man was grinning.
“Cordelia’s very good at costumes, my lord,” Christian volunteered. “She designs all the costumes for the plays the royal family put on in the theatre at Schonbrunn. I know what she was wearing tonight was shocking, but it
was
very clever.”
Leo glanced again at his image in the mirror and caught himself reflecting that it
was
a very boring costume. A legionnaire’s regalia would have been much more imaginative and exciting.
Dear God! What would he be thinking next? “She was as conspicuous as a flamingo in a dovecote,” he stated repressively. “Now, could we get to the matter in hand? If Poligny is pirating Christian’s work, then he must be exposed.”
“Yes, but even if we do that, Christian’s position here will be impossible, even with the empress’s support. Poligny has so many friends, so much influence.”
“That’s what I told
you
,” Christian pointed out, “and you accused me of being a pessimist.”
“Well, I thought about it a bit more.” Cordelia wandered over to the table and the bottle of champagne. “Is there a glass for me?”
“I’m afraid not.” Leo sipped his own wine.
“Never mind. I can share Christian’s.” She suited action to words, taking Christian’s glass from his unresisting fingers. “This is what I have in mind. Christian should expose Poligny in a broadsheet that will hit the streets the day we all leave Vienna.”
Leo’s gaze sharpened. The musician was leaving too?
“But won’t that look as if I’m afraid to defend my position?” Christian took the glass back and sipped.
“It might, but not if your evidence is incontrovertible.” She held out her hand for the glass, talking rapidly but succinctly. “It’ll cause a stir at the very least, and the news will reach Paris, so that when you arrive there you should already be a celebrity and it shouldn’t be difficult to find an influential patron. Everyone knows you’re a genius. And if they don’t, they’ll discover it immediately, as soon as you begin to play. What do you think, sir?” She turned to Leo, who had been watching the interplay between the two with a degree of amusement. Their ease with each other was completely free of loverlike undercurrents; it reminded him of the way he and Elvira had been together.
Sorrow, as fresh as it had ever been, washed through him. He picked up the bottle and refilled his glass.
Cordelia, seeing the sudden shadow in the viscount’s eyes, looked over at Christian. But Christian was frowning, absorbed in the business at hand.
“Do you think my husband might be prepared to sponsor Christian?” she asked, as the viscount took a sip of his wine and seemed to emerge from whatever black landscape he’d been inhabiting. “Just initially, I mean. Just to introduce him to the right people.”
Leo stroked his chin and considered this. Embracing the cause of an impoverished young musician, even if he was a genius, didn’t sound at all like Michael. “I wouldn’t pin my hopes on it,” he said eventually.
Christian looked crestfallen, but Cordelia said impulsively,“But supposing I asked for it as a wedding present? It wouldn’t be a big thing.”
Leo couldn’t help laughing. “My dear girl, a bride doesn’t march up to her husband at first meeting and demand a wedding present.”
“I suppose not,” she said glumly.
“Besides, I don’t have the money for the journey,” Christian pointed out.
“Oh, I have money, that’s not a problem,” she said with a return of enthusiasm. “I can lend you whatever you need.”
“I don’t wish to borrow money from you, Cordelia.”
“Pshaw! False pride,” she said
Very
appealing.”
Leo was so occupied trying to sort out this image of himself so blithely presented that it took him a minute to realize that she’d thrown him off balance again. He glanced at Christian and saw to his further chagrin that the young man was grinning.
“Cordelia’s very good at costumes, my lord,” Christian volunteered. “She designs all the costumes for the plays the royal family put on in the theatre at Schonbrunn. I know what she was wearing tonight was shocking, but it
was
very clever.”
Leo glanced again at his image in the mirror and caught himself reflecting that it
was
a very boring costume. A legionnaire’s regalia would have been much more imaginative and exciting.
Dear God! What would he be thinking next? “She was as conspicuous as a flamingo in a dovecote,” he stated repressively. “Now, could we get to the matter in hand? If Poligny is pirating Christian’s work, then he must be exposed.”
“Yes, but even if we do that, Christian’s position here will be impossible, even with the empress’s support. Poligny has so many friends, so much influence.”
“That’s what I told
you
,” Christian pointed out, “and you accused me of being a pessimist.”
“Well, I thought about it a bit more.” Cordelia wandered over to the table and the bottle of champagne. “Is there a glass for me?”
“I’m afraid not.” Leo sipped his own wine.
“Never mind. I can share Christian’s.” She suited action to words, taking Christian’s glass from his unresisting fingers. “This is what I have in mind. Christian should expose Poligny in a broadsheet that will hit the streets the day we all leave Vienna.”
Leo’s gaze sharpened. The musician was leaving too?
“But won’t that look as if I’m afraid to defend my position?” Christian took the glass back and sipped.
“It might, but not if your evidence is incontrovertible.” She held out her hand for the glass, talking rapidly but succinctly. “It’ll cause a stir at the very least, and the news will reach Paris, so that when you arrive there you should already be a celebrity and it shouldn’t be difficult to find an influential patron. Everyone knows you’re a genius. And if they don’t, they’ll discover it immediately, as soon as you begin to play. What do you think, sir?” She turned to Leo, who had been watching the interplay between the two with a degree of amusement. Their ease with each other was completely free of loverlike undercurrents; it reminded him of the way he and Elvira had been together.
Sorrow, as fresh as it had ever been, washed through him. He picked up the bottle and refilled his glass.
Cordelia, seeing the sudden shadow in the viscount’s eyes, looked over at Christian. But Christian was frowning, absorbed in the business at hand.
“Do you think my husband might be prepared to sponsor Christian?” she asked, as the viscount took a sip of his wine and seemed to emerge from whatever black landscape he’d been inhabiting. “Just initially, I mean. Just to introduce him to the right people.”
Leo stroked his chin and considered this. Embracing the cause of an impoverished young musician, even if he was a genius, didn’t sound at all like Michael. “I wouldn’t pin my hopes on it,” he said eventually.
Christian looked crestfallen, but Cordelia said impulsively,“But supposing I asked for it as a wedding present? It wouldn’t be a big thing.”
Leo couldn’t help laughing. “My dear girl, a bride doesn’t march up to her husband at first meeting and demand a wedding present.”
“I suppose not,” she said glumly.
“Besides, I don’t have the money for the journey,” Christian pointed out.
“Oh, I have money, that’s not a problem,” she said with a return of enthusiasm. “I can lend you whatever you need.”
“I don’t wish to borrow money from you, Cordelia.”
“Pshaw! False pride,” she said
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