Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
“I am so, so sorry,” Archduchess Mimi must have said at least ten times in the past hour alone, so that Pippa had the greatest difficulty preventing herself from screaming in frustration. “My poor, poor child.”
In truth, it was not her no doubt heartfelt expression of consternation that upset Pippa, but the underlying pity that she found intolerable.
Shortly after Metternich’s announcement, havoc broke loose.
There were expressions of relief and celebration as well as dismay.
The Grand Duchess’ face had been impossible to read; it had remained as smooth and impermeable a mask as always, smiling on serenely as if she had expected this.
Yet Klemens’ face had turned to stone, so it did not appear this was a planned announcement at all.
The Russians cheered, the English expressed annoyance, the Austrians appeared sceptical and the French doubtful, at best.
Archduchess Mimi had looked at her brother with concern, as had Kovacz, who at first had appeared to have wanted to intervene but held himself back at the last moment. Metternich looked satisfied as if he had accomplished a brilliant coup.
Then Pippa had seen nothing much at all, for the people had closed in on them, cheering, lifting glasses of champagne. The music had started again, and Klemens and the Grand Duchess were swept up in their engagement dance.
Pippa had turned away. She gave herself a moment to collect herself, flattened her dress with shaking hands, then made her way through the crowd towards the Archduchess, avoiding at all cost looking at the dancing couple, feeling nothing but numbness spreading inside her like black ink.
The Archduchess had taken one swift look at her and said, “Let us leave.”
They had returned to her apartment in silence, but as soon as the doors were closed, the Archduchess began raging against Metternich.
“How dare he? And without either the Kaiser or the Kaiserin present? How dare he? And Klemens, his hands were entirely tied. What was he to do?” She stopped pacing to take Pippa’s hands. “My poor, poor child. I am so very, very, very sorry!”
And thus it had gone on and on until Pippa finally extricated herself and said she would retire with the Archduchess’ permission. Again, that look of utmost pity in her eyes. “Yes, do. My poor child!”
Pippa had fled. She had fallen into bed, exhausted, wondering what had happened, how she could have gone so quickly from the utter bliss of kissing Klemens and almost running away with him, to him being so utterly removed from her the next moment.
It would have happened either way, she told herself as she tossed and turned in the sheets. What had she expected?
Klemens had not come after the ball to explain, nor had he sent a message.
There had been but deafening, heavy silence.
For two days, for three.
For four.
For the entire week.
Mimi eventually stopped ranting, but her looks of pity were still there.
Yet the congress dragged on, and on, and on. Originally planned to last only a few weeks, it stretched into months. December arrived, then the new year.
“Le Congrès ne marche pas, il danse,” proclaimed the Prince de Ligne.
The diplomats danced; the treaties did not.
The Viennese scandal sheets brimmed more with the antics of the aristocracy than with any true diplomatic breakthrough.
The celebrations were relentless. One ball chased the other, one festivity followed the next.
Nightly salons appeared with clockwork regularity.
On Monday, the fashionable world descended upon the Metternich Palais until the early morning hours.
Tuesday, they flocked to Castlereagh’s Palais.
Friday, the Duchess of Sagan and the Princess Bagration engaged in a furious contest over who might prove the superior society hostess.
Yes, there could be such a thing as too much dancing, the Viennese complained. Not to mention the expense!
And of all the ridiculous events being planned, the Viennese agreed the sleigh ride to Schonbrunn would surpass them all.
Finally, it had snowed. The sky was a cracking, sparkling blue; the air frosty, and the ground was pronounced perfect for such a venture.
Yet the newest scandal to make the rounds declared, with triumphant outrage, that there was not enough snow to cover the cobblestones within the city, so additional snow had to be brought in to line the streets of Vienna to keep the sleighs from getting stuck. Oh, the cost!
Over thirty imperial sleighs were lined up in the courtyard, one more magnificent than the other, glittering in gold and green velvet, with silver tinkling bells.
“Alas, I fear we must attend,” Mimi had told Pippa earlier, with a frown.
“It will not do to keep hiding away in this room. Besides, I am to partner some German prince in the sled. Come at least outside to see me off, take a walk about before returning to the rooms again. You have become pale and wan, and you must get some fresh air before you waste away entirely. Besides,” there was an odd look in her eyes, “I must find out more about that newest rumour. Of all the rumours, it is the most exquisite to date.”
Pippa sighed. Probably it was Lord Pumpernickel getting involved in a fistfight on the streets, drunk; or the Tsar getting caught in another affair with a new love interest. Or maybe Metternich did finally agree to have a duel with him.
The scandal sheets were so littered with these stories that the shock factor had disappeared entirely and the Viennese waved them tiredly away.
Pippa, too, was tired of it all.
She wrapped herself in a warm cloak, but Mimi took one look at her and shook her head. “Take one of my mink coats. It is too cold for that thin coat of yours, and I will not have you fall ill again.”
There was a general air of gaiety outside.
The horses whinnied, the sleds sparkled in gold and red, and the bells jangled. A fanfare of trumpets heralded the start of the sleigh ride.
All the monarchs and the entire court were assembled, save for the Emperor, who’d declared the sled ride should be left for the younger people.
The Tsar shared a sled with Princess Auersperg, who was rumoured to be his latest love interest. Pippa strained her eyes to catch the pair. However, they were in the very first sled at the head of the parade, and already sitting, covered up to their chins in thick furs.
And toward the end, in one of the last sleds, the Archduke Leopold would ride with his betrothed, the Grand Duchess.
“And here is the most exquisite of rumours, my dear,” Mimi bent down to whisper into Pippa’s ears as they watched. “Ready? They say she has disappeared. What do you say to that? Is it not delightful?”
Pippa looked up, confused. “What do you mean? Who has disappeared?”
“The Grand Duchess, of course. As in gone. Vanished!” She lifted her fingers and wiggled them down in front of her as if performing magic. “No one knows her whereabouts.” She lowered her voice. “Apparently, she has been gone for days. The entire week, at least.”
This did not make an impression on Pippa. She shrugged. “I am sure there must be some sort of explanation. Maybe she has left Vienna to visit someone.”
A sly smile crossed Mimi’s face. “That is not the case. I wonder what Klemens will do now?”
Pippa’s gaze flew to the figure pacing in front of a sled.
It stole her breath, seeing him so unexpectedly.
He looked taller somehow, in the coat that billowed behind him, a mink hat on top of his hair, thinner, paler, restless.
Kovacz stepped up to him with some news, and he looked displeased. He looked up, and their eyes met.
Pippa’s heart jumped, then raced. She turned away, but too late. He was bearing down on them already with grim determination.
Pippa looked around frantically, ready to flee. But Mimi kept a firm grip on her arm.
Too late.
“Mimi.” He nodded curtly at his sister. Then he turned to Pippa. “Come with me.” He extended his hand towards her.
Her breath sucked in sharply. “B-But Your Imperial Highness...” Her gaze went around.
Everyone was there.
All the monarchs.
Every movement Klemens made here was under the observation of the entire court, and would be noted and gossiped about. And now he was extending a hand to his sister’s companion.
She looked at his outstretched hand, then at the assembled monarchs, then back at him. The calculation was simple: accept his hand and face ruin together, or refuse and lose him forever.
And then her mind seemed to have shut down altogether as she placed her trembling hand in his.
He closed his around hers firmly.
“Where to?” Pippa stuttered.
“We are going on a sleigh ride to Schonbrunn.”
Mimi laughed. “Fantastic idea, brother dear.” She clapped her hands. “That is exactly what you should do.”
Klemens led her to the sled. “Get inside.”
Pippa hesitated. “You are courting disaster.”
“Nonsense.” There was a wild light in his eyes as he whirled around.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Your Excellencies, Majesties, Highnesses, your attention, please.” His voice boomed loudly over the courtyard.
“It is a beautiful day today, and we are about to go on a beautiful outing. It will no doubt be the highlight of this season. Before we do so, let me address the newest rumour that has come to your ears. I have just been informed that my erstwhile betrothed, the Grand Duchess, has absconded and secretly married her lover in Baden bei Wien. Since the Grand Duchess has not made it a secret that she would rather be married to another, why should I keep a secret that is no secret either?”
“You are absolutely raging mad,” Pippa gasped, winding her hand in his, trying to pull him back from the precipice of certain disaster and ruin, but his grip tightened.