Hayley shrugged. “I guess she likes them older.”
Amadeus considered and said he’d see what he could do. He would have to discuss it with his father, and his mother was probably going to want some sort of chaperone, especially when she found out that a Jew was going come along. So he wondered. . Well, if he could get his brother-in-law Marton as a chaperone, he would also be one of the guys he was supposed to round up.
Eisenberg House, Vienna
Marton wasn’t thrilled with the idea but Amadeus called in a favor. And besides, Marton had several deals going with the Jewish banker. So while Amadeus talked to Julian von Meklau and Rudolf von Kesmark, Marton talked with Moses. As it happened, they discussed it with Archduke Leo, the emperor’s younger brother, in the room.
“You’re going on a picnic? Where are you going?” Leo asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe the water park out at Race Track City,” Moses said.
“And why were you invited?”
“I think the idea is that Hayley Fortney wanted company to keep Amadeus from pressing his suit too vigorously, and Moses is there as extra company,” said Marton.
“Well then, a bit more extra company will not be amiss. I’ll borrow the steamboat and we can steam up the river to the family hunting lodge.” The Habsburg family had several properties near the vicinity of Vienna. Race Track City was located on one a few miles downriver from Vienna. The one Leo was talking about was not a lot farther, but upriver, on the north side. It was a hunting lodge in the sense that the up-time Taj Mahal was a tomb, but it did have plants and animals and outdoors.
Marton didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t at all sure that the young ladies were going to be pleased to have the duke along. But then, how did you tell the brother of the emperor of Austria-Hungary that he wasn’t invited?
* * *
Julian von Meklau wanted to know, “Which one do I get?”
“You don’t get any, Julian. You ass. You’ll be lucky if you don’t get stepped on. Have you noticed that they have their own money?”
“I’ve seen it, but I haven’t taken any,” Julian said. “Father says it’s worthless.”
“That’s because your father is an idiot,” Rudolf von Kesmark told him. “The Abrabanels are taking it at face value. That means they think it’s worth more than the reich money.”
“The reich-” Julian started.
“Never mind. Take it or don’t, as you like. I know my father is taking it at face value and so is Marton.” Amadeus’ brother-in-law was a count because he had enough money to buy a county, and had. Ferdinand II, and now Ferdinand III, depended on Marton for financial acumen as well as cash. He held no official post in the government, but he was listened to.
Julian looked stubborn, but dropped the matter. Julian was not stupid but he was influenced by his parents, who were very much of a conservative nature.
“I think Judith Wendell is the prettiest,” Rudolph said, laying his claim.
Amadeus just shook his head. He was pretty sure his friends were in line for a rude awakening and he just hoped they didn’t embarrass him too much.
Fortney House, Race Track City
“This is turning into a circus,” Trudi complained. “All I wanted was a little company to keep things cool while Jack and I got to know each other.”
“It’s your own fault,” Susan said, with not much in the way of sympathy. Susan was uncomfortable about the whole thing. She had no idea what she and Moses would talk about in a social situation.
She looked over at Judy, who seemed to think the whole situation funny, and for just a moment she hated her long-time friend for the way she was always so comfortable in social situations. Judy was never at a loss for how to behave.
“Well, on the up side, there are going to be enough men to go around,” said Millicent. “We may even have a couple of spares.”
Vienna docks
Saturday morning dawned bright and crisp, but with not a cloud in the sky. It looked to be a hot day by afternoon and Moses Abrabanel was wondering what he was doing. He wasn’t working on a Saturday and the Jewish community in Vienna was fairly cosmopolitan anyway. But he was going on a social engagement with a gentile and he wasn’t Rebecca, to marry a gentile. Not that that had stopped his father, his mother, and his sister from teasing him over the matter. Teasing gently, because he had only lost his bride a year ago. Still, his mother had commented that the mourning period was more than over, and his little daughter need a mother, not just a hired wet nurse.
Those were the thoughts running through his mind as he walked up the gangplank to the royal steamboat that would take them to Race Track City. Amadeus and a couple of his young friends were already there, as was Jakusch Pfeifer, looking pretty uncomfortable in the august company.
Marton was fiddling with a rifle that he had bought from a gun maker in Suhl. It was a copy of a Cardinal and fairly expensive. Marton was an avid hunter when he had the time, but he had bought that rifle right after he heard about Polyxena, and Moses didn’t doubt that it was royal-or at least ducal-game that Marton wanted to hunt. He had loved the silly girl. It hadn’t just been a social mariage.
On the other hand, Marton had always liked guns. They were his hobby.
Archduke Leo waved to Moses as he rode up and left the horse with a retainer to return to the stables. Then he bounced up the gangplank, all youthful energy. “Are we ready to go?
“Yes, Your Grace. Dr. Faust is out at Race Track City,” Amadeus offered.
And they were off. Jakusch Pfeifer stayed diffident during the trip, not speaking unless spoken to. Amadeus and his friends were boisterous, but somewhat restrained by the duke, who wasn’t restrained much at all.
Marton tried to bring out Jakusch with some success, talking about the businesses out in Race Track City and the Liechtenstein Tower, which was in the preconstruction “dig up the lot” phase. The value of the Tower, and the number of tenants. The tower would be expensive, but Jakusch was convinced it would pay for itself in ten years, and in the meantime it would be a major status symbol for the Liechtensteins. . and for the Barbies, of course. Clear evidence of the value of their shares.
Moses tried to stay out of that conversation. It was Saturday, after all. And he did try to avoid doing business on a Saturday.
* * *
Carla Ann Barclay had lied to her parents to come here this morning. They knew she was coming to Race Track City, but not that she was going on a picnic with the Barbie Consortium and a bevy of local nobles. For some unfathomable reason, Mom seemed convinced that every down-timer with a title-any title-was just waiting to get her alone to practice droit du seigneur. Well, she was going to be with the Barbies and no one was going to mess with them. She hoped.
The barge pulled up to the docks and everyone piled on, carrying baskets. There were thermoses of coffee and coolers with chilled wine and cold meats, bread and fruits. It was to be a well-stocked picnic and everyone was apparently in a good mood, even the guards.
Judy Wendell was busily introducing everyone to everyone, even the people she didn’t know. Carla wished she knew how Judy did it.
Then Vicky Emerson saw the rifle. “Is that a Cardinal?”
One of the older down-timers-He must be over thirty, Carla thought-said, “Yes. I bought it from the gunsmiths of Suhl last year.”
“I bet it’s from U.S. Waffen Fabrik.”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Oh, Vicky’s a gun nut,” said Judy. “Knows all about guns and who makes them. She brought her own arsenal. Won’t leave home without it.”
“Is she like that other up-timer?” The old guy paused, like he was trying to remember a name.