Antonia was guiding me then, my boy, for it was in the lining of her cloak I found the dried herbs and matter folded in paper and sealed which I discovered I needed for the drugs. Then, when my search was complete, I dug her a grave. It was her suggestion I carried a spade with me on our little excursion, in case the treasure to which the spirits led her was underground. I rested a little, packed up what I had taken from her body, then threw her jewels into the stream.
Harriet found Manzerotti at the centre of a large group of rather amazed young women. It took some time before he could extricate himself.
‘Come to toast the happy bride and groom, Mrs Westerman? Clode is released, the conspirators are under guard, the fountains flow with wine, and good cheer abounds.’
She unfolded the paper in her hand. ‘This is the portrait of Antonia Kastner, the woman slandered by the Minervals. It is also the model for the walking automaton the Al-Saids were asked to build.’ He nodded but said nothing. ‘The model had a Seal of Solomon painted on its torso. A brass vessel with the same seal was commissioned from Julius, and there was a space left in the body large enough to accommodate it.’
Manzerotti was very still for a moment, then he took her by the elbow and led her to a quieter part of the room. ‘The blood … I did not realise I could still be shocked. How exciting. Do you know who is trying to reclaim her from the dead?’
‘I believe I do. It is one of the Knights Imperial with a position at court. We wish to ride out at once and place him into Krall’s custody, but Colonel Padfield will not give up any of his men.’
‘I see. He has a point, my dear. Sending troops into lands not under his rule would be a serious breach of etiquette. You wish me to use my influence with the Duke? It would be a great deal better to wait until the morning. The lawyers can draw up a few Warrants Extraordinary and cover them with seals and Latin phrases. They are very particular about such things. This man will be just as mad then.’ He looked at the portrait again. ‘Fascinating.’
‘I overheard Pegel ask you to give him time to get his friend away to his father’s house. That friend was Count Frenzel’s son.’
‘Yes?’ Manzerotti frowned.
‘This is a portrait of Antonia Kastner. She was Count Frenzel’s second wife.’
‘I see.’ He folded up the picture and returned it to her. ‘That boy is a trial. Come then, to the Colonel — and Mrs Westerman?’ She looked up at him. ‘Thank you.’
VI.10
The doors that led from the courtyard were unlocked. Pegel chose one at random and began moving quietly through the corridors. The place was a warren; it seemed full of sudden dead ends, branching passageways. Pegel began to feel, with a rising sense of panic, that the building was a living thing, laughing at him. When he had climbed out of the bedroom, his intention had been to ride off indignantly into the night, but then there was that fire and the name of Kastner. He could not leave Florian here alone with his mad father. He thought about it, but he couldn’t. If he could find the room where Florian was, perhaps he could pick the lock. Florian would know where to search for guns in this place. Or a way out would be a start. This corridor looked familiar … Pegel fought down his nerves and nausea and stumbled on till he found himself on some sort of gallery looking down and into a room on the opposite side of another courtyard. He saw the Count cross the window. He was dancing with a young woman and smiling at her. The look on his face was one of such intense happiness, Pegel felt his heart contract. The old glass made it hard to see her face, but she seemed to be smiling, too, the jewels flashing around her neck. The grace of her movement was clear though, as she nodded, turned, took Frenzel’s hand. But Florian said his step-mother had died. A door opened behind him and Pegel pushed himself into the shadows, holding his breath. It was Florian, his hands tied behind him. Christian was standing behind him with a pistol aimed at the small of his back.
‘Christian, listen to me! Antonia was a kind woman, a good woman — she would never want this! He is quite mad! For God’s sake, man, stop now. I shall do everything in my power to help you.’
The servant’s voice was shaking a little. ‘Honestly, Master Florian, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s true. You haven’t seen what I’ve seen! She’s coming alive. Every time, she gets stronger.’
There were tears in Florian’s voice. ‘Christian, please! It is an automaton. We saw the ones my father used to have when we were children. We both swore they were alive, but they were just machines.’
‘Not like this, Master Florian.’ Christian’s voice had grown firmer again. ‘Antonia asked for my help. This is what she wanted. She came to me, and asked me to send Beatrice to your father.’
‘So he could murder her?’
Christian frowned. ‘You’re lying! She left here rich and happy.’
‘She’s buried by the waterfall. It’s in his damn letter, read it yourself.’
Pegel wondered if he could reach Christian and knock the gun from his hand before he could squeeze the trigger. Not a hope, and he was too weak to overpower the man even if the shot didn’t kill him. Why had Florian let his hands be tied! Pegel made a resolution not to risk his life saving damn fools from this point on.
‘You’re lying. You haven’t seen what I’ve seen,’ Wimpf repeated stubbornly. ‘Now move, Master Florian. The Count is waiting for us.’
They disappeared round the bend in the corridor and, hardly daring to breathe, Pegel followed them.
‘It cannot be done!’ Colonel Padfield was beginning to sweat. ‘I can understand that in your ignorance, Mrs Westerman, you might think otherwise, but Mr Crowther, Signor Manzerotti, you are, I think, men of the world. To send a party of horse to Frenzel’s home! His estate is held unmittelbar — it is tantamount to an invasion!’
Krall was leaning against the mantelpiece, his shoulders hunched. ‘Colonel, Kinkel saw Swann leaving this place with Wimpf. I reckon they weren’t heading to Gotha but to Frenzel’s home.’
‘It is no concern of ours, Herr District Officer. The Duke made it clear that Chancellor Swann has made his own bed. The man is a traitor, we cannot risk such an action for his sake.’ The Colonel turned to Manzerotti. ‘Sir, you know — you know this is an impossible request.’
Manzerotti smiled at him, but it was not the usual cat-like smile. It was tight. Impatient. ‘Of course it is impossible, Colonel. I wouldn’t expect you to entertain it for a moment.’
Harriet looked at him in disbelief, but he held up one long hand. ‘However, I think you may find it in your power to give a day’s leave, effective at once, to a small number of your Turkish Hussars. They then would be available for hire by some other party. I think you may then find that they, on the road, hear a disturbance that takes them, unwittingly, onto Count Frenzel’s land. You may then find that by morning, Count Frenzel will be on Maulberg territory where he can, of course, be arrested at once. Major Auwerk might also welcome the opportunity to do some extraordinary service today.’ The singer turned to Harriet. ‘His name is on the list of Minervals, of course, but very, very low down on that list. Krall, you and the Major could deliver this murderer to the Duke as a wedding present. Whatever the Duke’s feelings about the Minervals, he, I’m sure, would like to see the killer of Lady Martesen in custody. It reflects well on his authority.’