‘A dear friend told me. She had a conversation with one… with one of the girls.’
‘And you’re certain it’s true?’
Mariana nodded. ‘One night I lay in wait, hiding in the bushes, and watched. We have always had separate quarters, and Angelo maintains the same chamber he used… do you remember, that night when I went to him in your stead?’
I nodded. It wasn’t a memory I cared to dwell on. Not one of my finest moments.
‘They come in the darkest of night, and he burns no candles. Everything is just as it was that night.’
‘I see,’ I said. I had hated Angelo long and deeply enough for what he had inflicted on me that, even as we spoke, the beginnings of a plan began to form itself effortlessly in my mind.
‘What can I do, dear Isabel? Pray, tell me, what can I do?’
I took her hand. ‘Do nothing,’ I said. ‘At least not for the moment. I know it pains you, but bear with it. I’m certain there’s a solution and I promise that your suffering will come to an end ere long.’
Her eyes widened and lit up at that little sliver of hope. ‘Really? You promise? Oh, Isabel, is it possible I can be happy again?’
‘We’ll see,’ I said, busy thinking. ‘We’ll see.’
I was finally satisfied enough with my changed appearance and the peasant clothes I had painstakingly made to venture out into the city streets in the guise of a country girl seeking employment. Through further, cautious questioning of Mariana, I had already determined that Pandarus tended to prey on his victims in the busy public square near the coach station, often approaching them the very moment they arrived in the city. He had, I imagined, a skilled eye and knew exactly who was vulnerable to his approach and who best to leave alone. I affected to look lost and weak, and on my second visit a man came up to me. His clothes and his bearing signified a certain level of wealth and influence in society, and his general manner was that of a gentleman.
‘Are you new here?’ he asked.
‘Me?’ I responded shyly, keeping my head down. ‘Yes, sir.’
‘Where are you from?’
I named a distant village I had once heard one of my husband’s ministers mention.
‘And what, may I ask, brings you to Vienna?’
‘I seek employment, sir.’
‘You do, do you? And what skills do you possess?’
‘I can cook, sir, and wash, and mend clothes.’
‘Valuable skills, indeed. Come, walk with me.’
I couldn’t just go with him, not that easily. I had to play the shy country girl. ‘I cannot, sir.’
‘Cannot? Why not?’
‘I don’t know, sir. It just seems so… forward. I don’t know you.’
‘Forward? Walking alongside a perfect gentleman in a public place?’ He smiled. He really did have a warm smile, the kind that leads you to trust a person. ‘Come, come, don’t be silly.’
So I walked beside him. He offered his arm, but I didn’t take it. That didn’t seem to upset him too much. ‘You know, I think I might be able to help you,’ he said, stroking his moustache.
‘Help me, sir? You mean you require my services?’
He laughed. ‘Me? Oh, no. Not me. A friend of mine. And I will speak for you.’
‘But you don’t know me, sir. How can you speak for me? You don’t even know my name.’
He stopped walking and put his fingers under my chin, lifting my face. He was taller than I, so I had to look up, though I tried to keep my eyes down under my fluttering lashes. I felt myself blush. ‘I am an excellent judge of character,’ he said. ‘I believe you to be an honest country maiden, and I believe you are exactly what he has in mind.’ He let me go and carried on walking. This time I picked up my pace to keep up with him, showing interest. ‘He does, however, have one peculiarity I must mention,’ he went on.
‘What might that be, sir?’
‘He prefers to conduct his business at night.’
‘That is strange, indeed, sir.’
He shrugged. ‘It is a mere trifle.’
‘If you say so, sir.’ As a country girl, I could, of course, have no idea of the ways of city folk.
‘So, should you be interested – and he is a most kind, considerate and bountiful master – you must go to him through his garden at night and he will acquaint you with his needs. You need have no fears. He is an honourable man, and I shall be close by.’
Again, I had to remind myself that I was playing the role of a simple country girl. ‘If you think so, sir.’
‘Tonight, then?’
I hesitated for just as long as necessary. ‘Tonight,’ I whispered finally.
‘Meet me here,’ he said, then he melted into the crowds.
My plan was simple enough. I intended to gain entry to Angelo’s chamber under cover of darkness and… Well, I hadn’t really thought much past that, except that I planned to confront him and expose him for what he was. If necessary, I would claim that I went to visit my friend Mariana and that he attempted to ravage me, but I doubted it would come to that. One of the many advantages of being the duke’s wife is that subjects tend to fear my husband’s power, and I had no doubt that Angelo would give up his nightly escapades if faced with their possible political consequences. A wife’s railing is easy enough to ignore, but the power of the duke is another matter entirely.
I could not help but feel restless all evening as I waited for the appointed hour. After the usual antics with cassock and vespers, I slipped a sleeping draught into the duke’s nightcap, and he went out like a snuffed candle. When the servants were all in bed, I donned my disguise and slipped out of the house.
The dark streets frightened me, as I had not gone out alone at night before, and I feared lest some drunken peasant or soldier should molest me. In case of just such an incident, I carried a dagger concealed about my person, a present to the duke from a visiting diplomat. But either the denizens of the night are better behaved than I had imagined, or I was blessed by fortune, for I made my way to the square without any hindrance whatsoever. When I got there, I was surprised at how many people were still out and about at such a late hour, lounging by the fountain, talking and laughing by the light of braziers and flaming torches. I had no idea that such a world of shadows existed, and I found that the discovery oddly excited me.
Pandarus appeared at my side as if by magic, wrapped in dark robes, his head hooded, as was mine.
‘Are you ready?’ he asked.
I nodded.
‘Then come with me.’
I followed him through the narrow alleys and across the broad cobbled courtyards to Angelo’s quarters, where we paused at a gate in the high wall surrounding the garden.
‘This gate is unlocked,’ said Pandarus. ‘Cross the garden directly to the chamber before you, where you will find the door also unlocked. Enter, and all will be explained.’
I managed to summon up one last show of nerves. ‘I’m not certain, sir. I mean… I do not…’
‘There’s nothing to fear,’ he said softly.
‘Will you accompany me, sir?’
‘I cannot. My friend prefers to conduct his business in private.’
He stood there while I gathered together all my strength, took a deep breath and opened the gate. There were no lights showing beyond the garden, so I had to walk carefully to make sure I didn’t trip and fall. Finally, I reached the door of Angelo’s chamber, and it opened when I pushed it gently, hinges creaking a little. By this time I could make out the varying degrees of shadows, so I was aware of the large canopied bed and of the silhouette standing before me: Angelo.
‘Come in, my little pretty one,’ he said. ‘Make yourself comfortable. Has my friend Pandarus told you what you must do?’