Into the Lion's Den (47 page)

Perhaps he will be here tomorrow. Stay away from him. We tolerate his presence because he's a good liaison officer,”

Goran said very seriously and almost saluted the tall man standing at the room entrance.

“My Duke.”

“Thank you for bringing it, Goran.” Konrad said and caressed reverently the handle of his sword. “I don't think it will be necessary to put them on display. Keep them in the back room. Sometimes I think it's a crime to use them here. They deserve much better.”

“It's what we have, my Griffin,” Goran commented dejectedly. “Everything changes and not for good.”

“Indeed. Hello, Guntram. You look pale. Are you feeling all right?”

“Yes, Sire,” the boy whispered still looking at the sword he had so many stories about. The blasted thing looked very well sharpened and heavy enough as to behead a person.

“Come with me, Guntram. I want to introduce you to the Fürst zu Löwenstein.” Konrad broke the sword's spell, steering the boy out of the large room.

“Should I not change my clothes? I just came from the atelier,” he asked, glad to be out of the suffocating room.

“It's all right. Nothing formal. It's an old friend of mine and adviser. My cousin Albert is with him too,”

Konrad said pulling his ward from the elbow and increasing his long strides toward the living room.

Two men were sitting in front of the fire. One tall man, around his mid forties, dark-haired with deep blue eyes, slightly round, with the aquiline nose of the Lintorff's was sitting next to a very old and frail looking, supporting in his cane man. The older man inspected Guntram from head to toes as he seemed to hesitate when Konrad advanced toward them.

“
Mein Fürst,
may I introduce Guntram de Lisle Guttenberg Sachsen, Vicomte de Marignac to you?”

Guntram was surprised to hear Konrad using his full name and title. Normally he was introduced as “De Lisle” or “Guntram, my ward.” He bowed his head toward the man and only whispered “
Mein Fürst
.”

“My cousin, Albert von Lintorff. He oversees the Italian branch of our companies.”

“How do you do, sir?” Guntram said and shook the offered hand.

“Come over here, child. Let me see you better.” The old man ordered and Guntram obeyed. “It is a pity your poor health prevented us from meeting each other before. Sit down.” He pointed to a chair next to him where he could observe the boy much better. Although the old man could feel the young man's nervousness, he was doing his best to keep his pose and you could certainly see that he was of noble birth.

“Thank you,
mein Fürst
.”

“You don't look very much like your father; you must have taken your features from your mother or from the Guttenberg Sachsen. Pater Bruno has spoken to me about you and also my cousin Claire von Ribbentrop. She says that you work hard despite your heart condition.”

“I do everything in my power to be useful.”

“That is laudable, child. The month you have spent at our side has proved that you are worthy of being one of us.”

“Guntram is an artist. He has no interest to participate in our activities,
mein Fürst
,” Konrad said quickly.

“Indeed. He is very young, my friend.”

“He is twenty-one years old. I was twenty-two when I was invested
Hochmeister
.”

“And you nearly gave me my first syncope during your first year as Griffin. Your poor uncle Hermann never had so many emotions in his whole life. It was a financial roller coaster what we went through,” the prince chuckled, visibly entertained at the memory.

“Thanks to your advice we have managed satisfactorily for the past twenty-four years.”

“Do you give me your word to assure the succession then?” Löwenstein's blue eyes pierced Konrad's.

“In a year, if I'm pleased with the course of events. His role is of a personal nature, nothing else, no power granted to him,” Konrad worded his answer carefully.

“In that case, although I am not entirely satisfied with your decision, I will not oppose you. This is too modern for my taste, but we have to adapt to the times if the outcome is good. In a year, if I am pleased with his performance, I will support his candidacy, but the succession line will not be further altered, is that clear Griffin?”

“Of course, it remains as it is unless we have a new development.”

“Cousin, you have my vote too. He's from good breeding and his father was on our side.” Albert von Lintorff dispassionately announced.

“Tell me young man, have you ever exhibited something?” the old man asked Guntram, still totally lost in the conversation obviously revolving around him.

“One exhibition in London, several months ago. Mr. Clive Robertson is my manager. I'm not sure if he has received some of my work in the past month.”

“Have you resumed your studies?”

“Yes sir. I will take the tests in June.”

“Very well, Ostermann tells me that you still need to gain more confidence in yourself, but you have some “sparks of talent” and work hard. I would like to see some samples of your work. Perhaps after dinner.”

“It will be an honour to show it to you, Sire.”

“Excellent, you may return to your duties, child,” the prince dismissed Guntram. “Konrad, your Tutor's evaluation is also good and that carries a considerable weight in my eyes.”

Guntram stood up and bowed his head to both visitors, after quickly checking with the Duke if he was allowed to leave the room. He was surprised to see a fleeting but warm smile hanging on his lips. He left the room, closing the door quietly.

“Cousin, he's not what I was expecting. He looks like a little, quiet mouse. Usually, you like flamboyant, bordering on scandalous.”

“He's to be my personal companion, not my whore. Understand this Albert.”

“I'm surprised, that's all Konrad. I was betting all my money in this Stefania, but it seems I'm wrong.”

“Do you think I will mix our blood with the blood of a…?”

“Konrad, we all know about your dedication and of your personal sacrifices for the Order,” Löwenstein stopped the probable fight between the cousins. “This is not what we all expected from you, although we know about your preferences since a long time.”

“He's exactly what I like and I will choose an appropriate mother for my children. I can't marry a woman as I don't like or trust them at all: not to the point of sharing my life with one of them. He's intelligent, polite, descendant from an old line, generous to his brothers, respects the Church and honest. All good traits for a Consort.

He gives me peace of mind.”

“Without sex? We have to ask him how he does it. We absolutely need his recipe. I've noticed you're a bit more peaceful lately. Can we not sit him at the Board's meetings?” Albert chuckled while Löwenstein smiled wickedly.

“Do you understand Konrad that he is Repin's lover? The others will be furious with you if you announce that you want to keep him for yourself.”

“He WAS Repin's lover. We all come with a past attached and in these days, only one experience at twenty-one is nothing. He tried to leave him the moment he found out about the wife. We still have time to think about returning him to Repin. Almost a year. I'm only asking your permission to consider him as a suitable Consort. It could not work at all.”

“You have our permission “to court” him, cousin,” Albert mocked Konrad. “Do you need a list of suitable presents, Romeo?”

“Albert, your famous lists will not work with this child,” Löwenstein interfered wearing a tired smile.

“He is truly his father's son. Remember that the man rejected Sybille von Lippe and her eight hundred million Marks, not once but twice. His family nearly disinherited him twice for this. I think he has his grandmother's soulful eyes. A very beautiful lady, breaking every heart back in the thirties. We were standing in line to get a smile from Sigrid Guttenberg Sachsen. Konrad, my boy, if you want to be successful you should better start to help in Pater Bruno's soup kitchen once per week.” The prince laughed as the image of a very uptight Duke serving a homeless flashed through his mind.

“Maybe my cousin will finally learn to cook. If he wants to become a responsible man… cleaning is a lost art for him.”

“Albert, let's do not dwell on your own housekeeping abilities,” Konrad barked, losing his patience. “We have to prepare tomorrow's meeting.”

“Still an old dry bone, Konrad. Poor boy, he will die of boredom next to you.”

Guntram was still shocked after his meeting with the two men. What were those two exactly implying about him? To accept him in the Order? No, that it could not be because he was already a member, much to his dismay. No, “his role was more of a personal nature,” whatever that might mean. 'I hate people talking at my back or deciding for me. I'm not an idiot!'

A soft knock on his door made him jump in his desk. “Come in!” he answered dryly still upset. “Ah, it's you Friederich. I'm sorry.”

“Dinner is at 8:30 tonight. The prince has to leave early. His health is not in very good shape.”

“He can still command a lot,” Guntram mumbled making Friederich smile.

“The day he stops commanding, he will be resting in his vault. What did he tell you?”

“It was the most absurd talk I've ever had. He asked me about my studies, but he already knew everything beforehand, told me that I'm very young, that I'm worthy to be in the Order and that they would give their support to the Duke, then, I was sent away. Ah, I'm supposed to show him my work after dinner, but I don't know if he really meant it.”

“Be sure that the Prince means every word he says. Prepare a small portfolio and I will leave it in the living room after dinner. Show them if he asks you again.”

“Who's the Duke's Tutor?”

“That should be me, Guntram,” Friederich answered smiling. “For over forty years. I look after him since he was four years old. Quite a strong-willed child.”

“Thank you for speaking on my behalf. The prince said that your opinion carries a lot of weight in front of his eyes.”

“You're a good and honest person Guntram. I have nothing against you. You had the misfortune of meeting the wrong persons and trusted them. Since you're under my care I've seen nothing that could displease me in your ways or temper. Perhaps you place too much trust in people, but I think this is because of your young age.”

“Thank you, but I can't place the blame entirely on the others. I accepted their lies because I liked them.”

“We all make mistakes but we have the power to rectify them, child. I hope you have learned your lesson.”

“Were you his tutor?”

“Since I was twenty-two years old. The former Duke, Karl Heinz von Lintorff, personally chose me for the position. I came from the Jesuit Seminar and took over the younger brother. Konrad was a very intelligent child, but very shy and insecure. He was an excellent student, very inquisitive and sharp. At seven he could speak German, English and Russian fluently. Karl Heinz was very proud of his son, but he never pampered him and that was very important.”

“You mentioned another brother. Where is he?”

“The eldest brother died in hunting accident when he was twelve. Karl Maria shot himself with his father's weapon. It was very hard for Konrad and the Duke. He adored his older brother and was silent for a full year.

The Duchess divorced the Duke at the end of the year, but Konrad preferred to remain here with his father as his relationship with the former Duchess was never good.”

“I had no idea that it was so bad for him.”

“It was hard but he overcame it with the years. The Consort lost her title and she lives in Paris. Please Guntram, never mention her in front of him. He becomes absolutely enraged at her memory.”

“But she was his mother! I would have killed to meet my own mother!”

“Your mother, not Marianne von Liechtenstein. She never liked Konrad as he overshadowed his brother since he was a small child. She rejected him since his birth and he was the saddest child I ever saw brilliant and doing whatever he could to be better for her. I did my best to support him and show him my care but a mother can't be replaced, Guntram. All this is in the past and should remain there.”

“Why did you call her Consort?”

“That's an honorary title for our Order. Our founder, Theodobald von Lintorff decided that a person, man or woman, would be named Consort; a companion to the
Hochmeister
. He or she would get the right to vote in the council and his opposition could nullify a decision made by the
Hochmeister
. The idea was that in case the heir to the Lintorff House would be a woman, her husband could represent her in the Council as women were not accepted. This is why the Consort has to be approved by the Council. The
Hochmeister
, should he take a male Consort, could have a wife too, but the Consort was always responsible for raising the next generation of Griffins. Sometimes a
Hochmeister
would take a male Consort, just because he considered that this man could be a good councillor or Tutor or because he needed one extra vote to support his rule. Having a male Consort also helped in the case of the
Hochmeister's
premature death if his heir would be too young to rule. In that case, the Consort and the Council would have to make the decisions together.”

“I don't understand, you were the Duke's Tutor…”

“Yes, but I was never appointed by the Council or wanted to be. I was happy to serve in a less notorious way. Many of the older members still regard me as a member. I'm not from noble birth nor come from a line. I wanted to serve God in the Church, but the Lord had other ideas and my superiors sent me to Karl Heinz, the former Duke.

My family had been serving the Order only for two generations. Karl Heinz understood my reasons. After he passed away, the new Duke asked me to stay as his estates manager and that's already quite a headache. The Duke can also be very demanding and childish sometimes,” Friederich said, while Guntram pondered if he should ask if the man had been something more than a tutor. Was he not on a first name basis with the former Duke? Better not, it was none of his business and Konrad seemed to be very attached to his tutor.