Love and Triumph: The Coltrane Saga, Book 8 (6 page)

“All I’m asking is that you use your influence to get her to accept my invitation to visit my family in Zurich. That will take her mind off her father and give me time to make her see she does love me.”

“Well, I think I can agree that’s a good idea, but, as you’re probably well aware, she’s somewhat of a loner, and the only person she was ever close to was my mother. But I’ll see what I can do, and I’ll let her know you have my blessings.”

Relieved, Rudolf grabbed Colt’s hand and shook it with exaggerated gratitude. “Thank you, sir. I’m sure she respects you and your opinion. And I promise I’ll take good care of her.”

Colt, likewise, felt relief. Maybe, he mused guiltily, he shouldn’t be so eager to see Marilee married off, but the truth was, grim though the thought might be, if something did happen to him, she would just be another responsibility for Jade to cope with after he was gone.

They smoked their cigars, sipped their brandy, and made small talk, and then Jade and Marilee arrived.

After exchanged greetings, Jade said, “Colt, we need to get in line with Travis and Valerie to receive the guests. They’re starting to arrive now.” To Rudolf, she said, “You’ll have to excuse Marilee for a little while, but I did ask Kit to seat you next to her at dinner.”

Everyone moved to the door—except Rudolf.

He had politely stood when the ladies entered the room, but his eyes had locked upon Marilee, and he stood frozen, unable to tear away his gaze.

The object of his fixation was not her gown, a stunning gold lamé that made her look more glamorous and beautiful than he’d ever seen her before.

It was the pendant.

Hanging on a gold chain, the gold and garnet and ruby pendant at her throat mesmerized him.

“Rudolf?” She laughed a bit nervously, for she’d never seen him behave so strangely. “What is it?”

He swallowed hard, licked his dry lips, struggled for composure, then managed to ask, “Where did you get that stunning piece?”

“I gave it to her,” Jade told him. “It was a present to me on my wedding day from Czar Nicholas.”

“You
knew
the Czar
personally,
madame?”

Marilee was quick to proudly inform him, “Of course. They’re related to each other, and he named her a princess the night before she married my uncle. Didn’t you know? My aunt is a
Romanov
!”

Rudolf’s eyes narrowed, ever so slightly, but no one noticed, and he was barely able to conceal the excited tremor that was going through him at this stunning news.

Chapter Seven

The wedding dinner was lovely, and everyone was in a mellow mood. Rudolf continued to charm and captivate the Coltranes, but all the while his brain was whirling with the exciting revelation and what it could mean.

He could not believe his good fortune at being seated on the other side of Jade. During the course of the evening, he managed to delicately ask questions about her Romanov heritage, careful to appear only respectfully in awe of such elite company.

At first she was reluctant to talk about it, then eventually divulged that her mother was Russian and a cousin of Czar Alexander II, while her father was Irish. When she became orphaned at an early age, she was unofficially adopted by Marie Pavlovna, sister-in-law of the new Czar, Alexander III, and subsequently raised in the Imperial Court.

Jade then launched into an enthusiastic recount of her career as a prima, ballerina with the Imperial Ballet, and as she talked, Irish eyes shining with pride and fond remembrance, it was only with great effort that Rudolf was able to appear properly impressed, nodding at appropriate moments, smiling now and then. He was having difficulty swallowing against the bile that rose in his throat when she had mentioned the name of Alexander III, for he knew only too well of the sorrow suffered by his idol, Lenin, over his eldest brother, Aleksandr, having been convicted and hanged for conspiring with a revolutionary terrorist group that had plotted to assassinate him.

I should be an actor
, he told himself fiercely, taking a gulp of wine to ease the burning within,
instead of a pianist…because only a great actor could pretend to enjoy the company of such capitalistic swine!

And it was good, he thought with a mechanical smile of adoration at Marilee, that she did not feel a part of this family, for he’d be damned if they’d ever fraternize with
 
the Coltranes once they were married.

Rudolf was relieved when dinner finally ended. A full orchestra began to play, and hundreds applauded as Travis Coltrane led his bride, Valerie, to the center of the room for the traditional first dance. Then they parted—Travis dancing with his mother, Valerie with her new father-in-law. At last the other guests could join in, and Rudolf led Marilee onto the floor for a spirited waltz.

He gave her the adoring gaze he’d practiced before his mirror and huskily murmured, “I can’t wait for our time, my darling, when we lead the wedding waltz.”

Dizzy and giddily happy as the result of too many glasses of champagne, Marilee felt a warm glow…but not in particular over Rudolf’s intimate flirting. She was caught up in the glittering atmosphere of the romantic evening. “Maybe…” she said coquettishly, “One day. Who knows?”

He squeezed her hand, pressed harder against her waist. “At least say you’ll visit my family in Zurich and give me a chance to win your heart.”

The dance ended, another began, and suddenly Kurt was there to take Marilee into his arms. It was what Rudolf had been waiting for. Quickly, he went in search of Jade and found her standing to one side, talking to some ladies. He nearly tripped in his haste to get to her before someone else did. “Princess Jade.” He bowed with a flourish. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

The other women exchanged envious glances, and Jade, flattered, allowed him to lead her onto the floor.

“I’ve never danced with a princess before,” he said.

She laughed softly. “Is it any different?”

“Oh, yes. It’s the aura, the enchantment. Of course, it also helps that you’re quite beautiful.”

“All right, Rudolf, you can stop now,” she pretended to scold, emerald eyes shining. “You’ve won me over completely, and I assure you I’ll give Marilee my wholehearted endorsement. Colt and I both agree she should accept your invitation to visit Zurich. It will do her good.”

“Why don’t you accompany Marilee to Zurich?” he glibly suggested. “My mother would love to have you as our guest, and I’d feel better about Marilee traveling if you were with her.”

“How nice of you! I think I’d like that very much, and you’re very kind to include me,” Jade agreed enthusiastically.

Marilee had finished her dance with Kurt and was on her way to the terrace herself to get some fresh air in hopes of clearing away too many champagne bubbles from her head. She was surprised to see Rudolf and Jade coming in, did not have time to speculate as to the reason, or a need, for Jade quickly, and excitedly, told her of Rudolf’s invitation.

“…So,” she finished, “if you decide you’d like to go, you’ll have a traveling companion, and I think it would be a wonderful trip for both of us.”

Marilee looked from one to the other and decided perhaps it was the only way she would ever find out whether Rudolf was the man for her.

“All right,” she said quietly, without enthusiasm. “I guess I might as well.”

Jade was distressed to hear such defeat in her voice and said, “We’ll have a lovely time, and I’m looking forward to
our
being together, too.”

Rudolf was bristling inside to see Marilee’s reluctance. He could name dozens of women who’d leap at such an invitation. Just who did she think she was?

It was only with great effort that he was able to muster a tight smile and say, “Yes, my darling, we’ll
all
have a lovely time.”

But the smile was genuine when he added, “And I promise it will be a visit neither of you will
ever
forget!”

Chapter Eight

Amalia was livid.

There had not been a day since Rudolf had sneaked off that she had not reread the terse note he had left on his pillow, crying and cursing all the while she did so.

Mother, dear,

I have gone to Spain to attend the wedding of a special friend’s cousin. I did not tell you of my plans in advance because I knew you would worry. I should be back in a few weeks.

Love,

Rudolf

The note was worn, tattered—and so were her nerves.

“Elenore!” she screamed in the quiet gloom of her bedroom suite. “Elenore! I want you to come in here. Now!”

She did not stop to think that her daughter might be out. Elenore knew better than to be like her disobedient brother and leave without asking permission.

How Amalia wished it had never been necessary to leave Vienna. There, she’d had control over the children. Here, it was different. The city was filled with refugees from the war—all kinds and classes—and she had not wanted them exposed to such. If only Elenore were still in school and she could persuade Rudolf to go away to a conservatory and get on with his music, she would not have to worry about their being exposed to undesirable company.

Both of them had been acting mysteriously lately, but Rudolf was worse…and his leaving for so long without permission was the final blow.

“Elenore! I want you in here now!” she bellowed again.

Amalia wanted to interrogate her once more about Rudolf’s “special friend”. Oh, Elenore pretended not to know anything and swore Rudolf had confided nothing to her about his plans and that she had no idea whom he had gone to visit. But Amalia was sure she was lying. She had always prided herself on being one step ahead of her children and was now furious with herself for not having sensed that Rudolf was up to something.

Once again she read the note, straining to see in the dim light. She had ordered the thick velvet drapes closed against the sunshine. When Amalia was unhappy, she detested sunshine and blue skies, preferring stormy weather to match her dismal mood.

In ultimate frustration, she wadded the note and threw it furiously into the empty grate of the fireplace.

She began to pace aimlessly about the cheerless room. It was so dreary, with its dark, heavy furniture, faded wallpaper, and worn carpets. But it was the nicest room in the decaying old castle, so she had moved Ilsa out, even before she died. The old lady was so crazy in the head she never said a word when she was locked away in a small room in the basement to wait to die. Amalia could still remember the feeling of relief that morning when Ulda, the housekeeper, came running up the stairs, nearly stumbling and falling in her haste and terror, to report she had found her mistress dead in bed when she’d taken down her breakfast tray.

Ilsa, Amalia felt, had only been in the way, and once she was gone, the castle legally became the children’s. Oh, not that it was worth all that much in its present state of deterioration, but it was a place to live, and there were still boxes in the basement to go through in hopes of finding more valuables to sell to pay for Rudolf’s studies at a conservatory.

“If he ever recovers from his temporary state of insanity!” Amalia said aloud.

“Oh, Mother, he’s not insane!”

Elenore’s exasperated voice startled her. “How dare you sneak up on me this way? My nerves are shattered enough as it is, thanks to your thoughtless brother, without you scaring me half to death.”

“Are you sure you aren’t just afraid Grandmother’s ghost will come back to haunt you…again?” Elenore boldly taunted as she walked over to pull the drapery cord, flooding the room with light. “God, how do you stand it in the dark all the time?”

“I like it! It’s my room. I’ll do as I wish, and I won’t put up with your insolence.” Amalia hurried to close the drapes, cursing herself for what must be the thousandth time for ever having confided to Elenore about those horrible nightmares in which she thought she saw Ilsa standing at the foot of her bed. Elenore had just laughed and said it was her conscience bothering her because of the way she’d treated her. Amalia had not been able to make her or Rudolf understand that their grandmother had to be locked away for her own protection, because her mind was gone.

“Where have you been?” Amalia demanded. “I’ve been calling you for hours.”

“Walking.”

“Indeed.”

Elenore threw up her hands. “Oh, why do I even bother answering your questions, Mother? You never believe me, anyway.”

“That’s your own fault. I can tell when you’re lying, and you’re lying when you say you don’t know anything about this ‘special friend’ of Rudolf’s. I want to know who she is and what makes her so ‘special’,” she added with a sneer.

“Who says it’s a ‘she’?”

Amalia glared at her incredulously. “Do you take me for a fool? Rudolf would never make such a long journey for one of his new, fanatical men friends.” She nodded smugly when she saw the look of surprise on Elenore’s face. “Oh, yes, I’ve heard the rumors about you two keeping company with political zealots. The servants hear gossip and they pass it all along to me.

“But that’s not the point for the moment,” she went on, waving her hand to dismiss that particular subject. “Believe me, I’ll take all that up with you and your brother later, because we’re going to start cultivating a normal life around here. You’re going to make some kind of social debut, no matter how difficult, what with the war going on. It’s time to present you as an eligible young lady, because the sooner I find a husband for you, the better. And Rudolf is going to continue his studies.”