The Accidental Marriage (7 page)

Julia regretted not being able to go to the Carrousel, a mock tournament held in the Riding Hall, where the best Austrian riders competed in medieval events, sporting the ladies’ favours.

‘The cheapest sash cost a thousand gulden,’ Mrs Pryce told her, awed. ‘I don’t know how everyone is managing, they have to have elaborate new gowns for every occasion.’

Fanny was persuaded to attend the concert where Beethoven, despite his deafness, conducted his own work. As well as the seventh symphony he had written a new piece to celebrate the victory at Vittoria.

‘Thank goodness there are no more balls,’ she said as they were driven home afterwards. ‘It will soon be Advent.’

Meanwhile the political negotiations became more and more tense.

‘Perhaps if the Tsar were well things would move more swiftly,’ Fanny complained. ‘They say he is sulking.’

‘It cannot go on for ever,’ Julia tried to console her.

She was very worried about her sister, convinced Fanny’s listlessness came more from her unhappiness about Frederick’s behaviour than a physical malaise. Then help came from an unexpected quarter.

* * * *

Sir Carey, being privy to Lord Castlereagh’s thoughts, knew better than most how precariously balanced the situation was. The letters he received from friends in England were worrying, too. The government, not really interested in European affairs, was becoming impatient, and there were many disapproving noises about Castlereagh’s conduct of the negotiations.

‘They should be here, to see what he has to contend with,’ he said bitterly one afternoon when he met Julia outside some shops, and persuaded her to have coffee and some sachertorte with him at one of the many cafés.

‘Is it impossible?’ Julia asked.

‘A settlement? Sometimes I think so. Both the Tsar and Frederick William are unpredictable men. If they don’t get what they want, I fear there could be another war.’

He shouldn’t have said that, he thought, seeing how pale Julia went. But she was such an intelligent and attentive listener, he sometimes forgot to be discreet.

‘War? Ought I to insist Fanny goes home?’

‘I’m being pessimistic. France is on our side now, and though we won’t get a strong and united Poland, I’m sure something satisfactory can be worked out.’

When she left he pulled the last letter from Angelica from his pocket and read it again. She was excited to be joining a large house party in Yorkshire for the Christmas season, but unusually, she did not complain that he would not be there with her. He smiled. She seemed more grown up, and had realized it was impossible for him to desert Lord Castlereagh now, so had ceased demanding it of him. He would, however, have to leave Vienna by the end of February. Come what may, he intended to be home in England in plenty of time for their wedding.

* * * *

Frederick reappeared at the apartment a few days before Christmas. An hour later Klara announced Frau Gunter, who stalked in and settled herself in the most comfortable chair before Fanny had a chance to greet her.

Julia tensed. What did the old woman want? She had not bothered much with them for weeks now.

‘Has that renegade husband of yours arrived?’ she demanded.

‘Frederick?’ Fanny stammered.

‘How many husbands do you have, ninny?’

‘He - he has just now come in.’

‘Good. Make sure you keep him here this time. That hussy has been sent away, and I expect Frederick to behave himself now. I’ve told him he’ll see none of my money when I’m gone if he doesn’t stop this ridiculous philandering. I’d send you home to England if it weren’t likely to snow and block the roads. Well, what do you say?’

Fanny cast a terrified look at Julia, who was having difficulty suppressing her thoughts as she imagined the confrontation there must have been between this old harridan and Frederick. He would have stammered like a schoolboy, and the threat of being cut out of her will would have brought him to heel.

‘I - thank you,’ Fanny managed, and Frau Gunter seemed content.

She rose to her feet. ‘You are to inform me at once if he spends a night away from home, or you discover him going to her at any time. I have my own methods of knowing where she is, and if she dares to return to Vienna. In such a case I will expect to see Frederick at once, so that I can make sure he understands I am quite resolved. Good morning.’

Julia and Fanny were too astonished to do more than stare after her as she swept out of the room. The front door slammed, and Julia let out a peal of laughter.

‘Well, what do you make of that?’

There was a hopeful look in Fanny’s eyes. ‘Do you think he’ll obey her?’ she asked hesitantly.

‘Time will tell. I wonder what he’ll be like?’

‘Angry, no doubt. But if he stays here I know I can make him forget her!’ Fanny said, and smiled for what seemed the first time in weeks.

Julia wondered. Frederick might have been cowed for now by his formidable grandmother, but how long would it last? Even if the Countess Tania had been banished - and how in the world had Frau Gunter contrived that? - there were plenty of other women in Vienna looking for the excitement of an illicit liaison.

* * * *

Frau Gunter’s power was greater than Julia had imagined, she admitted to herself a few days later. Frederick did his best to appear pleasant, and even took the girls to see the Christmas tree one of the bankers had imported, the first, he said, to be seen in Vienna.

Christmas was happy for Fanny and the girls, and Julia rejoiced to see this harmony. She didn’t want to hazard a guess as to how long it would last, but allowed herself to enjoy the peace.

Fanny was blooming again, with colour in her cheeks and brightness in her eyes. Even the news that the Russian embassy, full of wonderful treasures, had burnt down and been completely destroyed on the last day of the year did not dim her happiness.

‘It had been given by a wealthy Russian Count, and they regularly had suppers there for over three hundred people,’ Mrs Pryce told them. ‘It even had a heating system, something like the Romans used to have during their empire,’ she added. ‘I don’t have any idea how it worked, but Mr Pryce could tell you. He’s fascinated by all these new scientific machines.’

In January there was snow, which delighted the girls, especially when Sir Carey took them on a sleigh ride into the Wienerwald. The Polish question had, he told Julia, been finally settled,

‘But Lord Castlereagh is to go home, he is needed to defend the settlement in Parliament.’

‘Then who will negotiate for us here?’

He smiled. ‘The Duke himself.’

‘Wellington?’ Julia gasped.

‘The very one. His reputation is such I feel confident he can get them all to agree on the remaining matters.’

‘Will you be going home with Lord Castlereagh?’ Julia asked, suddenly aware that their time here might be coming to an end.

‘I promised Angelica I would be home for our wedding in spring, and I can hardly miss that. I will probably be travelling with Castlereagh, but he won’t be going until the Duke arrives and they have had a chance to confer.’

And I will not see you again, Julia thought to herself. She’d known they would one day part, and she had no cause to complain. She wondered when Frederick would decide he’d had enough of Vienna and set off home. Not until the snow had gone, she suspected. Then she would have to begin looking for another position herself.

* * * *

The Duke arrived at the beginning of February, and Sir Frederick departed.

Julia came in one day with the girls, all of them rosy-cheeked from having been playing in the snow, to find Fanny in floods of tears, and Maggie desperate.

‘I can’t get her to stop, Miss,’ Maggie gasped. ‘I found her like this when I came back from marketing. She won’t tell me what’s the matter, but she’ll make herself ill if she goes on like this.’

‘There must be some smelling salts in her room. Fetch me those, and then take the children away and keep them amused. Don’t look so frightened, Alice. Your Mama will soon be better. Be a good girl and play with Paula until I come to you.’

Maggie took the children away, and Julia sat beside Fanny and took her hand.

‘Fanny, dear, what is the matter? Are you ill? Have you had bad news? Tell me what it is, and we can share it.’

Fanny gulped and handed Julia a crumpled sheet of paper. As Maggie came back with the smelling salts at that moment she left the paper while persuading Fanny to sit up properly and try to be calm. When Fanny’s sobs had dwindled into the occasional hiccup Julia spread out the sheet of paper, smoothing it down on her knee.

It was short and to the point.

‘I find I cannot endure life without Tania. We have gone away together to her home. When the roads are in better condition, hire another coach and go back to England. I will arrange matters with my man of business soon. I have left a roll of money in your dressing case. It should be enough for your needs until you are home
and
can
call on my bankers.’

Fanny refused to leave Vienna.

‘He will come back,’ she protested, when Julia tried to persuade her to follow Frederick’s orders to go home. ‘I know he will, and if I’m not here for him, he may go back to - to her!’

‘He’s gone to Russia with her,’ Julia said patiently. ‘Even if he turns back soon, it could be several days. And he might choose not to come back here. He’ll be too ashamed to face people, I’d imagine. Besides, he’ll expect you to have set off back home, so he is more likely to head there.’

‘He will come back,’ Fanny insisted. ‘I have to wait here for him, or he will not know where to find me.’

She was oblivious to the excitement attending the Duke’s arrival. However, as he caught a cold and remained for some days in Castlereagh’s rooms, the people gradually lost their interest in him. The crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of the military hero grew less, as people went about their own business. They would no doubt have plenty of time to see him later.

Frau Gunter, denied entry on the grounds that Fanny was too ill to see anyone, waylaid Julia and the children one day when they were coming back from a visit to the market.

‘Tell your sister I have lost all patience with her,’ she hissed. ‘I get rid of that Russian trollop and bring her husband back to her, at no little inconvenience for myself, and she’s not clever enough to keep him. I wash my hands of her and all her family.’

‘And of your grandson?’ Julia asked, her voice as cold as the slush on the road. ‘Surely his is the main fault? He did not have to make such a cake of himself by running off with the wretched woman.’

Frau Gunter glared at her. ‘I didn’t ask for your opinion. No man will stray if his wife satisfies him, and looks after his needs.’

Julia snorted inelegantly. ‘Where have you lived? Are you blind? Can you not see unfaithful husbands all around you here in Vienna? Is every wife inadequate? Can you honestly say your husband never strayed?’ And if I’d been her husband I’d have been off like a shot, she added to herself.

‘You’re an impertinent chit, not fit to be in charge of my grandchildren. Heaven knows what you are teaching them!’

‘I thought you had disowned them?’ Julia asked sweetly. ‘In which case you can have no possible interest in what I teach them. Goodbye, Frau Gunter.’ I hope your spleen chokes you, she added under her breath.

Julia renewed her efforts to persuade Fanny to leave Vienna, for everything she saw or heard reminded her of Frederick, and she was constantly in tears. Then fate took a hand.

They received a message from Frau Schwartz that the Congress was going on for too long, so she was returning and wished to reclaim the apartment in four days, and trusted they would not be too inconvenienced, as they could always return to stay with Frau Gunter.

* * * *

In between his semi-official duties Sir Carey found time to worry about not hearing from Angelica. However often he told himself that she was at best an indifferent correspondent, and during the Christmas festivities would have had less time than usual, he grew more and more concerned. Was she ill? Had some accident befallen her? Was she snowbound on the Yorkshire moors, at her house party?

Of course letters were lost. Some people, to make sure their news was delivered, might send two letters in the hope one would get through. But Angelica did not do that. He almost laughed at the thought of her penning two copies of her short letters.

He found time to visit Lady Cunningham, but Julia said she was too distraught to see anyone. No wonder, he thought, for all Vienna knew of Sir Frederick’s elopement.

‘Give her my regards, if you will, and remember, if there is anything I can do, call on me.’

‘Are you busy?’

‘Moderately. Lord Castlereagh and the Duke need to spend a great deal of time together, there is so much to report, and the twists and turns of the negotiations all need to be explained. But with the question of Poland out of the way, even if we did not succeed in reuniting the country, the rest of the settlements should not take too much time. Many have already been almost agreed.’

Julia nodded. ‘I shall always be grateful to have been here, and seen history being made,’ she said.

‘Despite what has happened to your sister?’ he asked gently. It had not been a happy time for Lady Cunningham, and she seemed to be totally dependent on Julia for support. That must have been a strain on her, but she seemed a capable enough young woman.

‘I think it would have happened one day, wherever we were. Frederick always had an eye for a pretty woman, and he’s a restless sort of person. He’d have left Fanny in the end, I feel sure. I just wish she didn’t love him so. Love can be a trap.’

‘You will not think so when you fall in love,’ he said, and smiled as he thought of his own dear love. ‘Is there no fortunate man waiting for you in England?’

Julia smiled ruefully. ‘Who, apart from a poor curate, would want to marry a portionless girl, especially now, when scandal has engulfed her family?’

He found nothing to say to this. She spoke the truth. Marriage without a dowry was unlikely. Pretty as she was, most men regarded marriage as a business arrangement, and if they liked the girl they married, that was a bonus. He doubted if many couples shared the sort of devotion he and Angelica enjoyed. Now Fanny’s troubles would affect Julia. If she did attract the attention of some poor curate, the scandal attached to Fanny’s husband would deter him. It seemed as though she would have to settle for a life as a companion or governess. A pity, with her looks and intelligence. She would have been an admirable helpmeet for a bishop, let alone a curate.