Kingdom of Ash and Soot Page 12

It is rather nice to be in the city without having to worry about selling anything.

  As we passed by the Old Town Square, I leaned closer to the window again, suddenly wondering if I would be able to spot Ferdy’s faded hat among the crowds.

  “Have you heard from any of your contacts here?” I asked Lady POW, unable to resist looking for my own.

  “The Minister-President, Count Potocki, is unusually busy,” Lady Penelope said. “He has not returned my inquiries, but I have secured invitations to a ball he is hosting for the political elite at Queen Anne’s Royal Summerhouse.”

  “We are going to see him there, then?”

  “Yes.” Lady Penelope’s eyes gleamed. “He is the newly promoted Minister-President, and lately he has been seen in the company of Karl Marcelin, a young man making waves in society because of his disdain for the Emperor.”

  “I see,” I replied neutrally, beginning to realize just how little I knew of politics. “Should we be concerned with Mr. Marcelin? Did he know Dr. Artha?”

  “I have not yet discovered an association with Dr. Artha. From what my informants have told me, Marcelin is highly educated, having gone to Oxford in London, and then studying at the university here in Prague. He is close to Benedict’s age, but his ambition would suit a much older man.”

  “And that is a bad thing?”

  “Not necessarily,” Lady Penelope said. “He is ambitious, but he is looking for funding for his various campaigns. I am curious as to why. From what I have seen, he has always been able to afford quality items, including his education. I wonder if his family is not supportive of his political career. There is not much else I have heard.”

  “Are not politicians always concerned with money?” I said.

  “True. But Marcelin returned to Prague a month ago, and that is when other political figures began dying mysterious deaths,” Lady Penelope said. “Dr. Artha is just the latest, and Count Potocki is my best lead. Thus, we will investigate this new young friend of his.”

  “Do you believe Count Potocki will back Mr. Marcelin’s career in politics financially?”

  “Possibly, but it would reflect poorly on him as an active agent. His vocal support is enough. In regard to finances, Marcelin is single, and rumors have said he is looking for an heiress to marry.” Her eyes glittered. “Which is where you will come in.”

  “You don’t want me to marry him, do you?” I asked, suddenly frightened and appalled.

  “Heavens no, Eleanora.” Lady POW shook her head. “For now, I plan on collecting several invitations for various dinners, social calls, and balls in the coming weeks. I am sure you will get your chance to playfully ignore him, drive him mad, and then make him spill all his secrets.”

  “What?” I sputtered.

  “Calm down,” Lady Penelope said. “We are working with a short window of time, and we cannot wait for a full, fashionable courtship and wedding.”

  “Oh.” I was relieved.

  “A quick seduction might be all we need, should it come to that.”

  I started coughing.

  “Oh, do grow up, Eleanora,” Lady Penelope scolded. “I have no patience for this.”

  “But—”

  “But what?” Lady Penelope looked down her nose at me. “You know I need the cover, Eleanora, and the cover I will have. But in the meantime, you will just have to trust me.”

  “Fine,” I growled. “But I don’t want to talk about intercourse.”

  “For now, you must focus on the task at hand. If you want to help, pay attention to the things you see, and what the people say. Learn your lessons well. Observation is a dying art, Eleanora, and you will never gain the upper hand on your opponent if you are too concerned with yourself.” She glared at me. “Especially if you are worried I will auction you off to a suitor of my choosing.”

  I desperately wanted to roll my eyes, but I only gave her a contrite look. It seemed to be the quickest way to appease her. “Apologies, Lady Penelope.”

  My hands curled in the walking dress I was wearing. The bright yellow material had turned several heads as I walked through the various shops with Lady POW at my side. I had to give credit to her seamstresses, and of course to Lady POW herself. If she wanted me to stir up rumors and draw attention, she had certainly succeeded.

  “That color is splendid on you, Eleanora,” Lady Penelope had said, when I was unnerved at the thought of wearing it. “It brings out the blue of your eyes and complements your dark hair very nicely.”

  I was still unsure, but I felt better after she told me my mother favored yellow.

  “So far things are going according to plan,” Lady Penelope said. “You have captured the attention of Prague beautifully today. Even your slipups have been seen as endearing. I thought Madame Bourgeois was going to kick us out of her shop after you insisted on the roomier sleeves for your gowns, and then you convinced her that you intend to set the trends rather than follow them.”

  I laughed nervously. “Persuading others must be a family trait, since you were able to convince Cecilia to let me go.”

  “It was not persuasion that won over the dressmaker,” Lady Penelope said. “It was sensibility mixed with charm and tact. I was impressed myself, Eleanora.”

  It was the first time I could remember her praising me for something I had not struggled to learn, and I allowed myself to savor my first taste of success.

  “Convincing Madame Bourgeois to mix in classic Bohemian style with French influence was good for us, too, I think,” I said.

  Lady Penelope nodded, as her coach came to a stop at Market Square. “I am going to check with some of the vendors. Use this chance to buy whatever else you’d like, and have the bill send to your stepmother.”

  “What?” All of my previous purchases ran through my mind. We had to have spent at least two years’ worth of income from my father’s tenants. “You didn’t charge everything to her, did you?”

  “Don’t worry about the money, Eleanora. It is only to give Cecilia a good scare. That is all.”

  I laughed a moment later, remembering to do it that musical, charming way The Ladies’ Guide to Excellence and Etiquette instructed, with a high pitch and my hand covering my mouth in a delicate manner.

  As Lady POW strode through the flanks of people, her steps sure and direct as she headed away from me, I felt free once more.

  I roamed slowly through the market, ignoring several gazes and open stares more easily, knowing I was supposed to command attention. It helped that I knew there was a footman trailing me, and Lady POW was nearby if I needed her.

  I went up to Madame Balthazar’s shop, and she greeted me with a confused and happy look.

  “My dear Miss Eleanora. My, you look so lovely today!”

  “Thank you, Madame,” I said, giving her a small curtsy, despite remembering The Ladies’ Guide to Excellence and Etiquette forbade such posturing to my economic and social inferiors. “I have come into an inheritance from my, um, grandmother,” I said. “The Dowager Duchess of Wellington.”

  “I heard Lord Wellington had multiple affairs,” Madame Balthazar said. “I did not realize he married again.”

  “Well, the title and the land all went to his sons,” I said, glad Lady POW had prepared me for such questions. “It seems he married my grandmother and settled a handsome portion on her, as his second wife, when he died. They were not married for a long time.”

  Madame Balthazar looked impressed as I reiterated all the details Lady POW told me about her scandalous courtship and marriage to one of London’s most renowned rakes. She also told me to make things up if I did not remember all of it, because people remembered general stories and key details, but never the full story.

  “If you want to be remembered,” she had said, “be clear in your speech and emphasize your talking points.”

  It sounded nice, but I was not sure reality agreed with her.

  “This red silk will look lovely on you,” Madame Balthazar said, as I began to look at her di
splays. “It is perfect for you, Miss. You must wear it to a fancy ball and tell all your new friends to come and see me.”

  It did not take much for me to agree with her. As she totaled up my expenses, the mention of a fancy ball stirred my memory. I thought about the ripped invitation Ferdy had given me to the Advent Ball hosted by Empress Maria Anna.

  I wonder if Lady POW knows about the ball.

  Thinking it over, I decided I would keep my invitation from Ferdy a secret, but I would talk to Lady POW about the ball. I did not think she would appreciate Ferdy’s insistence any more than she would enjoy the ripped letter.

  “Madame Balthazar,” I said slowly, “do you know of a street urchin named Ferdy? He says he knows a lot of vendors around here.”

  “Oh, of course,” she said. “He brokered a trade between me and a midwife just a few weeks ago, when my daughter became feverish after delivering her twins.”

  “He seems to be good at making deals,” I said.

  She laughed. “That he is, Miss. But he is, too, a very kind young man.”

  “Do you know where I might find him?” I asked, trying not to blush. “I ... I actually had him help me sell something before, and I wanted to see about giving him his full pay.”

  “I have not seen him in a few days,” she said. “He has probably been down by the riverbanks again. There are fights there every week, and there are plenty of men who enjoy watching a good fight and having a good gamble.”

  “Fighting?”

  Madame Balthazar chuckled. “Young men easily get bored. If you are fond of him, be grateful the worst thing he does is attend fights down by the riverbanks. Well,” she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “I suppose he does hang around the Jewish Quarter a lot, too.”

  “I see.” After a quick moment, I decided to risk her scorn. “Why is it bad he associates with the Jews?”

  “Oh, poor dear. The Jews cause trouble wherever they go,” Madame Balthazar said. “Rumors have been circulating that they are starting to form their own political group here in Prague. And that is the last thing Prague needs now—another group of people who feel entitled to dictate our laws just because they live here.”

  “Aren’t you a migra—never mind.” I brushed the matter aside. “How much are my purchases?”

  I walked out of the vendor after instructing Madame Balthazar to send the bill to the castle with a bad taste in my mouth. I did not like Madame Balthazar’s opinion on the Jews, especially after meeting Mr. Clavan.

  My heart swelled at the thought of Ferdy’s kindness. He was clearly a man who refused to look down on any person, no matter their ethnicity, culture, religion, or even their social status.

  Thinking of him proved to be an enjoyable distraction. I made my way through the market, glancing around, hoping to see Ferdy’s cheeky grin and silver eyes light up in mine.

  I hope he wasn’t lying about wanting to see me again.

  The sudden thought made my face flush with heat, and I struggled to dismiss the sudden mix of hope and fear inside of me.

  I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Even if he had been lying, I still needed to see him. He was the one who had information on Dr. Artha’s death, and Lady POW and I needed it.

  My steps came to a slow stop as my hands felt clammy. The footman who had been following me bumped into me as I stopped short, abruptly frightened. What if the reason I was not able to find Ferdy was because he was in trouble? He was the one who told me the details of Dr. Artha’s death.

  Suddenly, there was more than one reason I wanted to find him.

  “Hurry. We need to get back,” I ordered the footman, and we began to head toward the coach again, where Lady POW was waiting with a triumphant gleam in her eye.

  “We have just been invited to several events,” Lady Penelope told me. “A concert, a picnic, a house party, and more! We will be booked from dusk till dawn for the next several days, and I have an invite from Lady Hohenwart herself! This is excellent—”

  “Lady Penelope, we need to talk.”

  “What is it?”

  “I have some information,” I said, and Lady Penelope quickly ushered me into the carriage.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  I quickly told her everything that Ferdy and Clavan had told me, desperately raking my mind for the smallest details. As I spoke, I left out their names, hoping she would not ask for them.

  “I have received that information already.” But then she paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “You said he came out of the Church of Our Lady of the Snows?” she asked. “That is unusual. He was a patron of St. Nicholas for years.”

  “Yes, that was the church where he was,” I said. “Or something like that, anyway. But I am more worried that the people who told me this are in danger.”

  “That is the nature of the job,” Lady Penelope replied.

  “I still think we should go and find the people who told me,” I said, keeping my tone careful so I would not reveal anything. “We should warn them. What if we go over to the Jewish Quarter, around where I heard the news, just to see if everything is okay?”

  I did not think it was possible to surprise Lady POW, but she blinked twice before she said anything. “There is a line between eccentricity and impropriety you do not cross, Eleanora,” she began. “You hint and tease, but never promise anything—no stolen kisses in the gardens, no getting caught in flagrante delifeco. Going to the Jewish Quarter is not a breach of propriety in Prague, but it promises only the worst sort of trouble for your reputation.”

  “But it would make people talk, and we might be able to find out more for me as a cover.”

  “That is a job for your brother and Amir to handle. It would be good practice for Benedict. I will assign them to take care of the task.”

  “But—”

  “Enough, Eleanora.” She shook her head. “There is no reason to believe that your source is in trouble. You are concerned for the well-being of others, which is a natural inclination you have, from what I have seen in how you care for Benedict. But you cannot—I repeat, you cannot—allow your feelings to cloud your judgment. For now, as you learn about the Order and work on developing your skills, just follow my orders.”

  Slowly, I nodded, even though I disagreed with her. As I sat there, I was strongly reminded of Cecilia’s way of ordering me around.

  I stared down at my folded hands, imagining Ferdy attacked or running from trouble, picturing the Cabal burning to the ground as the neighborhood screamed in panic.

  My fingers tightened into fists as I made a decision.

  If Lady POW was going to act like a spymaster version of Cecilia, I would do what I had done in the past. I would agree with her to her face, and then when she was not paying attention, I would do what I wanted.

  And I will get Ben to help me. If it is his job to help gather information now, he should be able to take care of it for me.

  “I am glad that is settled. Now, Eleanora, let us go over our upcoming schedule,” Lady Penelope said. “The Hohenwart Ball is tomorrow, and this is our first chance to mingle among the political elites. We will have to make sure your gown is ready, your hair is washed, your shoes are ... ”

  As Lady POW went through the details of the ball, I smiled and nodded. But inside, my mind was only thinking of Ferdy and our adventure into the Josefskà. I desperately wanted him to appear in the streets as we passed through, even though I knew I could not step out and see him without causing a tidal wave of whispers.

  But his smile would have brightened my mood considerably.

  *10*

  ◊

  The Hohenwart Ball was to be my official introduction into Prague’s Society, and if I was going to move up in Lady Penelope’s limited measurement, everything had to be perfect.

  Where have I heard that before?

  As Lady POW’s carriage cheerfully rolled down the city streets as the moon made its appearance on the horizon, I remembered Cecilia’s warning the nig
ht of the Duke’s arrival. I had a feeling, especially after hearing the Duke of Moravia had left to stay at a friend’s townhouse, she still would find a way to make good on her promise.

  “Come now, Eleanora, make haste,” Lady Penelope hissed. “This is your first ball, and I want it to go perfectly.”

  We arrived at the Hohenwart house in Lady POW’s grand coach. I nervously gripped at my skirts as we stepped down and headed toward the grand manor.

  As Lady POW began to list the various social niceties I had to remember, I grumbled to myself, swearing in French under my breath the way Tulia had taught me.

  Lady POW likely heard me, because a second later she stopped short, whirling around to confront me. “Listen to me now, Eleanora,” she said. “If there is any doubt—any whatsoever—that you are going to be able to do this, I will offer you this chance now. We will turn around, claim an illness, and opt for a soft launch at another ball. But if you stay the course, after tonight, there is no going back. You will reap the consequences of your choice.”

  She had not even finished speaking before I knew the truth, and I knew my answer.

  It was already too late to turn back. Ferdy could be in danger. I had to find a way to make sure he was safe.

  After all, Dr. Artha and many others were already dead. How could I go back to knowing nothing but my life under Cecilia? And even with Lady POW allowing me to be free of her, what was the point of being free if I used it to only serve myself?

  “I’m ready,” I said.

  “Are you sure?” Lady Penelope arched her brow. “Last chance.”

  “I already said I was ready.” I whipped out my fan and flapped it furiously. “Now, don’t make me repeat it, or I might just change my mind.”

  At my show of spirit, Lady POW smirked. “Good. Now, we don’t want to disappoint Lady Hohenwart. Hurry.”

  Easy for her to say. My toes were squeezed inside small-heeled shoes, and I had been stuffed into a tight corset. I wondered how my dancing would be affected, with all the petticoats and bindings and fluffy things I was wearing; my gown had to be at least a good fifty pounds by itself.