“I fear you are right,” said Fitzroy. He hesitated. “However, I think that I have found a way to curry favor with Mrs. Schuyler. Though it may very well come to naught.”
“Go on,” urged Arianna. “We can’t afford to overlook any chance to get close to her. I find it hard to believe that she’s not an integral part of this intrigue.”
The earl nodded. “As do I.”
“Very well,” said Fitzroy. “I’ve met the lady at several receptions that Tsar Alexander has held for the members of Allied embassies. Like Peter the Great, the Tsar is very excited about making new and modern improvements to St. Petersburg—which, of course, is one of the reasons Grentham sent me here, as my engineering expertise provides an excellent explanation for my presence—and so he was eager to introduce me to his spiritual advisor.”
“To have her read your aura,” drawled Saybrook, “and give her blessing that your mystical spirit is in harmony with that of the Tsar.”
“Indeed.” Her brother matched the earl’s sardonic smile. “Apparently Mrs. Schuyler’s otherworldly talents deemed me to be no threat because she deigned to engage in conversation with me.” A pause. “And in fact sought me out on several other occasions to discuss my engineering projects. Oddly enough, she seems both interested in scientific principles and knowledgeable in their practical use.”
“I imagine you are a breath of fresh air amidst the pompous posturing of the courtiers,” said Arianna. Her brother was a very handsome man, and she had noticed that his charm and self-deprecating sense of humor—a bastard quickly learned resilience or turned bitter at the unfairness of Fate—was very attractive to ladies.
He shrugged. “She’s a pragmatic lady, and as such, I think she sees me as useful, and I’m about to explain why.”
Arianna straightened in her seat.
“I have access to the Tsar’s private library, which contains a number of old maps and geological surveys which are very useful for my current work,” continued her brother. “I entered one of the workrooms one afternoon to find Mrs. Schuyler working on trying to repair a rather complicated seventeenth-century brass astrolabe—”
“You mean one of those instruments used to show the movement of the Sun and the stars?” asked Sophia.
“Yes, a planispheric astrolabe is the most common type, and is used to calculate the position of the Sun and major stars in relation to the horizon and the meridian,” he answered. “And thus was used by early navigators until the sextant was invented.”
“I take it you fixed it for her,” said Arianna.
“It would have been ungentlemanly of me not to offer,” he replied with an air of innocence. “Which led to me making adjustments on several of her other scientific instruments. By the by, she has quite an interesting collection of implements from the seventeenth century.”
“Keep at it,” encouraged the earl. “Winning her confidence would be a great asset to our mission.”
“Though, of course, she mustn’t guess that we are working together,” added Arianna. “We must take great pains in public to appear as mere casual acquaintances.”
Fitzroy gave a knowing nod. “Yes, that goes without saying.”
“I’m curious . . .” Sophia pursed her lips in thought. “For what does she use the scientific instruments?”
“Habble-gabble nonsense! A flash of brass, a puff of colored smoke, a Latin incantation,” muttered Arianna. “And the Tsar is gullible enough to believe it all.”
“It’s hard to disagree. As far as I can tell, she uses their calculations to complement the arcane messages she interprets from her decks of tarot cards,” said Fitzroy. “It’s a pity. Mrs. Schuyler is actually very thoughtful and intelligent—”
“Ye heavens, most charlatans are,” Arianna interjected, thinking of her own less-than-admirable interlude with Wolff’s theatrical company.
Her brother must have caught the rough edge in her voice, for he eyed her quizzically but refrained from comment.
A question suddenly occurred to Arianna. “Given that Mrs. Schuyler is Tsar Alexander’s spiritual advisor, do you perchance know if he refers to her as ‘the Redeemer’?”
“If he does, I’m not aware of it,” answered Fitzroy. “But I’ve been invited to take tea with her tomorrow, so let me see what more I can learn about her and her reason for being here.”
“Do it carefully,” murmured Arianna. “As you’ve pointed out, she’s intelligent.”
The earl’s valet had brought in a bottle of French brandy along with the supper trays, and her brother accepted a glass from Saybrook before changing the subject.
“Now, as for your introduction to the Imperial Court, allow me to give you a brief overview.” The talk turned to the notable people within the different factions, and who appeared to be allied with the Tsar.
“I fear my head is beginning to spin,” admitted Sophia as the clock chimed the hour.
“Forgive me.” Fitzroy grimaced and rose. “I shouldn’t keep you up any longer. You all must be exhausted.”
“Just one last thing,” said Saybrook. “You’ll soon meet Major Prescott, who traveled with us in order to serve as military liaison for the ambassador in some upcoming negotiations with the Russian government. Be advised that he, too, is working for Grentham, though my sense is that the minister would prefer him not to know of your involvement in espionage.”
