A Cantata of Love (The Code Breakers 4) (21 page)

“Interesting. And what of the husband? Is he also a musician?”

“He was trained in music, but isn’t involved. What I’ve heard is that he’s more involved in the dancers.”

Michael sat back and crossed his legs. “What else have you heard about the husband?”

“I only know the rumors. That neither are very interested in the marriage.”

“Have you witnessed any discord between the couple?”

“Never. He escorts her to rehearsal every day. They barely speak and he often reads the
Morning Post
during rehearsal.”

“If anything raises your suspicion around either man, will you contact me?”

“Of course. Is this interest in the men anything to do with Madame Abney’s possible performance for King George?”

Michael sat forward and lowered his voice. “How do you know of the performance?”

“Nothing suspicious. Madame Abney approached me about the arrangement of the strings for a Bach cantata that she is planning to sing for the performance.”

“Why did she contact you?”

“She wanted me to add more strings to the composition. And she wants me to perform with her.”

Considering all the dangers involved with this concert, Michael was grateful his job wasn’t guarding the king. But then, in a flash of insight, he realized that his deciphering of the codes was the best protection for the king. He exhaled and squared his shoulders. “I’ll need to see the music for the cantata also.”

“Of course. But if you believe that the messages are being sent by Madame Abney to others in the audience, I would wager it would be in her aria. The Castrati Farinelli made this aria famous with his amazing vocal technique. Every line is varied and every rest provides basis for interpretation. Everyone comes to hear what Madame Abney will do with the famous aria.”

“Excellent. This is most helpful. Especially if I don’t have to listen to the entire opera each night.” Michael must have sounded desperate since Pudgy laughed heartily.

“But if the messages are in the written music then there are many painstaking ways of using the music to hide codes.”

“Yes, trust me. I’ve been thinking of all the possibilities, but I also thought it might be helpful to consider who has access to her music. Besides her brother, her husband, her dresser, and the maestro, who else would have access?”

“Since she rehearses with her brother, who also is her manager, he is the person most in contact with it. The manager of the opera company is someone else who frequents her dressing room. And then all of her admiring fans, including hordes of gentlemen who flock backstage.”

Michael hadn’t really considered all the possibilities of how she could easily pass messages. It really wasn’t his job to monitor her visitors, but to use his skill as a linguist to decipher the music. Rathbourne definitely would already have been watching her and her visitors.

Pudgy gathered the papers he had been working on and placed them in a leather satchel. He then retrieved the score for the opera. “I’ve only two hours before I must return for tonight’s performance. We must get started.”

“Of course, I also plan to attend tonight. Let’s get to work. I believe the easiest and the most likely approach is to follow is the pitches since they obviously have the letter names A to G. You could expand to the rest of the alphabet by saying a low octave is A-G, the next octave is H-N, and so on.”

“But that would mean words with early and late letters would jump big intervals, which is unlikely. It might be better to use flats for the second octave, H-N, and sharps for the third octave O-U, and maybe double sharps for V-Z.”

“You take the first act and I’ll take the second act to see if that pattern is obvious.”

Twenty minutes later, the men agreed that neither could see a pattern using either pitches or changes in key signature.

The waiter approached when they both stood up and stretched. “You gents want anything to eat? Shepherd’s pie is our specialty.”

“We’ll take two and two ales, please.” Michael hadn’t realized how hungry he was, and that he would be foregoing dining out tonight. He’d need sustenance for his own performance.

After a filling meal, they continued their search, but to no avail.

Pudgy sat down and shuffled through the papers. “Perhaps the note in the base line tells which section of the alphabet you are in for the vocal line. For example, an A with a C base note is the letter A, but an A with a G base note is the letter H?” Pudgy asked.

“I’ve already looked at that possibility. It doesn’t exist.”

“You are quick with patterns. Amazing for someone who doesn’t play music.”

“I play a bit. What about using the time signature?”

“I’m now obsessed with finding the pattern before you do. I should be better at this,” Pudgy said.

“A little of the Oxford one-upmanship stirring in your soul?” Michael joked.

“Maybe a little, but it is an intriguing challenge to look at the music from a totally different perspective.”

“One of us should have deduced a pattern by now.” Michael ran his fingers through his hair. “Not to overrate our skills, but we are the best.” Neither was accustomed to failure.

Laughing, Pudgy gathered the music back and handed it to Michael. “Nothing like a bit of modesty.”

Michael stood and shook Pudgy’s hand. “Thank you for the assistance. I really appreciate your help.”

“Damn, I wish we had solved it. And, like you, I’m not used to failing. I will crack this.”

“Pudgy, this is not a game, like at Oxford. You must be careful.”

Chapter Twenty-six

With her feet propped up on an ottoman, Gabby settled back into a giant cushioned chair in Aunt Euphemia’s drawing room at Ashworth House. During the ride back from the party, Aunt Euphemia hadn’t spoken, respectful of Gabby’s need for silence. Gabby’s mind was numb from trying to sort out the truth from the lies in Madame Sauvage’s revelations.

Aunt Euphemia placed a hot buttered crumpet and a pile of ripe strawberries on a plate from the tray before them. She handed Gabby the full plate. “You must eat to maintain your strength.”

Aunt Euphemia sat across from Gabby. “Are you able to talk about your conversation with Lady Sauvage? Or would you prefer for me to tell you what I know of Lady Sauvage and your brother?”

Gabby sat up and then nodded.

“Lady Sauvage and your brother had an affair. I’m not sure the lady’s heart was involved, but for a while they were lovers. The rumor was that your brother ended the affair. And I believe the lady isn’t used to such high-handed behavior. It is possible that what you heard today was the venom of a scorned woman.”

Aunt Euphemia took a big bite of her crumpet. Butter dripped on her chin.

“If you’re wondering how an old woman like myself would know of such goings-on, it was common knowledge in society.” She wiped away the butter with a linen napkin. “Our society is a very small group of people. Quite boring, actually.”

Gabby stared down at her plate, trying to force herself to taste the food that Aunt Euphemia had thoughtfully organized. “Why would Lucien spend time with that woman? She gave me the shudders.”

Aunt Euphemia laughed heartily with her mouth wide open. Seeing the look on Gabby’s face, she stopped immediately.

“My dear, I didn’t mean to offend you. Only enjoying a refreshing moment of innocence. I feel I’ve become quite jaded about men and their lust for women, money, and power.”

“I didn’t know what part I should believe of what she said. Or if it was all lies.” Sipping the hot chocolate that Aunt Euphemia had remembered was her favorite brought back memories of mornings with her mother. She did find a sense of safety enveloping her when in Aunt Euphemia’s company. “She didn’t believe the story of our families being acquainted.”

“You poor thing. So many deceptions whirling around you. It is very difficult to know whom to trust.”

Gabby kept her eyes down on her plate. She didn’t want Aunt Euphemia to realize the truth, that she had considered the grand old lady and her family as a potential threat.

“I’ve been remiss in not sharing the entire truth with you, but with the shocking upheaval of your loss, I didn’t want you to have more upset.”

Gabby stopped, unable to swallow the dry crumpet. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more bad news. She didn’t think there was anything of her life or memory left to destroy.

“Despite the lady’s claims to the contrary, our families are acquainted. I was friends with your dear grandmother. You must understand before the chaos in France, people travelled between our countries frequently.”

“You knew my grandmamma?” Gabby held her breath and waited, afraid of what she might learn next. How could there possibly be bad news about her dear grandmamma?

“Your grandmother was brought as a young debutante to London for a season, anticipating a possible match with the Earl of Falconbridge. Matches between the great families of France and England were common.”

“I didn’t know.” Gabby stared at Aunt Euphemia.

“Of course not, it was before you were born. Your grandmother did not want the match and returned to France and married your grandfather, with whom she was very compatible. Your grandmother was very proud that your mother had made an advantageous match with the marquis.”

Gabby placed her plate on the side table. She couldn’t possibly eat.

“During that season, Delphine and I became dear friends. Your grandmamma was beautiful and popular. She had her pick of beaus and friends. And despite our differences, she was very kind to me when I didn’t “take” with many of the gentlemen. I wasn’t very amenable to twittering and pretending I didn’t have my own opinions.” Aunt Euphemia slapped her knee. “I always was a difficult gel as my father would say.”

Gabby couldn’t imagine Aunt Euphemia and her grandmother as debutantes.

“Delphine and I corresponded. And on a visit to France, I stayed with your grandparents.”

Gabby shook her head. “It is too much to take in.”

“Can you imagine my shock when you arrived at Rathbourne House? I felt my heart would stop.” Aunt Euphemia chortled. “For a moment, I thought I was seeing Delphine’s ghost.”

Gabby smiled faintly. “My mother told me of the resemblance, but I never was able to appreciate the similarities because of the difference in our ages.”

“I’m sure it was difficult to imagine your grandmother as a young woman. Cord and Gwyneth, I am sure, believe I have always looked this way.” Aunt Euphemia patted her sagging jowls. Her voice suddenly turned grave. “Only a few people know what I am about to tell you.”

The air moving in and out of Gabby’s lungs stopped—trapped in worry.

“Your grandmother wrote begging for my help during the beginning of the unrest in Paris. She said she was too old to make the trip but wanted her daughter and grandchildren out of Paris. She had tried to convince your father to leave, but he refused to believe the mob would touch a marquis.”

Aunt Euphemia’s voice grew quieter. “I arrived too late, too late to save your parents, but I arranged for you and your brother to escape to your relatives in the country.”

Gabby was speechless with the extraordinary shock. It was extremely dangerous to be in Paris, but the risk to an aristocratic English woman was absolutely deadly.

“Lucien always wondered how our poor relatives in Aveyon were able to coordinate our escape. We learned later that the only way people got away was with hefty blackmail money. Our cousins were very afraid. I was forbidden to speak of our past life or our parents.”

“It was a terrible time, not knowing who could be trusted. But I lost contact with you. I’m missing years of what happened to you after the Terror ended.”

“Lucien stayed with me during the worst months. When the violence was over, he returned to Paris to find out about our estate. I remained in the country with our relatives until Lucien felt it was safe to bring me back to Paris. I was very happy to return and resume my study of music. And for several years, everything was stable, until Napoleon took interest in me.”

“Yes, I can see his motivation. Like your grandmamma, you are a beautiful, gentle woman.”

“Without any forewarning, Lucien whisked me out of Paris in the dark of night to be hidden in a convent. He promised me he would come back and take me to England.”

“And if he could have returned for you, he would have.”

Gabby thought of all the days and months of waiting and hoping for Lucien’s return. How did Aunt Euphemia know of her brother?

“I’m sure you’re wondering why, after your conversation with Lady Sauvage, that I’m now telling you of our connection. I didn’t want to give you any more difficulties before I shared what had transpired with your brother.”

“You know how he died?”

“I know how he became a French spy.”

“Lady Sauvage was right? Lucien was a spy? I can’t believe it. Lucien was very angry, rightfully so, about the changes in France and the murder of our parents. I can’t believe he’d help Napoleon by spying.”

“Your brother had to get his fortune out of France. Not an easy task. This aspect of the story is conjecture on my part. I believe that in exchange for his safe passage to England, and in order to take the majority of his fortune with him, your brother made a deal with the Foreign Minister, Talleyrand. And unlike Napoleon Bonaparte, who is only interested in his domination of the world, Talleyrand saw the benefit of having someone of your brother’s caliber spying for France.”