Ilil Arbel

MADAME KOSKA & THE IMPERIAL BROOCH

Dedicated to my son Alan M. Arbel,

whose expertise in the genres of literary

and true crime was an inspiration,

and my daughter-in-law Rachel Levine-Arbel,

who truly understands the joy of

the world of high fashion.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the wonderful people who went beyond the call of duty to help with this book. They are listed in alphabetical order of their last name, since how else could I establish precedence?

Ms. Kathleen Fish

Dr. Penelope Fritzer

Ms. Barbara Houlton

Mr. Gary Morgenstein

Lord David Prosser

Ms. Janet Schmelzer

Mr. Jay Strafford

Ms. Susan Verell

Ms. Louanne M. Wheeler

Mr. Wayne Zurl

Introduction

In the beginning, Anthony Trollope created Barset and Barchester.[1] And he saw that they were good. Five great tomes had been writ, and he was labouring on the sixth, when a dreadful calamity befell the mighty author. As he sat meditating at the Athenaeum Club, a conversation between two clergymen reached his ears; they were disparaging the beauty of his creations, calling his Barchester characters tired and over-familiar. Great rage seized the literary giant. He rose from his seat and strode toward the offending vicars. “I shall not write another Barchester novel,” he thundered. “And the anger of my readers will follow you unto the seventh generation, since it was your doing and yours alone.” Pale and frightened, the clergymen begged him to reconsider, fearing for their very lives. He refused. “At least finish the novel you are creating now,” said one of them, trembling like a leaf, “Or you will be our death.” Trollope’s kind heart relented a little, and he promised them he would finish that novel, but no more. “You shall not perish,” he added, “but the book will be named The Last Chronicles of Barset.”[2] And so it came to be. The mighty author moved on to the political novels, and never returned to his beloved Barchester, which is a great pity since I would have liked to read more about Signora Neroni and the rest of the Stanhope family.

Time passed and Barchester could only be visited through the six portals of the great novels. And then, in the early thirties, a brave clergyman whose name was Ronald A. Knox, moved to create more Barchester stories. One great tome of short stories named Barchester Pilgrimage had been writ, and he saw that it was good.[3]

Silence reigned again until the descendant of other mighty authors and artists, Angela Thirkell, returned to Barchester through her many novels about the descendants of the characters introduced by Trollope. No need to go any further since every single person reading this introduction knows her. Hopefully, they also know my books, Miss Glamora Tudor! and Their Exits and their Entrances. They were bundled under what I hoped was the significant name of The New Chronicles of Barset.

These books were about Glamora Tudor, the legendary actress who never comes on stage in any of the Angela Thirkell books, but whose presence permeates the very atmosphere of Barsetshire with its “It” factor. I made her come on stage in Glorious Technicolor, and that, apparently, became a precedent. It was determined by the Powers Who Should Remain Nameless that it would be a nice idea to bring to life another character for whom we had been given only tantalizing glimpses…

So here she is. Madame Koska, the elusive, enigmatic, undefeatable Madame Koska, who can solve a crime and run an establishment of magnificent haute couture with equal success. We know she is the regular heroine of our beloved Mrs. Morland, but that is almost all we know. What is her first name? Who was M. Koska? Where did she learn her trade? It must be Paris but she has a Russian name… where does she get her lovely mannequins? Does she smoke a cigarette stuck in a long ebony cigarette holder? Does she really look the way I imagined her, Maggie Smith while in her late forties or so? She never has to age, even if I write a book a year… after all, Bertie Wooster did not age over his forty years of glory… So many questions, and they all have to be answered on the run, since she is busy solving the very first Madame Koska mystery in the very first Madame Koska novel. The year is 1921 (calculated since Laura Morland started writing while still educating her older three children, about 12 years before High Rising, which was published in 1933).

And who is really writing it? Is it me, Ilil, aka Mrs. Morland? Is it Mrs. Morland, aka Mrs. Thirkell? I am getting a headache… but it’s a small price to pay for the privilege of being the alter ego of an alter ego… strange and wonderful. I sincerely hope you enjoy it, because I am afraid that if I don’t go on and write a book a year, Mrs. Morland might be upset… or Mrs. Thirkell… and they will stop channeling me! We can’t have that!

One

“Anyone here? Where are you?” The lady stood in the middle of the large, empty room, her chocolate-colored eyes flashing with anger as she stared at the incomplete renovations. Buckets of creamy white paint, brushes, and other painting paraphernalia were scattered around the cloth covering the floor. “Where is everyone?” she cried again. There was no answer. With a sweeping motion she flung her embroidered, elegant black shawl around her shoulders, and without removing her black fur hat, which added considerable height to her already slim and tall figure, strode up the stairs, negotiating her high heels with ease. “The pigs,” she murmured, quickly correcting herself and saying “Les cochons.” One must keep one’s style even when alone, as she was always trying to remember.

On the upper story’s little hall she burst into one of the rooms, then stopped suddenly and gazed at its perfection. The walls glowed with their fresh coat of paint; the parquet was polished to a deep shine. She sighed with relief and went downstairs again, reaching the empty room just as the two workmen returned from their lunch.

“Why have you not finished the house?” she asked, her voice shrill and accusing. “You absolutely promised to finish by tomorrow! I fully relied on you! The furniture is arriving on Friday, and where shall I put it? I will not pay! I will complain! You will be instantly dismissed!” She almost stamped her foot but must have remembered the danger it could present to her high heel, and stopped herself in time. Instead she decided to wring her hands, a most impressive gesture since it allowed the many rings she wore on top of the white gloves to flash and sparkle in the sun-drenched room.

“But Maidum Koska, she is going to be finished tomorrow. There is only one wall left, and then we polish the floor, easy,” said the older man, smiling at her. “And look at the windows, them too is done so beautifully.”

Madame Koska, somewhat mollified, went to the window. She had to admit that the windows were very well repaired, the terrible drafts that came from the loosened glass all gone. And not a single drop of paint landed on the glass! She smiled at the workers with utmost good nature that no one would have believed could be achieved so quickly after the tempest, and stepped over to the door as another lady entered the apartment.

“Annushka, dorogaya,” exclaimed Madame Koska, hugging the lady and speaking with a deep, velvety voice. “Vill yu see the lovely vork these good men did? Ve are almost ready to start!”

The younger painter’s mouth opened. He looked at Madame Koska as if she started foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues. “Vat is this, young man?” she said sternly.

Too bashful to talk to her directly, and perhaps a bit scared, he turned and spoke to the older man. “The lady has two voices,” he said timidly. The one referred to as Annushka burst out laughing. “I keep telling you, Vera, you must remember to stick to the right speech…”

“Vat is he talking about, I do not know,” said Madame Koska complacently. “This class of people, I vill never understand them… not at all like the serfs we had in St. Petersburg… Come, Annushka, ve go and have some tea and talk about the reception.”

Seated comfortably at the little tea room around the corner with a spread of tiny sandwiches and petit fours to accompany their tea, the ladies were drinking, eating, and taking notes at the same time.

“Yes, it is exactly right,” said Madame Koska. “You really are a caterer in a million, Annushka.”

“Thank you, Vera. I am glad you like my suggestions. This is going to be a grand party,” said Annushka, or rather, Countess Anna Petrovna Golitsyn, a scion of one of the noblest families of old Russia. She was, unfortunately, booted out of her elegant mansion and expensive lifestyle after the Revolution into what she liked to call ignominious exile.

“I will never understand how easily you managed to get used to the working life,” said Madame Koska. “You were born with not just a silver spoon, but a platinum one in your mouth, and here you are, working for a living and making a success of it.”

“Every one of us had only two choices after we escaped,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I could have starved in a tiny Paris apartment like so many of the other exiles, maintaining the dignity of my royal blood and waiting for the Tsar’s resurrection. You know my older brother, Vasily, is still driving a taxi? And his daughter Natalya is selling needlework? I keep sending them money, poor things. Yes, I could starve with dignity, dreaming about past glories, or I could acknowledge, albeit with great sorrow, that the royal family is not going to return, learn to adjust to the new life and be comfortable and successful. I chose the latter and never looked back. And cooking was always one of my favourite pastimes, even when we had all the money and servants and the huge pantries and kitchens… I used to cook quite often, for amusement. Once I realized that having a business was an option, I knew I was not locked in a gilded cage. It gave me such a sense of freedom.”

“But you could have stayed in Paris, at least be surrounded by your people.”

“Not really. They accepted the need to work, and forgave those who struggled as waiters, piece-work seamstress, dance masters, or singers… but a successful business woman was another matter. They would have never forgiven me that. Besides, so many great cooks and caterers live and work in Paris, the competition was daunting. So once I completed the culinary course and got my certificate, London seemed ideal. Not enough French cooking for all those who wanted it, so I was assured of success.”

“Indeed. And now, with my new business, if all goes well I’ll be able to send many great ladies your way, and you can send yours to me.”

“Paris brought luck to both of us, Vera.”

“Except for the pig I married,” said Madame Koska without any show of anger. She sipped her tea.

“Le cochon,” corrected Madame Golitsyn automatically.

“Yes, sorry,” said Madame Koska. “Le cochon.”

“If you prefer, you can use the Russian word for pig, sveenya.”

“I like that, but I think most people would recognize the French term more easily,” said Madame Koska. “Still, once in a while, sveenya does sound, well, piggish… nice word.”

“Ah, well… le cochon is gone now, and the dressmaking skill you learned in Paris did you much good.”

“This is true. If I had not married le cochon, I would know nothing of haute couture. He was very good at it.”

“Do you have an idea where he is now?”

“No, I have not heard from him since he left, after the terrible scandal at the atelier. He was probably killed in the War, or maybe emigrated somewhere… what does it matter?”

“If you ever decide to marry again it would help to know if you need a death certificate or a divorce…” said Madame Golitsyn.

Madame Koska burst out laughing. “Marry again? Whatever for? Would you?”

“Baw zhe moi, no, no, no! I am making a good living. What do I need a husband for? And anyway, just look at me, who would be interested in a short, fat, middle-aged woman? You look like a noble Russian more than I do, Verachka.”

“I think you are lovely, Annushka, just the way you are, and plenty of men would agree. But yes, my good looks helped when I was young… and now it would help in the haute couture business. Yes, it’s the business world for us, Annushka, and I am enjoying every minute of it. We leave the romance to the girls.”

Madame Koska turned and snapped her fingers. “Vaiter!” she said imperiously when the man came to the table, “Ve need some more tea, please.”

“And some more cakes, perhaps?” said the waiter, surveying the table with an expert eye.

“Yes, vy not. Thank you!” She turned to her friend. “I engaged two mannequins already, Annushka,” she said. “Very beautiful, very well trained.”

“How many more do you need?” asked Madame Golitsyn.

“Only one more, three are quite enough for the beginning. After all, they are only needed at the show rooms; we are not ready to create a full line fashion show quite yet.”

“What about seamstresses?”

“I have five. Eventually I imagine we will need two or three more, but for the moment, they will be sufficient. I am toying with the idea of also hiring a vendeuse. I would need one as time goes by, but I might wait a bit. They don’t come cheap if they are any good.”

“You might handle the business side yourself for a while, I suppose,” said Madame Golitsyn. “As for the seamstresses, do you have a good beading and embroidery person?”

“Two are rather good, why?”

“Would they know how to do really fabulous pearl and gem embroidery, Russian style?” asked Madame Golitsyn. “You know, with the couching, and the gold thread.”

“I would say the gems, yes. But pearl embroidery, that is really a Russian expertise,” said Madame Koska. “No, I doubt they could do that. Do you think there will be a demand?”

“Oh yes,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Once the ladies see a short black velvet jacket, done in pearl embroidery with the gold thread, and worn over a softly golden silk dress, you will have them breaking down your doors.”

“It will be a good thing to create such a unique expertise…” said Madame Koska thoughtfully. “They will attribute it to my Russian origins, which will cement the image. But where can I get one? I have never seen it done in London.”

“How about my niece, Natalya, then? She is a true expert. She is selling needlework in Paris, as I told you, but she is no business woman and everyone cheats her. Working for you, for a salary, would be nice for her and Vasily; he is getting older and how long can he drive a taxi? Her work is exquisite, Vera. You could not do any better.”

“Where does she work in Paris?” asked Madame Koska with interest.

“She worked for a long time for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, in the embroidery house of Kitmir, but once they moved to machine embroidery she was dismissed. She would not work with the machine, she is a true artist. Every stitch, every bead, done by hand.”

“Yes, I remember. Once Maria Pavlovna started working for Chanel, she did not maintain the standards… too much machine work with Madame Coco Chanel, if you ask me. Great designs, great talent, but still…” said Madame Koska. “I would never let my girls do machine embroidery. So how does Natalya survive, other than on what you can send her?”

“She mostly does drawn work for other ateliers,” said Madame Golitsyn. “She does fifteen stitches to the inch, can you believe it? Not merely ten, like so many mediocre workers; with such skill, she is still in demand. But she is always taken advantage of, always underpaid. I think you will like her, Vera. She is timid and quiet, but a truly hard worker and very sweet.”

Madame Koska thought for only a moment, drumming her fingernails on the table. Anna’s advice was never, ever wrong. “Write to her, Annushka,” she said. “I can afford one more and I would love to have such a specialty. This kind of bead work will destroy the competition.”

“Thank you, my dear,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I will write tonight. Vasily will come too, of course, but I will find him something to do at my business; I am sure he could start by driving the deliveries. We’ll have to look after them a bit in the beginning, you know. Thankfully, they both speak reasonably good English.”

“All of you are such linguists… Yes, they can move into my current apartment, since I am moving above the Establishment,” said Madame Koska. “I’ll arrange it with my current landlord.”

“Thank you, Vera. How nice this would be for them! And it will be very convenient for you to live above the business,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Not quite as elegant as we want you to appear, but no one really has to know.”

“No, I am not telling anyone other than a few close friends,” said Madame Koska. “Nobody’s business. When the money starts coming in, I will get a place in the country for weekends and holidays.”

“I would love to visit you,” said Madame Golitsyn. “How nice, to go to the country. But that reminds me. I might have a rather interesting mannequin for you. I just thought of her…”

“That would be wonderful,” said Madame Koska. “Really good ones are hard to get. Who is she?”

“Her name is Mevrouw Gretchen Van der Hoven. She lives in the country now, with her aunt and uncle.”

“Mevrouw? So she is Dutch?”

“Half Dutch. Her father lived for years in the colonies, and married a Polynesian, I believe. Or Chinese… I am not sure. Gretchen is Eurasian, and you know how beautiful they can be. I cannot begin to tell you how lovely the girl is. She was educated in England, a boarding school, so her English is perfect.”

“Where are the parents?”

“Both dead, poor girl,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Sad. Mother died in childbirth, and her father met some strange accident a couple of years ago, I am not sure about the details. She was only seventeen years old at the time.”

“Does she have any training?” asked Madame Koska.

“Not professionally, but she did many charity shows,” said Madame Golitsyn. “With her looks, they would always pick her to do it.”

“Very well,” said Madame Koska. “As always, Vera, you have the best ideas, the solution to every problem.”

“Not all of them,” said Madame Golitsyn enigmatically. “Not the private ones, anyway… But most business issues, yes, these I can resolve. Well, let’s go and choose some beautiful, sumptuous curtain materials for the new Madame Koska Dressmaking Establishment!”

Two

“Be careful, young man!” exclaimed Madame Golitsyn as she was suddenly pushed from behind while trying to enter Madame Koska’s Establishment. All around her was chaos—movers carrying furniture, women in striped dressmakers’ smocks running back and forth with cardboard boxes, and men leaving with their tool boxes.

“Sorry ma’am,” mumbled the mover. “Couldn’t see you with these things…” He went past her, carrying two substantial dressmaker’s dummies, partially wrapped in brown paper.

“At least the plaque is on,” said Madame Golitsyn to a tall, very thin woman, past her first youth, who was walking by her side, carrying a large carpet bag. “That is very important. And it’s beautifully done. Well, come along, Natalya.” The woman, pale and timid, followed without a word. However, they were forced to stand aside since another mover pushed past them, carrying a chest of drawers.

“We’ll never get on these stairs,” said Madame Golitsyn. “It’s pandemonium… Natalya! Stand up straight. Don’t stoop like that. What your governess would have said about the way you stand, after all the hours she spent teaching you to balance a book on your head…”

“Dear Fräulein Strauss,” Natalya murmured. “Yes, she tried to make me stand up straight, and I did, but now… I am so tall, everyone will notice me.”

“You did not seem to like her so well when you were a child,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“What did I know… a child does not appreciate… but now that she passed away, I do miss her.”

“Then stand up straight for her sake, Natalya. I won’t have you meet my dear friend looking like a cowering serf.”

“But soon I am going to be only an employee of this atelier, a low-level employee, Aunt Anna. I know my place.”

“Nonsense. This is not Saint Petersburg. The classes here, are, well, a bit vague. It’s rather unique to this country, I know, but the English gentry mingle freely with the upper middle class.”

“And what am I? Not quite middle class, since I have no money. Not upper class for sure. My noble title was stripped away by the Revolution…”

“What are you? You are a Saltykov, Natalya. The cleanest, purest blood in old Russia. That is what you are! Be proud of it. And now, let’s get in. Seems the movers are taking a short break. One thing you must remember, though, malenkaya. We will not speak Russian—only English. Madame Koska insists that this is respectful for the other employees, and for her adoptive country.”

Natalya sighed with resignation, picked up the carpet bag, straightened her shoulders, and followed her aunt.

The commotion was even worse inside. The large, sunlit front room was full of furniture in complete disorder. Boxes overflowing with fabrics, beads, thread, needle cases, pin boxes, ribbons, and lace littered every surface. Seamstresses ran back and forth, carrying boxes to the sewing room and stacking them on the shelves. Madame Golitsyn went to a woman who was attempting to sort a huge box of ribbons into separate containers. “Excuse me, could you please find Madame Koska for me?” she asked. At this moment Madame Koska’s voice came from the sewing room, saying “No, no, ve don’t vant it here, ve vant the mirror in the other room…”

“Never mind,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Come along, Natalya.”

“Annushka! How nice to see you!” said Madame Koska, smiling hospitably, apparently entirely unperturbed by the mayhem.

“Is everything going well?” asked Madame Golitsyn.

“Perfectly,” said Madame Koska. “Just as it should. And who is your friend, Annushka?”

“This is my niece, Countess Natalya Saltykov,” said Madame Golitsyn. A slightly worried look came over Madame Koska’s face. Madame Golitsyn knew what bothered her friend. “I have explained to Natalya that here we must speak English, even among us, out of respect to our adoptive country and to those we work with who do not speak Russian. And I think Natalya would prefer to be called simply Miss Saltykov, wouldn’t you, dear? We don’t need to bring our titles into the conversation while we work. I certainly never do.” Relief showed very slightly on Madame Koska’s face. Anna always knew what to do…

“Yes, of course, my dear. Let’s go to the room that vill be my office and talk about your position,” she said. They went into a small room, which had only a desk and a few chairs in it. “Do sit down, ve must make do vith vhat ve have. So, Miss Saltykov, ven vould you like to start vorking? The sooner the better for me, I am sure.”

“Right away if you vish,” said Natalya. “I brought the samples of vork for to show how I do…” Her broken English would soon mend, thought Madame Koska enviously. These Russians had a natural knack for languages, such a useful talent… but the thought flew out of her mind when she saw the first garment. She gasped. Used as she was to good bead work, this was above and beyond anything she had ever seen. Tiny pearls, perfectly sewn to the scarlet velvet of the short bolero-like vest, and couched with delicate gold embroidery, gave the effect of such opulence, such grandeur, as to bring tears to the eyes of a professional.

Madame Golitsyn smiled with satisfaction. She knew the effect her niece’s work always created. The other garment, pure lavender chiffon worked with amethysts and lapis lazuli beads, was so delicate it could probably soar if not firmly held. Madame Koska shook her head with disbelief. “My dear Miss Saltykov, you are an artiste! Of course you can’t start working until we open, but once we do, you shall be my head beader.” She named a very adequate salary, and to her surprise, Natalya started crying. “Vhat is the matter?” Madame Koska asked and Madame Golitsyn just hugged the girl and smiled at Madame Koska. “She is just happy,” she said to her friend.

“Yes, very happy,” said Natalya, sniffing. “I don’t like how zey vere tricking me in Paris, alvays arguing about money, not giving vhat zey promise… now I just do vork, don’t have to talk about money, I love my beading and ze pearls, love ze vork…” She touched her eyes with her handkerchief. Madame Koska noticed a border of extremely beautiful drawn thread work around it. Yes, she must love her work if she did that on a simple linen handkerchief, not even the proper voile… She looked at the girl with compassion mixed with some doubt.

“Let’s have some tea,” she said. “Vould you come over here for a second, Anna?”

“Certainly. One second. Natalya, stop crying. Everything will be fine and remember, Saltykov. Always remember it.” They moved away to a table where a thermos and some cups promised a picnic-like tea.

“She did not cry from happiness,” said Madame Koska, pouring tepid tea into the cups. “Or at least, not only from happiness. And what about Saltykov? Why must she remember it and how is it connected to the new job?”

Madame Golitsyn sighed. “No, it was not just happiness that made her cry. She really is very happy about the job, yes, and the good salary you offered, for which I also thank you. But she is struggling with the fact that while she is a scion of one of the most noble families in old Russia, she must work at all. This bead and pearl embroidery was her hobby in Russia, a pastime. She feels humiliated by having to work for a living. She must get used to it, and I know it sounds contradictory, but nevertheless she must remember being a Saltykov because it boosts her self-esteem. You see, we are quite an important family. It was a Saltykov who was chosen to be the father of Catherine the Great’s first child when her husband could not give her one…”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Empress Elizabeth, who was the aunt of Peter, Catherine’s husband, realized that an heir to the throne was needed as soon as possible, but it might take years to cure her nephew of an illness that prevented him from producing children. Catherine was actually a virgin after a year of marriage. So, Elizabeth suggested a couple of young gentlemen, members of the most important families, as prospective fathers. Catherine chose one of them, a Saltykov, and he became her lover and gave her a child. All very discreet, very few people knew about it.”

“Her aunt-in-law arranged it? What a story!”

“Elizabeth was practical if nothing else. To keep the throne secure, an heir was absolutely needed. It was much more important than any question about morals.”

“You never mentioned it to me,” said Madame Koska.

“I live in the present, dorogaya. I don’t want to dream about past glories.”

“But Natalya can’t.”

“Not yet. Hopefully, she will, eventually. I think the pride she is going to take in being appreciated by you and her co-workers for her remarkable skill will help.”

“A highly successful opening reception,” said Madame Golitsyn to Natalya, who seemed to be a little out of place in her plain black dress.

“Yes indeed,” said Natalya, obviously ill at ease; she was hunched as if trying to minimize herself and hide behind Madame Golitsyn, which could not work since Madame Golitsyn was so much shorter than she. “But I really should not be here, Aunt Anna. I shouldn’t have come.”

“And why not, Natalya? Until you start working here, you are my niece, and you are perfectly entitled to come to a reception given by my very dear friend, not to mention catered by me. Look what a nice time your father is having.”

Natalya looked at her father with an indulgent smile. Yes, she thought. He was having a wonderful time, eating, drinking, talking to three elegant women at once… “Dear father,” she said. “I am so happy you brought us to England. He will be so much happier here.”

“And not drive a taxi anymore, either,” said Madame Golitsyn. “And why didn’t you wear something with your pearl embroidery? It would have caused an instant sensation; everyone here is a lover of fashion.”

“I did not think it would be appropriate to stand out,” said Natalya weakly. She realized too late that she would have stood out a lot less if she were better dressed.

“Well, never mind all that. Everything will be fine, stop worrying, malenkaya.” They spoke in Russian, as they always did, and suddenly Madame Golitsyn thought that Natalya’s English must be improved as quickly as possible; not that it would be difficult, since despite her timidity, Natalya was extremely talented. She took two glasses of champagne from a tray held by one of the women whom she remembered seeing when she first brought Natalya to the Dressmaking Establishment. The woman smiled and moved quietly and expertly among the guests, and Madame Golitsyn surveyed the glittering scene with satisfaction. The rooms, restored to perfect order, showed their elegant proportions, and were showcased by the creamy walls, the dark red window treatments, and the oriental carpets. Huge vases of flowers, all white, were beautifully arranged on low tables. The chandeliers gleamed and threw colorful rainbows. People seemed to enjoy her canapés as they drank their champagne. They clearly also appreciated the stuffed blintzes, the pride of her catering business, and adored by all her clients. The excellent fruit tarts and other pastries seemed to vanish very quickly.

“Look, here comes the beautiful Gretchen,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I must introduce her to Vera, she is going to work as a mannequin, I hope.”

Quickly approaching the girl, who had just entered the room, she took her to Madame Koska, who was by one of the serving tables. “Vera, my dear, I would like to introduce Mevrouw Gretchen Van der Hoven, of whom I have told you. Gretchen, this is my very dear friend, Madame Vera Koska.”

In a blink of an eye, faster than one word said aloud, Madame Koska took measure of the quality of the potential mannequin even before her own hand was raised high enough to shake the girl’s hand. She had rarely seen such beauty. Gretchen Van der Hoven was tall and willowy, with a perfect figure. She wore a well-fitting, clearly expensive suit, made of shantung silk of a soft caramel color. The skirt was ankle length, and the jacket, shorter than the blouse, created a three-layered look. She was evidently a Eurasian. Her eyes, very dark, long and narrow under the slightly diagonal brows, the soft, rounded features, the ivory-colored skin with just a touch of golden tint to warm it, and the full mouth emphasized by the red lipstick, indicated her origin. Her hair, straight and thick like most Eurasian hair, was not black. Peeking from under the large brown hat made of crushed velvet and embellished with golden silk poppies, it was the color of dark amber. Most unusual, thought Madame Koska, and yet unquestionably natural and without any help from the art of the coiffeur; she would do very well as a mannequin.

“I am very happy to meet you, Mevrouw Van der Hoven,” she said in her best velvety, Russian voice.

“And I am delighted to meet you, Madame Koska,” said the girl in a high-pitched but pleasant voice without a trace of accent. “Madame Golitsyn told me so much about your establishment! I was so excited when she said that you might consider me for the position of a mannequin! I would be so honored! Oh, please consider me!”

“Consider you? My dear, vith the vay you look, it is as good as arranged,” said Madame Koska. “Ven can you start?”

“Why, right away, Madame Koska. Anytime you like! Now!”

“Even vithout talking about terms?” asked Madame Koska, amused by the girl’s innocent enthusiasm.

“Oh, I don’t care about all that,” said Gretchen with childish disregard for the prosaic side of life. “I just want to be a mannequin… to wear these heavenly clothes, to meet all these interesting people! And I know you will take good care of me, you are a friend of Madame Golitsyn, after all.”

“In vhich case, let me introduce you to a few people… excuse us, Anna.”

Madame Golitsyn smiled happily as she returned to her niece. “So all is well?” asked Natalya.

“Oh, yes, they liked each other right away. I am happy to find Gretchen a good place, she needs to start growing up and learning some independence,” said Madame Golitsyn. “She is so child-like.”

“But she is so incredibly beautiful,” said Natalya without the slightest touch of envy. “She would have done well at the Tsar’s court.”

“Try to forget those days, Natalya. You must live in the present. Here comes Gretchen and Madame Koska. I think Madame Koska wants to introduce the two of you.”

Introductions were soon made, and chatting in French, the two girls seemed to have quite a lot to talk about, mostly about their future work together. Madame Koska drew her friend aside and looked carefully around to make sure no one was listening.

“Anna,” she said very quietly. “I won’t be able to keep up the façade here in London. I simply have to learn Russian. In Paris, everyone talked French. Here, it’s another matter altogether. I will be caught.”

“Well, you learned French when you came there,” said Madame Golitsyn. “You can learn Russian. It’s not too difficult, and you already mastered the accent.”

“I’ll need a teacher. You don’t have the time to teach me, you are too busy with the catering,” said Madame Koska.

“How about Natalya? I am sure you could trust her with the secret. She is trustworthy.”

“No, it won’t do. She will be working for me; people will notice the added connection, no. I need to find a discreet, good teacher who is not connected to the world of fashion. You know plenty of Russians, can you think of someone?”

“Yes, of course,” said Madame Golitsyn with a smile. “I know just the right person. He is of a very noble family, and was a priest. But he was dismissed from the priesthood after a romantic scandal…”

“Mon Dieu!” said Madame Koska, aghast.

“It was not his fault, really,” said Madame Golitsyn, smiling. “He was simply fawned over by the women. He used to be extraordinarily handsome when he was young, and he just succumbed to it. It’s all in the past. Of course he is older now, and very respectable. He makes his living teaching languages, Russian, French, German, Italian…”

“Very well,” said Madame Koska. “I would like to meet and arrange it with him. You are sure he can be trusted with the secret?”

“Absolutely,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Just don’t blame me if you fall in love. All his students do.”

Madame Koska laughed. “No, no, Annushka. He will fall in love with me!” she said, and the ladies giggled like two schoolgirls as they rejoined the party.

Three

“No trouble at all,” said Madame Koska. “I vill be over this afternoon at three, as you vish, Lady Victoria. Thank you for your trust in my establishment.” She hung up the telephone and walked over to the sewing room; everyone looked up from their work.

“Ladies,” she announced, “I have good news. Very good news indeed. Lady Victoria Ashton-Smith vants us to create an evening gown. A little later, she plans to order more garments. In other vords, a big part of her new vardrobe.”

The women nodded with appreciation. You never know with a new establishment, the first couple of years are dangerous. They trusted Madame Koska’s business sense, but still, if she failed, there were not too many jobs around, and her place promised to be good and steady—if it stayed in business.

“I have to leave here at two… someone vill have to answer the telephone.” She looked around and her eyes fell on Gretchen, who had nothing to do unless someone came for a fitting or to look at clothes. Gretchen would not go home, though, and preferred to stay all day and help out since, as she told Madame Koska, at home things were boring, but the atelier represented Life. And as she was always happy to fetch, carry, look under the table for lost buttons or beads, thread needles, and sweep all the bits and pieces of fabric and thread off the floor, Madame Koska did not have the heart to send her home. Besides, she had a new idea. She looked at the girl. Her amber-colored hair was carelessly tucked up, she was wearing a striped seamstress smock at least two sizes too big, and yet she looked as beautiful as ever.

“Miss Van der Hoven,” she said, “From now on, I vould like you to answer the telephone vhen I go out.”

“But, but… but that would be as if I am a vendeuse,” Gretchen murmured, clearly alarmed by the honor bestowed on her.

“So? I have seen you talking to people. You can talk to anyone. Come along into the front room.” Gretchen followed meekly.

“Look, Miss Van der Hoven, you have nothing to do until ve start the real collection and the big shows. Vhy not try to vork as a vendeuse? Of course you von’t deal vith money issues, you are like a baby vith money, but you can fix appointments in the book, and be nice to the clients on the phone, right?”

“Yes! I can!” Gretchen suddenly smiled with renewed courage. “Why not? I can talk! I like to talk!”

“Exactly… and it von’t hurt you to learn a bit of the business side. Of course, you are so beautiful that you vill probably marry soon, but just in case… no one is a mannequin forever, but a vendeuse, now this is a real trade.”

“I will have to wear nice clothes all the time, right, Madame Koska? Not the smocks?”

Madame Koska smiled indulgently. “Yes, you vill sit in the front, be nicely dressed, and vhen the ladies come in, you vill greet them politely.”

“I can do that! Yes!” Gretchen smiled. “Madame Koska, the telephone is ringing… shall I?”

“Yes, try it!”

Gretchen picked up the telephone. “Madame Koska’s Establishment,” she said sweetly and without the slightest hesitation. “May I help you? Yes, she is here. Who may I say is calling?”

Her manner is as polished as can be, thought Madame Koska, surprised. But she had no time to ponder since Gretchen handed her the receiver, saying quietly, “Mr. Korolenko, Madame Koska.” Madame Koska took the receiver, shrugging her shoulders and raising her eyebrows to indicate she had no idea who it was. Must be a potential supplier, she thought, since the all the clients were women, naturally enough. “Yes, Mr. Korolenko?” Gretchen left the room with utmost discretion. Yes, she would do very well, Madame Koska thought. The girl was carefully brought up, excellent manners…

“Oh,” said Madame Koska after listening for a second. “Just one minute, Mr. Korolenko. Let me shut the door…” The seamstresses heard her murmured conversation behind the closed door. After a few minutes Madame Koska opened it again.

“Ladies, I vill not be back in time to close up when the day is over, I have another meeting directly after the one with Lady Victoria. Miss Saltykov, vould you kindly close up and then drop the key in the mailbox in my apartment upstairs?” She disengaged the key from her chatelaine.

“Certainly, Madame Koska,” said Natalya, looking up from the blue-green, semi-sheer silk sleeve she was beading and holding her hand out to take the key. Madame Koska looked at the sleeve. “How utterly lovely, Miss Saltykov. These arabesques you are embroidering are simply flawless.” Natalya flushed with pleasure as the other women bent to look.

“Your skill is incredible, Miss Saltykov,” said one of them. “I wish I could bead like you. Why, these beads look like emeralds, the way you placed them against the silver thread…” Horribly embarrassed but happy, Natalya murmured that she would be happy to show her friends any little tricks they needed. Madame Koska smiled at everyone and then went to her office to get ready for her meeting with Lady Victoria Ashton-Smith, who was staying at her town house in London.

The meeting went very well, and all the little details were discussed. Lady Victoria wanted a dark crimson velvet dress, flowing in the newest style, shorter in front and longer in the back, and decorated with panels of beading and embroidery on the bodice. She would look very well in it, thought Madame Koska; it would set off her bobbed dark hair and pale complexion. They fixed a time for the first visit, to have the measurements taken, Madame Koska delicately mentioned the fee, which was graciously agreed to, and then took her leave, well pleased with her afternoon work. She went out and not even glancing at the bus she was accustomed to take, signaled a cab. Consulting a piece of paper she took out of her handbag, she told the address to the driver and they rolled away.

The cab stopped in a modest, unfashionable part of town. The houses had a certain atmosphere of faded glory, not exactly shabby but no longer first class. Still, they retained a special kind of charm that comes from older and mellower architecture. Madame Koska paid the driver and walked to the front door. Clearly Mr. Korolenko was not wealthy, but at least he lived in respectable circumstances. She rang the bell, and a woman wrapped in a big floral apron opened it. “Yes?” she said curtly, staring at Madame Koska’s elegant coat and hat.

“I am here to see Mr. Korolenko,” said Madame Koska.

“Second floor, on the right,” said the woman and stood aside. Madame Koska climbed the steep stairs. The stairway was badly lit, a slight odor of cooking lingered in the air, and from the apartment on the left she could hear squeaky voices of children playing or fighting. Madame Koska knocked on the door of the apartment on the right of the little landing and waited. No one came, but she heard a piano being played inside and assumed the player could not hear her. She waited for a break in the music and knocked again. This time the door was opened instantly by a tall, middle-aged man wearing a shabby but well-cut tweed suit. “I am Madame Koska,” she said. “Ve talked earlier.”

“Oh yes, come in, Madame,” said the man and allowed her to pass in front of him in. The apartment had no foyer, and the door led directly into the drawing room. It was starkly furnished, but spacious, clean and neat. “Do sit down, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko, and pointed to the sofa. “I understand you want to learn Russian. I am a bit baffled since the way you speak, and your accent, are so very Russian already.”

“So Countess Golitsyn did not explain my situation?” asked Madame Koska.

“She said that you need to learn Russian as quickly as possible, and that I must be very diplomatic about it and not say a word to anyone.”

“Yes, exactly,” said Madame Koska. “And you vere not curious as to vhy?”

“Madame Koska, I don’t ask questions. I need to earn my living, and people learn languages for many reasons, some of them secret. If something happens to them, the less I know, usually, the better.”

Madame Koska nodded. She appreciated such discretion in her acquaintance. This man could be valuable… “You speak like an Englishman,” she said. “I do not detect any foreign accent. And yet your name is Russian. Vhat are you?”

“I am Russian. But being a linguist, I can usually speak with a clean pronunciation in all the languages I know. As for English, it is particularly easy for me. I learned it from my first tutor, an Englishman, at a very young age.”

“I imagine you held important positions in Russia, but here you vork as a language teacher?”

“What can you do, Madame Koska? One must survive. After the Revolution, men in my position cannot afford to be proud… but yes, I was a professor in Moscow. I am not of the nobility, but rather, upper class, professional family. We had to flee because of our connections with the nobility.”

Madame Koska drummed her fingernails on the sofa’s arm. “Yes,” she said. “I see.”

“You are uncomfortable about something, I can see that,” said Mr. Korolenko. “What is bothering you, Madame Koska?”

For the first time, Madame Koska really looked at him. He was a handsome man, tall, broad-shouldered, with strong features and dark brown eyes, probably in his mid-fifties. He looked intelligent and trustworthy. She decided to proceed.

“Yes, this is true, I am not comfortable revealing my secret to a stranger,” she said, “but I have no choice. You see, Mr. Korolenko, I am not Russian; it is all a façade. But my clients here must believe I am Russian, and unlike those in Paris, many of them vill vant to speak Russian to me. Their French is perfect, but they are not always comfortable with English, and vhen they meet another Russian, they vill revert to speaking their own language. So I must learn Russian as fast as possible.”

“But why did you pretend to be Russian in the first place? And if it was necessary, why not pretend to be French?”

“I started vorking in Paris with my husband, and he was Russian… it’s a long story, I’ll tell you some day. But the important thing is, can you do it? Can you teach me Russian, good enough to speak like a native, and do it in secret?”

“Of course I can. I developed a system of conversational studies that will get you speaking in a short time, but just in case, I will also teach you reading and writing. That might take a little longer but it would be less of a rush.”

“This is a good plan,” said Madame Koska.

“Where would you like me to meet you for the lessons?” asked Mr. Korolenko.

“I vill have to come here. I can’t allow you to be seen in my business or apartment.”

“Very well, it will be quiet here and no one needs to know. Many students come here.”

“Do they meet each other on the stairs, or vait until a lesson is finished? I’d rather not meet them.”

“You never will. I always make sure there is a half hour break between students’ appointments. Many feel exactly as you do,” said Mr. Korolenko. “So, shall we say twice a week?”

They settled on the terms and Madame Koska felt that he charged too little. She did not try to dissuade him from undercharging her, she rather fancied a bargain for herself, but the thought crossed her mind that she must talk to him about raising his fees. But not before they became friends, or it might offend him.

It was evening when Madame Koska returned home. Normally she would stop downstairs at the atelier, but since she did not have the key in her bag, having given it to Natalya, it would have meant going upstairs to her apartment, getting the key from her mail box, and going down again. She did not have anything pressing to do there. After all, writing Lady Victoria’s order in the books could be done the next day, and she felt rather tired. She took the key from the mail box and threw it in her bag. Deciding to just have some light supper and go to bed early, she changed into one of her elegant dressing gowns, which she always made herself since no one really knew how to set in the long, soft bat-wing sleeves, and wrapping herself in its silky warmth, decided to soak in a hot, lazy bath. Running the water gently over the Muguet de Bois bath oil beads she favoured so as to slowly extract all their scent, Madame Koska thought she heard some strange knocking sounds from somewhere. But they soon stopped and she relaxed into the warm water, thinking about the new collection she planned on creating and showing soon.

She had already purchased most of the materials. A complicated order since she meant to show both afternoon and evening attire, with perhaps even a few morning suits. Quite an eclectic collection, but the color scheme would unify it to a proper theme. She decided to call it Mistral, after the north wind that blew gray and lavender clouds over stormy skies. Everything would be in blue, purple, lavender and gray. The morning and afternoon outfits were to be elegantly tailored, but the evening dresses would flow over the body like water. They would be beaded with extravagant opulence; everyone would recognize the Russian touch superimposed over the Parisian elegance. She rolled the words on her tongue to see how they sounded. “Mistral: Madame Koska’s new collection.” Yes, it sounded romantic and exciting, which was the image she wanted to convey. Using blue irises, white calla lilies, and small lavender and purple hot- house anemones in the show room would complete the perfect color coordination. She closed her eyes, imagining the perfect scene, when the knocking sound resumed. Irritated, she got out of the bath and after putting on her dressing gown, went to the kitchen to eat some bread and cheese, accompanied by a glass of red wine.

Early in the morning, Madame Koska went downstairs to the atelier. To her utter amazement, the door was not locked, only closed. What was Natalya thinking? Why didn’t she lock it as she was asked? Opening the door, she gasped with horror. The place had been ransacked. Fabrics, beads, buttons, ribbons were thrown carelessly about, drawers were opened, cabinets emptied of their content. Staring in disbelief, she could not move or even think for about five minutes. Then she shook herself, strode purposefully to her office, and called the police.

“But Madame Koska, can’t you think of anything that was taken?” asked the police officer in disbelief.

“My office vas not entered at all, in my opinion,” said Madame Koska. “The safe vas not touched, I can vouch for that. As for the sewing supplies, the only expensive things here are the fabrics, and since I do not order wholesale yet, but strictly enough for each dress, I am certain that none vas taken. They are all here! The beads are bits of glass, no one vill vant them until they are embroidered into the dresses.”

“Even these little pearls?”

“They are slightly misshapen and very inexpensive, officer. Their value comes from the vork of embroidery. By themselves, they are no more expensive than glass beads. And anyvay, all the vials are here, I ordered only eight vials to start with, Miss Saltykov had already used two, and here are six.”

“And you say you heard knocks around eight o’clock and then again about eight-thirty.”

“Yes, about that time. I noticed them but did not look for the source.”

“Indeed why should you,” said the officer. “In this big city, people are making all sort of noise all the time, of course… you could not know.”

“But I can’t make it out, I can’t understand it. Who vould risk discovery making this infernal noise, at an early hour of the evening, and then not steal anything? I vonder if I vas in mortal danger,” said Madam Koska, shuddering dramatically and wringing her hands. Unfortunately, there were no rings on them, since she came down to work, so nothing flashed. It irritated Madame Koska. She preferred to see some sparkle even during a police investigation.

“This girl, the one you told to take the key and lock up, where is she?” asked the officer.

“Miss Saltykov, come in,” said Madame Koska loudly. The seamstresses, in shock, were crowded at the door, blocked from entering by another officer. Natalya skulked in, looking extremely frightened, her eyes red with tears.

“Miss Saltykov,” said the police officer. “Did you lock the door last night, as Madame Koska told me you were supposed to do, or did you just close it?”

“I locked the door, officer. Really, Madame Koska, everything was done. I locked the door, went upstairs, and dropped the key in your mail box.”

“Did you go straight home?” asked the officer.

“No, I stopped at some stores, but did not buy anything. The book shop, I was looking for a book on English to study better speaking. They did not have anything I liked. And then I bought some fruit Aunt Anna told me to bring.”

“And then you went home?”

“Yes. And told everything to Aunt Anna.”

“I see,” said the officer and looked thoughtfully at the tall, thin, frightened woman who could pass for a rabbit in his book, particularly with her red eyes. He shrugged, probably feeling slightly defeated by this pointless robbery where nothing was taken. “Madame Koska, here is your key. I suggest changing the lock, for safety.”

Madame Koska took the key and pulled out her chatelaine. Suddenly, just as she was going to attach it, she suddenly started and stared at it. “There is a bigger problem here than ve think,” she said. “I just noticed it. This is a copy, it’s not my key. You see, I always put a small sign on my keys as to which door it opens, since I find I always fumble to find the right one. I put tiny paint dots on them. My key had a vhite dot on it. Also, this one is shiny and clean and looks newer than the other one. Even though the original is not very old, still, it took on some patina, and had the vhite dot. This is a different key.”

The officer slowly put out his hand to take the key again. “Madame Koska, I will need to talk to each of the women here alone. Everyone who worked here after you left could have taken the key and copied it during her break. Would you mind going to the other room for a little while? I will start talking with Miss Saltykov, since she is already here, and then I will summon the girls, one by one. I’ll only need a few minutes with each of them.” For a moment Madame Koska wanted to protest, then thought the better of it, and left the room quietly.

Four

“Annushka, you must get a cloche hat,” said Madame Koska.

“Why in the world would I care about a hat in the middle of these troubles?” asked Madame Golitsyn with mild astonishment.

“Because one must be fashionable no matter what,” said Madame Koska. “Hats with wide brims are out. Cloches are in. Therefore, you must have a cloche.”

Madame Golitsyn laughed. “And you also think that a small woman like me does not look quite right in a large brim hat? Too much like a mushroom?”

“Well, I would never call you a mushroom, but I do think the cloches are more appropriate for you, yes,” Madame Koska admitted.

“You are absurd, my dear,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I am now so terribly worried about Natalya, she thinks the police officer suspected her of breaking in, and she is moping and her nose is constantly red. I cannot abide red noses… Who has got time to shop for hats?”

“Well, my dear, I let you lecture me about my slips with the Russian accent, so you must allow me to lecture you about fashion.”

“I must admit you look splendid despite all these aggravations,” said Madame Golitsyn. “This suit is most becoming. But speaking of Russian, how are the lessons going?”

Madame Koska looked at her suit with professional satisfaction. It was made of dark brown, extremely soft wool. With the long narrow skirt and a slim jacket that ended exactly above the knees, it was the epitome of elegance and definitely the latest fashion; many women looked at it with admiration as the two friends sat sipping their tea at one of their favorite cafes. Madame Koska’s small hat, decorated with clusters of material in orange, red, brown and yellow that suggested luscious autumn fruit, surely could never make anyone look like a mushroom. It lent a subtle glow to Madame Koska’s aristocratic face. “They are going very well,” she said. “Mr. Korolenko thinks I am advancing properly; he simply can’t get over my accent, he says it’s perfect.”

“It is,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Le Cochon did a good job, teaching you.”

Madame Koska laughed. “Good old Grigory… poor man, probably died fighting in the war, and we always call him Le Cochon… I do wish I could remember the name he had on his real passport. It’s ridiculous to forget your own husband’s real, though secret name.”

“Well, you only saw it once,” said Madame Golitsyn. “And it’s not terribly important, though technically, I am not sure if you were legally married, if he gave the wrong name… But more important, about Mr. Korolenko, he turned out to be a good teacher? You like him?”

“He is a splendid teacher, but as for liking him… I am not sure. To tell you the truth, I am a little uncomfortable with what he said about his students. I believe he has some unsavory characters among them.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Madame Golitsyn. “But you should not be concerned about it. No one knows you are studying with him and I can’t think of a more discreet teacher.”

“Oh, certainly,” said Madame Koska, putting a cigarette into a long ebony holder and lighting it. “Goodness, I only have the black cigarette holder with me… with this suit I should have the ivory or amber. Ah, well. Professionally, Mr. Korolenko is excellent, and I am certain he would never gossip about me, which is what counts the most at the moment.”

“Exactly,” said Madame Golitsyn, and took another pastry.

Madame Koska tapped the cigarette ash into the onyx ashtray, and said thoughtfully, “What I don’t like, or even understand, is Natalya’s assumption that the police officer suspected her.”

“Natalya is afraid of any authorities, probably a reaction to the Revolution,” said Madame Golitsyn. “But let’s face it, if I were the police officer I would have some suspicion regarding her activities that night. Of course she is my niece and for us the notion is simply ridiculous, but the police do not care about that. She had the key for the entire afternoon; she did not go straight home, so it does not look good.”

“I hope you did not tell her that, Annushka,” said Madame Koska. “If she is going to be incapacitated by her fears, I am in big trouble… she is really my chief embroiderer and if I am to get on with planning the collection I simply can’t do without her.”

“Of course I did not tell her; on the contrary, I tried to make her forget the whole sordid business. How are you getting on with the collection?”

“As you know I bought all the materials, but a few days ago I also ordered the extra beads and pearls and some wonderful new style combination beads. What I really need to do now is find the proper place for the show. Everywhere I visited up to now was so unattractive—too dark, too old-fashioned. I want a big, light, airy place that would showcase the delicacy of the colors for the Mistral collection.”

“Do you need to get it so early? It’s going to be months before the show is put on, isn’t it?”

“These places need to be rented a long way in advance, if you want a good one. Have you done with your tea?”

“Yes, I could not eat another bite,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I ate too much, as usual. They do make excellent pastries here.”

“Not as good as yours,” said Madame Koska, “but then, who can surpass your artistry with pastries?” She put on her gloves carefully, switching the rings from her hand to the top of the gloves. “Well, Anna, since we are ready, let’s go before they close.”

“Close? Where are we going, Vera?”

“To my favorite hat shop, where I am going to treat you to a new cloche hat. It’s going to be your Christmas gift, only a little early; you need it now.”

“You are incorrigible, Vera,” Madame Golitsyn laughed. “Very well, thank you, dorogaya. Let’s go.”

“Miss Van der Hoven, did the beads arrive?” asked Madame Koska as she walked in.

“Yes, Madame Koska, they are here, they are heavenly! Everyone is enchanted with them… the girls are sorting them out, as you requested.”

“I vill go and look,” said Madame Koska, and entered the sewing room. On a large side table, the new selection of beads gleamed under the sunlight. “Vell, ladies, vhat do you think?” she said.

“They are magnificent,” said Natalya, so lost in admiration that she forgot herself enough to speak without blushing or trembling. “Madame Koska, I have rarely seen such pearls, even in the Tsarina’s work basket. They are almost entirely round! No imperfections to hide when I embroider with them! And the combination beads, I have never seen the like!”

“Yes, they look like ready-made jewelry, don’t they? I thought they vould save time, since you can use them as centerpieces directly, vithout much construction. And the colors were perfect. Just look at the blue and purple, they look just like real gemstones.”

“Oh, yes, they will save hours of work, and they are so big and impressive! But I just can’t get my hands off these pearls… so smooth. I think we should put them in boxes lined in velvet, Madame Koska, to save them from scratching.”

“Yes, excellent idea. Ladies, help Miss Saltykov to cut bits of velvet to line the boxes vith. Let’s organize everything so they vill be easily accessible vhen ve start embroidering for the collection.” The seamstresses gathered some bits and pieces of soft materials and set to line the containers intended for sorting the beads by shape and color.

“These silver bugle beads are perfect with the Mistral colors,” said Gretchen, who came to take another peek. “Oh, and these look like tiny diamonds and rubies. How they sparkle! May I help? There is so much work to sort them. I’ll run to the front room as soon as the telephone rings.”

“Certainly,” said Madame Koska. “But put on a smock, Miss Van der Hoven. You don’t vant your dress to get covered with bits of thread.”

Gretchen ran off to get a smock, and Natalya said, “Madame Koska, I have an idea. I wonder if you will think it a good thing…”

“Vell, tell me, Miss Saltykov,’ said Madame Koska. “I like innovative ideas.”

“You know the seamstresses are so kind as to think that I embroider a little better than they do, and said that they would like a few lessons,” said Natalya. “So I thought it would be a good idea to teach them, it will be helpful if the atelier becomes famous for its embroidery… and now that I am looking at these lovely beads, I thought that with your permission, I could teach them the way I was taught, from instructional samplers.”

“This is a vonderful idea, Miss Saltykov. Could you prepare the samplers?”

“Yes, but I thought… I didn’t want to take time from working on the atelier’s dresses since we have so many orders. Maybe I could come early in the morning and put in an hour or two until I finish them? Or stay after hours?”

“Von’t you be terribly tired, my dear? Ve vill have to put in many hours vhen the show comes closer. I don’t vant you to exhaust yourself.”

“No, not at all,” said Natalya. “This type of sampler embroidery is like a game, a hobby. I will enjoy the work, it will remind me of my childhood. Let’s see… I think I should make one with the arabesques you so kindly liked when I did it, on chiffon. Another one I can prepare with strictly traditional Russian pearl embroidery, couched with a gold thread on stiff velvet, and a third with perhaps the sequins and pearls together, and two or three jewel-like large combination beads; this should be done on heavy silk. I think that would be enough, and I will try to make them not too big and with very clear designs. I can use leftover materials, there will be no expense involved, except for frames. It will be best to put them under glass since they will be spoiled by handling. But they would look well on the wall, and can be used again when more girls are hired.”

“My dear Miss Saltykov, you are a treasure. I have to thank your aunt again for getting you to vork here. Yes, by all means prepare the samplers and teach the seamstresses. I vould say, stay a little after vork, because then you can simply bring me the key if I am not here, the vay ve did when the place vas ransacked, and put it in the mailbox. Of course I vill pay you for the extra time and no, don’t argue, you shall get paid, my dear. It’s vork like any other vork and all of us vill benefit from it.”

“Thank you, Madame Koska. Just one thing… you know the police officer was very suspicious of me because of the key… if anything happens again, and I stay after hours, he will arrest me…”

“This is nonsense. No one could possibly suspect you of anything wrong. A vell-brought up young gentlevoman, the niece of Countess Golitsyn, a friend of the Tsarina… and if this idiot suspected you, vhat of it? It’s all over! Ve vill concentrate on the show, on getting the name of the atelier famous. It is so much more important. However, if you prefer, vhy not take the materials home with you? Do you have good lighting and a comfortable working arrangement?”

“Oh yes, I have good working conditions at home. It will be wonderful, Madame Koska. Just wonderful. I won’t have to worry about this stupid police officer.”

“Vell, then, you can tell the seamstresses that since they vant to take lessons, they can!”

Natalya nodded happily and seemed perfectly satisfied, but Madame Koska was not sure she believed her own words; she did not think it was all over. Unfortunately, she was right. The next day a visit from the police officer made Madame Koska very uncomfortable.

“Madame Koska, someone is not telling the whole story,” the police officer said. “Would you kindly call Miss Van der Hoven here? I wish to speak to her, and in your presence.”

Gretchen came in, with a surprised look on her beautiful face. “Sit down, Miss Van der Hoven,” said the police officer. “I need to ask you a few more questions about the day of the robbery.”

Gretchen sat down and looked a little alarmed. “Yes, officer,” she said meekly and folded her hands in her lap like a little girl in school.

“You told me that four salesmen came to see you, and you gave me their names and their business.” He consulted his notes, scratching his nose absentmindedly. “Yes… You had the lace person, the shoe salesman, the buttons manufacturer representative, and the thread salesman. Yes… they all corroborated your story, the time of each visit fairly matched.”

“So vhat is the problem?” asked Madame Koska, feeling mildly annoyed. She did not like to have her girls frightened, and poor Gretchen was a mere child, she would be so scared.

“The problem, Madame Koska, is that a witness I have interviewed saw five men coming in. Who was the fifth person, Miss Van der Hoven?”

Gretchen looked at him with obvious bewilderment. “But there was no fifth man,” she said. “I have no idea what the witness is talking about. Who is this witness?”

“For the moment I would rather not name the witness,” said the officer. “Perhaps the fifth came in when you were not looking? Did you leave the front desk at any time?”

“Yes, for about ten minutes, when I went to freshen up. One of the girls sat for me and she did not say a word about a visitor.”

“Would you please call her in?” said the officer.

“Certainly,” said Gretchen and went to the door. “Miss Saltykov, would you come in for a minute? The officer wants to see you.”

Natalya walked in, and looked passively at the officer who got up to greet her. “Yes,” she said curtly. “What can I do for you, officer?” Madame Koska could tell Natalya was extremely frightened by the way she held her hands together tightly, but she kept herself under control.

“Miss Saltykov, I have just heard from Miss Van der Hoven that you took the position at the front desk for ten minutes or so during the afternoon before the attempted robbery,” said the officer. “Is this correct?”

“Yes,” said Natalya, “I sat there for about ten or fifteen minutes, to give Miss Van der Hoven a break. There were no telephone calls, but one visitor came in, bringing a package from the leather company. I took the package and wrote it in the book. I think the package is now in the sewing room, unless someone needed to use it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked the officer.

“Tell you what?” asked Natalya.

“That someone came in when you were at the desk.”

“What is there to tell?” asked Natalya, surprised. “I mean, deliveries happen all the time, this is an atelier.”

“Officer,” said Madame Koska, “No one told any of us that you vere particularly interested in people who visited in the afternoon. Miss Saltykov is not familiar with police procedures and it did not cross her mind.”

“Quite so,” said the officer. “Quite so… but I would like to see the book where you entered it. I assume you wrote the name of the firm? And do you know the messenger’s name?”

“I know the firm, but not the man’s name,” said Natalya.

“It does not matter. I can verify it with the firm. May I see the book?”

Natalya brought the book, and the officer noted down the details of the firm on a piece of paper. “May I use your phone, Madame Koska?” he said. “I will do it right now and it will put all our minds at ease.”

Madame Koska nodded. The officer went to the front room and closed the door behind him. She sat drumming her fingers on the table, while Natalya just stood silently, holding her hands so tightly that her knuckles were white. After a few minutes, he came back and said, “Yes, it seems to be all in order. A man was sent by the firm with a package of leather pieces. Well, this is a bit of a wild goose chase, Madame Koska. I simply can’t make head or tails of this robbery.”

“I suppose there is little ve can do now,” said Madame Koska. “Unless something happens again, I vill not vorry about it. They probably vere just frightened avay before getting to the safe.”

“Time will tell,” said the officer. “We shall keep our eyes on the establishment. By the way, Madame Koska, you told us you had two appointments that afternoon, one with Lady Victoria, for the dress, and the other with a certain Mr. Korolenko. We checked him, and found out he teaches languages… among some other things he engages in doing. May I ask why did you visit him?”

For a moment Madame Koska’s heart leapt up into her throat and fell down again with a thud, but no one could have seen it on her impassive face. She took out her cigarette box and opened it. “I go to Mr. Korolenko to improve my English, of course. I vould like to get rid of the accent, speak like a regular Englishvoman. Cigarette, officer?”

Five

“Mr. Korolenko, I need your help… this is a troublesome situation,” said Madame Koska as she settled down at the desk for her lesson.

“What is it?” asked Mr. Korolenko, looking up from the books he was arranging.

“I do hate to involve you, really,” said Madame Koska. “It’s so delicate…”

Mr. Korolenko put his hands on the desk and looked at them. Madame Koska noticed his habit of doing so when he was thinking, and she waited for what he was about to say. He raised his head and looked at her. “Madame Koska, I will not ask you to trust my virtue, but you can rely on my discretion,” he said.

“Yes,” said Madame Koska pensively. “I do rely on it, obviously, and what is virtue, really? So relative… Well, you know about the attempted robbery at my atelier. There is not a single clue as to what took place, and I think the police will not pay much more attention to it. However, what bothers me is that the police officer asked me why I visited you. He knows you, or about you, since he said that you teach languages, among other things you engage in, whatever that means. I had to think on my feet, so I told him that I come to you to improve my English, take care of my Russian accent. I am not sure if he believed me.”

“I see,” said Mr. Korolenko. “So you think there is a chance that the real reason for your coming here will be discovered; yes, it would be embarrassing. But what you told him was clever, and I suggest that from now on I should come to the atelier, once in a while, to give you the lessons.”

“Exactly what I thought, Mr. Korolenko. And what’s more, we should allow ourselves to be overheard by the seamstresses as you correct my English. It’s always a good idea to hide something in plain sight…”

Mr. Korolenko laughed. “Shades of Edgar Allan Poe come to mind…”

“The Purloined Letter?” said Madame Koska thoughtfully. “Yes indeed…”

“You read Poe, Madame Koska?”

“I read many things,” said Madame Koska. “But yes, I am very fond of mystery stories. They are exciting, and I love puzzling over the solution.”

“I had no idea you were a great reader,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“It’s a habit,” said Madame Koska. “You see, I come from a working-class London family. I had no chance of getting a good education, though I wanted it very much, so I got into the habit of reading everything I could find. Later on in Paris I worked very hard both before and after I was married and had no time for formal schooling, but I went on reading.”

“Well, well,” said Mr. Korolenko. “How interesting… What other things do you read?”

“Literature, mostly. In English I read Dickens, Thackeray, and Trollope, among others… In French I like Hugo, Voltaire, Balzac, many more, really. Poetry, some philosophy… I tried so hard. It was not a systematic education, but it was the best I could do, and it became a part of my life. But yes, I read many mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle as well as Poe. Have you read Émile Gaboriau? Interesting French crime fiction. And also I found out about this new author, a young woman, who recently published her first book. I think she is going to be very famous. She created a fascinating detective, a little Belgian gentleman, and the plot was very, very clever.”

“And do you keep up with interesting cases in the real world?” asked Mr. Korolenko.

“No, I don’t have time for the newspapers these days.”

“So I suppose you did not hear about the mysterious disappearance of a piece of Russian jewelry,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“No, what is it?”

“A brooch that had once belonged to Catherine the Great. Apparently, after the revolution it was placed in a museum in a little provincial town by the Baltic Sea, I forget its name, to protect it. The security was excellent, but against all odds, the brooch vanished from its case. The museum is devastated.”

“Catherine the Great? I don’t know much about her other than what my friend, Madame Golitsyn, told me about the scandal of her pregnancies.”

“Oh, yes, it was quite a story. I read her memoirs, and would you believe, she did not try to hide any of the scandals; some historians think she even exaggerated them. I wouldn’t be surprised; everything she did was larger than life.”

“She seems to represent Russia, to embody it, to so many people,” said Madame Koska.

“Yes, this is a good insight; she did in so many ways. Interestingly, she was not Russian by birth. She was born in Prussia and her name was Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg. But once she married Peter the Third, she adopted Russia wholeheartedly and assumed the Russian persona in every way. She made Russia into a great power.”

“She must have left a lot of jewelry. Is this stolen piece important?”

“She used to be practically covered with jewelry when she received people each evening; she had a habit of dressing up even for close friends. People said she was dazzling. She was not a classical beauty, but there was something attractive, even compelling, about her. It was not the famous emerald brooch, by the way, that was stolen. That one is safe.”

“I really don’t know a thing about the emerald brooch… so what was this one?”

“It’s a large sapphire, I believe, and yes, it’s an important, valuable piece. I am not sure who inherited Catherine’s jewelry, but I know that quite a bit of her collection found its way to museums after the Revolution. I imagine originally the pieces were given to her children.”

“A seamstress in my atelier has the same name as the father of one of Catherine’s children. Her name is Miss Natalya Saltykov.”

“Yes, some of the great families are still with us. A Saltykov working as a seamstress… it could break your heart.”

“Not my heart, Mr. Korolenko. I am a working woman.”

“You carry it off with great style, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko gallantly. “You look and sound like a high-born lady, and you certainly have aristocratic features.”

Madame Koska laughed. “Thank you, Mr. Korolenko. Madame Golitsyn always says I look more Russian than she does… Of course I work on the accent, and dress for the image; it pays off.”

“Yes, image is important in these strange times… So, on more immediate matters, we agree that I will come to the atelier for the next lesson, correct?”

“Yes, let’s do it. Of course I will still have to come here if I want to learn Russian… even if I am followed by the police. Incidentally, what did the police officer mean when he said you are engaged in other things, not just teaching languages?”

Mr. Korolenko sighed. “Nothing criminal, Madame Koska. I know it sounds like it, coming from a police officer, but I have never committed a crime. But I know what he meant… I sometimes translate documents for people who call themselves ‘businessmen’ and who expect me to forget the content as soon as I hand them the finished work, so I oblige and forget it. I can’t very well tell you more than that. They generally come from different parts of the world; I have many international connections.”

“I see,” said Madame Koska. “I won’t press you… I understand completely. One must survive! Well, shall we start with the lesson?”

“Madame Koska, may I come in?”

“Certainly, Miss Saltykov. Vhy, you are so early!” said Madame Koska.

“I wanted to see you before the seamstresses come in. I brought the first sampler.”

“But my dear Miss Saltykov, it vas only a veek ago that ve talked about it! You must have been vorking night and day!”

“No, not really. I am very fast, and this one was not difficult.” She took out a paper-wrapped package, undid the string, and took out the sampler. Madame Koska looked at it with admiration. It was intended to teach the women how to create delicate arabesques, which were so much in fashion. Natalya created it in successive steps. The first step was a round spot, about half an inch in diameter, and made from a few concentric circles that were shaped from small, bright red beads. The second step showed two more circles surrounding the red one, but in white. The third step showed how a line could be shaped from one more circle, done with glowing green beads; the line turned softly and gracefully into the shape of an arabesque. The forth step increased the width of the line, in light golden beads, and the fifth, final step, showed the start of a second arabesque, using the original bright red beads, flowing from the first.

“This is truly vell done,” said Madame Koska. “Every step is illustrated so clearly. Even a beginner can follow the sequence.”

“You see, Madame Koska, most samplers are not done with sufficient emphasis on training. The embroiderers usually wanted to create something beautiful and elegant, so they limited their color palette for both beads and thread. The result was lovely, but seeing the steps was hard. My governess taught me that to make a proper sampler, you must use bold, contrasting colors. Then the steps can be followed.”

“You had excellent training.”

“Yes, dear Fräulein Strauss. She could do better Russian pearl embroidery than some of our own people. She taught me how to embroider long before my mother thought I was old enough to hold a needle, since I wanted so much to do it… Fräulein Strauss and I had our little secrets.” She suddenly laughed. “She also taught me how to walk with a book on my head… I did not appreciate it, nor the corsets she had me wear, or the idea that bonbons were so bad for your complexion… But I did love her.”

“But you should not have spent the money on a frame, Miss Saltykov. You must tell me how much it cost so I can reimburse you.”

“I did not spend anything… I still have a few frames the Tsarina gave me. She liked my work very much, and every so often she would ask me to do a little project for her. I always felt so honored when she did that. She gave me many frames so I would always have the right ones on hand. And now that she is gone… I would love it if they will be hanging in your atelier, Madame Koska. You make me feel at home, like my dear Tsarina used to… this is the first workplace I feel happy coming to every morning.” She touched her eyes with a handkerchief, which as always was beautifully embroidered.

“Thank you, my dear,” said Madame Koska, touched. “I am not a noble creature like the Tsarina, may she rest in peace, but no one can appreciate your vork and loyalty more than I do.”

Natalya smiled happily. “Next week I will bring the second sampler. The first one was easy, the arabesque is such a clear design, since you just start with a center and build the rest around it. But the next one, with the combination beads, will be a little more complicated. May I choose a few beads and take them home?”

“Of course,” said Madame Koska. “Take as many as you need, and don’t forget to take plenty of those new, perfectly rounded pearls… the ladies might as vell get used to vorking vith the good ones since I vill never go back to the imperfect type. You plan to show them how to arrange the smaller beads and the pearls around the big combination, jewel-like beads, correct?”

“Yes, exactly,” said Natalya. “On the first step, you will see the big bead by itself, then on the second step, the bead surrounded with the first row of small beads, then a third with a few rows… and of course the gold thread, couched around the beads and unifying them.” She smiled again and went into the sewing room, and Madame Koska returned to the sketches of the Mistral collection she was preparing. Suddenly she heard Natalya give a little scream. She raised her head. “Miss Saltykov? Anything wrong?”

There was a moment of silence and then Natalya said, “No, nothing, I just stabbed my finger on a pin… everything is fine. I must wash my hand, though, there is a tiny bit of blood on my finger, I don’t want to stain any fabric.” Madame Koska heard her going into the wash room and went back to the Mistral sketches. The other seamstresses started to come in, and the work day began in earnest.

A few days later, Mr. Korolenko rang the bell and walked in. Finding Gretchen at the front desk, he explained that he came to give a lesson to the owner of the atelier. Gretchen took his name and went to call Madame Koska.

“Please come in, Mr. Korolenko. Miss Van der Hoven, if at all possible, don’t let anyone disturb me for the hour of the lesson, it’s too distracting.” Mr. Korolenko started and looked at Gretchen, his expression showing amazement. “Did you say Miss Van der Hoven? My goodness, are you Gretchen?”

“Yes, sir, I am Gretchen Van der Hoven,” said the girl, surprised. “Have we met before?”

“I knew your family when you were very small,” said Mr. Korolenko, “you would not remember me. But I can easily recognize you from the shape of your eyes and your coloration. It is very nice to see you again, Miss Van der Hoven.” Madame Koska took him to her office and closed the door.

“I wonder if she heard anything from her father,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I did not want to distress her by asking bluntly in your presence. Do you have any news of him?”

“Whatever do you mean, Mr. Korolenko? Her father died about two years ago, in an accident,” said Madame Koska.

“Died? No, no. Meneer Van der Hoven is not dead, Madame Koska. What makes you think so?”

“My friend, Madame Golitsyn told me so when I hired Gretchen on her recommendation.”

“She must have made a mistake. It’s a very unusual situation, granted, but I would be very much surprised if Madame Golitsyn does not know the truth… since she knows Gretchen well enough to recommend her to you.”

“But perhaps that is what Gretchen told her,” said Madame Koska.

“Perhaps…”

“So what happened to her father?”

“No one knows precisely, but he was involved with a crime ring in the tropics,” said Mr. Korolenko. “They are a very dangerous crime ring. Bootleg whisky to America, opium wherever it is wanted, jewel thefts, bank robberies… they have connections all over the world. The police thought he was one of the leaders.”

“Where do you think he is? From what you say, I imagine he was not caught by the authorities.”

“I am not even sure if the police are right and he is a criminal himself,” said Mr. Korolenko. “He would not be the first man to be hounded by this group, perhaps kidnapped by them. But either way, he would not be dead. He would be more useful alive.”

“Are you sure Gretchen knows all that?”

“No, I am not really sure, despite the notoriety of the case. Her relatives might have wished to keep it from her, and thought it best to tell her he died. But since it was in all the newspapers for months, how could she not see it?”

“I don’t believe Gretchen has ever opened a newspaper in her life, Mr. Korolenko. She is very sweet and friendly, but the most childish, scatterbrained little creature.”

“Then she certainly changed quite a lot from the precocious, intelligent child she used to be. I remember her very well, always with a book in her hands, or engaged in her homework.”

“You would never see her do so these days. Her only interests revolve around fashion, society, dancing and such like things. I suppose she might have changed as she grew up and realized that she was so stunningly beautiful.”

“I think it’s best if you don’t say a word about what I told you to anyone, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“Of course I will say nothing.”

“Good. Shall we start your English lesson? Perhaps you could go out for a second, bring something to this room, and leave the door half open so everyone can hear us?”

“Indeed, I shall do so right away,” said Madame Koska, laughing. “The things we must do to earn a living… Here is a woman born and bred in London, hiring a Russian gentleman to teach her to speak English without an accent. I must be careful not to be too successful about it in one lesson, Mr. Korolenko.”

Six

“Annushka, I have to tell you a strange story,” said Madame Koska as soon as she entered her friend’s apartment, before even taking off her coat.

“You look worried, Vera. Something is wrong? Do sit down and tell me.”

The ladies went into Madame Golitsyn’s drawing room. It was not a luxury apartment, of course, but nevertheless it had a style, an air, which Madame Koska always enjoyed. Madame Golitsyn furnished it in the old Tsarist style which had so much French influence. A golden silk scarf graced the cherished piano that Madame Golitsyn would never give up, its long fringe almost sweeping the floor. An enormous black shawl, made of warm wool and embroidered with intricate and colorful flowers, served as a throw over the big sofa, a creamy-white lace tablecloth covered the table supporting the whispering, singing samovar, and a few softly tinted watercolors on the walls made the place elegant and comfortable. The rose potpourri that Madame Golitsyn kept in an old alabaster bowl delicately scented the warm air. Madame Koska sighed, took off her coat and sat at the table. She stared at the samovar as if she had never seen it before, and drummed her fingernails on the tablecloth. The samovar sang and its shiny brass exterior gleamed softly.

“Well?” said Madame Golitsyn, bringing a heavily loaded tea tray to the table. “Clearly something is upsetting you. What happened? Not another attempt to break in, I hope?”

“No… it is something Mr. Korolenko told me. Annushka, I promised him I would not repeat it, but I must consult you. It’s a complicated matter and you must never tell anyone. According to Mr. Korolenko, Gretchen Van der Hoven’s father may not have been in an accident at all, and possibly he is alive.”

“What? How can that be? Her relatives told me…”

“I know… but Mr. Korolenko said that Meneer Van der Hoven was involved with a crime ring in the tropics, and disappeared without trace.”

“A bit dramatic, isn’t it? People don’t just vanish,” said Madame Golitsyn, setting up the table with two cups, saucers, and matching cake plates of fragile china patterned with roses and a touch of gold around the rims. She arranged the utensils carefully. To the best of Madame Koska’s knowledge, even when entertaining close friends and relatives, Madame Golitsyn never used anything but her good silver. “Annushka,” she said suddenly, “do you ever use utensils that are not made of silver? I mean when you are alone?”

“Never,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Why should I use anything but silver? But this is a ridiculous non-sequitur, so how does Mr. Korolenko know about Meneer Van der Hoven’s disappearance?”

Madame Koska shrugged eloquently. “He seems to know many things, some of which I would rather not know myself… but anyway, this is supposed to be a very dangerous crime ring, with operations involving such things as opium and bank robberies and jewel thefts and what not. However, Mr. Korolenko does not know the level of Meneer Van der Hoven’s involvement.”

“That is not very good… I wonder if Gretchen and her relatives lied to me or were simply ignorant of the facts,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“I may have an opportunity to find out,” said Madame Koska. “That is what I really wanted to discuss with you. Gretchen’s aunt came to the atelier yesterday, just to visit and see the place her niece told her so much about, or at least that was what she said. Since you know her, I am sure you are aware that Mrs. Howard is a particularly charming woman, truly elegant, and I liked her. We had some tea, and she invited me to stay with them at the country house in Christmas.”

“That was rather sudden, wasn’t it?” said Madame Golitsyn. “But since you employ Gretchen, I can understand that.”

“Yes, that is what I thought,” said Madame Koska. “And it presented itself to me as an opportunity to look for certain facts.”

“But what exactly will you search for, if you go? I mean, what facts?”

“It’s a bit muddled… you see, Mr. Korolenko apparently knew Gretchen’s family when she was very young. He remembers her as a studious, highly intelligent child always involved with her studies or reading books. This does not sound like today’s Gretchen.”

“No… but people change, she might have lost her interest in books as she grew up to be a pretty young woman,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Girls go through phases.”

“Gretchen could have never been like that, Annushka; she could not be so thoroughly transformed. Our Gretchen is a sweet little thing, but she does not have a single serious thought in her head.”

Madame Golitsyn’s hand stopped in mid-air as she was about to pour a cup of tea for her friend. A sudden understanding appeared on her face, followed by concern. “You don’t mean this is not the real Gretchen?” she said.

Madame Koska clasped her hands together in a nervous gesture “No… it crossed my mind, but if I pursued this idea, it really would be too theatrical… such a situation would merit a police investigation as to what happened to the real Gretchen… someone would know all about it.”

“Well, then, what do you think?” asked Madame Golitsyn, and finished pouring the tea.

Madame Koska reached for the milk, but did not put it into her cup, and kept holding it. “I am not exactly sure. For the moment I think this is indeed Gretchen, but she is pretending to be a scatterbrained little thing, Annushka. In short, I suspect her of being involved in the break-in.”

“Are you serious? Whatever for?”

“I don’t know that or even why I suspect her, but too many things point at her being different from the kind of person she presents herself as. She was a little bit too good to be true from the start… always helping around, staying in the atelier even when she had no reason to be there, just for fun, as she says, doesn’t care about the wages…”

“But Vera, think! Put yourself in her place. She is not suffering for money, so the wages were not terribly important. The atelier offers the haute couture, the promise of parading in beautiful costumes, and companionship with the other girls. Such a situation can be enticing to a girl, particularly if she is a silly little thing who thinks of nothing but fun and clothes.”

“Ah, but is she really all that silly? When I asked her to sit at the telephones, she immediately managed to greet customers, make appointments, and generally run the front desk as well as a professional vendeuse. She took to it with the kind of skilled smoothness I certainly did not expect. And speaking of that, she was at the desk all afternoon before the robbery.”

“Except for those ten minutes when Natalya sat at the front desk. Both girls reported that Gretchen went to freshen up… but how do we know she did? She might have been anywhere, and do anything, while at the desk or away from it.”

“Exactly. That is why I suspect she is not telling the truth.”

“So you think you may find out something over Christmas if you stay there… well, yes, in her natural surroundings, she might behave differently. But be careful.”

“Careful of what?” said Madame Koska.

“I am not sure, but if Gretchen is not what she seems to be, what do we know about the aunt and uncle? Perhaps they are part of this crime ring? Remember, I only know Mr. and Mrs. Howard socially. We are not close friends.”

“Yes… it could be a family affair,” said Madame Koska thoughtfully. She put a lump of sugar in her tea and picked up a spoon, but did not use it. “But why would Mrs. Howard invite me, then? They have no idea Mr. Korolenko said anything to me about Gretchen, why would they? Gretchen did not even remember him.”

“You might want to stir your tea, Vera, before you drink it,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Did you accept the invitation?”

Madame Koska stirred her tea obediently. “Yes, I did. At least I don’t have to miss our usual Christmas dinner together, Annushka, since we celebrate on January 7, in our way.”

“True, that is good. And this year Natalya and Vasily will join us, of course.”

“That will be lovely, but we have one small problem, Annushka. They will expect me to speak Russian.”

“I did not think of it,” said Madame Golitsyn. “But it is not a problem since Vasily will most likely bring his new, very English lady friend. We will speak English for her. But Vera, I am a little worried… please promise me to be very careful.”

“I promise to do nothing foolish,” said Madame Koska. “Just observe, look around, and try to see how they interact. There will be other guests there, it’s a real house party for three whole days, so I am sure I will be safe.”

“I’ll tell you what bothers me,” said Madame Golitsyn. “It is possible that they invited you so the atelier will be empty for three days. They may want to break in again, and with you gone, it would be easier.”

“I did not think of that,” said Madame Koska. “Perhaps I should mention my plan to the police officer?”

“It might be advisable,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Don’t tell him why you are going, only that you will be away for three days. He might wish to post a policeman there.”

“I should remove everything essential from the safe,” said Madame Koska. “If anyone breaks in, I may not be so lucky again and they might force the safe open.”

“Bring everything to me at the catering kitchen,” said Madame Golitsyn, “and put it in my safe. No one will ever guess.”

“Perfect!” said Madame Koska. “Thank you, Annushka. Now that we talked about it I can have some tea… this cake looks delicious.”

“It is,” said Madame Golitsyn, and cut two generous portions.

Early in the morning, Madame Koska sat at her drawing board, sketching a design for the Mistral Collection. Her drawing station overflowed with water colours, hard and soft pencils, erasers, quill pens with many different points, large paper sheets, cups holding water in various degrees of cleanliness and containers of many brushes with their wet bristles sticking up. It was the only place where she welcomed disorder or even chaos which somehow helped her creativity. Natalya, as usual earlier than everyone else, was embroidering in the sewing room, and all was peace and quiet until a light step and a cheery “Good morning, Miss Saltykov,” broke the silence as Gretchen entered the atelier.

“Good morning, Miss Van der Hoven,” said Natalya. Madame Koska noticed that Natalya was less nervous with Gretchen than with most of the other women. Gretchen was so simple, so easy to get along with, that her manner conquered even Natalya’s reticence.

“What is this beautiful thing you are working on, Miss Saltykov?”

“This is one of the two half-sheer panels for the bodice of Lady Victoria Ashton-Smith’s dress,” said Natalya. “Look, here is the finished one that I keep on hand for comparison as I work, to be sure that they are exactly the same. Do you like it?”

“Like it? I just love it. I want so much to wear it… These black and garnet beads, and the silver embroidery thread you put on the black lace… perfection, Miss Saltykov. I am experiencing severe envy.”

Natalya laughed. “You would look very nice in it, Miss Van der Hoven. The dress itself is dark crimson velvet, most becoming to you.”

“But more becoming to Lady Victoria with her very dark hair and pale skin, I have to admit…” said Gretchen. “I admired her when she came to be measured. I can appreciate great beauty in other women, I am not really jealous.”

“Of course not,” said Natalya. “Why should you be? And come to think of it, you would look better in gold embroidery rather than silver, because of your hair colour. I am sure you prepared some very nice clothes for your Christmas house party, anyway.”

“Oh, yes. I have some beautiful ensembles ready for it, and I made auntie buy me a few wonderful new hats and shoes. And Uncle Gerry bought Auntie and me a new piece of jewelry each for Christmas. It is a secret but I peeked and saw the packages as they arrived and Goldsmiths’ can only mean jewelry. I am so excited, I have no idea what he bought. Do you know that firm?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” said Natalya. “They are very famous and quite old. They started their firm in the eighteenth century. You will have a wonderful piece, I have no doubt of that; probably either intricately worked gold or a good gemstone.”

“Oh, how divine, I can’t wait! I did drop a hint or two recently about wanting a ruby solitaire ring that would fit my middle finger, it’s all the rage… not that I would object to a new gold bracelet… you know so much about jewelry, Miss Saltykov, I noticed that.”

“Naturally, after spending my youth at the Tsar’s court,” said Natalya, sighing. “I had seen so much good jewelry, both antique and modern. I think I can identify most jewelry houses by just looking at a piece they produced.”

“Don’t say such sad things… you are still so young and pretty, Miss Saltykov.”

“Pretty? Me? Oh no… thank you for the kind words but just look at me, so tall and awkward and thin… and I think I have started aging.”

“When I look at you, Miss Saltykov, I see how charming and elegant you could look in the right clothes.”

“But the right clothes cost so much money… which I don’t have. But we must not think sad thoughts, and I am so grateful I work here. Clothes and beauty aside, my life has become so much better since I came here, and of course we must look forward to Christmas and joy.”

“You would never guess what I did about Christmas,” said Gretchen, giggling. “I asked Auntie to invite Mr. Korolenko to the house party weekend! When I told her how he recognized me when he came over to give the English lesson to Madame Koska, she remembered him too and said she certainly would be happy to see him again and talk about old times. I believe she sent the invitation already. But don’t tell Madame Koska! I want her to be pleasantly surprised, finding her friend there.”

“How nice,” said Natalya. “I am sure she will be pleased. He is a very distinguished gentleman; he used to be a highly respected university professor in Russia, Madame Koska told me. He was not one of the Tsar’s entourage, so I do not know him myself.”

They stopped talking as the other women came in, and Gretchen went to sit by the front desk. Madame Koska, who had been listening to the entire conversation, began feeling very uncomfortable. Gretchen knew perfectly well that she could hear every word spoken in the sewing room. Did she want Madame Koska to know that Mr. Korolenko was coming, while pretending to surprise her? Can it be that for some reason Gretchen hoped that Madame Koska would cancel her own visit, just because Mr. Korolenko would be there? Did Gretchen suspect that Madame Koska wanted to investigate something? She sighed. Nothing made sense, and she decided that suspecting Gretchen of duplicity regarding the break-in was making her slightly paranoid about every word the poor girl uttered. She decided to pretend that she heard nothing and returned to her drawing. Perhaps the Christmas visit would relieve her from this anxiety, if it proved that Gretchen was quite the same empty-headed, sweet creature at home as well as at the atelier. Madame Koska certainly hoped for such an outcome.

Judging from the way Gretchen’s aunt had dressed, Madame Koska knew that the level of elegance at the Christmas house party would be demanding. She liked to describe her own wardrobe as “adequate,” but of course her clothes were much more than that. Years of professional haute couture were responsible for an exquisite array of clothes, always in the latest fashion, never gaudy or overstated, never too showy, always the right kind to enhance her patrician beauty in every stage of her life, at present in her late forties. Madame Koska held firmly to the idea that a woman could look wonderful at any age, with just a little thought and planning, and long ago had decided to always be a living proof to such conviction.

Preparing for the three Christmas days visit, she spent some time packing everything in large quantities of tissue paper and placing the garments in two suitcases and three hat boxes. She made sure her dresses, lingerie, nightgowns, shoes, cosmetics, and jewelry would arrive with little wrinkling or any other damage. She assumed a housemaid would help her unpack and iron what was necessary when arriving at the country house, but the less needed to be done, the better. Whenever she traveled, she liked to arrive at her destination and find out that everything needed only hanging and airing. Two morning outfits, since she would be wearing the third as she traveled, three afternoon ensembles, and two evening gowns would have been sufficient, but she added some alternates in case a change was needed from an afternoon ensemble to a specialized tea gown, depending on the habits of the house. It was essential that no outfit would be worn more than once. As for the shoes, she took two high-heeled pairs for the nights, three medium-heeled for afternoon or tea time, and two sturdy pairs of walking shoes for the mornings, in case a walk in the woods or park was suggested.

When done, she suddenly realized she had forgotten her cigarette holders, something that happened often, for some reason, and was a source of irritation to her, since she knew that they had to match her clothes and jewelry. Shaking her head and imagining how mortified she would have been to find herself with only one cigarette holder for three full days, she opened the bottom drawer of the tallboy that held all her accessories. She had a huge assortment of cigarette holders, some given to her as gifts, some that she bought herself over the years, and as she sorted through them she found a beautiful ivory and gold holder she had not used for a while. It was a gift from her husband. She smiled wistfully at the memory of how he took her to the store to buy it and explained to the then very young woman that every accessory made a big difference to the overall appearance she wished to create. Grigory was doing well at the time, his atelier highly successful… and he really taught her so much; she owed him everything she knew about haute couture, and without him she would have remained a seamstress with an unfulfilled dream of success.

Madame Koska shivered and rewrapped her warm dressing gown around her, tying the belt in a tighter knot around her slim waste. Le Cochon… she never really grew to hate him, despite the lies, particularly the embezzling scandal that caused her so much distress when it was discovered. The horror of suddenly discovering that Grigory disappeared without a trace, leaving her to face the angry creditors and the legal issues, was almost overwhelming, but she prevailed. So many years later, she understood that Grigory knew she could do so much better than he could, that nothing on earth could crush her indomitable spirit… but why did he have to embezzle at all? That was a question that she could never answer. Well, so much about Grigory was shrouded in mystery anyway, and he was probably long dead by now.

But what if he did not die, she suddenly thought. What if he suddenly reappeared in her life… would she welcome him? Probably not, he was no longer a part of the way she saw herself, nor did she want to be married. She preferred, in all honestly, to make her own decisions, and Grigory had a very strong personality that would not allow that. Would she be able to resist his charm, his grace, the good looks he kept intact into middle age? That would be another question… even to Madame Golitsyn, her best friend and trusted confidant, she never confessed how attractive Grigory was, or how much she loved him through their entire sham marriage.

Madame Koska shrugged, and with a smile, shook off the unexpected and uncharacteristic lapse into sentimentality. She picked up the seven holders she had selected, and put them with the rest of the accessories in her luggage. Grigory’s gift, the ivory and gold holder, would suit her travelling ensemble very well, she thought, and laid it near the choice of jewelry for the visit.

Seven

The journey to the country house was not very long, and in about two or three hours of trains and taxis Madame Koska found herself in front of the Howards’ country house. An enormous edifice with many windows stared at her under the pale, early afternoon sun. The landscape in winter was not as attractive as it would be in summer, but she could see that the grounds stretched into the distance and had wonderful old trees and huge lawns.

She paid the taxi driver and climbed a few stairs to the heavy wooden door, flanked by two ivy-covered columns. The climbing vines created an attractive lattice work on the white marble, and she thought how beautiful they would appear against it when green in the spring. As always, her designing brain registered how exciting the color combination could be, and an image of a Grecian-style dress in white, green, and driftwood-brown manifested itself to her inner eye. Making a mental note to remember it for future designs, she rang the bell. A smartly uniformed manservant opened the door, and went immediately to attend to her luggage. Another servant, a housemaid, took her furs and ushered her into the drawing room, where several guests were already gathered. Mrs. Howard rose to greet her.

“You must be so cold,” said Mrs. Howard hospitably. “I am sure it is going to snow soon. Come and have a glass of port and some biscuits. It will be about half an hour before lunch is served, and you must be famished as well. Or would you rather go upstairs and rest?”

“Oh, no, I am not tired at all,” said Madame Koska; she was quite used to travelling much larger distances and in worse weather, as she had done so often for business.

“Well, then, allow me to make the introductions… but of course you already know Mr. Korolenko.”

“Yes indeed, Mr. Korolenko,” said Madame Koska. “I had no idea you vere one of the party. How nice to see you.”

There were Lord and Lady Plunkett from Ireland, Mr. and Mrs. Winston from London, and the Misses Plimpton-Anderson who had just returned from India where they spent a few months with their father, a highly placed government official. Their home was in the south of England, they told Madame Koska, but they were to stay a few weeks with their old friends the Howards. All the ladies were excited to meet Madame Koska and wanted to know all about her new collection. Mr. Howard and Gretchen were not there, as they had gone for lunch at a neighboring estate, where a friend of Gretchen was home for Christmas from her finishing school in Switzerland.

“How long does it take to create the collection?” asked Lady Plunkett. “Please, Madame Koska, I would greatly love an invitation.”

“But of course, Lady Plunkett. I vill send invitations to all of you, vith your permission. It usually takes about three to four months to prepare a decent collection, and I have already arranged for a place in April,” said Madame Koska.

“I can’t wait to see it,” said Mrs. Winston. “Can you tell us what you will present?”

“Not exactly, Mrs. Vinston. I am sorry, but it is customary to keep everything a secret… not that I expect any of the other houses to steal from me, but it is tradition.”

“But just a hint?” asked the elder Miss Plimpton-Anderson, smiling sweetly. She worked hard at looking like a young thing, and her clothes did not match her over-thirty looks.

“Vell, a little bit, if you promise not to tell too many people,” said Madame Koska; unlike other couturiers, she believed that a little hint would not go amiss. “As you may know, my style is Parisian, but this time I vant to inject a little Russian style into the designs. Russian style is very popular in Paris these days, because of the many talented émigrés, and ve don’t vant to lag behind, do ve? Now that I have adopted London as my new home, I vant to be even more innovative than Paris!”

“How thrilling!” piped the younger Miss Plimpton-Anderson, who dressed even younger than her sister. “We will come to London especially for your show!”

“It vill be lovely to see you there, Miss Plimpton-Anderson. I hope all of you vill come to visit the atelier as vell,” as Madame Koska.

“How thrilling! Gretchen told us all about it, how interesting the work is and how much fun she is having.”

“Yes, I understand that the Russian influence is strong in Paris,” said Mrs. Howard. “What type of innovations are you thinking about?”

“There will be some Russian embroidery of pearls and beads, highly traditional, and I am going to try and reintroduce the Sarafan and the Zipun, though of course, completely modernized.”

“The what and what?” asked Lady Plunkett, smiling.

Madame Koska laughed. “Yes, silly of me, I am rattling off these vords as if everyone must speak Russian. The Sarafan is a Russian peasant dress. It is a tunic that flows from the shoulders to the floor, and is embroidered all over vith beautiful colors; you vear a simple, long-sleeved blouse under it. The Zipun is a homespun peasant coat. Naturally I plan to make them from modern materials. The Zipun vill float over the Sarafan, and vill be made from transparent chiffon instead of traditional homespun cotton. The Sarafan itself vould look glamorous made from heavy velvet.”

“It sounds heavenly,” said the older Miss Pimpton-Anderson. “I simply can’t wait! Helen, dear, we must have these, these Sara… Zip… these Russian dresses!”

“And naturally, I vill use Parisian accessories. Handbags, shoes, hats… Vhat I don’t produce in the atelier vill come directly from Paris.”

“Do we have to wait so long?” said Lady Plunkett. They all laughed. Madame Koska knew that her system, which consisted of adapting to the audience she had at any point, was successful again. She would end this visit with at least five new clients—but surely they would also bring their friends.

After lunch, the snow started falling heavily. Most of the guests either went to have a short rest in their rooms, or read in the library, but Mr. Korolenko suggested to Madame Koska a stroll in the conservatory, which she accepted with delight. She was very fond of hothouses of any kind.

“They do keep a beautiful conservatory,” said Madame Koska with genuine appreciation.

“I have always liked winter gardens,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Strolling inside a warm and fragrant place, full of plants and flowers, while outside the snow is falling freely, is magical.”

“It’s a very big conservatory,” said Madame Koska, “but then the house is really an estate. I had no idea Gretchen’s relatives were so wealthy.”

“I suppose Gretchen’s wish to work gave you the wrong idea.”

Madame Koska was quiet for a minute. She thought about confiding in him about her plan of finding out about what Gretchen was really like, and checked herself. She did not trust him enough for that, and decided to reveal just a tiny part of her thoughts. “Well, yes. I have no idea why she would be spending her days at a busy atelier, doing the double work of mannequin and vendeuse-in-training, when she can have a life of leisure,” she said.

“She told me that she is bored doing nothing at home, and the atelier supplies her with great amusement,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It’s like a game to her.”

“Yes, that is what she tells everyone… I have no reason to think that she is not telling the truth, except…”

“Except for what I told you about her father not being killed, I suppose,” said Mr. Korolenko bluntly, looking at her directly. Madame Koska felt very uncomfortable, but nevertheless said, “Yes. There seems to be no connection, but still, for some reason it puts a different light on the matter.”

“I realize that. I am always wondering how much I can say without causing damage to anyone.”

Madame Koska looked at a flowering bush without actually seeing it. She touched a leaf, hesitated, and said, “It also bothers me that I don’t know what your connection is and how much you know about these matters, Mr. Korolenko.”

Mr. Korolenko sighed. “You think I am not exactly what I seem to be, am I correct, Madame Koska?”

“Well, it’s a possibility, but I would not know what you could be. You are neither part of the police and you don’t strike me as a criminal… I confess that I do know something about your past, but not enough to clarify anything.”

“What is it that you know?”

“That you were removed from the priesthood as a young man,” said Madame Koska.

“Oh, that… it is not a very important issue. I was nineteen years old, two years into the program, not even a priest yet, just a student. I was ridiculously handsome as a boy, Madame Koska, believe it or not, and some of the ladies took notice of it.”

Madame Koska nodded; she could easily believe he was a beautiful boy. He was still very handsome, but of course she did not say that. “So what happened?” she asked.

“It was such a cliché, a truly ridiculous situation. A noblewoman, ten years older than me, decided to initiate me into different mysteries than those of the church. She was a well-known society beauty, and since I only went to the seminary to please my family and had very little, if any, vocation, she did not find it difficult to persuade me to comply with her wishes.”

“Still, she must have been very special,” said Madame Koska; she controlled herself before she made the faux pas of asking the lady’s name. “I think so because surely you knew the risks.”

“Oh, yes, I knew the risks. But even now, as a cynical middle-aged man, I can understand the magic, the glamour, that seduced the younger me. Men were drawn to her, would risk a lot for her; she was very beautiful, but was also very witty, charming, and amusing.”

“What did she look like?” asked Madame Koska, intrigued with the old love story.

“She was small, slight, and graceful; I used to think Titania must have looked like her. She had dark bronze hair, a little darker than Gretchen’s, and what used to be called Parma Violet eyes. I remember the first time I met her. Before I saw her, there was this light perfume in the air, preceding her entrance. She never was without perfume, it was her obsession. Always the same perfume—she never used anything else—it was a secret formula that was concocted especially for her, in one of the great perfume houses in Paris. You could go into a room and know she had been there some time ago. When she came in the day we met, she wore very high heels which made her sway delicately as she walked, and a deceptively simply dress embroidered in antique silver. I remember gaping like a young idiot, and she smiled at me; my fate was sealed.”

“But it did not last long, I imagine?”

“Of course not; I was one of a chain of young men. After two or three months she got tired of me, and decided to pick up another boy, so she allowed her husband to catch us. He was used to it, it happened many times before, and he played the part of the injured husband very well. When the rather mild scandal died down, I did not suffer much. My father registered me to a good university, gave me a lecture about discretion, told me that I was a fool to consent to go into the priesthood if I did not feel the vocation, and that was that… in the end it was a blessing since I was much more suited to the academic life than to the priesthood.”

“Which city did you live in?”

“We lived in Saint Petersburg. I never got used to calling it Petrograd…”

“Grigory, my husband, was from there too. He loved it, told me it was a lovely town.”

“It was a fairytale city, Madame Koska. Imagine priceless art collections, refined cuisine, every sort of cultural entertainment, theater, concerts, ballet, opera. Balls and parties and elaborate champagne picnics… Visualize elegantly dressed people strolling in the parks, or by the River Neva, walking their magnificent dogs, often four on a leash; the hounds could be as tall as small ponies. It was a sophisticated, worldly lifestyle, not at all like provincial Moscow.”

“And then came the Revolution and you were uprooted.” said Madame Koska.

“Yes, it was hard at first. But after the horrible conditions on the ship, the months I had to stay in Constantinople with the other uprooted refugees, and nearly starving in Paris, my life in London seems to be almost a luxury. At least I have steady work, good friends, and while not exactly peace of mind, at least acceptance.”

“Much like Madame Golitsyn,” said Madame Koska. “Sounds as if you took the same emotional journey.”

“It was the exact same journey in every way,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I met Madame Golitsyn on the ship… we all thought everything would be soon over, and we could return to our old life.”

“She never told me much about the journey,” said Madame Koska. “I don’t want to ask in case she might be saddened by it.”

“She behaved marvelously even under the horrible privations. Most of the noble ladies showed absolutely amazing strength,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“So very difficult for these gently brought up ladies,” said Madame Koska.

“It was surprising how well they stood up to it. For us, the émigrés from Saint Petersburg, it was a very long road. We had to go south—first to Kiev, then Odessa, and crossing the borders was the worst. They confiscated everything, including clothes, left us with what we had on our backs. And still, the ladies did not lose their sense of humor. I remember one woman making a joke that she saw a poor woman selling a piece of curtain. She said, ‘I just saw her pulling it off the window. It’s fresh, even the nails are there. Don’t you think it could make a lovely evening gown?’ Yes… I suppose they could keep their sense of humor because we were all so convinced the whole thing was temporary. Still, they had courage. When we got to Odessa, by the way, they rushed to the hair dressers and manicurists.”

“Well, certainly,” said Madame Koska. “One must keep one’s dignity, and unless your hair and nails are done, you can’t… and where did you end up?”

“Constantinople, though the issue of papers forced some ships to go further, to Egypt, Greece, Malta, what have you. Some were lucky to be able to get to Marseille. The stay in Constantinople was a real hardship. I mean, we needed to trade whatever objects we had left for food and water. It’s an Asiatic city, really… the living conditions were such that I will not describe them to you. Eventually we managed to get to Marseille, and then to Paris.”

“I am impressed by this story. I always knew, of course, that my friend was not only courageous, but quite resourceful and adaptable.”

“Yes, she adapted well to the new life, at least so it seems,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“So it seems? She is doing very well as a high-end caterer,” said Madame Koska. “Her business is excellent and constantly growing.”

“Ah, yes,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But how does she really feel about it? Should the opportunity arise, would she not welcome a life of luxury and ease again?”

“What sort of opportunity do you mean, Mr. Korolenko?”

“Let me see. Suppose… yes, suppose she could do a little service, a connection, an introduction, and in doing so secure a steady, large income for life… would she not be willing to do so?”

Madame Koska looked sharply at Mr. Korolenko. He was sitting quietly on the bench, looking thoughtfully at his hands as was his custom when thinking. She wondered if he meant to throw a hint at her, something that she did not grasp, about Madame Golitsyn. No, what strange fact could she learn about her friend, her confidant, that she did not know already? That was nonsense.

“No,” she said with determination. “I don’t think she would. I think she has overcome her past trials and is quite ready to live in the present. Come to think of it, this is a trait that impressed me in many of the noble Russian ladies I met in Paris, too. They were sad, they would have wanted very much to see the Tsar restored, but once they realized it could not be, they were courageous and practical and learned to live in the present. The only person I know who does not seem to adapt is Natalya Saltykov. She mourns the past, and since she is so timid, she is finding it difficult to steel herself to the realities of being a regular person without the support of the noble title.”

“Poor girl,” said Mr. Korolenko with sympathy.

“But she is getting better, I think. She is beginning to realize that she has a great skill that can help her not only survive, but succeed. I sense that she is beginning to feel pride in it, and from that pride, self-sufficiency will arise, I hope. She is a good person.”

“Yes… but I have never trusted weak, dependent people, Madame Koska. In my opinion, they are the most dangerous. When they think they are cornered, they strike very hard, just once, but it sometimes is sufficient to cause great damage.” He stopped talking as Gretchen was advancing on them. “Hello, Gretchen. Did you have a nice lunch with your friend?” he said.

“You look very vell, my dear,” said Madame Koska.

“That is because I am in heaven! Uncle gave me my gift early this morning so I could wear it to lunch to show my friend. Look at it, Madame Koska! What do you think?”

“It is such a beautiful ring, Miss Van der Hoven,” said Madame Koska.

Gretchen moved her hand back and forth, admiring the ruby in the heavy gold ring. “Isn’t it? Just what I wanted! It’s so fashionable.”

“I don’t know enough about quality of gems to be called an expert,” said Madame Koska, “But this must be a very good stone. It has such saturation of color.”

“I must show it to Miss Saltykov after the holiday,” said Gretchen, still looking at her hand. “She told me she knows everything about gemstones.” Mr. Korolenko and Madame Koska glanced at each other with surprise.

“Does she?” asked Madame Koska. “How did she become such an expert?”

“She said that she learned it by living in the Tsar’s court; she had access to seeing and studying both old and new designs, and it was like a hobby for her. She said that most of the time she could recognize the jewelry house by just looking at a piece.”

“Quite a valuable skill,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I am sure it will be useful in her career.”

“I don’t think she wants to move to the jewelry business,” said Gretchen. “She is too happy doing her fantastic embroidery and beading. She loves working for you, Madame Koska. But then again, we all do. The atelier is such fun! Well, I must go. I promised Auntie I will help with the flowers for tonight…” and off she ran.

“I must tell you something, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko, looking thoughtfully after the retreating figure. “It was in Constantinople that I first heard about the Eurasian gang. A man came to me and told me that he heard I was good at languages. He offered a sum of money, enough to sound extraordinary to a starving man, if I would be willing to translate some documents, and also interpret a short meeting.”

“Did you realize what they were?”

“Yes, I did. But I was at the end of my rope, and the European help that was promised to the refugees did not arrive. I did what the gang requested, and used the money to buy food not just for myself, but for many others. And as if it broke our chain of bad luck, the next week we got on the ship to Marseilles.”

“I will not ask you what it was about, Mr. Korolenko, so please don’t look so anxious. I understand that you needed to survive.”

“Thank you, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I appreciate your practical and humane approach.”

“Not at all. Shall we go in? I think it’s time for tea,” said Madame Koska, and smiled at him as if none of the story signified. Nevertheless, to her it signified a great deal.

At dinner, the dining room sparkled. The chandelier exchanged lights with the many candles, the table crystal seemed to answer with its tiny rainbows, and the silverware gave its own deep glow. The flowers Gretchen helped with were mountains of crimson roses surrounded by lacey white gypsophila in silver bowls. Madame Koska, seated between Mr. Winston and Lord Plunkett, found their rather meaningless conversation restful, and enjoyed her excellent dinner. Suddenly, the conversation turned general when Lord Plunkett said, “Oh, excuse me, Madame Koska, I must tell everyone about a strange development—everyone, have you heard the news about the disappearance of the great sapphire?” Everyone looked up. “They are now certain it is in London,” added Lord Plunkett.

“What are you talking about?” asked Mr. Howard.

“Don’t you know? The Imperial Brooch, as they call it, the piece that was stolen from the museum in Russia?”

“I never heard of it,” said Mr. Howard, seemingly annoyed.

“It belonged to Catherine the Great, and after the Revolution it was put in a small museum in the provinces and was extremely well guarded. It vanished somehow.”

“What does it have to do with us?” asked Mr. Howard. “The Bolsheviks stole a lot of jewelry after they killed the rightful owners.”

“But my dear Mr. Howard, it has everything to do with us. It is in London! It will be sold illegally. The police made a statement. They promise to find it first.”

“So they say,” said Mr. Howard irritably. “I’ll believe it is in London when they find it.”

“Did they say who stole it?” asked Gretchen in a small voice, as if embarrassed to talk in public.

“No. They seem to have their suspicions, but nothing is revealed to the public yet.”

“So why did they release the information that it is in London?” asked Mr. Howard. “What’s the point of giving silly hints if they don’t tell us the whole story? This happens too often. I have no patience with such sensationalism.”

“To warn the public, I suppose,” said Lord Plunkett. “Or rather, not the public, but those who are able to buy it for their private collections. There have been rumors that certain individuals may wish to have it if it were available for sale.”

“No news in that,” said Mr. Howard, seemingly even more irritated. “There are always those immoral idiots who are willing to spend a fortune on illegal jewelry.”

“The Imperial Brooch is one of most important pieces that had ever been smuggled out of Russia,” said Mr. Korolenko. His tone of authority seemed to settle the senseless and slightly unpleasant argument. Mrs. Howard got up and invited the ladies to follow her to the drawing room where tea and coffee would be served, leaving the men to their port and cigars. Madame Koska wondered if Mr. Howard would apologize to Lord Plunkett about his behavior.

The elegant drawing room was full of indoor palms in decorative cachepots, a great fire roared in the fireplace, and the Christmas tree glittered with its shiny ornaments. After the gentlemen joined them, Mrs. Winston got up to sing an Italian song in a wonderful soprano voice. She was accompanied by her husband, an accomplished pianist. Mr. Howard, in restored good mood, recited a poem. The evening was highly enjoyable.

The next day, after attending church and having lunch, the guests were invited to take advantage of the sunny weather by ice skating on the frozen pond, to which the servants cleared a path. It was located at some distance. Madame Koska begged to be forgiven—she claimed she had started a slight cold and would rather not spend the hours outdoors. Everyone was sympathetic, and the Misses Plimpton-Anderson, who seemed to take a great interest in Madame Koska and her collection, offered to stay with her, but she made it clear that she was not so ill as to need help, but would like some rest, to shake off the cold. In truth, she knew that Gretchen’s room was at the end of the corridor, and she planned to go there as soon as everyone left and do a little sleuthing.

Once everyone left, and no noises were heard on her floor, Madame Koska opened her door quietly and looked around her to be sure no one was around. Just in case, she held a book in her hand, and if anyone caught her, she was ready to explain that she was returning a book that Gretchen had lent her. Walking softly, her steps made no sound since she wore cloth slippers, the ballet style she favored at any home that was adequately warm. Looking again over her shoulder, she silently opened Gretchen’s room, and was startled to see Mr. Korolenko standing in front of the bookcase, holding a book he was in the act of taking off the shelf. “Ah, Madame Koska,” he said. “I was expecting you.”

For one second, Madame Koska felt intense fear flooding her. The thoughts ran wildly in her head. What did she really know of Mr. Korolenko? What if he had to hide something terrible? Would he hurt her? But she calmed herself down and realized that such drama was not really possible. “Why would you expect me?” she asked calmly. “You did not know about the book I was returning to Gretchen’s room—”

“There is no need to pretend, Madame Koska,’ said Mr. Korolenko. “We are here for the same purpose. You wish to check if Gretchen is really the scatterbrained pretty girl she seems to be—and you cannot deny it since I was the one who told you about her precocious behavior as a child and her studying habits. I am here for the same reason.”

Madame Koska shrugged, defeated. “Well, yes. But I thought you were going to skate with the others.”

“I begged to be excused in the last minute. I told them a severe headache came upon me suddenly. They were all concerned that perhaps you and I are the first victims of an influenza epidemic. Well, here I am. Look at the room, and then look at the bookcase. This is very interesting.”

The beautiful room was relatively small and daintily furnished. Other than the bookcase, it contained a dressing table, a wardrobe, a pretty bed with many pillows piled on it, and a couple of small tables holding trinkets and bowls of pink hothouse flowers. The furnishing was classic white and gold, the fabrics dusty rose. “It looks perfectly nice and normal to me,” said Madame Koska. “I would say it fits Gretchen’s personality. This is the look one would expect from a young girl’s room in a wealthy home.”

“Exactly, but please step over here,” said Mr. Korolenko. She approached him by the large bookcase. “Just look at these books,” he added.

Every shelf was crammed full of books about science, art, humanities, philosophy, literature, and poetry. It was the bookcase of a scholar whose tastes were eclectic, probably a well-educated amateur, not an expert of a specific field.

“Yes, this is very significant,” says Madame Koska.

“The books could be her father’s library that she keeps out of sentimentality, or with the hope he will come back,” said Mr. Korolenko. Madame Koska went to the bedside table and looked at some magazines piled on it.

“Not if you look at what is hidden under the fashion magazines,” she said. She handed him a slim volume. “I do not know the language, but I recognize the author.”

“Well, well,” said Mr. Korolenko. “She is reading Desiderius Erasmus, in Dutch. Granted, this is an easy one. In Praise of Folly is not a hard book…”

“Mr. Korolenko, it’s not hard for you, but it would be for a normal young girl who is interested only in fashion and jewelry. Anyway, it’s still quite serious. And if she reads the books on the bookshelf, some of which are extremely difficult, this one might be her light bedtime reading. Let’s see the books on the writing desk.”

On the dainty white and gold writing desk was a book of essays by Spinoza, translated into English, and a copybook where very careful notes were taken. Madame Koska recognized Gretchen’s neat handwriting—she saw it often enough on the order sheets at the atelier.

“At least she does not read Greek and Latin,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I suppose she, or her father, leaned toward the modern languages.”

Madame Koska could not answer. The discovery rendered her speechless.

Eight

Every surface overflowed. Patterns and interfacing fabrics covered the large cutting tables. The long central sewing tables were draped with chiffons, silks, velvets and lace, the soft colours mixing and blending into a delightful purple, blue, and grey confusion. Beads spilled over them, glittering like tiny stars at dusk. The work on the Mistral collection had begun, and the atelier crackled with waves of excitement. Madame Koska stood at the embroidery table, on which Natalya had already set up the boxes of pearls and beads in preparation. She was holding about ten sketches, each of them a carefully designed embroidery pattern, and Natalya was putting them up on a frame, using wooden laundry clothes pins to hold them securely. The telephone rang in the other room, and since Gretchen had been sent to one of the suppliers to look for a pale lavender thread that somehow was never purchased, Madame Koska shook her head with an uncharacteristic hurried look, shoved the rest of the sketches into Natalya’s arms, and ran to answer it.

“Oh, it’s you, Annushka. I am so happy it’s not a client, I am drowning in work. We just started on the collection yesterday…”

“I know, dorogaya,” said Madame Golitsyn, “and I would not call at a time like this if it were not to ask your permission for something. I just realised that Vasily is going to be the only man when we go to the Petrograd Room for our Christmas celebration, and he will be so terribly bored with all of us chattering about the fashions… I must find another man for him.”

“Oh, yes, that won’t do,” said Madame Koska. “We are going to be three women, no, four… He is bringing his lady friend, you said.”

“If you insist on calling her a lady,” said Madame Golitsyn, laughing. “She is a flapper, half his age. Pretty, but rather… well…”

“It does not matter, Annushka. It’s not as if they are going to be married,” said Madame Koska.

“No, since he does not have any money, there is no danger of that… still, she is not quite… Ah, well, you will see her soon. What if I invite Mr. Korolenko, would you mind?”

“No, of course not,” said Madame Koska. “Why should I? By all means, ask him. He might be busy, though, it is short notice.”

“Well, all I can do is try. I’ll tell him he can bring anyone he wants, in case he has a previous engagement. It will be nice to have a bigger group and I can reserve a large table even on short notice; they know me there.”

“Very well, I trust you can arrange everything,” said Madame Koska. “I really should run, they are all in a state of confusion, and so am I, to be honest. Starting a collection is always a little crazy. I think I hear Gretchen coming in, she must have purchased the lavender thread…”

“So come to dinner when you are done for the day, Vera. You’ll be too tired to get your own meal.”

“You are an angel, Annushka. I will be a bit late, though, probably.”

“Around eight will be just fine; I know your schedule, Vera.”

“So did you say anything to Gretchen?” asked Madame Golitsyn as she poured out the after-dinner coffee.

“No. There is no point, she will not tell me anything; Mr. Korolenko agreed with me that for the moment there was nothing to gain from confronting her. We will learn more if we observe what she does.”

“I think you are right,” said Madame Golitsyn. “It’s so strange, though. The whole thing does not make sense.”

“It has to do with the missing father, I am certain of that,” said Madame Koska. “It is impossible to believe that Gretchen is a criminal. Still… she is obviously a very good actress. But how this is connected with me, and the atelier, is not clear.”

“Perhaps it is not connected with the atelier.”

“I am convinced there is a connection,” said Madame Koska. “That is why she chose to work for me. It’s the only real possible explanation.”

“So we have an international, or rather Eurasian gang, a missing, possibly kidnapped civil servant, his brilliant, scholarly daughter who pretends to be a fool and wants to be a mannequin, and a robbery where nothing was taken. If you can find a connection, you should work for the police, dorogaya.”

“Maybe these Eurasian criminals like to wear pretty dresses,” said Madame Koska, and laughed. “I really have no idea. But I have long ago learned not to dismiss my hunches, Annushka, and now I have a hunch that there is a connection. We just don’t see it yet.”

The Petrograd Room glowed with typical Russian red and gold colours, creating an aura of great opulence. It was a very large restaurant, the tables arranged around a square dance floor. A gypsy band, dressed in their traditional costumes, played soft, haunting music that could be enjoyed by the guests but did not interfere with the conversations. Many brass samovars stood on side tables all around, and the pristine white tablecloths were a perfect foil for the rose-coloured, gold-rimmed china. Everything in the Petrograd Room was done with scrupulous adherence to the Russian Orthodox tradition of Christmas, so in the middle of each table stood a tall white candle in a heavy brass candleholder, surrounded by miniature bales of hay that symbolised the stable where Christ was born, and next to it stood a large plate with a large round loaf of Pagach, a special bread that represented Christ as the “Bread of Life”.

When Madame Koska arrived, a little out of breath since she had hurried straight from the atelier, Vasily, Natalya, and Madame Golitsyn were already there. “I am so sorry I am late,” she said.

“Not to vorry,” said Vasily with utmost good nature. “Have a glass of vine, ve have all night! And I vant you to meet Vilma! Vilma, Madame Koska!”

“Hello, darling,” said Wilma brightly and jumped to her feet to shake Madame Koska’s hand. With her usual blink-of-an-eye appraisal, Madame Koska noted that Wilma was about twenty-eight or thirty, and certainly a flapper. She was dressed in a short, garish dress of pink chiffon, beaded and fringed wherever a bead or a fringe could fit in, and they all seemed to flap or shimmer with her quick motions. The cold weather did not deter her from having her arms and neck exposed by the very short sleeves and low neckline, and on top of all the glowing decorations she wore an opera-length rope of large pearls which Madame Koska did not think were born in the sea. A wide band around her forehead adorned her bobbed, wavy blond hair. It glittered with large paste pink jewels, and a rose-tinted feather was stuck in it, straight up. Her naturally pretty face was too heavily made up, with kohl-rimmed eyes and red lipstick. Vasily beamed at the ladies as they shook hands and nodded his head in approval and joy at their meeting.

At this moment Mr. Korolenko walked to their table, accompanied by another man, who looked every inch a British civil servant of a certain age. “I am sorry we are a little late,” said Mr. Korolenko. “My friend was held up at the office. Everyone, I would like you to meet Inspector Blount. Inspector Blount, Madame Koska, Madame Golitsyn, Miss Saltykov, Mr. Saltykov, and… I am sorry, we were not introduced?”

“I am Wilma, darling,” said the young woman and winked at Mr. Korolenko, who did not seem to notice. “Yes, Miss Wilma,” he said with utmost decorum. Madame Koska was amused at his obvious reluctance to use the young lady’s Christian name, but he had no option since no last name was provided.

“Inspector?” asked Madame Golitsyn with interest. “Where exactly…”

“Scotland Yard,” said Inspector Blount. He did not seem to be much of a talker, thought Madame Koska. She glanced at Mr. Korolenko and he smiled. “I have known the inspector for many years,” he said to her quietly while the others were still talking. “I have occasionally done some work for them.”

“Is there anyone in Europe you did not do some vork for?” asked Madame Koska, and laughed.

“Well, this one must persuade you I am rather legitimate,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“Perhaps,” said Madame Koska. She did not want to pursue the subject, even in jest. The waiter approached. “May I suggest the traditional Christmas dinner?” he asked.

“What is it, darling?” asked Wilma curiously. “I would like to see how you darling Russians celebrate.”

“I highly recommend it,” said Vasily. “It’s delicious, and the Petrograd Room’s chefs have a very good reputation, so they probably do it very vell. You vill like it.”

The waiter started reciting the menu of the traditional meal, which included mushroom soup, baked fish, beans that were cooked all day, new potatoes with chopped parsley, and tiny bobal’ki, small biscuits combined with sauerkraut or poppy seed with honey, followed by oranges, figs, and dates as dessert. Miscellaneous items such as ground pepper, peas, nuts, and garlic were mentioned but where they fitted in was not entirely clear to anyone except for Madame Golitsyn. Everyone decided enthusiastically to try the interesting meal which needed good red wine to go with it.

“Vell, since ve are so traditional, should I do the honours and follow vhat the father of the family does on Christmas?” asked Vasily.

“Yes, by all means,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Inspector Blount and Miss Wilma will enjoy the novelty, and the rest of us, the Russians, will like being reminded of old times.”

“So I am Father now,” said Vasily. “I vill do it all in English, except for the prayer vhich I just don’t know how to translate so quickly. Garcon—please bring a pot of honey, and a small bowl of chopped garlic. Annushka, my dear, vill you do the Mother, please?”

“And if you like, I’ll translate the prayer as soon as you are done,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I know it by heart.”

“Ah, yes!” said Vasily. “I forgot you are a linguist. Please translate.” The waiter brought a pot of honey and a bowl of garlic and placed them in front of Vasily, who passed the honey on to Madame Golitsyn but kept the garlic. He recited a short prayer. Mr. Korolenko immediately translated it, and it turned out to be a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year and for the good things to come in the next year. Vasily then looked around the table benevolently, and greeted everyone in English by saying “Christ is born!” Madame Golitsyn, Natalya, and Madame Koska, who knew the routine, responded with “Glorify Him!” Wilma applauded with delight.

Madame Golitsyn got up, and walking around the table, stopped in front of each person, dipped her finger in the honey, and drew a cross on their forehead, saying a blessing, “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year.” She returned to her seat, and Vasily broke the pagach and gave a piece to each person. He showed them how to dip the bread first in the honey, to symbolise the sweetness of life, and then in chopped garlic to show acceptance of life’s bitterness which must come with the sweetness.

“And now,” he said, “ve can eat vhat is called The Holy Supper. If anyone vants to go to church later, vhich is the custom after this meal, it is usually possible to do so until midnight.”

“Look at him, is he not a veritable Russian bear?” said Wilma affectionately and patted Vasily’s hand. “I would love to go to church after dinner, darling. We should all go!” Could she really like him, Madame Koska asked herself. Vasily was a very pleasant man, with the same charm and kindness that characterised Madame Golitsyn, but he could not be called young or handsome. The nickname Russian bear truly suited him. He was under middle height, with very broad shoulders and a stout, though not really a fat figure. He kept all his thick, grey hair and had a short beard, and while his features were plain, his very frequent, sweet smile illuminated his face. Yes, Madame Koska decided. It was entirely possible that Wilma could like him. Not enough to want to marry him, since he was poor and Wilma would seek money, but enough to spend some time with him and really enjoy his company. The Englishmen she usually dated were probably not as warm and open as Vasily.

Natalya got up and said, laughing, “I must wash my hands… they are covered with honey. I touched my forehead.” As she walked away from the table, Madame Koska suddenly noticed that Natalya’s appearance has changed dramatically. She wore a cream-coloured, shot silk suit that flowed over her too thin figure, hiding its flaws and giving it elegance. The skirt reached half way between the knee and the ankle, and the coat, also quite long, glided elegantly over it. It was the first time Madame Koska saw Natalya properly dressed, and she was surprised how well she looked. Why, the girl could be almost pretty! She certainly was more stylish in that outfit than Wilma in the vulgar flapper dress… But her neighbour, Inspector Blount, spoke to her privately and she turned toward him.

“Mr. Korolenko told me about the break into your atelier, Madame Koska,” he said without any preliminaries. “I found it interesting, since nothing, he tells me, was taken.”

“Yes, the police vere quite perplexed over it,” said Madame Koska. “I think the thieves vere simply interrupted before they got to the safe.”

“Possibly,” said the inspector. “But I think they were looking for something and could not find it.”

“Vhat can it be?” asked Madame Koska.

“I don’t know,” said the inspector. “I was hoping you can think of something.”

“Not a thing. Ve are a new business, the only valuable things vere the fabrics, and really, who vould vant that…” said Madame Koska. “But I told all that to the police, Inspector Blount.”

“I’ll be honest with you, Madame Koska. I can see you are not one to be frightened into silly hysterics. I believe they will come back.”

“I hope not while I am preparing for the new collection,” said Madame Koska calmly. The inspector laughed.

“You are taking it very well, Madame Koska, just as I have hoped. I have put a guard around the area.”

“And yet you don’t even know vhat you are looking for? I believe you have some suspicions, Inspector, or you vould not go to all this trouble.”

“Yes, I do, but I cannot prove anything. I must watch someone’s movements, Madame Koska, and she works in your establishment. I would rather we do not mention any names right now.”

“Of course, Inspector, and as a matter of fact, I rather like the idea of your people guarding the atelier. In utmost seriousness, if my first London collection is interfered vith, I might be forced to go out of business. But still… since vhen does Scotland Yard involve itself in such straightforward, petty crime?”

“That’s just it, Madame Koska. It may not be a simple petty crime. We suspect the Eurasian gang Mr. Korolenko told you about. But it can be worse. This might have been done by another criminal, and that would be much, much worse.”

“How can anything be vorse than a gang of murderers who deal with opium and jewelry?”

“A master criminal who works alone is much harder to catch,” said the inspector. “There is a man, who for the last two or three decades has been eluding us. He steals important jewellery all over Europe and sells it to private collectors who are willing to pay the price and hide the gems. We have reasons to suspect that he is in London now.”

“But vhat leads you to connect him vith my atelier?”

The inspector looked at her, as if trying to make a decision before telling her the worst. Madame Koska did not hurry him, and sipped her wine. After a short time, the inspector said, “There is no reason for alarm, but we think he has an interest in your atelier. On the scene of his last job, done in Paris two weeks ago, we found a piece of paper he must have dropped, next to the safe he broke into. Written on the paper was the address of your atelier, Madame Koska.”

Madame Koska’s fork froze midway between her plate and her mouth. She put it down on her plate, forcing herself to act calmly. “I see,” she said. “Yes, a guard around the atelier vill be highly appreciated, Inspector.”

“He creeps like a cat, so it would not be easy to notice him. But even though he has been known to elude the police, we think he might be slipping due to his age. He has never made such a mistake before. He cannot be very young now and his system of robbery requires great agility. The good news is that his mistake made our work easier. The note was written in French. This is the first clue we have to his identity, we are now sure he is French.”

“But it seems that the former break into my atelier was not cat-like at all,” said Madame Koska, recovering. “They made knocking noises, and by the look of the place after they broke in, there vas more than one person ransacking it.”

“I know. It is highly perplexing, I admit,” said the inspector. “And since we don’t know what he is looking for in your atelier, it makes everything very, very difficult.”

“This was the most delicious dinner,” said Wilma when they were having their coffee. “So what do you say? It’s not very late, should we let Vasily take us to church?”

“Why not,” said Madame Golitsyn. “It’s been many years since I went to church. Let’s go.” Everyone agreed, and Natalya, who was extremely quiet during the dinner, hardly saying a word, suddenly said, “Yes, please. I would very much like to go.”

Madame Koska watched as Natalya put on a small white cloche hat, worn diagonally over one eye, and pulled on her gloves. She definitely looked very nice… people are never what they seem, she suddenly thought. Gretchen, this silly, pretty girl, proving to be a scholar. Natalya, plain, thin, haggard Natalya looking suddenly so elegant… Where did she find the money for such an expensive material, even if she made the suit herself? And the hat, which must have cost a fortune… rather suspicious… Madame Koska shook her head. What next? Who else may do something uncharacteristic? She really did not need all that now while preparing for her first London collection… such bad timing. The thought crossed her mind that she might want to help resolve this mystery, rather than leave it to the police, who seemed to be out of their depth… What could she do? Well, she would sleep on it and then put her mind to work on the problem in all seriousness.

They left the restaurant and went up the street toward the Russian Orthodox Church. Madame Koska was deep in thought, when suddenly she heard Mr. Korolenko and Inspector Blount talk behind her, rather quietly but clearly. “No, I think they are coming from Constantinople this time, Inspector.”

“Are you sure, Korolenko? A lot hangs on where they come from.”

“That’s what I heard. Of course, you can never be certain, they do cover their tracks very carefully. But the opium was definitely delivered there, several months ago.”

“So they have plenty of money already at hand,” said the inspector.

“Yes. If it’s their work, and I say if, since I am not at all sure they are involved with the Imperial Brooch, they are ready to strike. They are very well financed,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“And Constantinople is practically crawling with Russians who are in need of money and who would allow them to smuggle anything in the shipments to Paris.”

“Or London,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“And Orlov is still at large,” said the inspector.

“Orlov might be dead,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It’s been years.”

“The likes of Orlov don’t die so easily,” said the inspector. “I am firm in my belief that he is the cat burglar behind the disappearance of the brooch. Remember the affair of the small Dutch piece, the Hans Holbein painting? The technique was the same, exactly the same.”

“Yes, but it was more than ten years ago, Inspector. It’s a long time.”

“He lived off the proceeds for ten years, I suppose. Now he needs money again. If he sells the brooch to the right customer, he will be set up for many years. He might even retire, move to another continent, who knows?”

Madame Koska listened with all her might, but was interrupted by Natalya who turned around from where she was walking with her aunt.

“Madame Koska, I was thinking we should set up a small room for the ironing,” she said.

“Vhy do ve need a special room? Ve have three big ironing boards in the main room, are they not enough?” asked Madame Koska.

“I don’t mean for the dresses, only for the embroideries. You see, you have ordered a large quantity of soft materials for the collection, chiffons, silks… they should be basted to mousseline, Madam Koska. They are too fragile to be embroidered speedily on their own.”

“But you vorked on the other embroideries vithout it,” said Madame Koska.

“They were not as soft as some of the fabrics we got, and I was not hurrying. I could stretch and re-stretch the material on the embroidery frames. But if we want to work efficiently, it’s different. Before a very soft fabric, with a pattern already transferred onto it is embroidered, it is best if it is basted onto rigid, chemically treated mousseline. Then, when the work is finished, the mousseline is burned away when pressed with a hot iron. But it cannot be done inside the general work room; the ashes float around the room, making it difficult to breath, and also, the ashes settle on other fabrics and make them dirty.”

“Aren’t you vorried it might burn the fabric, and then you have to do it all over?”

“Well, yes, it does happen sometimes,” admitted Natalya. “But rarely, since we test scraps first.”

“Ve’ll think about it,” said Madame Koska firmly. “I am not sure it’s safe.”

“They used to do it at the House of Kitmir,” said Natalya. “But it’s true that we sometimes burned our hands…”

“Kitmir is all very well,” said Madame Koska. “But Countess Maria Pavlovna is not the best manager… I hear she is losing Madame Coco Chanel’s business.”

“Yes, I heard the same,” said Natalya. “It created a big scandal in the haute couture houses in Paris.”

At that time they reached the church. To her annoyance, Madame Koska realised she had missed the rest of the conversation between Mr. Korolenko and Inspector Blount. And most annoying, she could never ask because that would show she was eavesdropping. But the conversation with Natalya was somehow comforting. It showed that despite her disconcerting new good looks she was still the same old Natalya, obsessed with her embroidery. Madame Koska laughed inwardly at the momentary awful suspicion she felt against the poor girl. Such nonsense… Annushka’s niece was above suspicion, wasn’t she?

“Very vell,” she said. “I do trust you know best vhen it comes to embroidery. Ve’ll convert the small storage room at the back, the one vith the vindow, into an ironing room. And by the vay, you look very nice this evening, Miss Saltykov.”

Nine

The next morning, Madame Koska and Madame Golitsyn were strolling in the park. Though a sunny day, it was very cold, and they had the park almost to themselves.

“So would you please tell me why we could not meet in a café, and have breakfast in a nice warm room?” asked Madame Golitsyn.

“We will have breakfast shortly,” said Madame Koska, “and plenty of hot coffee. But we must be away from walls, doors, and people; we need a place where no one can listen. In these new detective books I am reading now, people can listen through some devices…”

“Very well,” said Madame Golitsyn. “So what is it?”

“Annushka,” said Madame Koska. “Who is Orlov?”

“Orlov? Which one, the lover of Catherine the Great, or any of the modern Orlovs?”

“I need to know everything you could tell me about any Orlov,” said Madame Koska. “You see, I overheard a discussion between Mr. Korolenko and Inspector Blount. They think Orlov is a cat burglar who is involved in the theft of the Imperial Brooch everyone is talking about. I would not pay attention to it, since what do I have to do with imperial jewels? However, Inspector Blount told me during dinner that the robbers in the atelier may not be related to the Eurasian gang, but to an unnamed cat burglar. This cannot be a coincidence; two cat burglars mentioned in one evening?”

“No, of course not,” said Madame Golitsyn. “It has to be the same person.”

“Exactly. So, who is Orlov?”

“The Orlovs are a very old, very distinguished Russian family. The patriarch, the first one who was rather well known, was the governor of Great Novgorod. He had five sons. The second eldest, Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov, was educated in the corps of cadets at Saint Petersburg, and rose to distinction as a very young man during the Seven Year’s War. Catherine, at that point only a Grand Duchess and married to the ineffective and repulsive Peter III, noticed Orlov while he served at the capital. He quickly became her lover, and was instrumental, with the help of his four brothers, in the conspiracy that had Peter killed and Catherine declared Empress. She made him a count, an adjutant-general, a director-general of engineers, and a general-in-chief. He became extremely influential and wealthy, and even had a son with Catherine—but she would not marry him for some State reasons. The son, being illegitimate, did not bear the name Orlov. He was known as Aleksey Grigoryevich Bobrinsky, so his descendants, while quite distinguished, were not Orlovs. By the way, Grigory Orlov was extraordinarily handsome…”

“And a good statesman?”

“Well, yes, to a point, but his aim, in whatever he did, was to please Catherine first and above all. Still, he was effective and useful in many of the better reforms, and had a liberal and intelligent attitude to social change. His only flaw was his arrogance, which caused the failure of one of his most important projects, negotiating with the Ottomans, who were just as obstinate as dear Grigory.”

“I can almost see him, handsome, insolent…”

“Yes… I will show you his portrait; I have it on a postcard somewhere. The portraits were formalised in those days, so they did not do him justice, but the records simply gush about his beauty. He was blond, very tall, athletic, with broad shoulders and a strong build. His clear, light blue eyes were striking and they said his smile was lovely—it would light his entire face. Anyway, he came back to Saint Petersburg without permission, certain that Catherine would protect him, only to find that she had taken another lover, Grigory Potemkin.”

“It seems that half the men in Russia are named Grigory, and half of these were Catherine’s lovers… Le Cochon has many namesakes he could have been proud of.”

“Oh yes, it’s a very common name. You won’t find too many families who do not have at least one or two men named Grigory among them.”

“From what I hear about Catherine, men found her extremely attractive, did they not?”

“Well… I suppose so; she had many lovers. She liked men and they served to relax her; she was constantly under severe strain keeping her huge empire going. She worked very hard, too. They say she drank coffee as dark and thick as mud, and in large quantities, so she could stay awake half the nights, working.”

“And what happened to Grigory Orlov?”

“He tried in vain to recapture Catherine’s heart by giving her many jewels, including what was then considered the biggest diamond in the world, known as the Orlov Diamond. When he realised she would not come back to him, he left the country and lived in Europe. At some point he returned to Russia and married a young woman who may have been his niece, but they had no children. She died very young, from consumption. He died after a few months of early dementia, I think, or some mental illness anyway. He was only forty-nine years old…”

“Sad story, such a wonderful man to be thrown away like that.”

“It seems that Potemkin was rather brilliant and more amusing. I think she got tired of Orlov.”

“So since the child he had with Catherine was illegitimate and not an Orlov, who, then, continued the Orlov family?”

“He had brothers, those who helped in the conspiracy; there were five of them altogether, counting Grigory.”

“Oh, yes, you mentioned them,” said Madame Koska. “So there are plenty of descendants.”

“Yes, they were a respectable, successful family before the Revolution—except for one of them. From a very young age he was involved in petty crimes, and while still quite young he was caught in a terrible scandal—a failed jewel theft on a large scale. When they came to arrest him, they found that he disappeared. That happened twenty, thirty years ago, I am not sure. No one knows where he is or what he is doing, or even if he is alive.”

“So Inspector Blount seems to think he is the one who stole the Imperial Brooch. I wonder why he thinks that. For all we know, this Orlov might have died years ago.”

“Yes, a bit far-fetched,” said Madame Golitsyn. “But Scotland Yard may have some fresh evidence.”

“Not really, since he also thinks that our cat burglar is French, because of a French note he found near a safe the cat burglar opened.”

“If you ask me, Vera, Inspector Blount has no idea what to think. After all, many Russians read French as well as they do their own language, particularly the upper classes; most of the nobility were entirely bilingual.”

“Exactly… which is why I must start investigating, Annushka. I simply can’t allow these thugs, whoever they are, to interfere with my first collection in London!”

“I see…” said Madame Golitsyn. “So what do you have in mind?”

“I think the first thing to do is to find out, once and for all, how Gretchen was involved in the break-in, why she pretends to be a little fool, and where her father is hidden,” said Madame Koska.

“And do you have an idea how to start?” asked Madame Golitsyn.

“Only vaguely,” said Madame Koska. “I need to think about it a little longer. You will help me, won’t you, Annushka?”

“Of course,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Is there even a need to ask?”

“No, I know I can rely on you… thank you. Now let’s go and get some very hot coffee!”

It turned out to be a particularly busy day, not only with the usual work done for the customers, and the added work for the show, but with a surprise visit from the Misses Plimpton-Anderson, who came in twittering in their youthful way and demanding to see sketches of Russian style clothing. Madame Koska would have greatly preferred to see them safely back in India, but a valuable customer was a valuable customer, and the sisters were quite ready to obtain very expensive clothes.

“I just can’t remember the names of the outfits,” simpered the younger sister. “I am so silly sometimes… what was the name, Adelaide, dear?”

“Oh, Helen, you really are such a goose… they were the Zipun and the Sarafan that Madame Koska told us about!” said the older sister.

“Yes, of course,” said Madame Koska. “I can show you some sketches. They vill be different from the ones in the show, of course, but still very new and elegant. I don’t think anyone has them yet.” She knew that this would make them long to come to the show wearing such clothes, to show the world they were the first to wear her new styles.

“How exciting! How thrilling! How marvellous!” The sisters were overwhelmed.

“Miss Van der Hoven, vould you kindly bring the green portfolio from the middle shelf to the first fitting room?” asked Madame Koska. “Ve vill be quieter there. Let’s go there, ladies.”

“But this is extraordinary,” said the older Miss Plimpton-Anderson as she was seriously examining the sketches. “Helen, I think we could wear similar outfits, but with different colours and embroidery.”

“Absolutely,” said Madame Koska. “You vill truly stand out if you vear them vhen you come to the show. For your ensemble, Miss Adelaide, I suggest green, vhich vould bring out your chestnut brown hair, and for Miss Helen, who is blond, I favour dusty rose.”

“And the embroidery?” asked the younger sister.

“Complementary colours, since it’s for afternoon vear. If it vere for evening, I vould have suggested Russian pearl embroidery, since I have a great expert in this craft vorking here. But for daytime, I suggest Ukrainian style embroidery in subtle colours, but interesting textures. I think crimson and cream over the dusty rose, brown and beige over the green.”

“Superb,” said the younger sister. “Indeed,” said the older sister.

“So vould you come for measuring next veek?” asked Madame Koska. “Monday, perhaps? Miss Van der Hoven can take care of fixing the appointment. By then I vill have samples of materials for you to look over.”

“Yes, we could come Monday. What kind of hats would we need?”

“I’ll have sketches ready for you that could make suggestions,” said Madame Koska. “I think, perhaps just vide head bands instead of real hats, made of the same materials, but I am not sure yet…”

“Can we look at the atelier a little?” asked the younger sister with a sweet, childish smile that did not belong on her mature face. “Oh, yes, Gretchen told us so much about it!” said the older sister.

“Certainly,” said Madame Koska. “I vill take you everyvhere except vhere ve are preparing the secret collection!” The two sisters giggled like school children.

Madame Koska showed them around the other fitting rooms, the office, one of the sewing rooms, and the areas where she kept the supplies. Gretchen followed them, chatting with the sisters, until finally, the younger sister looked at her watch and said, “Adelaide, we really must go or we will be so late to tea.” and Madame Koska breathed with relief.

When the sisters left, Madame Koska sat in her office for a few minutes, thinking. From her window she could clearly see the police officer that Commander Blount placed across the street. She was rather happy to see him. It did not escape her attention that the sisters were looking around with a certain efficiency that did not match their fake and youthful silliness. They seemed to even look in the direction of the safe, quite pointedly. She could not forget that they were dear friends of the Howards—whom she did not trust at all.

By the end of the day, Madame Koska and Natalya were alone in the atelier, after everyone else went home. They finished setting up the little ironing room to Natalya’s satisfaction.

“It’s raining,” said Natalya, looking out of the window that was the main attraction of the ironing room, since the fresh air would allow her to work there without choking on the ashes of the chemically treated mousseline. “Nasty cold rain, which is such a pity—I meant to check the shop for more ironing cloths, since they are the only thing we miss for this arrangement.”

“Time enough,” said Madame Koska. “You should go home, Miss Saltykov. It’s dark and unpleasant, and you must be tired after such a long day. I vill only stay for an hour or two for the accounts, and then I just have to go upstairs, I don’t have to travel. But you should not exhaust yourself; ve have so much to do and I don’t vant you to be ill.”

“Yes, this is true,” said Natalya and shook her head ruefully. “I know I am foolish… When I start on something I am so anxious to go on… to finish… you should have seen me when I was sewing my new suit, the one I wore to the Christmas dinner. I worked well into the night, for days!”

“It vas a beautiful suit, I truly admired it,” said Madam Koska. “So elegant vith the simple, clean lines you achieved; it vas very becoming.”

Natalya smiled. “Thank you, Madame Koska. Auntie gave me this beautiful shot silk… and can you imagine, Miss Wilma gave me her hat that was perfect for the suit! She said she had changed all her wardrobe, and will never again wear such an old-fashioned hat.”

“It is hardly old-fashioned,” said Madame Koska. “It is the height of fashion. But I know what she means. Miss Vilma is, vell, hmm, she is following different fashions now.”

“She is a flapper,” said Natalya with admiration. “They have so much courage, such daring style…”

“Yes, indeed,” said Madame Koska. “But I liked your suit better; much more refined and elegant.”

“Really?” said Natalya, visibly gratified. “How wonderful… thank you! Did you think the sleeves fitted? I had some trouble with them.”

“Oh yes, they fitted perfectly; you never make sewing mistakes, Miss Saltykov. Vell, run along home. Tomorrow ve’ll get you all the ironing cloths you vant, I’ll send Miss Van der Hoven to the suppliers.”

“I will, but I pass them anyway, so I might just look and see if there is anything else…”

Madame Koska laughed. “You are incorrigible, my dear. Good night.”

When Natalya left, Madame Koska toyed with the idea of going straight up to her flat and leaving all the bills and paperwork for the next day. However, she knew she would have absolutely no time and not a moment’s peace during the day. So after turning off all the lights other than the small lamp on her desk, so no one would think the place was open and try to bother her, she sighed and sat down to do her bills. At least, she thought, she now knew where Natalya’s expensive suit came from… but still… did Natalya make a deliberate effort to tell her about it? Did she have a reason to think Madame Koska would suspect her of something? Ah, well. It would be easy to find out if Annushka really gave her the shot silk… she turned to her bills.

As always, the mound of paperwork never seemed to end, and she became absorbed in the work. After about half an hour of hard work, Madame Koska raised her head in surprise—she heard a very soft sound from the main sewing room. It was no more than a faint rustle, something like a cat rubbing against soft material, but there were no cats in the atelier. Could it be the wind? Was a window left open? No, that could not be. Every night the seamstresses made sure not a single window would be left open and she looked afterwards to be doubly certain. It was not the wind. She waited without moving, listening carefully. She heard the faint sound again.

Madame Koska did not know what to do. If this was a burglar, and she disturbed him, her life would be in danger. If she stayed where she was, sooner or later he would enter her office to try to break into the safe. She had to do something. Her hand went almost automatically to the telephone, to call the police, but if she did, the burglar would hear her… she stopped herself and folded her hands together nervously, waiting. Five minutes passed and everything was completely quiet; Madame Koska could not bear the tension anymore. Slowly, she took off her shoes, one after the other, pushed her chair back with great care, and got up. She crept to the door and put her ear on it. Everything was quiet again. Did she imagine the sounds? She must have… It had to be all in her mind, but just to make sure, she very carefully, very quietly, opened the door about an inch or two into the dark room. There were no sounds, no movement of any kind, the place was dark and silent.

“What nonsense,” Madame Koska thought angrily. “You must stop these sick imaginings, Vera! Pull yourself together!” Throwing the door wide open, she walked into the room, intending to go the other wall, turn on the electric light, and banish the fear, but suddenly she sensed something behind her. Before she could turn, move, or scream, a strong hand stopped her mouth and a cloth saturated with something that smelled very sweet was firmly pushed against her nose. Struggling for just a few seconds, Madame Koska fell to the floor.

When Madame Koska came to, the lights were on, and Natalya’s face was very close to her own as she was leaning over her. Madame Koska tried to say something, but her throat was scratchy and dry and she could not talk. She pointed to it and Natalya seemed to understand, since she ran away and came back quickly with a glass of water. She supported Madame Koska to help her sit up, and let her sip the water.

“For the love of God, what happened?” asked Natalya with a tinge of hysteria in her voice. “I just came back, I was going to ring the bell when I saw the door was open! I walked in and turned on the light and there you were, on the floor!”

“I don’t quite know,” Madame Koska whispered. “Someone pushed this substance in my face… and I think I fainted.”

“I will call the doctor and the police,” said Natalya. “Right away.”

“One minute,” said Madame Koska. “How come you are here?”

“I passed by the suppliers and got a big box of ironing cloths. I did not want to carry them home in the rain, and since I knew you were going to stay late to do the accounts, I came back, and there you were… but I must call the doctor!” She ran to the front desk to find the number of the doctor that was listed there. Madame Koska lay back on the floor, feeling dizzy.

In a short time, the doctor came, and it seemed that Natalya called her aunt, too, since Madame Golitsyn was suddenly there. Madame Koska felt rather disoriented, and did not question any of the proceedings. Police officers were roaming the atelier, too. She did not notice when anyone called them.

“She will be all right,” the doctor said to Madame Golitsyn and Natalya. “She just needs rest. She will have a bit of a headache in the morning, that is all.”

“What was it?” asked Madame Golitsyn.

“I believe it was surgical ether,” said the doctor. “From the way she is behaving, I believe the quantity was not very large, only enough to make her lose consciousness and sleep for a short time.”

“Thank goodness,” said Natalya feverishly.

“Madame Koska,” said the doctor, who knew the arrangements of the atelier and Madame Koska’s habits. “Please go upstairs and rest. Take tomorrow off and relax, drink some strong coffee in the morning, and you should be fine. If you feel unwell, call me.”

“I will be staying with her,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Thank you, Doctor.”

The doctor disappeared, and Madame Koska, still in a daze, allowed Natalya and Madame Golitsyn to take her upstairs and help her get to bed. She closed her eyes and fell asleep almost immediately, a drugged, uncomfortable sleep.

When Madame Koska woke up, she felt quite well other than a slight headache. She got up carefully and after refreshing herself by splashing cold water on her face, put on her dressing gown and went to make coffee. On her way to the kitchen she saw Madame Golitsyn sleeping on the large sofa in the living room. Dear Annushka, she thought, staying to protect her, but from what? Who was after her like that? She had no idea, nor did she know when the police would want to question her, but she was sure that would happen soon. She sat at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee and thinking, when Madame Golitsyn came in. “Well, well, Vera” she said. “I am so glad to see you on your feet.”

“Have some coffee,” said Madame Koska. “I think we are going to have a full day of police questioning.”

“Why would they want me?” asked Madame Golitsyn, surprised. “I do wish I could help the police, but I only came when Natalya told me she found you on the floor.”

“That’s just it, my dear,” said Madame Koska calmly. “Natalya. They are going to be very unpleasant to her about her story and she will need your support.”

“What? Natalya? What has she got to do with it?”

“They will want to know the exact time she bought the ironing cloths at the suppliers, the precise moment she came back here, did she go out and come back again, and so on. And they will try to find witnesses, though I suspect they already know most of it since there was a police officer watching the place.”

“What are you driving at, Vera?”

“They are going to suspect her of committing this little burglary, my dear, perhaps administering the ether to my face. They will think she is the cat burglar, or at least, his accomplice, since he is French, not Russian. Or at least that is what Inspector Blount thinks. I am not sure I agree, though.”

Madame Golitsyn sat down with her coffee. Her face was white with terror. “You don’t think so, do you, Vera?” she whispered. “You don’t believe Natalya would attack you…”

“Of course I don’t! I would never suspect your niece of doing me any harm. But the police will and therefore they will concentrate on trying to prove it, instead of looking for the real criminal. They will try to find motives, which of course she does not have. So, my dear, the burglar, whoever he is, has forced our hand. We must get Gretchen to reveal her side of the story.”

Madame Golitsyn did not speak for a few minutes. She seemed deep in thought as she turned her cup of coffee in her hands, warming them. “You are getting to be very good at it,” she suddenly said.

“At what?” asked Madame Koska.

“Figuring these things out, getting into the bottom of the strange events,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“I told you we will have to do our own investigation,” said Madame Koska.

“What am I going to do about Natalya? This situation will destroy her. She was doing so well and now this… I don’t know how to help her.”

“If only she had listened to me last night,” said Madame Koska. “I told her to go straight home. Why did she have to come back with those stupid ironing cloths?”

“She is obsessed with the work, Vera. You know that,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“The only good thing that happened is that Natalya is not the only one who might look bad. It is a little strange that the sisters Plimpton-Anderson came yesterday to the atelier, without making an appointment, and requested to be shown around the premises. And they are such close friends of the Howard family—and of little Gretchen. I must telephone Inspector Blount right away, Annushka; I would like him to be here when Gretchen comes to work.”

Ten

A little before nine o’clock the seamstresses started arriving. One of the first, as always, was Natalya. She seemed quieter than ever, if that was possible, Madame Koska thought as she watched her through the open door. Natalya took off her coat, put on a clean smock, and sat at the table, immediately taking up her work and bending over it.

Madame Koska herself was sitting in her office, perfectly groomed and dressed. She no longer felt any effects from the drug, since after drinking two strong cups of coffee and eating a small breakfast, even the headache disappeared. She knew she had to steel herself to the events of the day, and her weapon, as always, was her professional appearance and demeanour. As she sat at her desk, every hair in place, delicate makeup carefully applied, wearing an elegant mauve suit and tasteful day jewellery, no one looking at her would have suspected the ordeal and the terror she had experienced the night before, and she meant to keep it like that. Upstairs, Madame Golitsyn was waiting for her summons, which would happen very soon, the two ladies surmised, since after telling Inspector Blount the details of the events, he informed them that he would be there at nine-thirty. Of course he knew all about it from the night before, since the officers, and the man he kept in front of the establishment, kept him informed.

At precisely nine-thirty Inspector Blount arrived, accompanied by Mr. Korolenko. The inspector had told Madame Koska on the telephone that he meant to bring Mr. Korolenko, since his presence was necessary when Gretchen was to be presented with the memories of her childhood, to which only Mr. Korolenko had been a witness. They sat quietly in Madame Koska’s office, with the door ajar.

Punctual as ever, a trait much appreciated by Madame Koska, Gretchen arrived a few minutes before ten o’clock. She was expected to sit at the telephone at ten o’clock, since many clients liked to call early, before starting their busy days. Gretchen always went to the wash room to fix her hair and reapply her lipstick, and then would sit at the front desk. They let her do so, and then Madame Koska called her to come into the office for a moment.

Gretchen came immediately, and seeing the company, stood at the door, immobile, staring at them and saying nothing. Madame Koska could see the fear in her eyes and felt sorry for the child. “Come in, Miss Van der Hoven,” she said kindly. “Ve need your help.” Gretchen did not move, her eyes darting from one person to the other, her hands clasped together in front of her breast.

“There is nothing to fear, Gretchen,” said Mr. Korolenko. “We must discuss your father.”

Gretchen emerged from her frozen terror enough to be able to talk. “Father,” she whispered. “Do you know anything new about him?”

“No,” said Inspector Blount. “But we were hoping you will tell us. Originally, when he disappeared, your family told everyone that he was dead. However, Mr. Korolenko does not believe it. He has heard that your father is alive.”

Gretchen slipped into a chair and started sobbing. “I don’t know, I don’t know… the man told me he was alive and that they would kill him…”

“What man?” said Inspector Blount, and pulled a notebook and pencil out of his pocket.

“The man I met on the train,” said Gretchen, sobbing.

“Gretchen,” said Mr. Korolenko, “pull yourself together. This won’t do. You have been living a lie and inventing tales and getting yourself deeper and deeper into trouble. Come clean, please.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” said Gretchen defiantly, seemingly alternating between fear and anger.

“But I do,” said Madame Koska. “A girl who keeps a book by a sixteenth century humanist by her bed for light bedtime reading, cannot pretend forever to silliness and flightiness.”

Gretchen looked at her, amazed. “How do you know…” she whispered.

“Because I vent into your room to spy on you vhen I stayed at your aunt’s and uncle’s house,” said Madame Koska.

“You went into my room… but why?”

“Because Mr. Korolenko told me that during your childhood you vere a little scholar, always at your books. I could not reconcile it with the girl who liked only fashion and dancing. And that same girl was in my atelier when the robbery occurred, so it vas very much my right to check.”

“You had no right to spy on me though…” said Gretchen. “I never suspected you would do that.”

“I was there too, Gretchen, with Madame Koska. We looked not only at Erasmus by your bedside, but also at your other books and the notes you took as you were studying other philosophers,” said Mr. Korolenko. “We had every right to do so, since you were misleading everyone, and your behaviour at work was quite suspicious. Not to mention the fact that your father’s life was at stake, and that a robbery happened at Madame Koska’s, which we strongly suspected was connected to your situation.”

“I never quite understood vhy you vanted to vork at the atelier, and I suspected you lied about something,” said Madame Koska.

Gretchen looked as if she were going to deny everything, stood up, and then sat down again and said, “Very well. I’ll tell you everything. But you must help me. You must help Father.”

“You should have done so right away, my girl,” said Inspector Blount. “It might have saved everyone much trouble, and for all I know, your father would have been released much sooner. You should have told the police.”

“But I couldn’t… They threatened to kill Father if I talked to the police.” said Gretchen. “When I was travelling on the train from school to my uncle’s house, it was rather empty. No one was sitting in my compartment, until a very well-dressed, middle-aged, respectable looking man came in and sat down. When the train was in motion for about ten minutes, he came over to me and said, ‘Miss Van der Hoven, please don’t be alarmed, I have something to tell you. Your father is alive.’ I was so stunned I could barely talk, since I was told he died in a train accident.”

“Did the man give any details about where your father was?” asked Inspector Blount, looking up from his notebook.

“He said he was kept prisoner in London, by an international gang who specialised in jewellery and opium and art theft. He claimed Father had worked with them but decided to stop it and they no longer trusted him. Not that I believe it… Father would not have worked with criminals.”

“Perhaps he was not aware of their crimes at the time,” suggested Mr. Korolenko. “And only found out later.”

“I really don’t know anything about Father’s business,” said Gretchen. “We used to spend our time together reading and studying and visiting art shows and theatres. We never talked about business. He dreamed about sending me to Oxford—you know they opened it to women in 1910, so it was possible… I wanted it too, so much; I keep up with my studies now in the hope that someday I could go there… even though it’s not the same without Father. Still, I feel that if I went to university, he would be so proud no matter where he is. But you don’t care about that.”

“I do care about it,” said Mr. Korolenko. “And I am going to speak to your uncle about it. I am sure something can be arranged so that your father’s wish will be honoured.”

Gretchen sent him a look of gratitude. “If they don’t arrest me first,” she said in a little voice, glancing at Inspector Blount.

“No one is arresting you, Miss Van der Hoven,” said Inspector Blount. “Yes, you have been very foolish, particularly for a well-educated young woman such as yourself, but you don’t strike me as a criminal.”

“Thank you,” said Gretchen very quietly.

“So please continue with what happened on the train,” said the inspector with tired patience.

“The man told me that unless I do exactly as I am told, they would kill Father. I was supposed to find a job at Madame Koska’s establishment, any job I could get. So I thought my experience as a mannequin for society fashion shows would help… and it did. Everyone believed it was my dream to be a mannequin, and they were so kind. But Madame Koska, I really enjoy working here. It is such fun, and I hope you believe me that just because I like studying philosophy, it does not mean I don’t love fashion, too.”

“Yes, I do understand,” said Madame Koska kindly. “And you are very good at it. I can see you as a highly successful and sought-after vendeuse, particularly if you get the proper higher education. You can go far in this field, unless you vill prefer to teach, of course. But vhat did the man vant you to do vhen you got the job?”

“Very little, really. I was to keep an eye for an opportunity to make it easy for the gang to break into the atelier, that is all. The great Russian jewel that everyone is talking about was supposed to be here, in Madame Koska’s safe. The man said that once they get it out of the safe, they won’t need Father and they would let him go.”

“But vouldn’t I know about it if it vere in my safe?” asked Madame Koska.

Gretchen looked embarrassed. “Well… they thought you had it through another agency, and were interested in selling it,” she said.

“So you believed them I vas a criminal?” said Madame Koska, slightly shocked.

“Not really… I could never imagine you stealing jewellery. But what could I do? I could not refuse them. Besides, I did not think any harm would come of it. I assumed they would come, break into the safe, and see that the jewel is not there, so they would let Father go free and that would be the end of it.”

“But they searched the entire atelier before even attempting to get at the safe,” said Madame Koska. “Vhy didn’t they go straight to the safe? Nothing makes sense here.”

“I know…” said Gretchen. “I had the same thought. They did not so much as touch the safe! And after it was all over, they never came back, and I didn’t hear another word about Father. I was getting really desperate.”

“So on the day of the robbery, you thought you had the opportunity to let them in. What happened during the day that prompted you to assume that?” asked the inspector.

“Madame Koska had a late appointment. She asked Miss Saltykov to lock up, and left the atelier’s key with her, so I decided it was the perfect opportunity. We keep our handbags in the same cabinet, away from the door so they are safe, and I knew which one was hers. I stole the key from her handbag, and called the number the man from the train had given me. Very quickly, the same man came to the atelier, disguised as a salesman. I gave him the key, and in an hour or so he came back and returned it, after making a copy that he planned to use later. I took the key and dropped it back into Miss Saltykov’s handbag.”

“I see,” said Inspector Blount. “Of course, you could not know that he made a mistake and gave you the copy instead of the original key… but Madame Koska recognised the change since she marked the original key with a dot of paint.”

“Whatever for?” asked Gretchen, confused.

“Because I mix my keys,” said Madame Koska. “I have so many of them. So I give them a colour code.”

“Very clever,” said Gretchen. “Well, that would have given you every right to suspect me, since I was at the desk all day.”

“Exactly,” said Madame Koska. “You were the only person who could admit the criminals—except of course for Miss Saltykov, who also had the key. But…”

“But you would not suspect Miss Saltykov since she is your friend’s niece,” said Gretchen. “I can understand that.” Madame Koska was no longer surprised by Gretchen’s quick insights, and just nodded, a little sadly.

“Now, Miss Van der Hoven, I have to ask you a very unpleasant question,” said the inspector. “You absolutely must tell me the truth, because by now you understand your father’s life depends upon it.”

“Yes, Inspector,” said Gretchen. “I no longer have any control. That is, if I ever had… Obviously I was used. I cannot believe how stupid I was.”

“That is what blackmail does to people, Miss Van der Hoven. Sometimes the fear is so great, even the most intelligent people lose their judgement when blackmailed.”

“Father would have scolded me for lack of judgement,” said Gretchen. “He told me to always use logic, not emotion, when making important decisions… but what is it that you wish to ask me, Inspector?”

“I need to know if your aunt and uncle are involved in any of that,” said the inspector. “Do you have any reason to suspect they know anything?”

“No, Inspector, I really don’t think they have any knowledge of it, but…” She stopped talking and looked very nervous.

“Yes?” said the inspector. “Come on, Miss Van der Hoven. We need to know everything.”

“It may sound a little strange, since I have no real reason to suspect them, nothing tangible,” said Gretchen. “But I am not so sure about the Misses Plimpton-Anderson. They always ask questions, spy and snoop. They pretend to be silly young things, and try to act as if they were my age when they talk to me, but you know they are much older and they are not as stupid as they want you to think. When they came here yesterday morning, I had a feeling that as we were giving them the tour, they were taking mental notes.”

“Yes,” said Madame Koska. “Inspector, Miss Van der Hoven is right; I had exactly the same feeling. They came suddenly, vithout making an appointment, requested a tour, ordered some expensive outfits… and the fact that it vas the same night I vas attacked makes it doubly suspicious.”

“You were attacked?” asked Gretchen, horrified. “What happened? Who attacked you?”

“We don’t know,” said the inspector. “Someone attacked Madame Koska last night. She was alone here, doing her accounts. I must question the Misses Plimpton-Anderson, of course.”

“It’s all my fault,” said Gretchen. “The criminals were probably still using the key… and they attacked you, you could have been killed…” she started crying again.

“No, no,” said Madame Koska. “The locks vere changed after the robbery, so yesterday’s attack vas not your fault at all.”

“Cheer up, Miss Van der Hoven. The matter is now in experienced hands, and you have a much better chance of seeing your father again.”

“Inspector, I would do anything to save him,” said Gretchen. “Madame Koska, I will always feel terrible about what I did to you. You should sack me.”

“Nonsense,” said Madame Koska. “I have no intention of doing so. All vill be vell, I am sure, and ve can rely on you to help now.”

“I just wish I understood the connection between Father and the Russian jewel,” said Gretchen. “They never explained to me what he had to do with it.”

“I am sure we will find out,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It’s all right now, Gretchen. In a little while, when you feel better, you will see that we have a chance now.”

“You can go back to work, Miss Van der Hoven,” said Inspector Blount. “Don’t talk about this business with any of the other women, please. We will keep you informed as we advance with the investigation about your father.”

Gretchen got up and left the room obediently, and they saw her sitting at the telephone and slumping forward, putting her head in her hands.

“Poor girl,” said Mr. Korolenko. “She loves her father so much.”

“Yes, we’ll do our best to save him,” said the inspector. “But she was very weak and foolish, succumbing to the blackmailers. People don’t understand that such criminals would not keep their word anyway. And now, Madame Koska, I need to speak to Miss Saltykov. I suggest you call Madame Golitsyn if we are to avoid hysteria and shock. Miss Saltykov does not strike me as a very strong person, and I am afraid we’ll have a scene.”

Madame Koska picked up the telephone and called Madame Golitsyn. When she put down the receiver, Mr. Korolenko said, “Madame Koska, I have another matter I need to discuss with you. I know you are under severe stress, but I think this is very important. I am going to stay for a few minutes, with your permission, after the inspector leaves.”

“Very vell,” said Madame Koska. What else did he have in mind at such a moment, she thought irritably. All this nonsense when she had to concentrate on the Mistral collection…

Madame Golitsyn walked in, and on her way, stopped and said something quietly to Natalya, who got up immediately and followed her aunt to Madame Koska’s office.

Natalya sat down quietly in Gretchen chair, folded her hands in her lap, and said nothing. Madame Golitsyn sat next to her.

“Miss Saltykov,” said the inspector. “You found Madame Koska yesterday on the floor when you came back to the atelier. Am I correct?”

“Yes, Inspector,” said Natalya.

“Do you remember what time it was?”

“About seven-thirty or so, I believe,” said Natalya.

“Madame Koska,” said the inspector. “Is it a regular occurrence for any of your employees to be here after six o’clock?”

“No, Inspector. Miss Saltykov and I stayed later than usual to organise a room dedicated to ironing special fabrics. She left about six-thirty or so.”

“Then why did you come back to the atelier, Miss Saltykov?” asked the inspector.

“I stopped on my way home to see if I could find some good ironing cloths, Inspector,” said Natalya. “I did find them, and since it was raining, I thought it was easier to take them back to the atelier rather than carry the heavy box home with me.”

“Do you have a key to the atelier?”

“No, but I knew Madame Koska was going to stay late, since she told me she was going to do the accounting, so I was expecting her to let me in.”

“Are you often involved with work after hours?” asked the inspector.

“Yes, often,” said Natalya. “I like taking little embroidery or beading projects home with me, like a sleeve, or a collar, or a shawl. I enjoy doing them in the evening after dinner.”

“Miss Saltykov is extremely dedicated to our vork,” said Madame Koska. “She is my most reliable employee, and my chief beader, inspector.” Natalya smiled but said nothing.

“I see,” said the inspector thoughtfully. “But you don’t stay on the premises at night, do you?”

“No, I do the projects at home, Inspector. Madame Koska is very generous to let me do so and also pays me extra.”

“So that was the first time you were expected to be at the atelier at night. I see. Tell me what happened when you got back?”

“The door was ajar, so I came in, and as I turned on the light, I saw Madame Koska on the floor. I was terribly scared, I thought she had a heart attack, so I bent over her to see if she was breathing, and she opened her eyes. I was so relieved…”

“What happened to the box of ironing cloths?” asked the inspector.

“I don’t know, I think I dropped it when I saw Madame Koska on the floor,” said Natalya. “Why?”

“Because I wish to see it,” said the inspector. “I want to make sure you really carried a box of ironing cloths. You see, I placed a man across the street to watch the place, after the last robbery. I must ask him if he saw you carrying a large box.”

Natalya looked at him with a fixed stare. “What are you saying, Inspector? That I am lying about what happened? Why should I?”

“I don’t know, Miss Saltykov. If you are lying, you are the only one who knows why.”

Natalya’s face turned ashen grey. She got up, tried to say something, and fell down, fainting.

“Well, well,” said the inspector as Madame Golitsyn and Madame Koska rubbed Natalya’s hands, supported her head, administered smelling salts, and eventually managed to wake her up. She looked around her, confused.

“Inspector,” she said with great dignity. “If you suspect me of doing harm to Madame Koska, you are wasting precious time that should be spent on finding the real criminal. Nothing on the face of this earth would make me harm Madame Koska. She had been kinder to me than anyone I know other than my family and the Tzarina of Russia, may her soul rest among the angels. You can arrest me, interrogate me, or even execute me, but I will never change my story; it is the truth.”

“These young ladies are very quick to assume I am about to arrest them,” said the inspector to no one in particular. “I needed your story. Now I am going to verify it with the store where you bought your cloths. Common police work, Miss Saltykov, and there is no need to feel like the heroine in the moving pictures.”

“Inspector,” said Madame Golitsyn quietly, “My niece had much trouble with police persecution in the old country. It is not surprising she would be afraid of you.”

“But we are in England, Madame Golitsyn. In this country, the police are meant to help, not to persecute anyone, and we expect our citizens to help us in return. Are you coming, Korolenko? No, I just remembered. You had your other business with Madame Koska. Good day, ladies. I will be back soon.”

When he left, Madame Golitsyn said, “I am taking Natalya home, Vera. Come, child, we need to talk.” Natalya followed wordlessly, for once not insisting she must complete her work. Madame Koska looked anxiously at her bent back and slow gait. The girl was terribly upset. “Of course, Annushka,” she said to the retreating figure of her friend. “Thank you, my dear. And keep her home tomorrow so she can get some rest. I’ll stop over to see you both this evening.”

When everyone left, Mr. Korolenko got up, closed the door of the office, and walked to the window. Looking thoughtfully out into the street, he pulled a plain envelope out of his jacket’s pocket and started turning it in his hands. Madame Koska waited, wishing he would get on with whatever it was so she could go and have some coffee.

“I made some inquiries on your behalf,” he finally said. “I hope you will believe me that it was done with good intentions.”

“I am sure it was done with the best intentions, Mr. Korolenko, whatever it was.”

“I wanted to know what happened to your husband, Madame Koska.”

“But you couldn’t, since he disappeared,” said Madame Koska, surprised. “They looked for him when he vanished and wanted to arrest him. They never found him. I had a feeling he left Europe to avoid them and told them so, and they did look in Constantinople, where so many Russians escaped to, but he was not there. They finally had a clue he went to Manchuria, but they could not pursue him there.”

“Well, they did not look in the right places,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I don’t want to shock you, but your husband is dead, Madame Koska. I got in touch with the proper authorities, and what I have here is his death certificate. Your husband was killed during the war. He was not fighting in the war since he was over the age limit; he was hiding in Switzerland. They are not sure who killed him, but they found his body in a hotel in Geneva.”

Madame Koska took the envelope and calmly opened it and took out the death certificate. Yes, it seemed correct, Grigory Koska, date, place, age… it all fitted. So logical of Grigory to escape to Switzerland, he probably had some money tucked away there, so many people did.

“Ah, well,” said Madame Koska, and laughed. “What is the etiquette for thanking someone for bringing you the death certificate of a husband who had run away from you?”

“You don’t seem upset,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“I am not,” said Madame Koska. “I never wanted to see him again. I wished him no harm, but whether he is dead or alive makes very little difference to me, Mr. Korolenko.”

“Unless you wish to marry again someday, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko quietly. “It’s not impossible that you might wish to do so.”

“Not impossible, but highly improbable,” said Madame Koska. “I do thank you, though, Mr. Korolenko. It’s always best to know the truth.” Was it really best, she thought to herself, did she really want to have that finality stamped on her long association with Grigory? She shrugged. What’s the use of brooding?

“I am not so sure about it being so improbable,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“Do you really think I would ever trust another man after what Grigory had done to me, deserting me after embezzling and leaving me to deal with the legal results? I don’t think so.”

“Not all men are alike,” said Mr. Korolenko. “And at this stage in your life, you would be more careful as to whom you would choose. If I were in a better situation to do so, Madame Koska, I would have tried to persuade you to rethink your ideas of marriage.”

“Better situation? Whatever do you mean?”

“I am sure you are too practical and reasonable to look at a man who could not give you a better situation than you have already,” said Mr. Korolenko. “I was brought up to assume a woman must weigh her options carefully and never throw herself away on a man who does not have secure and comfortable lifestyle, position, and income… such marriages are for the young and imprudent.”

Madame Koska looked at him with exasperation. Surely he was not telling her that he was interested in her himself? She hoped not. He was certainly attractive and quite pleasant, but she did not want more than friendship. The thought flashed through her mind of how stupid men were in general. Comfortable lifestyle, position, income… No, she fell in love with Grigory because he was an adventurous soul, a man who cheerfully took risks, an exciting companion… but her face remained as impassive and calm as ever.

“Ah, well,” she said. “These are all idle thoughts, and we had a long and hard morning. I am sure you are tired… and we really should talk about the investigation, which is more important now than my late husband. May I offer you some lunch, Mr. Korolenko?”

Eleven

“I am glad you telephoned,” said Madame Koska. “I was going to telephone you. I am almost ready to leave, and I must see Natalya, Annushka. I am very worried about her.”

“You have every reason to be worried,” said Madame Golitsyn. “I am at a loss; I simply have no idea what to do. She had a real nervous breakdown, Vera. I understand her fear, but this is more, much more than I expected.”

“Did you tell her father?”

“Yes, I telephoned him and explained that I am keeping her with me for a few days.”

“Did you consult the doctor?”

“No, since just as I was going to do so, she began to feel better. She is resting now. She cried and cried… her nose is all red, and you know how I simply cannot tolerate red noses…”

“Something must be done about it,” said Madame Koska.

“About the nose?” said Madame Golitsyn.

“No, not just the nose. We must do something about Natalya’s state of mind. You see, the more she looks and acts like a frightened rabbit, the more the police will suspect her. We must do something about her level of confidence. This won’t do, having breakdowns… What can we do? Wait. I know. Annushka, I know exactly what to do. I’ll be over in about an hour and a half, two hours. Could you tell me what is Natalya’s shoe size?”

On her way out, Madame Koska stopped at the front desk and looked at Gretchen, who was getting up to collect her belongings and leave for the day.

“Sit down, Miss Van der Hoven,” she said, pulling a chair from the wall and sitting in front of the desk. Gretchen sank to her seat wordlessly.

“Miss Van der Hoven, I chose not to say anything in front of the inspector, for reasons of my own, but let me make something very clear. This is never going to happen again.”

“I am not sure what you mean, Madame Koska,” said Gretchen, growing pale under the gaze of the chocolate-coloured eyes that were flashing with anger.

“Then let me explain. Your foolish games not only endangered my life, my business, and my reputation, but they also implicated someone other than yourself in a horrible suspicion. You have caused Miss Saltykov to be a suspect in a police investigation.”

“I did not think…”

“Listen to me, my girl. I know you are terribly vorried about your father. You are in trouble, that is true, but people get in trouble, and people get out of trouble. I have been in serious difficulties in my life, but I did not allow my actions to create a hazard for someone else. You believe you can get avay vith anything, because of your beauty, your youth, and your connections. None of these advantages matter when it comes to life and death situations. Youth and beauty vanish. Your connections and vealth would not save your father, or for that matter, yourself, if the gang decides you know too much. And you pitted your brains and scholarship against those who are both more intelligent and better educated than you are; by comparison to Mr. Korolenko and Inspector Blount, you are a mere child. The only things that matter in life, Miss Van der Hoven, are character and integrity. All the rest is mist and vapours.”

“I am so sorry…” said Gretchen, wiping her eyes.

“Obviously not sorry enough, because you are still not telling me everything. Vhat did you neglect to say to the inspector?”

“I don’t know what…”

Madame Koska rose from her chair and leaned over the desk. Her anger was no longer controlled, and the girl leaned back in terror as she gazed at the pale face marked with a red circle on each cheek and the burning eyes. “Stop lying, Gretchen. I have had enough. What are you hiding? You will tell me right now, or I am calling the police from this telephone on the desk. Now!”

Gretchen lowered her eyes. “It’s about my uncle, Madame Koska. But I did not think it had any connection… I really didn’t!”

“You fool! What makes you think you can judge if it has a connection? Will you ever learn that you have no understanding in this matter? What is it about your uncle?”

“He takes opium, Madame Koska. Every so often he goes down by the river to a place where other important people go, and he stays for a few days, smoking opium.”

Madame Koska stared at her wordlessly for a few seconds. Her hands, clasping the table, held it so tightly that the knuckles turned white. “A fancy opium den… Are you sure?” she finally said in a very low voice.

“Yes. I heard my aunt begging him to get medical attention so he would no longer need opium. I was not supposed to hear, but I did.”

“An opium den! This is beyond belief. Do you have any sense? Are you telling me you did not see that there may be a connection between your uncle, a habitual opium user, and the Eurasian gang, who sells opium?”

“I suppose you are right,” said Gretchen, sighing deeply. “I should have.”

“Do you realise you may be covering up for a criminal, even if he is your uncle? Anything else you kept to yourself?”

“No, honestly, that is all I know. And Madame Koska, I never meant to hurt Miss Saltykov. I like her so much! We are friends!”

“Very well,” said Madame Koska. “Tomorrow, don’t tell anyone about our talk. I’ll tell the police about it.”

“What will they do to my uncle?”

“Nothing that they were not going to do before, I presume. Watch him, and probably question him very soon.”

“So I should not tell him?”

“Gretchen, listen carefully. Don’t you dare tell him, do you hear me? It’s simply too dangerous,” said Madame Koska. “You have done enough damage. Just behave as normally as possible and we’ll see what happens tomorrow. Right now, I have to see Natalya. She had a nervous breakdown.”

“But why? She does not know anything about the gang or the brooch. She told me she had no idea which famous brooch it was, because there were so many that belonged to Catherine the Great, and were stolen by the Bolsheviks. Why is she so afraid?”

“I don’t know why,” said Madame Koska. “But one way or another, I am going to find out. Perhaps just because the police are watching her, since I don’t believe she knows anything. The police may think she is the person who attacked me, or at least his accomplice.”

“Madame Koska, one moment… do you want me to leave? Do you want to sack me? I can understand if you do.”

“I would have loved to sack you and you certainly deserve it, but I cannot do so in good conscience; I might endanger your life if I let you go. When I told the inspector you are staying, I meant it, since I believe that if you were to be dismissed, our lives would be in danger. The gang might suspect we both know too much. Our only chance is to behave as if nothing happened. You can leave now, I’ll lock up.” Gretchen nodded faintly, said goodbye in a whisper, and left. Madame Koska stood in the middle of the room, trying to overcome her agitation and restore her calm demeanour. Suddenly she put her hand to her mouth in shock as a terrible thought crossed her mind. She realised that during the conversation with Gretchen, her anger got the better of her, and she did not use her Russian accent.

Madame Golitsyn opened the door and stared at Madame Koska, who was half hidden behind several large boxes. “What are all these?”

“These boxes contain Natalya’s new personality,” said Madame Koska, and coming in, started arranging them neatly on the dining table. “Is she awake?”

“Yes. May I open one?”

“Yes, of course,” said Madame Koska. Madame Golitsyn opened a white and gold cardboard box and gasped. “Heaven have mercy… so that is why you needed the shoe size…” The two ladies were intent on the table, as Madame Koska started pulling some smaller boxes out of her handbag.

“Can I go in to see her?” she said, busily arranging the small boxes on top of the large ones.

“Yes, she will be glad to see you, but Vera, we have a problem. We are just the three of us here and she will wonder why we don’t speak Russian.”

“No, Auntie,” said a small voice behind them. “I know Madame Koska does not speak Russian.”

The two ladies turned around to look at Natalya, who was wrapped up in a dressing gown a few sizes too big for her thin body. “You know?” asked Madame Koska, taken aback.

“I have known for a while, Madame Koska. But you should never, ever worry about the possibility that I might betray your secrets. They will die with me, if necessary.”

“But how did you guess?” asked Madame Golitsyn. “No one else ever did.”

“Because I have heard the two of you talk on the phone. When you talk just between you, there is no reason not to talk Russian. So I understood. Besides, even though Madame Koska’s accent is perfect, I just sensed it.”

“You are a very clever young woman… I’ll explain the reasons for this charade some other time,” said Madame Koska. “Right now, we need to talk about you. I am sorry you were so upset, and we must prevent it from happening again.”

“I am afraid the police will want me again, Madame Koska,” said Natalya with a sigh.

“They most definitely will, but you are going to become confident, beautiful, and unflappable.”

“Like you, Madame Koska?” said Natalya, smiling faintly.

“If you think that is how I am, then yes, and thank you. Come to the table. You see, when you wore the lovely suit at our Christmas dinner, I noticed that you had natural elegance and that much can be done about it, but at the time, it was not terribly important. Now it is.”

She took a dress out of one of the boxes, and a pair of shoes out of another. “Put these on, dear,” she said. “And then, we are going to do some makeup magic. We are going to fix your nose so it is never red again, and put on rouge, so you are not so pale. The Rimmel for your lashes, that is only for the evenings, when you go out. You don’t want to put it on for work since it might hurt your eyes with the close work you do. You should not put on the kohl around your eyes, either, except at night. But this light rouge, and the coral salve, which is not really lipstick but only a touch of colour, you can wear all the time. And always, always have foundation and powder on your nose. The darker lipstick is for also for evenings, but I’ll have to show you how to put it so you have bow lips.”

“What about the hair?” asked Madame Golitsyn, entering into the spirit of the thing, “should she bob it?”

“Her hair is too beautiful to bob,” said Madame Koska. Natalya looked relieved. “Just look at these ash blonde curls… you have been hiding it all this time as you pull your hair so severely back… We’ll put it up in a soft chignon, with some curls escaping from it.”

Natalya took the dress and shoes and disappeared into the bedroom, coming back looking like a transformed being. The banana-coloured afternoon dress was made of light, delicate silk that flowed over Natalya’s body, complementing her figure and hiding its thinness. The shoes, made of soft brown leather, enhanced her height, adding about two more inches. Madame Koska was surprised to see that she walked very well in them.

“Now please sit down, Miss Saltykov,” said Madame Koska. “We will wrap your shoulders with a towel… would you please get me a towel, Annushka, or a pillowcase? I don’t want to stain her dress as I work.”

Natalya shut her eyes and submitted to the foundation, rouge, powder, kohl, and Rimmel with the obedience of a child. After about twenty minutes, Madame Koska looked at her finished creation, nodded, and started brushing Natalya’s hair with long, upsweep motions. She raised the long hair in her hands, braided it very loosely, and knotted it into a simple chignon that was placed low above the neck. It could be fixed with just three tortoiseshell long pins to be perfectly secure. She pulled a few curls out, arranging them around Natalya’s face in a style that seemed entirely natural and casual. Opening another small box, she pulled out a pair of pearl earrings and fixed them in Natalya’s pierced ears.

“Now,” she said, removing the towel, “please look at yourself, Miss Saltykov.” Natalya opened her eyes and looked at the mirror. She gasped in disbelief and could not speak.

“But this is incomprehensible,” said Madame Golitsyn. “She is a beauty; how did this happen? Where was it before?”

“Annushka, fashion and makeup create the woman,” said Madame Koska. “Half the world’s beauties are perfectly plain… it’s an art.”

“I want to look like that all the time…” said Natalya, holding tightly to the mirror and looking at herself. “It’s not me, it’s someone else. Who am I?”

“It’s you, my dear. Several women may use the same kohl or lipstick, but the result would look very different on each one. You give the face its character.”

“If I looked like that every day, I would not be so scared,” said Natalya.

“That’s my intention,” said Madame Koska. “Next time the Inspector calls, he will be talking to a confident, strong young lady, not a trembling little rabbit. Feeling good about yourself makes all the difference. And now, take a look at the other clothes I brought. When you sew at night, by the way, no more extra work for the atelier. The dresses I brought are only the core of an excellent collection that you will create with your good sewing skills. We have just begun your transformation, my dear.”

“I don’t know how to thank you, Madame Koska,” said Natalya humbly.

“No need to thank me at all. I am doing it for all of us. And tomorrow morning, come to the atelier about half an hour early, and I’ll show you how to apply a proper daytime look. But you always come so early anyway, we’ll have plenty of time. And another thing; when you take a clean smock tomorrow, choose the dark blue with cream stripe. Not the pink and white.”

“Why?” asked Natalya, intrigued.

“It will bring out your eyes. Until now, I only saw pale, washed-out blue eyes. With the makeup on, they look like aquamarines.”

“My favorite stone,” said Natalya, enchanted.

“Really? Then we must get you some jewellery piece that you should wear most of the time, what they call a signature piece, with an aquamarine. The best thing would be earrings, since they are easy to wear and won’t interfere with your work. We can’t afford the real thing, since those who have the properly saturated colour are extremely expensive, but there are many very good imitations made from paste or semi-precious stones.”

Natalya laughed. “In the past I would have said that wearing an imitation stone is not for a real lady, but now… with my new look, I would love it! And since I know a lot about gems, I can pick some that no one would guess.”

“She is learning very quickly,” said Madame Golitsyn, satisfied.

While Natalya was looking through the clothes, happily absorbed, Madame Koska took Madame Golitsyn to the kitchen, in the pretence of making tea.

“Annushka, I lost my temper this evening,” she said contritely. “It was very bad.”

“Not again, Vera… with whom?”

“Gretchen.”

“Well, I can’t blame you. I wanted to beat her,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“But when I shouted at her, I lost my Russian accent.”

“Oh, Vera… she is the last person you can trust. That is not good.”

“I know. My only hope is that she did not notice since she was so upset when I told her what I thought of her.”

“But what did you say to her?”

“I told her that I knew she did not tell us everything, Annushka, and I was right. You would never guess what she was hiding, not in a million years. Her uncle, the respectable Mr. Howard, goes regularly to a fancy opium den by the river.”

“And she did not tell the police, the little idiot? Why not?”

“Who knows? She has no common sense, for all her scholarship. By now the two annoying sisters, the Plimpton-Anderson girls, and Mr. Howard, must be under suspicion of some irregularity. And I remember distinctly, Annushka, that Mr. Howard was very much annoyed when the conversation at dinner led to the stolen brooch. He really did not want anyone to discuss it. It’s getting more complicated every step we take.”

“You must tell all of that to the inspector,” said Madame Golitsyn.

“Of course, I’ll be in touch with him tomorrow morning,” said Madame Koska. “Annushka, I just thought about something rather funny. Earlier this evening, when I was screaming at Gretchen, I told her that looks mean nothing, and integrity and character were everything. A few minutes ago, I told Natalya that clothes and makeup make the woman, and her new image would be the cure to her fears. And yet I don’t feel I was wrong in either statement. I don’t feel there is a contradiction here.”

“There is no contradiction, Vera. Being a woman is a very complicated matter,” said Madame Golitsyn. “You told both of them what they needed to hear. And thank you so much for what you have just done for Natalya.”

“And for you, Annushka, don’t forget! You will never have to look at Natalya’s red nose again!”

Twelve

Madame Koska was surprised when the telephone rang at such an early hour. She had just entered the atelier, and was alone there.

“They are gone,” she heard Inspector Blount say. “The whole crew skipped town.”

“Who is gone?” said Madame Koska.

“Mr. and Mrs. Howard, the Plimpton-Anderson sisters, and as far as I know, Miss Van der Hoven,” said the inspector. “That is why I am calling. I wanted to know if she was with you.”

“No, she is not supposed to be here before ten,” said Madame Koska. “How did you find out?”

“I sent a man there to question them, very early this morning; he just called back. The servants are there, swathing everything in the front rooms in dust sheets.”

“Do they know any details?”

“They said Mr. Howard was called on urgent business to Paris, and that Mrs. Howard decided to go with him; they thought she wanted to shop there. They don’t know how long their employers will stay in Paris. They may go to Switzerland after that.”

“Did they leave an address?”

“No, they said they’ll let the servants know later. They were not sure in which hotel they would stay.”

“And the sisters vent vith them?”

“No, apparently the sisters left last night to go to their home. I’ll have to contact someone there, we know the address, but unless I have a good reason I can’t pursue them out of my district. Right now all I have on them are vague suspicions.”

“And the servants said nothing about Gretchen?”

“They said she left last night to stay with friends, taking only a little luggage.”

“So if she comes at ten, should I telephone you, Inspector?”

“There will be no need, thank you, Madame Koska.”

“Oh, yes. I forgot. There is alvays a man in the front.”

“Exactly so; and at this point, more than one has been stationed. If she comes, I will follow immediately. Please don’t say a word to Miss Van der Hoven, it’s best to pretend you know nothing.”

“Of course, Inspector, but I vant to tell you something new about Mr. Howard,” said Madame Koska, and told him about Gretchen’s revelations regarding the opium taken by Mr. Howard.

“Interesting,” said the inspector. “That puts everything in a different light.”

“Indeed,” said Madame Koska, but he had already hung up. She stood by the telephone, thinking about the news, which again did not quite fit in. Mr. Howard certainly made himself look very bad by leaving, but she did not believe he was a key figure in the theft of the brooch. More likely, he was a small, marginal figure in the Eurasian gang, probably did some opium business with them. It would be a good idea to discuss the opium den by the river with Mr. Korolenko. He was bound to know all about it…. Madame Koska stood by the front desk, drumming on it with her fingernails. At this moment Natalya walked into the atelier and Madame Koska smiled at her. “Quite early, Miss Saltykov. Let’s do the makeup before everyone arrives.” She was adamant Natalya must look her best before the inspector came in to terrify her.

Taking Natalya to her office, Madame Koska gave her one of the blue smocks to put around her shoulders, and explained to her how to apply a small amount of foundation, powder and rouge that would make her face glow but not look obviously made up. She saw with approval that Natalya had done her hair exactly the way she showed her the night before, and had done it quite deftly. She put a touch of the coral salve on Natalya’s lips, showing her exactly how to avoid a heavy layer and create a luminous look by tapping, not smearing the salve. Natalya looked in the mirror and smiled with pleasure. “I am a different person again, Madame Koska. Thank you!”

The seamstresses began to come in just as Natalya settled herself at the embroidery table. One of them looked at her with surprise. “I like your new hairdo, Miss Saltykov,” she offered. Natalya thanked her and the other women also expressed their approbation. “You look very well, quite changed, with this hairdo,” said one of them. Apparently no one could tell that the change involved more than the hair, but they kept sneaking an occasional look at Natalya, who did not seem to notice and was placidly embroidering.

At a few minutes to ten Gretchen came in. Madame Koska greeted her as if nothing had happened in Gretchen’s home life or as a result of yesterday’s heated conversation. Gretchen went to comb her hair as usual and then sat at the telephones, ready for the day’s work. At this moment, Inspector Blount came in and she greeted him politely. Gretchen did not seem in the least concerned about his arrival, Madame Koska noted with some surprise.

“Would you kindly follow me to Madame Koska’s office?” asked the inspector, and the three of them went in. The inspector shut the door and turned around, leaning on it. “Miss Van der Hoven,” he said, “I believe there is something you need to tell me.”

“Do you mean about my uncle?” asked Gretchen, sighing. “Yes, Madame Koska told me last night that you might be interested in his opium habit. He goes to a place by the river where many well-known people go to smoke opium. This is so disturbing. I imagine you know this place, don’t you, Inspector?”

“I may, if I were sure where it was,” said the inspector. “But that is not what I mean. I am talking about the fact that your uncle and aunt have left home to go to Paris on urgent business.”

“What?” said Gretchen, “left home? No, no. They did not go anywhere, it was me. I went yesterday to stay with my friend at our neighbours’ estate. She is home for a few days and called me last night to invite me. I asked my aunt and she said I could certainly go, on a lark, why not? So I took just a few things and went there. I’ll be returning home after the weekend.”

“If you return home after the weekend, Miss Van der Hoven, you will find everything covered in white dust sheets,” said the inspector. “Your aunt and uncle seemed to have been in a great hurry if they did not inform you.”

“But that is impossible! What about the Misses Plimpton-Anderson?” asked Gretchen. “They were right there when I left and expected to be there when I came back. They did not say goodbye to me as if they were about to depart.”

“They must have left after you did, then,” said the inspector.

“I am completely confused, Inspector,” said Gretchen. “Why would they do such a thing?”

“I have no idea,” said the inspector. “I was hoping you could enlighten me.”

“All I know is what you just told me, Inspector. This is just too strange… and what am I to do? I can’t stay at my friend’s home forever. Honestly, I don’t understand what they were thinking. They could have at least sent me a message!”

Madame Koska said nothing during the entire conversation. She felt Gretchen was telling the truth, strange as the story sounded. She also had an uncomfortable sensation that Gretchen was not safe at the friend’s house. It was rather a strange coincidence that they would conveniently invite the girl to stay with them just as her uncle was planning to escape. No, it was too convenient. Who knows what connection the friends had with the opium den, or with the gang, or with the theft of the brooch?

“Inspector,” she said. “I don’t think Gretchen is safe vhere she is.”

“I was about to say the exact same thing, Madame Koska,” said the inspector.

“Not safe?” asked Gretchen. “From what?”

“I don’t trust your uncle’s friends,” said Inspector Blount. “The neat way in which you were cleared out of the way before your uncle’s departure does not bode well.” Gretchen said nothing but looked extremely scared; her golden skin turned sickly pale and her eyes were full of fear.

“Do you have a friend in the city you can stay with?” asked the inspector.

“She can stay with me,” said Madame Koska. “I have an extra bedroom, and ve can send someone to get your clothes, or anything else you need from the house, Miss Van der Hoven.”

“Thank you, Madame Koska,” said Gretchen very meekly.

“Don’t vorry, my dear,” said Madame Koska. “You vill be safe in my apartment, and I am sure vithin a few days everything vill fall into place. Can you send someone to the neighbours’ estate to get her things, Inspector? It might be a bit awkvard for me to show them I know they are under investigation. Then ve’ll call the servants at the house, and Miss Van der Hoven can tell them vhat she vants them to send. I don’t think she should go there at all.”

“Certainly,” said the inspector. “I will be sending someone to question the neighbours right away, anyway, if you will just give me their name and address, Miss Van der Hoven. My man will bring your things. You can go back to work now, everything will be fine.” Gretchen left the room quietly.

“I did not expect Mr. Howard to be involved,” said the inspector, closing the door carefully behind Gretchen’s retreating back. “He has such a respectable reputation. Who would have suspected he takes opium?”

“I never quite trusted him, Inspector,” said Madame Koska. “Vhen I visited them, ve had a short conversation at dinner about the stolen brooch. Mr. Howard vas abrupt about it, almost rude; he refused to discuss it.”

“So you think he is involved with the theft?” asked the inspector, surprised.

“No, not actively involved, but I think he knows something about it,” said Madame Koska.

“We may find out more about it after questioning the neighbours, or we may not,” said the inspector. “But one thing is clear—I must visit the opium den. Yes, I know which one the girl was talking about. It’s a place we usually don’t bother since important people go there. But I might ask someone to inquire discreetly before I move in with full force.”

“Someone I know?” asked Madame Koska and smiled.

“Perhaps,” said the inspector, smiling back.

“He is going to be here any minute,” said Madame Koska. “Today is one of the times he comes over to teach me.”

“That is quite convenient,” said the inspector.

“I vill get us some coffee and ve can talk,” said Madame Koska. At this moment Mr. Korolenko came in, and stopped to say hello to Gretchen. Before she could say anything, the inspector was out of Madame Koska’s office and by his side. “Come inside, Korolenko,” he said quickly. Mr. Korolenko quietly followed him.

After hearing the story from Inspector Blount, Mr. Korolenko was deep in thought for a few minutes. “I am not sure it’s a good idea,” he finally said. “I mean, keeping Gretchen with you, Madame Koska.”

“Why is that?” asked the inspector.

“It might endanger Madame Koska, since I am certain Gretchen is followed. Something is sure to happen soon,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But I don’t have another solution to offer.”

“I will place quite enough people around the area,” said Inspector Blount, sipping his coffee.

“But in the apartment, they will be alone,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Do you know how to use a handgun, Madame Koska?”

“Yes, I do. A long time ago, my husband taught me how to use it. He felt everyone should be able to defend themselves. He vas quite good at it.”

“Do you have one?”

“No,” said Madame Koska. “I am afraid I don’t. My husband took his handgun with him when he vanished.”

“I’ll get you a small one,” said Inspector Blount. “And we’ll go over the details to refresh your memory.”

“Thank you,” said Madame Koska. “I hope I von’t have to use it.”

“So do I,” said Mr. Korolenko, “but one never knows what could happen. Keep it in your handbag all the time, just in case, and keep the handbag close to you. It looks natural enough for a lady to keep her handbag close by.”

“I do anyway,” said Madame Koska. “My keys, my makeup, a torch, it’s important to have it on hand.”

“And now, “said the inspector, “I’d like a word with Miss Saltykov.”

“Is there anything new she is connected with?” asked Madame Koska.

“No. I only want to inquire about the box of ironing cloths.”

“Very vell,” said Madame Koska. “I vill go and bring her over.”

As they entered the room, the inspector said, “No, I needed to see Miss Salt… Oh, sorry, you are Miss Saltykov! You look different… I did not recognise you for a minute.”

Natalya smiled and sat down without being asked. She was wearing the blue smock which brought out her eyes, and they looked bright and beautiful even when not surrounded with kohl and Rimmel. Madame Koska noticed with great satisfaction that Natalya, who unless working always sat nervously on the edge of her chair, now leaned back into the seat and crossed her ankles in a most ladylike pose. She wore nice low-heeled shoes made of soft black leather, one of the two pairs Madame Koska had brought her.

“She is vearing a different hair-do, Inspector,” she volunteered. “That is vhy she looks different.”

“Oh, I see,” said the inspector. “I am not too familiar with such things, not being a married man. You look very nice, Miss Saltykov.” Natalya acknowledged the compliment with a smile and did not say anything. Mr. Korolenko, who grasped the nature of Natalya’s transformation immediately, passed his hand over his face to hide his own smile and glanced at Madame Koska who pretended not to notice.

“I wanted to ask you a couple more questions about the night of the attack on Madame Koska,” said the inspector, regaining his business image and pulling out his notebook.

“Yes, Inspector,” said Natalya.

“I have spoken to the man who sold you the ironing cloths, and everything about your time frame, the way you described it, was correct. One of my men found the box, as you know. I just wanted to ask you if you opened the box at any time during the evening, before or after you saw Madame Koska on the floor.”

“No, Inspector. I believe I dropped the box and never thought of it again,” said Natalya.

“So why was the box open when we found it a little later?” asked the inspector.

“I don’t know,” said Natalya calmly. “Perhaps during the confusion, someone wanted to put a cool wet rag on Madame Koska’s forehead, to relieve her dizziness?”

“Could be,” said the inspector. “But it could also have been used to put the surgical ether on it and press it into her face.”

The old Natalya would have shrivelled before this attack. The new Natalya shrugged and said, “Inspector, I believe you are trying to frighten me into some admission or other. I have nothing to say. You know perfectly well that I could not obtain surgical ether, I have no connection to any doctor or surgeon.”

“Very well, Miss Saltykov,” said the inspector. “Thank you very much for your help. You can go back to work now.”

When the door was closed behind Natalya, the inspector said, “She is different, entirely different. It’s not just the hair-do, it’s her entire attitude.”

“I supposed she got tired of being bullied by you, Inspector,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“I am only doing my job,” said the inspector defensively. Mr. Korolenko laughed and said, “She will make you change your ways, I suspect.”

“Whatever do you mean, Korolenko?” asked the inspector with some irritation.

“Beware the wrath of a Russian noblewoman,” said Mr. Korolenko. “They have the very devil of a pride.”

The inspector laughed. “I am sure of it,” he said. “But if she is innocent, she has nothing to worry about. We are very careful of such matters here.”

“I hope she won’t hold it against you when you find the real culprit,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It would be a pity, such an attractive and accomplished lady.”

“She did look very nice,” said the inspector thoughtfully. “I can never understand women. If she can look like that, why did she look like a rabbit all this time?”

“Good question,” said Madame Koska.

At night, Madame Koska made Gretchen comfortable, and the girl was sleeping peacefully, but Madame Koska was wide awake well into the night. She sat on the sofa in her drawing room, trying to read but unable to concentrate, and kept her handbag by her side. Every little sound made her jump and she despised herself for her nervousness but could not control it. During the afternoon, Inspector Blount had come back with a small handgun, gone over the mechanics with her to make sure there would be no mishap, and left. And now it was tucked under a lace handkerchief in Madame Koska’s handbag, and she felt slightly, but not entirely, reassured by its presence. She wondered if a glass of warm milk would help her settle into sleep, when suddenly she heard Gretchen crying. The poor girl, she thought, and went to knock on her door. “Come in,” she heard Gretchen saying, half sobbing.

“Vhat is it, my dear?” asked Madame Koska, and sat on the edge of the bed.

“How could they leave me like this?” said Gretchen, wiping her eyes. “I never had a mother… then Father disappeared… I thought my uncle and aunt loved me, and instead they have abandoned me.”

“Yes, it’s very hard, Gretchen,” said Madame Koska. “But they may have had no choice. I am sure they do love you.”

“But to go away just like that, not even leaving me a note, is so harsh.”

“They may have been afraid of the Eurasian gang, I suspect,” said Madame Koska.

“Perhaps… but just because they had a reason does not make it less painful…”

Madame Koska stroked the girl’s hair. No, abandonment was always painful, whatever the cause. She knew that.

“You are now an adult,” she said gently. “Such disappointments are part of life.”

“But do they always happen? With everyone?”

“No, of course not, some people vill alvays remain loyal. Try to bear it by giving them the benefit of the doubt. An explanation may be forthcoming soon. Try to sleep.”

“I will,” said Gretchen. “I am so tired. Yes, maybe we’ll hear from them soon…” her eyes were closing with fatigue, and Madame Koska quietly left the room.

In the morning, when Madame Koska entered her office, she cried out with dismay. The safe had been opened during the night and its door was ajar.

“Not again,” she sighed. “Gretchen, vould you call Inspector Blount, please? Tell him there vas another break-in, and the safe is opened. I am not touching it until he comes over.”

The inspector, accompanied by two police officers, came very quickly. Using a pencil, he pushed the safe’s door open.

“Please see what is missing, Madame Koska,” said the inspector.

“Inspector, I don’t think anything vould be missing. All I had there vere a few receipts and bills. You see, before I vent to my veekend at the Howards, I took all the important contents and put them in Madame Golitsyn’s safe, just to be careful.”

“Do you remember exactly what you put in her safe?”

“Yes. There was some cash, which I kept aside for emergencies, a few contracts with clients who had really large orders, some bills from suppliers, and an envelope full of old papers I brought from Paris.”

“And what is in this envelope?”

“You know, I haven’t looked at it for years, I am not entirely sure. It’s the odd things everyone has from the past and never throws avay but never looks at, either. My marriage records might be there, perhaps some business material that belonged to my husband. But vhy do you even mention them?”

“Because I think perhaps some significant papers might be there. You have been targeted several times, Madame Koska. Someone is searching for something. It may be the brooch, but it may also be something entirely different. A document may be what they are after.”

“You are more than velcome to see the contents. They vill be mostly in French and Russian.”

“That’s okay. I am going to bring Korolenko with us and let him handle the translations.”

“Certainly, if you vish, but Madame Golitsyn and I could help you vith translations.”

“No, Madame Koska. I would rather have Mr. Korolenko help us.”

“Vhy is that?”

“I do not wish to be unpleasant, but I do not trust Madame Golitsyn as much as I trust Mr. Korolenko.”

“You suspect Madame Golitsyn? Why?”

“I don’t suspect her of anything specific, Madame Koska, and I realise she is your dear friend, but I have not known her very long or worked with her before. I know very little about her past, other than she is a noblewoman and used to be quite wealthy. None of that is a guarantee of innocence. Remember, too, that she spent time in Constantinople, where the Eurasian gang operates regularly.”

“Very vell,” said Madame Koska coldly. “Mr. Korolenko is also velcome to look at the contents. Let us call both of them.”

“Thank you. And in the meantime, I’ll have my officers look around and see if they can find any clues to this latest break-in.”

Madame Golitsyn opened her safe and handed all the papers to Madame Koska, then sat down at a little distance. Madame Koska set the papers on the table, and from among them fished out an old, well-stuffed large envelope. She pulled out the wad of old papers and put them down. “You may go through it, Inspector,” she said, and then retreated and sat by Madame Golitsyn, quietly putting a cigarette in a holder and lighting it. Mr. Korolenko looked at the papers, one by one. He sat with his back to them, so the ladies could not see it when he slipped a piece of paper into his pocket. The inspector, who was not well versed in French or Russian, waited by the window and therefore did not notice either.

“I am afraid there is nothing there that would help in the investigation,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It’s basically just business papers from the past, from the Paris atelier.”

“It was worth a try,” said Madame Golitsyn graciously. “There could have been something there that would shed some light on the issues at hand.”

“So we are back where we started,” said the inspector. “What were the burglars looking for?”

“The brooch,” said Madame Koska. “Someone is convinced that I have the brooch and that I am stupid enough to keep it in my safe. It has to be the brooch since how can anyone connect me to the Eurasian gang or the opium trade?”

“There have been cases where jewellery or other valuables were smuggled in bolts of silk from the Orient,” said the inspector.

“But I bought all my fabrics in London ever since I came here,” said Madame Koska. “I have nothing delivered as bolts. Just enough materials as needed for the dresses. The accessories from Paris were unpacked by the seamstresses, who would certainly notice a large piece of jewellery.”

“As I said, we are back to square one,” said the inspector, and sighed. Mr. Korolenko did not mention the piece of paper he put in his pocket, and the two gentlemen left, refusing the offer of a cup of tea.

Thirteen

Gretchen burst into Madame Koska’s office with barely a knock on the door. “Miss Plimpton-Anderson is on the telephone, Madame Koska,” she blurted. “She wants to come to her appointment! They are in London! I said nothing about my uncle or anything else, only that I must ask you.”

“That is really strange,” said Madame Koska, surprised. “Vell, just tell her they can come tomorrow morning. I’ll alert Inspector Blount.”

Could it be that the sisters were not implicated at all? Would they dare to come, if they were involved? Madame Koska shook her head and dialled the inspector’s number, and the inspector, also sounding rather surprised, said he would have them watched. Madame Koska went to Gretchen’s desk and said, “The inspector is ready. The truth is, ve don’t know if they are involved or not. However, if they ask you to go out vith them for luncheon or tea, then it vill be certain they have some bad intentions. You should not go out vith them.”

“I would not dare, Madame Koska,” said Gretchen. “I am not moving from the house.”

“I vill tell them you are needed here because Lady Victoria is coming to pick up her dress, and you have to model for her. It’s true, anyvay, she is coming tomorrow, though of course she vill try the dress on herself, you von’t have to model. However, the sisters don’t know that.”

The next morning the sisters walked in, looking as silly and juvenile as always. They stopped at Gretchen’s desk and the elder said, “Did you hear anything from your uncle and aunt, dear? I wonder how much shopping your aunt has already done in Paris!”

“No,” said Gretchen, admirably controlled. “But I thought you went home, that was what the servants told me.”

“Oh, no, they were mistaken,” said the younger sister. “We are staying with an old school friend, you might know her, Miss Grimsby. She insisted we stay with her until the dresses were ready… she just wants to snoop, but we don’t mind.”

“Yes, I remember Miss Grimsby,” said Gretchen. “You brought her to my uncle and aunt’s party a few months ago.”

“Yes, that’s the one. She will be so jealous over the Russian-style clothes,” giggled the older sister. “I can’t wait to see her face when we show her the outfits!” Madame Koska came to greet them and took them inside to discuss the clothes.

Raving over the colours and the designs, the sisters seemed entirely preoccupied with the outfits. When they were done, they left the premises in the most normal fashion, saying a cheerful goodbye to Gretchen and inviting her to come and stay at their home when they got back there. They did not try to ask her out with them and Madame Koska erased them from her list of suspects.

Lady Victoria came to pick up her dress and was enchanted with its beauty. She put it on and as Madame Koska expected, the dark crimson brought out her dark hair and pale skin to perfection. But what Lady Victoria was most amazed by was the beauty of the beading and embroidery on the panels of the bodice. “I have never seen such workmanship,” she said when she put on her street clothes and examined her new dress closely.

“It vas done by my chief beader, Miss Saltykov,” said Madame Koska. “She had learned the trade as a child, in Russia.”

“Miss Saltykov?” asked Lady Victoria. “This is odd. When my husband and I stayed for a while in Saint Petersburg, before the Revolution, I met a lady by the name of Countess Saltykov. She was also an extremely talented craftswoman and embroidery was her hobby. We were very friendly, and before I left, she gave me an embroidered handkerchief as a token; I still treasure it. I lost track of her after the Revolution. What a strange coincidence.”

“Not a coincidence at all, Lady Victoria. It’s the same voman.”

“Countess Natalya Saltykov works as a beader?”

“Most of them lost everything, Lady Victoria. They have to vork.”

“Yes, naturally… may I see her?”

Madame Koska brought Natalya in, telling her that an old friend wanted to thank her for her work. Natalya walked in and when she saw Lady Victoria, she smiled, slightly sheepishly and looking a little guilty.

“My dear Natalya, why didn’t you tell me you were in London?” asked Lady Victoria, after embracing her warmly.

“I know… I did feel terrible about it but I did not want you to think that after losing everything I was looking for favours, Victoria,” said Natalya. “I was going to wait until I was more established and then I would have written to you.”

“That is nonsense! Anyway, now I found you. How is your charming father?”

“Quite well, he is working with Aunt Anna. We are all working, and very happy to be safe in London.”

“You will come to visit, bring the family, and no more silliness about it,” said Lady Victoria firmly.

“I promise,” said Natalya. Lady Victoria prepared to leave after pushing her card into Natalya’s hand and hugging her again. “What a dress you made for me, darling,” she said.

“You remember how I loved doing beading and pearl embroidery? And since Madame Koska so generously offered me the job, why not put it to use now and make a new life using my skills?”

“Absolutely true,” said Lady Victoria.

“And I am teaching all the other women some of the old styles,” said Natalya. “Soon they will all be better than I am.”

“I doubt that,” said Madame Koska, “but even if they are half as good, ve vill soon be the best atelier in London for beading and embroidery.”

“And with your wonderful dress designs, Madame Koska, it will be even better than the Paris houses,” said Lady Victoria. “I am enchanted with the dress.”

“You will be the belle of the ball,” said Natalya, laughing. “But then you always are!” Lady Victoria left, laughing as well, and Madame Koska was delighted to see how far Natalya had advanced in shedding her timidity and pain. This newly discovered friend would help to continue the process of getting Natalya out of her shell, she hoped.

“I will go to Aunt Anna after work,” said Natalya. “She will be delighted that Victoria and I met here.”

“You knew it vas her all along, didn’t you,” said Madame Koska, smiling.

“Oh, yes, but I was waiting to write to her until the police and robberies and all that is over,” said Natalya.

“Quite reasonable,” Madame Koska agreed. “But I am sure it is going to be resolved very soon.”

“I wish Inspector Blount would be quicker about it,” said Natalya. “He is not proceeding very well.”

“I am sure he is doing his best,” said Madame Koska. “By the vay, he seems to like you. And he is a very nice man.”

“Like me? To me it seems he is constantly trying to intimidate me,” said Natalya.

“To me it seems you intimidate him, dear,” said Madame Koska. Natalya laughed but did not deny the allegation.

The day passed quickly, as it always did in the busy atelier, and when the time came for the seamstresses to leave, Madame Koska said to Gretchen, “Vhy don’t you go upstairs and rest for a few minutes. I’ll just put avay the papers and bills, and file Lady Victoria’s order. Then ve must have some dinner and try to have an early night.”

“Yes, indeed,” said Gretchen. “I keep waiting for something to happen and it’s exhausting. At least I think we don’t have to worry about the sisters anymore.” She took her things and left. Madame Koska put away all the bills, orders, and other papers, filed Lady Victoria’s order, and decided to call it a night and go upstairs.

As she opened the front door, a man stepped forward, holding a gun. “Please stop, Madame Koska. I will not hesitate to shoot.”

Madame Koska stopped and nodded. “May I ask who you are?” she said.

“I work for the Eurasian company that Mr. Howard is involved with,” said the Man. “Miss Van der Hoven knows me. I met her on her way when she came to London.”

“I see,” said Madame Koska. This had to be the man who threatened Gretchen and forced her to take a job at the atelier, she thought. “So vhy are you pointing a gun at me, and vhat is it that you vant from me?”

“Because you must come with me; there is someone who wishes to speak to you.”

“Who vants to see me?” asked Madame Koska.

“I cannot tell you right now, but you will soon find out,” said the man.

“But don’t you realise that as soon as the police officers across the street see us, they vill do something about it?” asked Madame Koska.

“We are not going through the front,” said the man. “We are going to get back into the atelier, go to the room that looks over the courtyard, and go out through the window. There is a ladder leaning against it for your convenience.”

“But there is a police officer stationed there as vell,” said Madame Koska.

“We have taken care of him,” said the man.

“You killed him?” said Madame Koska, horrified.

“No, no. Killing a police officer in England would be too conspicuous. It would bring the entire force against us and much unwanted publicity. We have just given him a drug that would make him sleep for a few hours.”

“Like vhat you gave me during the robbery?”

“A bit stronger, I am afraid. We must go now.”

They entered the atelier. The man seemed to know the exact layout of the place and they went together to Natalya’s little ironing room at the back. While constantly pointing the gun at Madame Koska, the man walked to the window and opened it. Madame Koska eyed the window with discomfort. How was she supposed to climb through it? The man, as if reading her thoughts, dragged a chair to the window and said, “I suggest you take off your shoes and throw them out of the window. We’ll pick them up when we reach the ground.” Madame Koska shrugged, knowing that she had no choice. She slipped her bag over her arm, removed her shoes and threw them out of the window, climbed on the chair, lifted her skirt just a little, and managed to get out of the window, if a bit clumsily, and onto the ladder that leaned against it. Reaching the bottom of the ladder, she blessed the atelier for being only one floor above ground, found her shoes, and put them on.

The man led her through a dark alley, and into a quiet street. A car stood there, with the driver waiting and the motor running. The man motioned her to get into the back seat, sat next to her, and the driver, who did not turn around, took off immediately. They drove for a while until they reached an area that was near the river. It was hidden in the darkness, but Madame Koska heard the splashing of water. The car stopped in front of a small house, from which came strains of music, unexpected in such a dark and unpleasant neighbourhood. The man opened the door for her, and led her inside.

Entering the house, Madame Koska was surprised by its ordinary, even cheerful, appearance. It seemed to be a regular night club, crowded with nicely dressed men and women who were having drinks and listening to a singer and a small band. On the side there was a dance floor, and a few couples were dancing. “Go on,” said the man quietly, standing close behind Madame Koska and pushing the gun into the small of her back.

“Vhere to?” asked Madame Koska.

“Look to the right,” said the man. “You will see a red curtain. It hides an open door. Just push it and go through.”

Doing as she was told, Madame Koska passed through the curtain into what seemed to be a totally different world, only vaguely connected to the other room by the muffled sounds of the singer’s voice. The room was in half darkness, but she could clearly see that several divans were arranged around the room along the walls. Two long divans stood in the middle of the room, dividing it in half. A number of men reclined on the divans, smoking a substance that smelled strong and sweet. The scent made Madame Koska clear her throat and cough, but no one paid any attention to her; the smokers were isolated in their own world. So this had to be the opium den by the river, thought Madame Koska, disgusted. This is where Mr. Howard would go… how dreadful. But why would they bring her here? What did she have to do with an opium den? She did not have time to ponder, because the man was leading her through the room into another one, a small room that was also in half-darkness. By then, however, her eyes began to adjust and she could see that the room was crowded with furniture, a big desk with a chair, a couch, and some armchairs.

“Please sit down, Madame Koska,” the man said. “I will have to leave you here for a few minutes, to tell the person who wishes to see you that we have arrived. Do not try to leave the room. There will be a guard outside the door, and as you can see, there are no windows. So please just wait a few minutes.”

Madame Koska sat on the couch. She did not have to wait long since in a few minutes she heard voices outside the door. The man’s voice was saying, “No, no trouble at all. The officers in the front saw nothing. The one in the back passed out cold, but he is not hurt.”

“Are you sure?” said another voice. “If a police officer was killed, I will be very displeased.” Madame Koska froze, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. She felt the blood rushing to her head, then abruptly draining, leaving her cold and shaky. She was sure she was about to faint or go into hysterics, and her shaking was so strong she almost dropped her handbag. And just as suddenly she prevailed and felt a complete, total calm envelop her, as if she stood in the eye of a hurricane. She took the gun out of her handbag and cocked it. Then she got up, stood behind the couch, and waited.

“I assure you, sir. He will be fine in a few hours. We placed him against the wall of the house; he will wake up with only a bit of a headache.”

“Very well,” said the other voice. “And are you certain no one followed you?”

“I am certain.”

“Well done. I will go and talk to Madame Koska now. Don’t let anyone disturb us until I call you. No one should walk into this room no matter what.”

“Yes, sir. I will inform the guard.”

Slowly, the door opened and a tall man entered the room, closed the door behind him, and turned toward her. Even in the semi-darkness she could see his clear, bright blue eyes.

“Hello, Grigory,” Madame Koska said in a very quiet and steady voice, and pointed the gun at him.

Grigory raised his hands slowly, saying nothing. Suddenly he laughed. “How lovely to see you again, chérie,” he said in French.

“Thank you,” said Madame Koska, also in French.

“How did you know it was me, Vera? After all, I did make a death certificate, quite authentic, too.”

“I did not know until I heard you outside the door,” said Madame Koska. “However, I never really believed the death certificate was legitimate.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I knew your name is not Koska. The death certificate was under that name.”

“I could not really have it done under any other name,” said Grigory. “That is the name everyone associates me with.”

“So you are really involved in crimes,” said Madame Koska.

“Yes, I am,” said Grigory. “No point in denying it.”

“Are you behind the disappearance of the brooch?” asked Madame Koska.

“Yes, I stole it from the museum. There is a buyer for it, wealthy beyond belief. This should be my last job.”

“And you are connected with this Eurasian crime ring.”

“Yes, I am. Actually, they are my ring; I have been heading the crime ring for years.”

“Even during our marriage?”

“Yes, of course. I built the ring long before we met. Do you remember how much I was travelling?”

“Yes, but I believed you travelled on the atelier’s business. Of course you could have done both.”

“That is exactly what I did.”

“But the brooch, Grigory. What did you do with it?”

“I hid it in your atelier among all the beads and pearls, planning to retrieve it. But when my people broke in, and searched the atelier, it was not there. Then when I went there, you know, when I drugged you with the ether, I could not find it either.”

Madame Koska stood very still. “You put it into the mix of beads and pearls? And then it vanished? Are you absolutely sure? Because…” She stopped talking and gasped at a sudden epiphany; she knew exactly what happened to the brooch, but her husband must not suspect… it could lead to a disaster.

It passed in her thoughts in an instant and Grigory did not notice anything. “Yes, no one knows what happened to it. But I am sure I can find it. You must help me, Vera.”

“I will not,” said Madame Koska.

Grigory looked at her quietly. “I should have brought a gun with me… but I never thought you would be armed.”

“You taught me how to use a handgun, remember?” said Madame Koska.

Grigory laughed. “Yes, of course I do… but not against me. Why don’t you let me go before everyone comes, Vera? You know you could not bring yourself to kill me.”

“I think I could, Grigory. I really think it would not be too hard, after what you have done to me, leaving me to the wolves after your disappearance.”

“But you did well, Vera. And I knew you were strong enough to do it.”

“You could not know in advance, and since you did it to me, I know you did not care about me. I assumed you escaped with a mistress.”

“Not care about you? A mistress? Vera, you were the love of my life. There had never been another woman. But I had to leave Paris or I would have been put in jail for life, or even executed.”

“What will you do if I let you go?”

“I will resume my search for the brooch. And I will find it, I always do.”

“And after you sell it?”

“I will leave Europe permanently and go to Polynesia, where life is simple and enjoyable. Why not come with me, Vera? Let’s retire in style, live the rest of our lives in total luxury. Come with me, my dear. Let’s resume our life together and be happy. I missed you, Vera”

“And live as fugitives from the law, with the police one step behind us? No, Grigory. Besides, I will never trust you again. We are going to wait here until the police arrive.”

“I could scream for the man stationed outside,” said Grigory.

“I will shoot as soon as you scream,” said Madame Koska.

“You know you still love me, Vera. Why are you being foolish? Who is hurt by our taking the brooch? It was stolen by the Bolsheviks anyway!” He started walking slowly towards her.

“Stop, Grigory. If you come any nearer, I will shoot you,” said Madame Koska. “And since you taught me, you know I can shoot pretty well from such a close distance.”

“But if you won’t come with me willingly, my dear, you leave me no choice,” said Grigory and continued to advance towards her. Madame Koska retreated but after a step or two her back touched the wall.

“Don’t come any closer, Grigory. I would much rather not hurt you,” she said.

Grigory’s blue eyes blazed in the darkness. “You cannot hurt me, my dear. You simply cannot shoot me… give me the gun, just hand it over, and all will be well…” His voice had a hypnotic quality. Madame Koska felt she could not speak.

“Just hand it over, chérie. You don’t have to worry about a thing…” he edged toward her. Madame Koska saw him raising his hands and she knew, with complete clarity, that he meant to strangle her. She fired the gun and in what seemed too slow to be real, she saw Grigory sink to the floor.

At this moment Mr. Korolenko burst through the door, holding a gun of his own.

Madame Koska stood paralysed, with her arm still stretched ahead of her. Mr. Korolenko put his gun in his pocket, approached her, and gently took the gun from her hand. Her arm dropped and she could not move or say a word.

Grigory opened his eyes and looked at Mr. Korolenko. “Dmitri, old friend,” he said.

“Yes, Grigory. I am sorry it had come to that,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“Dmitri, push me so I can sit up against the desk,” said Grigory. “I am finding it hard to breathe.”

Mr. Korolenko hesitated for a few seconds, looking at the wounded man. He shrugged, bent over and gently helped Grigory to sit up, then quickly jumped back. Grigory smiled weakly and said, “I would not hurt you, Dmitri.”

“You would hurt anyone who is in your way, Grigory,” said Mr. Korolenko. “We can be your friends, even your wife, and you would still hurt us. But go ahead, do what you have to do. It’s better than the alternative.”

Grigory raised his hand and touched something under the desk. A large trapdoor opened under it and both the desk and Grigory fell through it. Madame Koska heard a strong splash of water and then silence.

The shock freed her from her paralysis. “He is gone,” she whispered. “I shot him.”

“Good work,” said Mr. Korolenko. He took her in his arms and held her close, very calmly, until she stopped shaking. When he sensed that she was more in control, he let her go and helped her sit on the couch.

“It’s all right,” he said, sitting down next to her. “It’s all over now. You are safe.”

“How could I shoot him? How could I kill Grigory?” Her voice showed she was still near a hysterical reaction.

“Because he was about to kill you, Madame Koska,” said Mr. Korolenko. “You had no choice.”

Madame Koska shuddered violently. “Yes, I think he was,” she said. “He was perfectly capable of killing me. He tried to hypnotise me to give him my gun, and I think he meant to strangle me.”

“Yes, since he had no weapon, he would consider that.”

“But why would he kill me? He could have dropped himself through the trapdoor and disappear. Why strangle me?”

“Because you knew too much. You could help the police with so many details about the past and the present. He could not afford to let you live—unless you consented to help him, which I am sure he tried to make you do.”

“Yes, he said he still loved me, and wanted me to go away with him to Polynesia.”

“He might have loved you in his own way, Madame Koska, but he was a ruthless man and the life and death of anyone meant little to him.”

“Is he dead, do you think?”

“We have no way of knowing,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But I certainly hope he is, and I can’t imagine a man who was so badly wounded would survive the fall into the river. The police will look for his body.”

“But what will the police say about my shooting him?” asked Madame Koska, suddenly aware that she might be in more trouble.

“The police will be perfectly satisfied that you shot in self-defence.”

“How do you know?” asked Madame Koska “What makes you think they will believe me?”

“Because I am the police,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“You are what?”

“I have been doing police work in England for some years,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Special assignments. Plain clothes.”

Madam Koska shook her head. “I suspected it once momentarily, but it did not make sense and I dismissed the idea.”

“Of course it did not make sense, since you believed I was engaged in some dishonest work. But that was perfectly all right since I did not want you to know until we resolved this crime.”

“You knew about his real identity, somehow, didn’t you?”

“I suspected it, but I got my proof when we were looking through the papers in the envelope you left with Madame Golitsyn. I saw a very old letter there, just a note, really, signed Grigory Orlov, and I took it to make sure and read it carefully. He obviously never knew it was left around, and you didn’t know because you could not read Russian at the time.”

“I saw his passport once, but I did not remember his name was Orlov.”

“Because it was written in the Cyrillic alphabet. Later, I’ll show you how it looks, when we get some better light. I am sure it will look familiar.”

“You knew about the trap door, and let him go,” said Madame Koska. “I am glad of it.”

“I was not sure about it, but it’s a commonplace escape route in these dens by the river, and I assumed it was his way out. There was no point in preventing it.”

“I agree. But how did you know I was here?” asked Madame Koska.

“I heard it from Gretchen. When she went upstairs, she sat on the couch with a book to wait for you, and being tired from all the excitement, fell asleep. About an hour later, Madame Golitsyn called you. She had been uncomfortable and worried about you and Gretchen and wanted to see if you were safe. Natalya was with her that night, and when Gretchen woke up to answer the phone, and the three of them realised that you were seriously delayed, they called Inspector Blount and me and then rushed to the apartment. Madame Golitsyn and Natalya wanted to sit up and wait with Gretchen and to hear what happened to you as soon as possible.”

“And what about Gretchen’s father?”

“He is right here. They kept him here all this time.”

“Is he well?”

“Yes, they did not hurt him. We must leave now, and let the officers continue with their massive arrests. I’ll tell Blount to join us at your apartment as soon as he can. There are several police cars out in front of the house, we’ll use one and take you home.”

“Thank you, yes, I want to see the ladies as soon as possible… they must be terribly worried.”

“Before we leave, Madame Koska, I must say that you look—”

“Of course I look dishevelled, Mr. Korolenko. I mean, look what I have just been through. I apologise for looking like a mess.”

“I meant to say that you look extremely beautiful when you are just a little less perfectly groomed and your hair is down, Madame Koska.”

“Oh,” said Madame Koska, not sure how to react. “Thank you, Mr. Korolenko.”

They went through the opium room and the night club, moving through a pandemonium of police officers, half-dazed smokers, and elegantly dressed people in a state of panic. Passing by the inspector, Mr. Korolenko said, “I am taking Madame Koska home. Please come as soon as possible.” They entered one of the police cars that were parked in the front, and Mr. Korolenko gave the address to the driver.

“What I would like to understand,” said Madame Koska, “is how Grigory and you knew each other, Mr. Korolenko, and why an Orlov would become a jewel thief and a couturier.”

“He was a school friend. He was interested in the arts and took some lessons. I was interested in literature. We had so much in common that was good, but we both were thoughtless youths… When I was kicked out of the priesthood, Grigory was caught in a worse scandal—he was involved in a jewel theft on a large scale. I faced my disgrace and lived it down, but Grigory disappeared. No one knew where he went, not even his family.”

“But eventually you found out?” asked Madame Koska.

“Yes, through police work some hints came to me, and I know the story now. He came to Paris at age nineteen, in 1883, and since he needed to make a living, he decided to put his drawing talent to use. He was a talented child, and his parents allowed him the pleasure of studying with a famous art teacher in Saint Petersburg, by the name of Lovesky. Grigory always liked haute couture, and somehow, with the aid of his good looks and charm, he landed a minor job at the big, famous house of Worth. After some years there, having learned quite a bit and also created some good connections among the ladies who had their dresses made there, he opened his own establishment in 1899, at age thirty-five.”

“Yes, I know, we married soon after.”

“His atelier became successful, as you know, but he did not give up his jewel thefts, and at some point the police suspected that the respectable couturier was the notorious cat burglar. So he decided to embezzle his own atelier and disappear, leaving you to face the music.”

“So there was no reason, other than sheer greed,” said Madame Koska. “Still, I must remember he taught me all I know about my trade.”

“He financed the atelier, originally, by money he got from the thefts, but yes, try to remember the good things,” said Mr. Korolenko. “What’s the point of dwelling on painful experiences?”

“None whatsoever,” said Madame Koska. “I will try to remember that.”

Fourteen

Entering the flat and hugging her friends, crying and talking and explaining all at the same time, took a few minutes, and then Inspector Blount came in with a middle-aged man who seemed to be in good health and even well groomed. Gretchen jumped at him screaming with joy and crying. Mr. Korolenko and Inspector Blount waited until the commotion subsided.

“Inspector, Grigory Orlov is most likely dead,” said Mr. Korolenko. “After being shot, he triggered a trapdoor and fell into the water.” Madame Koska heard and joined them quickly.

“I’ll have the area searched, but it seems pretty sure he is dead if he was wounded and fell into the water,” said the inspector. “Did you shoot him?”

“No, inspector, I did,” said Madame Koska. “He threatened me and advanced toward me with the intent of strangling me.”

“I see,” said the inspector, visibly impressed. “Good work, good work… I sure am glad I got you the gun. Madame Koska, this is Mr. Van der Hoven.”

“Yes, I gathered that, looking at Gretchen. I am delighted to see they had not harmed you, Mr. Van der Hoven,” said Madame Koska. “We did not know you were alive.”

“They preferred to keep me alive,” said Mr. Van der Hoven. “I was useful to them, up to a point. But they wanted to know much more. And they kept threatening me. Orlov wanted to take over my entire business in Polynesia and China and discover secrets of my clients.”

“But what could you do while you were held?”

“They said they would release me only if Gretchen found the brooch for them.”

“Did Mr. Howard know?” asked Madame Koska.

“Yes, the poor fool. He was blackmailed by them; they were going to destroy his reputation and tell the world about his little opium habit.”

“He escaped to Paris, apparently,” said Mr. Korolenko.

“He’ll be back, but he really is not terribly important,” said Mr. Van der Hoven. “I wish my sister had married a better man, but he is not all bad. We’ll fix this little matter and get him back on track.”

“But I still don’t know the fate of the brooch,” said Inspector Blount. “I have to start looking for it all over again.”

“No, you don’t have to,” said Madame Koska.

“But Orlov was the only one who could really lead us to the stolen brooch,” said the Inspector. “And he is dead.”

“Not exactly,” said Madame Koska.

“Whatever do you mean?” said Mr. Korolenko.

“I mean that after hearing something Grigory said, I know precisely where the stolen brooch is located, and I can lead you directly to it.”

The inspector stared at her as if she had lost her mind. Everyone else stopped talking and looked at her too.

Madame Koska laughed. “I really know what happened, Inspector. I know where the brooch is. Let’s go to the atelier, right now, and we can end this business.”

The entire group went downstairs, and at the atelier, Madame Koska led them to the main sewing room, and took them to the wall where the three samplers made by Natalya were hanging.

“Look at this sampler, please,” she said, taking down the pearl embroidery sampler. They all crowded to look at it, and suddenly Mr. Korolenko burst out laughing.

“This is beyond belief,” he said. “It was hanging here all this time!”

“So you recognise it?” said Madame Koska. “Am I right?”

“No doubt whatsoever,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But how can it be? How did it happen?”

“Will someone explain to me what this sampler has to do with the brooch?” said the inspector irritably.”

“Inspector, when Grigory stole the brooch, he brought it to Paris, and then to London, intending to sell it to a buyer who wanted it. But he was afraid to keep it with him in London, since by then the theft was notorious and he could have been traced from Paris. He must have known that I opened an atelier here, and having been in the business with me, he expected me to deal with embroidered and beaded clothes. There would be no doubt in his mind that I would have many fake jewels in my cabinets, boxes, tables, everywhere. He entered the atelier at night and hid it in the box that contained combination beads—some of them with fake rubies surrounded by pearls, some with fake emeralds, and some with fake sapphires. The brooch, made of a real sapphire surrounded with pearls, could be easily missed among the fakes unless one knew a lot about jewellery. It was the perfect place to hide the valuable object in plain sight.”

“He did not expect anyone to find it?” asked the inspector.

“No, since the collection would not be worked on for a week or two, he had plenty of time to recover the brooch. But when he tried, it was not there.”

“So what happened?” asked Gretchen. “I always felt so guilty about my part in it…”

“I remember one morning Miss Saltykov and I were alone in the atelier. She was telling me about her idea of teaching the seamstresses better styles of embroidery and beading, and I told her to go to the sewing room and choose some beads to take home, since she wanted to work on the samplers after hours. I remember hearing her crying out about something, and when I asked her what was wrong, she said she just pricked her fingers. The reason I remember it is that I called the vendor to complain that they mixed pins with the beads and one of my seamstresses hurt her hands, and they assured me that this did not happen. So I assumed that the pin was dropped by one of my own people when they arranged the beads, and did not think about it until now.”

“So what really happened when Natalya cried out?” asked Madame Golitsyn, visibly worried.

“My dear, Miss Saltykov recognised the brooch immediately since she is a jewellery expert, from her old days at the court. No one else would… She took it, incorporated it into the sampler, and then framed it securely. No one noticed it; the brooch was hidden in plain sight.”

“Edgar Allen Poe again,” said Mr. Korolenko, laughing. “Why didn’t she tell you?”

Everyone looked at Natalya, but she remained quiet. Madame Koska suddenly noticed that Natalya had very little makeup left, and her hair was becoming loose; but she did not look upset or worried at all.

“But Miss Saltykov, you are not saying anything. Is this true?” said the inspector.

“Yes, Inspector, quite true,” said Natalya calmly.

“Miss Saltykov, why didn’t you inform the police, or at least tell Madame Koska that you found and took the brooch! This amounts to theft!”

Natalya got up in one quick motion, her hair becoming loose and the mane of ash blonde curls falling on her shoulders. She strode over to the inspector’s seat and stood very erect in front of him. He was so disconcerted he did not get up, but looked up to her face which showed intense anger.

“I could not steal something that belonged to me, Inspector,” she said in a low but clear voice.

“Belonged to you? The brooch is yours?”

“Yes, Inspector. The Tzarina gave me the brooch shortly before the Revolution. She said she wanted me to have it since it was a gift given to Catherine the Great by my ancestor who was her first lover and the father of her first child. I treasured it until these murderous peasants, the Bolsheviks, stole it. When I saw it among the beads in the atelier my heart nearly stopped…”

“But you said nothing about it. Why is that?” asked Madame Koska.

Natalya turned to her and smiled. “Because I thought you stole it, and hid it there deliberately, Madame Koska. I was worried you would be arrested, that you were desperate and did not know what to do with it. Therefore, I freely chose to give it to you. As I once told you, you have taken the Tzarina’s place in my heart. You gave me self-respect by allowing me decent employment, you transformed my looks, and most important, you began to free me from my fears. I wanted to save you from the results of what seemed to be a desperate act or a silly mistake. Even if you stole it, you are not a thief! I had the right to give you the brooch and I did so. There is no theft involved.”

“You did not try to take it with you after the Revolution?” asked Mr. Korolenko.

“No, I was one of the stupid ones who left their valuables in a bank safe. As you know, the smart ones hid them in their clothes, corsets, toys, plaster casts, ink pots… but I was so sure it would all return to normal. Stupid, stupid! Sometimes I hate myself for it.”

“Remember Countess Vera Lobanova-Rastovskaya, Mr. Korolenko?” asked Madame Golitsyn. “She succeeded in hiding many jewels in her thick hair. The auction, when she came to Paris, lasted six days.”

“I remember,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Yes, she hid them brilliantly. But don’t hate yourself about all that, Miss Saltykov. Many of us thought it would be over soon; it was natural to think so.”

“There was no need to be so secretive about it,” said the inspector.

“No? You might have arrested any of us. You hate the Russian nobility like all middle class people do.”

“Not at all,” said the inspector. “We have our own royalty and we love them. In the past we welcomed the French nobility who escaped the guillotine. These days we are more than happy to welcome the Russian nobility. And now that we have nothing to argue about, Miss Saltykov, and your innocence is established, I would like you to know that I personally welcome you to your new home.”

Natalya suddenly smiled at him, a very sweet smile. “Really, Inspector?” she said. “Why, thank you. I should have realised it…” and she sat down and crossed her ankles in her own ladylike way. Madame Koska and Madame Golitsyn exchanged a swift look that said “She is learning fast” and only Mr. Korolenko noticed the exchange between the ladies and smiled to himself.

“So what is going to happen to the brooch?” asked Madame Koska. “Can Miss Saltykov keep it?”

“I am afraid not,” said Mr. Korolenko. “The police will take it, and it will be months, if not years, before all the legal issues and the decision as to whom the brooch really belongs to is decided. It’s a politically charged subject.”

“I don’t mind,” said Natalya. “I wish Madame Koska could keep it, or sell it and invest in the atelier. As for me, I have freely given it up when I gave it to Madame Koska.”

“I say, this is a highly commendable attitude,” said the inspector. “We appreciate it.”

“I feel the time has come for me to give up the past anyway, Inspector,” said Natalya seriously. “The brooch belongs to a bygone age. I have started a whole new life.”

“I am happy to hear it,” said Madame Golitsyn. “We must adapt. Yes, we were nobility in Russia. But here we can be perfectly happy as middle class.”

“I am happy, Aunt Anna,” said Natalya. “I think I can get used to not being a countess, forget the Court, and live life as it is.”

“Miss Saltykov, we are now parting company, but I will always think of you as a countess,” said the inspector with unexpected gallantry.

“Parting company?” asked Natalya innocently. “Not at all. I am sure you will want me as witness, or whatever it is that is needed regarding the business of the brooch… and it will take a long time, as Mr. Korolenko said. I expect to see both of you again.”

“Yes, that is so, actually,” said the inspector, visibly cheered. “Well, it’s very late. I should be taking the two of you home, Madame Golitsyn. I hope you won’t mind riding in a police car.”

“Thank you,” said Madame Golitsyn. “Not a bit of it; we will like riding in it, won’t we, Natalya? It’s a new experience… My dearest Vera, I will sleep tonight, knowing you are safe. But what about Mr. Van der Hoven? Where do you plan to stay?”

“Tonight, at a good hotel,” said Mr. Van der Hoven. “Tomorrow, we should go home.”

“Home?” asked Madame Koska. “Where is it?”

“The house the Howards had occupied belongs to me, Madame Koska. I just lent it to them,” said Mr. Van der Hoven. “May I use your telephone? I’d like to call a hotel or two.”

“I am coming with you to the hotel,” said Gretchen, holding tightly to his arm. “I’ll never let you out of my sight again.” Mr. Van der Hoven laughed and patted her bright amber-coloured hair.

“Your daughter is wonderful, Mr. Van der Hoven. A perfect little vendeuse, did not even need training, and the most accomplished mannequin,” said Madame Koska.

“I will still come to work, Madame Koska, if father does not mind.”

“Until you go to university, my dear,” said Madame Koska.

“Yes, but when I am finished,” said Gretchen, “I will come back! I think the world of haute couture is more interesting than teaching…” Suddenly she gave Madame Koska a sly smile. “Madame Koska! I think your lessons with Mr. Korolenko really paid off. You are speaking with a much better accent, you are actually pronouncing the W!”

“How about that!” said Madame Koska calmly. “It must have been the shock that released me from the speech pattern. I heard such things happen after a shock. And indeed Mr. Korolenko is a splendid teacher, so I must have been ready for just such an event.”

“Yes indeed,” said Gretchen. “I did read about it in a very strange German book by Dr. Freud…”

Everyone left, and no one noticed that Mr. Korolenko remained sitting comfortably in his armchair, except Madame Koska.

“Mr. Korolenko, I think we deserve a glass of wine and some light supper,” said Madame Koska. “I never had any dinner, and I am sure you did not either.”

“That will be wonderful,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Indeed I have not had anything and it’s quite late.”

Madame Koska prepared a few sandwiches, poured the wine, and invited Mr. Korolenko to the table.

“And now,” said Madame Koska, as they were eating, “I can finally concentrate on the Mistral collection. I am free of the fear of someone breaking in any time.”

“You are free in every way, Madame Koska. It’s all over.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your husband is dead.”

“We are not entirely sure of that, Mr. Korolenko. Not unless they find his body.”

“He is dead for sure. But in the end, what difference does it make? You were never married to him; he was an Orlov, not a Koska, it was a sham. You are free either way, Vera.” He got up and took both her hands in his. “Won’t you ever allow yourself to love again?”

“Possibly, my dear Dmitri, quite possibly,” said Madame Koska; she did not pull her hands away. “But right now, as this ridiculously dramatic affair is behind us, I have the Mistral collection to think about.”

“And after that?”

“After that… I don’t know, I’ll have to adjust to the new circumstances.”

“I would like to be a part of the new circumstances.”

Madame Koska looked at the attractive face and warm brown eyes and smiled. “You will always be welcome to be a part of the new circumstances,” she said.

“Then I am going to translate what you said into believing we have an understanding, Vera,” said Mr. Korolenko, still holding her hands.

“I can accept that,” said Madame Koska. “And in the meantime, Dmitri, when should I come for my next lesson?”

About the Author

Ilil Arbel enjoys writing in a variety of genres, including mythology and folklore. Her published works include short stories and folktales, and she has contributed articles on the subjects of natural history, personal histories, biography, health, education, social commentaries, and Judaic myths.

Ilil has a Ph.D. in the field of Liberal Arts, specializing in mythology and folklore. Ilil has lived and studied in Tel Aviv, Paris, and New York, and currently resides in Manhattan.

Other Books by Ilil Arbel

The Lemon Tree

Miss Glamora Tudor

Their Exits and Their Entrances

Ancient Aliens

The Cinnabar Box

A Few Steps in the Other Direction

Praise for Ilil Arbel’s

Madame Koska & the Imperial Brooch

“…A perfect period puzzler, Madame Koska and the Imperial Brooch is clever, concise, occasionally comical…”

~ Jay Strafford, books editor, Richmond Times-Dispatch ~

“Agatha Christie reborn. A veritable tour de force of the twenties’ London fashion scene with our heroine the Madame (if one may use the word in this sense) of an up and coming atelier. We meet Russian émigrés down on their luck and have a stolen brooch being sought by the thieves who hid it too well. Ilil Arbel has adopted the mantle of the Grande Dame of this age and produced a stunning book full of fun and the obligatory twisted ending. Don’t miss it!”

~ Lord David Prosser, author of the Barsetshire Diaries ~

“Madame Koska is an absolutely unforgettable character whose charms and eccentricities linger on long after you’ve finished this marvelous page-turner. Here’s to hoping this is only the beginning of a wonderful new series.”

~ Gary Morgenstein, playwright and author of A Mound Over Hell ~

“…I didn’t know whodunit until the very last few pages.”

~ Wayne Zurl, author of the Sam Jenkins Murder Mysteries Series ~

Copyright

MADAME KOSKA & THE IMPERIAL BROOCH

Copyright © 2015, 2017 Ilil Arbel

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published by Open Window

an imprint of BHC Press

Library of Congress Control Number:

2017945135

Print edition ISBN numbers:

Hardcover: 978-1-947727-20-5

Softcover: 978-1-946848-53-6

Visit the publisher:

www.bhcpress.com

Notes

1

I sadly realize it does not have the same thunder as “the Heaven and the Earth” but we are not Yahweh…

2

Okay, so the story is slightly embellished. The overhearing itself is definitely true.

3

Well, maybe “good” is a strong word. The stories are pretty boring, but at least someone tried.

Content

Ilil Arbel
MADAME KOSKA & THE IMPERIAL BROOCH

Acknowledgments

Introduction

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

About the Author

Other Books by Ilil Arbel

Praise for Ilil Arbel’s Madame Koska & the Imperial Brooch

Copyright

Notes