Chapter 26
***
Olivia was dropped off alone in front of the Litch Theater. She thought about bringing the Marel troupe, but decided against it. She didn't know how far her conversation with Ferdinand would go, but the fewer ears that heard it, the better.
She covered her face with a wide-brimmed hat, but she was still conspicuous, and as soon as she stepped out of the carriage, people's eyes were on her. She fiddled with her gloves to hide her nervousness. It was nothing unusual for a theater to be visited by an extremist.
As she entered the front door, she was approached by a woman who appeared to be an usher.
"Hello. What brings you here?"
"Hi."
She pulled out a business card from her bag that said "Lady Laila" and handed it to the woman. The woman quickly bowed politely and said.
"I've been expecting you, Lady Laila. Mr. Perron, the manager, asked me to show you to the theater."
"Thank you."
She followed the woman across the lobby, figuring Ferdinand hadn't come yet.
"It's quiet."
"We don't have a show going on right now, and we don't often perform...."
"It was originally built to stage the performances that the late Duchess Klaus wanted, right?"
Olivia asked, and the woman kindly explained.
"Yes. Nowadays, music salons are all the rage, and it's not uncommon for mansions to have burlesque theaters, but that wasn't the case back then. This place was never built for money, and the reason it's still in operation is to honor the late Duchess, so we only choose the best acts with high artistic quality to stage."
"The Litch Theater is a classy place."
Olivia replied and followed the woman into the theater.
The stage was large enough for a medium-sized opera, and the seats in the best locations all looked plush and comfortable. However, the seats on the second floor seem like they could hold a lot of people. The design could work well as an open theater as well as an intimate gathering.
Olivia smiled, thinking that if the Marel troupe saw this theater, their eyes would roll. But it didn't matter to her right now.
The woman told her to feel free to look and stepped away. Olivia slowly made her way across the audience and up onto the stage, not with any particular purpose in mind, just to watch.
She was looking up at the ceiling of the stage when Ferdinand arrived. She felt a sensation of a presence and turned around to find him in the audience.
He was alone.
"I apologize, Lady Laila, for keeping you waiting."
"No, no."
"It's just that the way you're standing on the stage looks like a scene from a play, and I find it hard to break the moment."
"I was just thinking that for an old building, it is well equipped for a stage."
Olivia replied, overhearing Ferdinand's words. He coughed and said,
"I know you'll think I'm being frivolous, but I meant it, I was so impressed with what you showed me last time...."
"Thank you for the kind words. I'm afraid I'm not an actor, and when 'The Curtain Rises' begins in earnest, someone else will be playing the part."
Olivia said, offering Ferdinand a smile.
"That's a great stage and audience, is it just as great backstage?"
"In terms of facilities, it's second to none. Would you like to see it?"
He held out his arm as if to offer an escort. Olivia lightly slipped her arm through his. They made their way slowly across the slickly manicured stage to the back.
Ferdinand opened his mouth to speak. The sound was too loud on stage.
"If it were a matter of finding a theater for the premiere of 'The Curtain Rises,' you would have spoken with Mr. Perron, but since you have chosen to speak with me, may I be permitted to have some expectations?"
"Not for that reason."
"I am sorry."
"I was wondering if you could arrange for me to see Duke Klaus."
The words were abrupt, but Ferdinand did not hesitate.
"What power do I have to grant you access to the ailing Duke and Lady? I am not even a member of the Klaus family."
"But you are trusted."
"I think you misunderstand something."
This time, Ferdinand answered immediately. It was as if he had been practicing his answer to this question for a long time.
"It is true that the Count of Capelin are descended from Duke Klaus. But he is now quite distantly related to the immediate line."
"There is only one direct line to Duke Klaus, the elderly Duke, and there are no younger ones. I think it's common to rely on a younger member of the family."
"Haha, well, to each his own. Perhaps the next in line for inheritance is Lord Weissenfels. You must have misunderstood something...."
"Because you're in charge of the Litch Theater."
Ferdinand realized that he couldn't laugh off Olivia's words, and that he couldn't speak of Duke Klaus so bluntly, not without certainty, not without speculation.
He hadn't realized he'd tensed at the mention of Klaus's name.
He unclasped their joined arms and took a step back to face Olivia. He could see her white face clearly in the darkness behind the silent stage.
Olivia spoke in a calm voice.
"The Litch Theater was built for the first Duchess of Litch, that is, the Duke's mother. The Duke cared very much for her, and he would not have entrusted it to just anyone."
"Is that the whole of your reasoning? I'm afraid you're wrong, because I'm the only one who has any interest in music...."
"Well, then, can we base it on the fact that the late Empress was very fond of this place?"
Ferdinand didn't have a straight answer this time.
Olivia looked up at him with clear, bright eyes, a far cry from the splendor of Lady Laila’s face when they had last met in the music salon.
It was cool and calm, as if chiseled from crystal, and he felt a sense of déjà vu again. Where had he seen this face before? But this time he couldn't remember.
Olivia continued calmly.
"Tell him that Gisela's daughter wishes to see him."
"...And what does she wish to do with the Duke?"
Ferdinand didn't know who Gisela was.
Should he trust this woman? He wasn't sure. Little was known about Lady Laila. She was said to be a relative of Count Andex, but was Count Andex trustworthy?
Ferdinand didn't know much about Count Andex. He knew that they were among the nobility of royalists, but who was to say that they hadn't fallen to the Schwabens?
And even if Count Andex was still a member of the Royalists, there was the question of whether the Royalist nobility could be trusted. The sickly duke had long since withdrawn from politics. If they were now trying to draw him out to confront Schwaben again, Ferdinand would have to prevent that from happening.
Olivia kept her face calm as she spoke.
"Very well, I wish you could deliver the message, but I know it's hard for you to believe me right now."
"Lady Laila."
"Then I'll tell you my second purpose: I'd like to invite Her Majesty to attend the premiere of 'The Curtain Rises' here."
"......."
"The purpose is for a secret meeting."
"A secret meeting...."
Ferdinand muttered. He understood that they were trying to seduce the Empress. In fact, many troupes did just that, seducing high nobility into becoming patrons.
But at the Litch Theater? It was ridiculous.
"What is your real purpose?"
"To undermine the Empress's authority, to cut her off hand and foot, to create a hole in the palace."
Olivia said flatly.
***
To donate for extra chapters for my series or to tip me visit my kofi page
Write a comment