“I’d love to see Maria Anna again,” said Cecilia Renata.
“So would I,” said Empress Mariana. “I’ll mention to Ferdinand that he should perhaps write a letter to the President of the State of Thuringia-Franconia on the matter. In the meantime, tell me more about this up-time custom, the bridal shower?”
Sarah listened as Judy, Vicky and Hayley told the highest noble ladies in Austria-Hungary about bridal shower and the sorts of gifts that were given at the different types of showers. The “kitchen” shower idea brought forth quite a bit of laughter, but the “lingerie” shower was given more approval.
Liechtenstein House, Vienna
“Well, Nephew, are you getting a bit nervous?” Uncle Maximilian asked with a smile that seemed to Karl less than completely kind.
“Yes, Uncle, a bit. But overall, I am quite happy.” And he was. He even felt more than a little sympathy for both his uncles and most of the rest of the people in his class. He had, after all, gotten to choose his own bride, and he hadn’t had to do it based on establishing or maintaining control over lands for the family. He picked up his fork. It had four tines and was electroplated in gold. It was very nice flatware, but it was flatware that most prosperous burghers could afford. He speared a piece of roast beef from his plate and popped it into his mouth. After he swallowed, he continued. “I have been incredibly lucky. First in finding Grantville on my grand tour, and then in finding Sarah Wendell. I feel a bit guilty about the limits our family’s position put on the rest of you and, at the same time, incredibly fortunate that my choice of bride was allowed to be mine.”
Gundaker ate in silence.
Liechtenstein Tower, Vienna
“What have you got?” the guard asked the carter.
The carter pulled out the paper work. “Barrels to go in the cellar.”
The guard took the paperwork and read it over. Everything was in order. It was to go in room B-27, one of the mid-size basement rooms. A load of apples.
They used a powered winch to lift the barrels off the wagon and lower them to a pallet on a trolley. That, in turn, was used to shift them to the room where, pallet and all, they were left in the corner. Then another pallet, and another after that, till B-27 was loaded with barrels.
Debrecen House, Vienna
“What have you found out?” Márton von Debrecen asked Jack Pfeifer.
“Nothing of use. We managed to tag one more of Farkas’ men and we’re now convinced that there was a priest involved.”
“Oh, come now. If there is evil done in Vienna, there’s a priest involved.”
“I know. That’s why I said nothing of use. We know that there was a plan to kill the girls, and we know that it was called off, but we don’t know if the plotters gave it up as a bad job or switched to a new plan.”
“Is there any reason to believe that they went to another plan?” asked Amadeus.
CHAPTER 36
Wedding Preparations
December 1635
Roth Jewel Emporium, Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia
The clerk took one look at Beth and sent for his boss, and, ultimately, for Morris Roth himself. For almost half an hour, the duchess of Cieszyn was fed wine and sweet chocolate, while she got to look at hundreds of jeweled rings, necklaces, bracelets, chokers, tiaras, and the like. It was enough to bring great covetousness to a girl’s soul. Not, however, enough to even consider any sort of rapprochement with Gundaker von Liechtenstein.
Finally, Morris arrived. “What brings you to our little shop, Your Grace?”
“I’ve been asked a favor by Empress Mariana and several other ladies of the Austro-Hungarian court, as well as the new imperial princesses, the Barbies . . . ?”
“I know them all well, except for Trudi,” Morris said. “And I imagine that she’s much like the rest. And what is this mission?”
“Apparently there is an up-time custom called a bridal shower. And, in this case, they have decided to do a jewelry and clothing shower. Lingerie?”
“It means undergarments, specifically for women, and implies attractive and perhaps a bit naughty,” Morris explained without even a hint of a blush.
Beth didn’t blush either. Instead, she opened her case and brought out several documents with seals from the Emperor of Austria-Hungary and Abraham Abrabanel. The documents, each with a price limit listed, empowered her to buy jewelry to give to Sarah Wendell, and smaller gifts to be exchanged among the ladies attending the party. All together, the letters of credit came to just over two million dollars.
Morris Roth looked them over and smiled. “I suspect that we’re going to have quite a good day today, Your Grace. Fun for you, and quite profitable for my little shop.”