“Come on,” Simon urged her brightly. “You don’t have to tell me the truth, not in Vienna! Just make it interesting. I like bedtime stories if they keep me awake.”
She looked slightly baffled. She had kicked off her shoes and now she wiggled her stockinged toes and regarded them earnestly as if the exercise had some important significance.
“Do you know anything about the Imperial Crown Jewels?” she asked finally.
“Certainly. They are in the Hofburg Palace.” He raised one eyebrow a fraction. “But if they’re not there now don’t try to pin it on me.”
She laughed and stretched herself in a more relaxed fashion. The brandy and the Saint’s charm were taking effect.
“Even though you are not responsible, the most important piece is missing. It is called the Hapsburg Necklace and it was never in the Hofburg Museum at all.”
“Tell me more. Are you trying to sell it to me?”
She raised her chin haughtily.
“Certainly not. It is a necklace that was given to Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire in 1530 by the ruler of the Turks, who were the hereditary enemies of the Austrians. It was a peace offering but it did not work, and the war with the Turks went on for another century until Prince Eugene of Savoy finally defeated them in 1718.”
“My,” said the Saint admiringly, “you’ve certainly got it all pat. I was never any good at dates in school, not that sort anyway.”
She ignored his interruption.
“It contains some of the largest cut diamonds in the world. It was once literally a king’s ransom.”
The Saint grinned irreverently.
“Then you could probably flog it to some film star who’s trying to look like the most expensive Christmas tree in the world. How much are these baubles worth?”
“Aber natürlich, it is priceless! Actually, the Necklace is insured for over three million of your pounds, but that is not anything like the real value.”
“In other words, quite a tidy sum. Why isn’t it with the other Crown Jewels?”
“In the days of the Emperors it was always kept separate because it was so valuable. Also it was regarded as a sort of lucky charm. It had a special military guard, and one of the Court positions was Keeper of the Hapsburg Necklace. It was an hereditary post, and my father, Count Malffy, was the last man to hold it.”
The Saint shot her a quizzical look.
“When the new Republican Government took over the Crown Jewels in 1918, why did they leave out the Necklace?”
“They didn’t. They kept on one or two Imperial institutions. Don’t ask me why. One was the famous Spanish Riding School, where the Emperor’s white Lippizaner horses still perform today.”
Simon nodded.
“I know. I’ve seen them. I never fully understood the meaning of dressage until I saw those funny hats. But what about the Hapsburg Necklace? Is your father still its Keeper, or did they move him over to the Zoo?”
The girl frowned. She plainly disapproved of his flippancy.
“He died soon after the war. I think he partly starved to death during the dreadful inflation time. I don’t really remember him at all except for a vague picture in my mind of a tall handsome man in a blue and gold uniform with white stars at the collar. But perhaps I am imagining even that.”
“And he was the last Keeper of the Hapsburg Necklace?”
“No. There is still one.”
“Who is it?”
She drew herself up proudly.
“I am.”
The Saint chuckled.
“Good for you. I’ll bet you look wizard in a blue and gold uniform with stars in your eyes. Where is the Necklace now?”
She suddenly seemed withdrawn.
“It’s in our family castle in Hungary, Schloss Este.”
“So it’s quite safe, then.”
“No, it is not. Not now, anyway. Admiral Horthy took over the castle for the Hungarian Government suddenly last year. It was supposed to be used as a secret headquarters for their Intelligence, I am told, but it is really occupied by the German army and the Gestapo. I suspect also that they thought they would find the Necklace there. That’s why they seized it so quickly and without warning. The German Reich is desperately in need of money. Hitler is always screaming that Germany is being economically strangled. He really took over Austria mainly to get our gold reserves, not for any sentimental reasons as an Austrian.”
“Do you think they have found the Necklace?”
She shook her head.
“I’m certain they haven’t. It’s in a very secret place. Anyway, if they had found it, why should they try to kidnap me?”
“You think those two men were German agents?”
“Yes, Gestapo. I am sure of it. I received an anonymous letter yesterday saying that if I would come to the Hofburg restaurant at nine o’clock in the evening I would hear something to my advantage about the Necklace. I felt sure the Necklace was safe, but I wanted to find out what was going on.”
Her eyes seemed to flash blue fire, which, as any chemistry student knows, is the hottest kind.
“After all, I am the Keeper of the Hapsburg Necklace! That nasty little man offered me a large sum of money in cash to tell him where the Necklace was. When I told him what he could do with his dirty money and his dirty self he told me he was Gestapo and was arresting me, and he pointed out that he had a gun in his pocket.”
“And what about the message written on the banknote?”
She blushed like a schoolgirl. “Oh, that was just a little idea of my own. I felt rather silly about it, but it did work, nicht wahr? It was a precautionary measure, especially since for some days I have thought I was being followed.”
“But why write the message on money?”
“One is always reading in adventure stories how people who are prisoners write notes and drop them out of windows, which seems to me most useless, for not one person in a hundred picks up and reads pieces of paper they find lying around in the street. But they always pick up money. It was a good idea, yes?”
4
“It certainly worked,” said the Saint thoughtfully. “Yes, I think it was a very clever idea.”
The girl looked pleased. But her face fell at his next words.
“On the other hand, you almost didn’t get away with it,” he said.
“Why? How is that?”
“Because I nearly gave it back to you.”
“Oh, the great English gentleman doesn’t like to be thought the sort of man who might accept a tip.” Her eyes were mischievous. “But you kept it.”
“You were gone before I could give it back to you. But speaking of English gentlemen, why are we talking English?”
“Why not?”
“I mean, why did you think I was English? When we last met I was talking what I pride myself was fluent German.”
“You were.” She gave him an appraising look. “But I went back to the restaurant where I’d seen you sign your bill. I got the waitress to look up the slip and give me your name and room number. I told her I was your lover. Austrians are so romantic. She did not hesitate for a minute and told me what I wanted to know.”
The Saint nodded.
“But why did you come to my room instead of going straight home?”
“Because if I had gone home I might have found the Gestapo waiting for me. I live in the Malffy Palais with my mother. Everyone knows where it is.”
“And what about Uncle Max? Why didn’t you go to him?”
There was a pause while she eyed him speculatively.
“Shall I tell you the real reason why I am here?”
“No, no, don’t be silly. Tell me half a dozen imaginary reasons. It’s so much more fun. So much more gemütlich. So Viennese.”