Summer of the Moon Flower (The de Vargas Family) Read online

“It was a trap…but I am all right,” she reassured the elderly man as a look of concern crossed his face. “I am tired but I have appointments all day. I must meet with Professor Schmidt and the others as soon as possible. I need to find out what has happened and we must take extreme care.”

  “When shall we meet, Madame?”

  “Organize a gathering for eleven this evening please, Henri,” she replied as the carriage pulled up in front of her salon. “At the university.”

  “Are you sure, Madame? Will that be safe?” She quelled him with a steady look as she stepped down from the carriage and her voice was terse.

  “At the university,” she repeated. “Have the carriage ready at eight. If the stable staff ask where I am going, I shall be attending a music recital at the Musikverein and you shall return the carriage in the morning.

  * * * *

  Sofia glanced into her salon as she made her way to her apartment above. Pulling the glove off and placing her cloak on the cloak stand in the foyer, she cursed once again at her carelessness in dropping the glove. As she moved through her apartment, her thoughts turned to the meeting tonight. It was most unusual for a woman to participate in any activities at the University; women were not allowed to enroll there and there were no female staff involved in any of the research. Sofia’s involvement at the university had begun when she had read the research notes her father had bequeathed to her when Indigo had passed them on after her marriage to Captain Zane Thoreau ten years ago.

  Sofia smiled as she remembered Indigo’s wedding. It had scandalized society as she had been heavily pregnant with the twins, and Indigo in her usual brash manner had thumbed her nose at the society matrons who had expressed their displeasure. Nevertheless, curiosity won out and the ceremony and reception in the tropical biome was attended by all who were invited… with the exception of Duke Lorca.

  Sofia had stayed in the manor with Mr. and Mrs. Grimoult to oversee the operations of the holiday complex while Zane and Indigo had travelled to Scotland for a brief honeymoon. She had enjoyed her time there and Sofia had spent the following year in the household assisting with the twins when they were born. Jago and Jory had their mother’s lust for life and created a multitude of work for the household.

  She had been fascinated by Indigo’s biomes. Word of the passionflower pharmacologicals and their healing properties had spread across Europe and the colonies.

  Indigo had shared the research notes with her and Sofia had been intrigued by their father’s writing on the properties of the moon flower and his belief that human life could be extended if the liquid from this rare white flower from the alpine region of Austria could be extracted. For years, she had carried the idea with her and a chance meeting with Professor Schmidt, an old colleague of her father in Vienna three years later had resulted in her acceptance into the elite ranks of Vienna University. A small group of scientists allowed her to became a part of their secret society in exchange for Professor de Vargas notes and Sofia had eventually led the research and still held control

  A recent missive to Indigo had described how close they were to achieving their goal. Sofia now wondered if she had been foolish detailing their progress in writing and trusting the missive would travel safely from Vienna to Cornwall, although she had camouflaged the true content in sociable family news.

  My dearest sister

  I trust this finds you in good health and I trust that Captain Thoreau and your four sons are also well. It is hard to believe that Jago and Jory are attending boarding school. I certainly enjoy reading their adventures in the letters I have received from them. Are young Kit and Ruan still enjoying their nursery studies?

  I shall try to visit you in late summer as the twins tell me that their scientific experiments at New Cross College will be on display. It is amusing that although they are attending a naval school, their interests lie in the botanical research of their grandfather! Jory tells me they are researching the effect of the full moon on their experiments and that they are close to a result.

  I am sure the officers of the naval college are less than amused, unless they see a future for the boys in botanical exploration, following in the footsteps of our dear departed papa.

  I recently had an enjoyable trip to the Alps, and I made some new contacts in society for the salon. Business is blooming as the boys would say...and I have many new matrons taking up the dirigible flight from the American colonies, although the new war over there is causing some uncertainty.

  I look forward to visiting you, my dear sister, and shall come and stay in the late summer after I visit the twins at New Cross.

  Kind regards to Captain Thoreau and Mr. and Mrs. Grimoult. (And of course the boys.)

  Sofia knew Indigo would decipher the information from the letter that her recent trip to the Alps had sourced enough of the moon flower, and the full moon experimentation were bringing them close to a culmination of their research. They anticipated success by the end of summer.

  The ringing of the bell in the salon brought her back to the present and Sofia quickly dressed and proceeded down to the salon to meet her first customer of the day.

  Chapter 2

  The full moon illuminated the University of Wien as they passed the Rathaus Park. Henri had opted for a closed carriage from the stable, still concerned by the events of the preceding night. He smiled at her as he looked down into the carriage. Sofia had come from the music recital and in an aside, Henri had commented on her alertness after she’d bid farewell to her acquaintances. He had turned the carriage toward the Landstrasse district in case anyone was taking notice of their direction

  “Rest, madam, we are still early and I will do a few circuits of the Ringstrasse in case we are under observation. I will be able to check if any vehicles or airships pay particular attention to us.”

  His mistress was now dozing with her head resting comfortably against the padded side of the velvet-lined carriage. He glanced down occasionally to check that she was comfortable. Only a couple of airships dotted the brightly lit sky as he guided the two horses around the road ringing the inner district and the Hapsburg palaces, constructed when Emperor Franz Josef had ordered the demolition of the city walls and moats four years ago.

  By the time eleven o’clock approached, and they had completed their third circuit, the sky was clear and Henri was content they had not been followed around the famous road.

  Henri scanned the area alongside Rathaus Park as he pulled the horses to a gentle stop. He was reluctant to wake Sofia as she’d had no sleep the previous evening. She had worked with society matrons all day, before attending the musical soiree.

  He shook his head, no matter how tired she was, his mistress was always kind and calm, and he held a deep affection for her. He glanced over at her, deep in sleep, her silver blonde hair fell in ringlets onto her bare shoulder and her pale skin was accentuated by the deep ruby of her velvet gown. Four small rubies were inserted in each ear, in a line following the curve of her ear.

  Henri stepped down and entered the carriage and shook her gently, smiling as she stretched and her pale blue eyes widened in surprise.

  “Are we there already, Henri?” Sofia yawned.

  “We have done three circuits of the Ringstrasse, madam. It is just before eleven.” He stepped out and took her hand and they strolled together across the park, looking as though they were a father and daughter out for a late evening walk.

  They entered a dark lane at the back of the university and Henri pulled her into a dark corner beside the building as he scanned the wide lawn lit brightly by the full moon, for any sign of activity or observers.

  “All appears well, madam.”

  He led her across to the next building and they walked along a winding path to a small wooden door set into an ivy covered brick wall.

  Henri gave four short knocks, paused and then tapped two more short raps on the concealed door, constantly looking around as he checked there was no one following them.

  The h
eavy wooden door groaned as it opened slowly and they entered a dimly lit foyer.

  “Welcome, madam, it is good to see you again. Good evening, Henri.” Johann, one of the doctoral students, ushered them into a larger room. The light was brighter and Henri looked around as he escorted Sofia to the table. Pulling out a chair, he glanced to the side of the room and Sofia nodded.

  “Yes, please, Henri. I will need coffee to keep me alert. I fear this may be a long meeting.” As Henri poured Sofia’s coffee, he observed the others already seated at the long table.

  Professor Ernst Schmidt who led the project at the university listened gravely as Sofia spoke to him in a quiet undertone. The two research assistants, Johann and Genevieve sat on the other side of the table, Henri placed a glass of coffee in front of Sofia and he sat at the table, ever alert, even though they were in a safe room.

  * * * *

  Sofia finished her coffee and pushed the empty glass to the side of the table as she looked around the room. Candles in sconces provided a soft light and the rich aroma of the coffee took away the musty smell of parchment that usually overwhelmed the senses in this old meeting room in the basement of the university laboratory. She looked around at the four people in the room and smiled.

  People she would trust with her life.

  Professor Ernst Schmidt sat at the head of the table, muttering softly to himself in his native German as he flicked through a pile of papers. Ernst had worked with her father in London, prior to his death in 1840 and had sought her out when she had moved to Vienna. He and his brother, Henri, had become like surrogate fathers since the professor had continued her father’s moonflower research. Ernst had published many papers on the science of the nature of matter and its transformations, but the moonflower research was known only to the select few inside this room.

  She caught Henri’s eye and he smiled back at her, although she could sense the tension in his body. He had been on edge since the incident at the station. Henri was the indispensible assistant in her household and salon activities, and Sofia allowed him to think he fulfilled the role of her bodyguard.

  Johann, a brilliant young doctoral student from the university at Bologna, sat across the table from Sofia, impatiently clicking his pencil on the side of his glass, obviously eager to start the meeting. His assistant and the chief illustrator for the project, Genevieve, sat still and silent, taking in the scene around the table.

  “I would like to thank you all for being here at this ungodly hour. I am very grateful,” said Sofia

  “We didn’t stay back, Sofia. We are so close to success, we have been working through the night for two weeks,” replied Johann.

  She frowned “It is imperative you take the utmost care. Any unusual interest in your work must be reported to Henri…immediately.”

  Sofia quickly filled them in on the events of the previous night at Westbahnhof.

  “I am sure it is related to the shipment on the train.” She shrugged. “Somehow, somewhere there is an awareness of what we are doing.” The three scientists all tried to speak over each other, protesting.

  “But—”

  “We haven’t—”

  “There is no way—”

  Sofia held up her hand. “I trust you all implicitly. However, it has happened, so there is no doubt. Somehow, word has spread of what we are close to…”

  She paused. “I will not say immortality as that is tempting to the Fates.”Let me say, we are close to discovering a life-giving elixir that may prolong human life.”

  Professor Schmidt nodded sagely.”No, madam…we will not be presumptuous.”

  Sofia placed her hands on the table in front of her and turned to the professor. “Now I want a full report on what you are up to. Did the cargo come in from the station last night? Was it intact?”

  “Yes, madam. All was well.”

  Sofia turned to Johann. “Henri tells me there has been a significant development in your research?”

  Johann inclined his head and reached for the illustrations in front of Genevieve.

  “Indigo’s research has confirmed the stamen is vital in the healing properties of the passion flower, but our research indicates it is the petal of the night blooming moonflower that provides the catalyst for the elixir. If we are to successfully propagate the flower in a controlled environment, it must be planted at full moon and bathed in moonlight until the full moon wanes. Any plant germinated at other times of the cycle and harvested without the requisite moonlight has not had the life-giving properties once the elixir has been reduced in the laboratory.”

  Sofia was intrigued. “How did you establish that?”

  Johann looked over at Genevieve and smiled.”It was serendipity, madam.”

  Sofia turned to the young woman. “Serendipity?” she asked.

  “I had an idea when I was illustrating the report on propagation for Professor Schmidt.” The young woman blushed. “I was sketching and as I was drawing the petals, the shape of the petal reminded me of a new moon and I got carried away and illustrated the botanical with the background of a night sky.”

  Johann interrupted and his words spilled out excitedly. “When I saw it, it gave me the idea of experimenting with different stages of light…you know how Indigo’s passionflower uses luminiferous aether to stay vital, well… we put the moon flower through the monthly lunar cycle and transformation was almost instantaneous.”

  Professor Schmidt interrupted, his head bobbing in excitement. “And what we had spent years trying to create artificially by the transformation of the botanical matter, occurred naturally in one night under a full moon.”

  Sofia was delighted to hear of the progress made since her last visit.

  “So, where are we up to… do you need more flowers? Do we need another trip to the Alps to harvest more seeds?”

  “Yes, Sofia,” replied Johann. “Now we know the moonlight is critical to the process, we can propagate each crop in the laboratory from the seeds.”

  “It will be the final trip,” agreed the professor. “So one final trip to collect the plants in midsummer when the flowers turn to seed will be enough to continue our research.”

  Sofia smiled.

  “I shall organize a trip in midsummer. I believe my twin nephews may like an expedition to the Alps. Having the boys with me will provide good cover.”

  The professor frowned. “Do you really believe, Sofia, there is a need for all this subterfuge? Do you really think the incident at the station was related to our research?”

  Sofia shook her head slowly. “I honestly do not know. However, I am not prepared to take the risk. Although I do not believe it can be the fool Lorca who causes my sister so many problems in her ventures.” She smiled grimly “Although since Captain Thoreau has become Sheriff and is a highly respected representative of the queen, Duke Lorca has pulled in his little head considerably.”

  Sofia walked over to the window and stared into the darkness for a few minute before continuing. “There was something much more sinister behind the incident at the railway station. The dirigible and the automatons indicate this is a very well funded operation.

  Whilst you are waiting for the new seed, Johann—” Sofia turned to the young man “—I have a mission for you. I would like you and Genevieve to take a trip together and undertake some research on automatons and dirigibles for me.”

  She smiled as the blush spread up the young scientist’s neck. She had long suspected he harbored a secret passion for his colleague who remained blissfully unaware of the esteem in which the young man held her.

  “I will meet you in Cornwall at my sister’s holiday biomes in late July when I return from the Alps and you can report your findings to me then. I am sure by combining two intellects such as yours, you will discover the source of this operation.

  “Remember to take care and pretend you are simply on holiday. I will deposit funds into the Professor’s account for you.”

  The professor turned to her, eyes twinkling. �
��When do you intend travelling to the Alps, madam?”

  “I will collect the twins in their summer holidays and bring them back to Austria in middle of July. I shall have your seed for you by the end of the summer. In the meantime, if there is anything of concern or you make a breakthrough, send a message to Indigo that says...” Sofia put her finger to her cheek.

  “Invite her to the opening of the new wing of the chemistry department mentioning that it is to be named after our father. An innocuous message, but if either of us receives such a missive, we shall know all is not well.”

  She crossed the room and placed her arms around the professor.

  “Take care, Ernst. Do not work such long hours. We have waited many years for this moment and we need to be assured all is safe before we continue.

  Sofia turned to the young couple and smiled as Genevieve glared at her.

  Hmmm…maybe she is not as unaware as I thought.

  “Now, I want you to be extremely careful. I suspect there are forces at work here, which, if we let our guard down, may mean the end to our research. At the moment, they are unsure of the progress we have made. We need to challenge them and ensure that they do not discover our advances. We will send them off on a wild goose chase.”

  She bid them all farewell, feeling confident once again.

  “Come, Henri… I really need some sleep. It has been a very long day.”

  Chapter 3

  The sun had taken on the dull burnished copper of coming dusk as Dougal, Earl of Rothmore, rode away from Castle Dean, one mile northeast of Kilmarnock. Since Lady Lucy Cavendish-Bentinck, married Charles Ellis, the 6th Lord Howard de Walden and moved to his family estate in London, Castle Dean had been empty but was now maintained by a small resident chapter of the ancient Scottish Order of the Knights Templar.

  Even though he was a peer of the Kingdom of Scotland, Dougal was a lowly steward in the order, having inherited the position on the death of his father, when he became Earl of Rothmore, before his fifteenth birthday. His castle was on Little Rothmore, some twenty miles west across the Firth of Clyde, and it was his duty to prepare the Great Hall for the meeting of the Council of the Great. An urgent missive had been received from the Grand Conclave of Knights in Edinburgh and there had been little time to prepare for the meeting.