September 15, 1790
On the morning of Theresa’s wedding to Francis, I attended my daughter’s toilette as she stared at herself in the mirror, my mother’s tiara upon her head. My daughter wore a flowing pale-blue gown. A gown my mother would have approved of.
“You are far more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”
“Thank you,” Theresa said, her voice shaking.
“Before we go out there to meet your father, I want to give you some advice that my mother gave to me.” I placed my hand on her cheek. “In all that you do, in all that you say, you will be an Austrian. Be loyal to your new country, and above all else, even if you don’t like him, make your husband believe that you love him more than the Christ himself. Men’s egos are weak.” Moving my hand to her heart, I said, “But here, and in your soul, remember, you will always, always be a Sicilian. Don’t let anyone take that from you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mama,” she said, with the first smile she had given me all morning.
“Good girl,” I said, kissing both her cheeks. “Now, let’s find your father.”
Ferdinand had tears swimming in his eyes when he took his daughter’s arm and escorted us to the cathedral. The same cathedral where I was married by proxy. As Theresa said her vows before the congregation, every pew was full of guests: ambassadors, nobility, and family. Across the aisle in the front row, sat Karl and his wife. Now the Archduke of Austria-Este, Karl spent much of his time in Milan.
Behind them was Prince Albert of Saxony and his wife, my sister Mimi, the Duke and Duchess of Teschen. Mimi’s long, thin face had scarcely changed in all these years. I wondered if she had adopted Elisabeth’s penchant for creams and potions. She had all the looks of a Habsburg without any of the effects of age. I hated that Mimi was the one that was here and not Antoinette.
But my daughter, in her duty to the crown of the Two Sicilies, stood tall. This marriage would help to align our country with the most powerful country in Europe. Our safety and interest would be protected with this union. Unlike me, she didn’t mumble her vows. She was the true portrait of a Habsburg queen, with the looks of Antoinette and my cunning.
Once everyone gave their toasts wishing the couple nothing but happiness and prosperity, the children of Empress Maria Theresa gathered to make plans in Leopold’s study.
The modest mustard-yellow room was nothing like my mother’s office. Leopold stood there with my brother Karl and a man I did not recognize. He had a kind face with a strong chin. His brown eyes scrutinized me as I walked through the door.
“Sister!” Karl exclaimed, rushing over and kissing me on both cheeks. “With all the festivities, I haven’t been able to greet you properly.”
I held him out so that I could look at him. As Antoinette was said to be my twin, Karl was Leopold’s. They had the same thin nose, the same high forehead, and the same Habsburg blue eyes. The eyes shared by Antoinette. “Look at you!” I exclaimed. “You’re an old man!”
“Old man?” He laughed. “I am only thirty-six, two years younger than you. So that makes you my—”
“I beg you not to finish that sentence.” I laughed, giving him another hug.
“Charlotte, I’d like to introduce you to Count Mercy,” Leopold interrupted. “He has been assisting us with Antoinette’s situation.”
Count Mercy continued to stare at me. “You will have to excuse me, Your Majesty. You look just like her.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Your sister.” His eyes watered with tears. “I feel like I am looking at her right now.”
I took his hand in mine. “I am sure you and I will be dear friends, just as you and she are.”
The doorway opened, and Mimi sauntered into the room. Instantly, my happiness drained as her smug face looked me up and down. “Little Sister, it has been far too long.”
“For you, perhaps.”
“Albert and I have thought about visiting Naples ourselves, but the heat is just not good for my disposition.”
“Yes,” I responded, “it would be a pity for the Neapolitan sun to melt the ice you call a heart.”
“Charlotte,” Leopold said in warning as Mimi moved to greet Karl.
“Why is she here?” I protested.
“You forget, Little Sister, that Antoinette is not the only Habsburg daughter,” Mimi said, suddenly turning to me.
“I’m surprised you even remember her name; you certainly don’t remember Amalia’s.”
“Don’t act like you are the only one who cares.”
“You shed fake tears for the much-maligned queen of France, when everyone knows the only person you care about is yourself,” I said. “You managed to marry a prince who is only the sixth son of a king, not even close to the line of succession. He has never earned anything for himself, not even his title. The fact that Mother paid so much attention to you was her only flaw.”
Mimi’s face went from red to crimson within a matter of minutes.
“Charlotte, would you please!” Leopold said. “We have an opportunity to rescue our sister. You can argue some other time when Antoinette is safe. Count Mercy, could you explain the latest developments for us?”
“Antoinette and her close confidant Count Fersen have devised a plan. They are going to escape Tuileries with a heavy carriage and make their way to Montmédy,” Mercy began.
“A heavy carriage?” Karl questioned. “Wouldn’t it be better if they used a light carriage?”
“That is what Fersen and I suggested, but Antoinette insisted that she and her family leave together.”
Naturally, Antoinette would insist that. She could never save herself; there had to be a whole entourage.
“This is ludicrous!” I said. “How are they going to inconspicuously travel?”
“They plan on changing horses at various points.”
“Yes, because that is going to help. Surely the French will only be looking for a set of six horses and not one large carriage,” I huffed, and put my hands on my hips. “What can I do to help?”
“We need money,” Mercy said. “Funds to help build the carriage and make sure they are established when they safely arrive.”
“This plan is foolish, and it’s never going to work,” I said. “But I will give Fersen whatever he needs. He can clean out my treasury, for all I care.”
“If you don’t agree with the plan,” Mercy said, “why are you going to give him money?”
“Because a bit of inconvenience is worth it if I can save Antoinette.”
* * *
When I was young, I found Amalia to be annoying. Though she was older than me, she was naïve, and behaved like one of my younger siblings. Now I wished for her to be here almost as much as Antoinette. As we left my brother’s office, I asked Leopold if he had heard any news from Amalia since she sent her regrets. “Just that her son’s health has not improved.”
“She is only using that as an excuse,” I said as we made our way across the threshold of the family parlor, where the rest of the guests had gathered. “Her son fell and hit his head well over a year ago. If she was so concerned about his epilepsy, she could have brought him with her.”
“We don’t know how strong these fits are. I doubt her son would have been able to make the journey.”
“Her animosity toward our family has transcended even Mother’s death. I have it on good authority that she didn’t even send condolences to Joseph.”
“Amalia, like the rest of the empress’s daughters, is stubborn,” my brother said. “Perhaps you and Ferdinand should visit her in Parma on your way back to Naples.”
“I wonder what it is about the Italian colonies that creates the oddest queens?” Mimi said just as Leopold and I entered the parlor.
The room stilled as every eye turned from my sister to me.
“You live there,” she continued. “Perhaps you could enlighten us. Is it all the garlic, or perhaps it is something within the soil? I know your husband has not stopped talking about his precious volcano since he got here.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ferdinand’s face flush.
“Don’t engage her,” Leopold whispered in my ear, but his words meant nothing, for I was already simmering with rage.
“What would you know about being a queen?” I sneered. “You are only a duchess.”
“Archduchess,” Mimi said. “Mother made sure I was able to retain my title.”
“Of course she did.” As the eyes of the room volleyed between her and me, I said, “It was quite a feat how you managed to manipulate our mother to do your bidding. It’s a shame that everyone else isn’t fooled by your putrid stench.”
Leopold gave a large clap. “Let’s have some music, yes?”
Immediately the quartet started to play and, with a motion of my brother’s hand, footmen started refilling Champagne glasses. When everyone’s attention was elsewhere, Leopold grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me into a corner. “Please don’t engage Mimi. She will leave here within the week. I will see to it personally.”
“I’m sorry. I simply cannot stomach her.”
“I have procured a small palace for her and her husband as a gift. She’ll be far away from us, but until then please try to keep the peace. I only have time to worry about one sister. I don’t need two more trying to kill each other. Do you understand?”
“Yes, dear brother,” I said, relenting.
“Good. Now if you will excuse me, I will be taking my leave. I have a letter to write to the ambassador and other affairs of state to attend to.”
“You know, even God rested after creating the world.”
“God never ruled the Holy Roman Empire.” Leopold slipped from the room as the revelry continued.
As I moved to stand next to Ferdinand, I watched Mimi as she and her husband stood by themselves. All the other guests were going out of their way to avoid interacting with them. Taking a glass of Champagne from a footman, I savored my small victory.
November 15, 1791
My Most Beloved Sister,
Your words of assurance about Leopold have eased my soul. Though I am still concerned that he won’t be diligent in quelling the unrest in France, I will trust your judgment; you know him better than I do. I only hope that he can act soon. The madness that has plagued France has spread to our Haitian territory. Before long, everywhere under French domain will revolt.
I agree with the Haitians’ cause, Mother was never fond of slavery, and Joseph made a point of officially abolishing serfdom ten years ago. But who am I to speak out? Especially now, when everyone hates me. Louis does nothing to ease my concerns. He wavers on everything, leaving me to make the final decisions for the monarchy. Which is pointless, because the advisors don’t like my involvement in politics. “It is not a woman’s place,” they tell me. As if they know where a woman’s place is.
If there is anything good to come out of this, it is that the Americans have a new secretary of the treasury, named Alexander Hamilton. It is under him that the country has started paying France back for the debt they incurred during their revolution. When I had the opportunity to look over the treasury report, I found that they had taken millions from us. They are the reason we are bankrupt. What a steep price to pay for us to get revenge on England.
Your sister,
Antoinette