Taking Them All In

Metternich had long since grown used to Count Kolarov undermining him, and the two royal archdukes on the Regency Council simply didn't care about such things.

Grand Duke Louis was playing with the ant maze Franz had given him, while Archduke Franz Karl was already a little drunk.

Metternich was displeased, but Count Kolarov had raised an important question.

Russia had banned emigration, and any men caught emigrating would be executed, while the women would be sold off to Siberia.

That meant the Austrian Empire's acceptance of refugees was illegal. The international prestige Metternich had hoped to gain was likely out of reach; instead, the Russians might brand them thieves who stole serfs.

But as a seasoned politician, he could make mistakes, but he absolutely could not admit to them. Cutting one's losses was generally out of the question.

"Who knows? The Russian government is always making one blunder after another. I hear they still haven't put down the mountain tribes' rebellion at home, and they've even spurned our goodwill.

"Without us, the Russians' timber and crops would simply rot in the fields.

"We're supposed to be allies in the Holy Alliance, with common interests in the Near East, yet the Tsar went behind our backs and tried to carve up the world with the British.

"With a country like that and a ruler like him, should anyone be surprised if they do something strange?"

News of the Tsar's trip to Britain had spread far and wide. The British, afraid they might not finish him off, had The Times publish a detailed account of the negotiations.

Even so, neither the Tsar nor Russia's senior officials realized the British had played them. Instead, they were smugly pleased that the news had gone public.

Count Kolarov had no interest in listening to