Above: The Rodeck Brothers Jewellery store at Number 7 Kohlmarkt, where Mary bought the gold cigarette case for Rudolf and where she supposedly ditched the Countess. The Kohlmarkt is still a luxury shopping street with a high concentration of jewellers.

Source: Judtmann following p. 64

12. The Pursuit

Meanwhile, at 11:10 a.m,, about 20 minutes before Rudolf set off for the Roter Stadel, the Countess left the Hofburg and drove to the Vetsera home where she burst into Helene's room as though demented, shouting "I've lost her!"

Given the dangerous game she was playing the Countess's show of distress was undoubtedly genuine. Mary's affair with Rudolf was now a runaway train and the chances of escaping exposure were rapidly diminishing.

The news that Mary had disappeared hit Helene like a thunderbolt. Once again she questioned the Countess about Mary's relationship with Rudolf and about the steel cigarette case that she found in Mary's strongbox. The Countess repeated her previous lies and managed to allay Helene's suspicions, partly because of her convincing display of anguish.

The Countess's instinct for self preservation did not fail her. To keep control of the situation she had to prevent Helene from taking the initiative. She therefore soothingly dismissed the seriousness of Mary's suicide threat and persuaded Helene of the need to tread carefully for fear of scandal. She then offered to meet discreetly with Baron von Krauss to seek his advice.

Helene initially wanted to consult Count von Taaffe. Since Taaffe was a boyhood friend of the Emperor, Helene hoped that through his intercession Rudolf could be quietly persuaded to give Mary up.

However, the last thing the Countess needed was for Helene to involve Taaffe, much less the emperor. She therefore told Helene that Taaffe could not keep a secret but that her own influence over Krauss would guarantee his discretion. Helene finally agreed to let the Countess meet with Krauss on her behalf.