Above: The Roter Stadel ("Leopold Stich's Hotel-Café-Restaurant Rother Stadl, bei Kalksburg N.O.") (detail from postcard).

Source: Oldthing.de

11. The Flight to Mayerling (continued)

While Rudolf was pressuring the Countess, Mary came out of the Hofburg through black iron door where Josef was waiting. She ordered him to drive her about five miles southwest of Vienna to the village of Mauer and the Roter Stadel (Red Barn), a popular excursion restaurant named for its red-painted walls. They arrived a little after noon and at Mary's request drove up and down in front of the restaurant while waiting for Rudolf to appear.

Rudolf himself drove out of the Hofburg about 11:30 a.m. in an open two-horse carriage drawn by a pair of Lipizzanner greys. His palace coachman rode in the rear seat as a passenger. At about 11:50 they were seen by a police officer as they drove along the Huntsthurmstrasse and the sighting was routinely telegraphed to police headquarters.

Rudolf drove to the bottom of a small hill just out of sight of the Roter Stadel and sent the coachman back to the Hofburg with the carriage. He then walked over the hill to the restaurant, catching up with Josef and Mary at about 1 p.m. He was unusually cheerful and jokingly apologized for keeping them waiting so long.

As they set off for Mayerling Rudolf told Josef not to be in too much of a hurry because he did not want to arrive at the hunting lodge before dusk. His intention was to keep Mary's arrival secret.