Yesterday Was Long Ago: Part Two

  ISBN-13: 978-0-578-60992-8

  The Yesterday Was Long Ago

  Part Two

  Copyright © 2019 by Hedy Thalberg James

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of Hedy Thalberg James.

  Cover Design by Kerry Prater.

  Interior Design by Katharine E. Hamilton

  Editing by Lauren Hanson

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Epilogue

  1914

  1

  “Extra! Extra! Extra!” was shouted and heard at every street corner, with many young men in their Sunday best holding bundles of papers to lessen the workload of a nearby over-crowded newsstand. Usually, it was attended by only one old man who could be, on any given afternoon, caught napping. The masses of worshippers got the “Daily News” right after leaving church in order to spend the rest of the day with their families. But this was no ordinary Sunday afternoon. Even the leisurely strollers came from the nearby parks and were anxious to find out more about the latest arriving bulletins. The printing shops even called their work force back to supply the demand. Once again, it involved an assassination which brought excitement to the habitually lazy Viennese, who prided themselves on just muddling through life.

  Many of the passersby could still vividly remember the hideous crime which befell their lovely Empress Elisabeth by being stabbed to death. This was only sixteen years ago and followed a long string of warning signs which were, as everything else at the high court, nonchalantly disregarded. One was not about to get involved and change an undeservedly good lifestyle, and cared little about the struggling masses, “as the poor will always be among us.” By now, the closely watching, concerned crowd knew it involved the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. He was the heir to the throne despite his morganatic marriage to a Bohemian Countess, for which the Emperor never forgave him. Both were shot to death while on one of their state visits to Sarajevo.

  “They rode in an open car!” cried one in disbelief. “They should have known better.”

  “The murderer’s name is Gavrilo Princip!” screamed another, as if the name of any Slav was of importance. “I’ll bet my last Kreuzer that he belongs to a terrorist group!”

  Though it was no secret that the Emperor disliked his nephew, due to his views on politics among many other things, it was quite another matter for a dirty Serb to kill any Austrian. “They all should be thrown in front of hungry wolves,” spat one bystander, causing a chain reaction of outburst, each one fully agreeing with his statement. It prompted the ever-present police to disperse the roaring crowd in a hurry, as experience taught all of them never to take a chance involving politics.

  “Now what?” was the question heard most frequently, fearing the worst already. And all that on an exceptionally beautiful Sunday, June 28, 1914, when just hours before, only the blue sky and the warm weather mattered. Now the blue skies were turning to deep, dark clouds again and all the pleasantry switched rapidly to a call for some kind of retaliation. Many suggested an immediate occupation as there was no love lost between Austria and the forever restless Balkan, whose many little states had only hatred towards Austria in common.

  The newly printed leaflets stated that the Emperor and his entourage had left Ischl to arrange a proper funeral. Insiders knew that the former ‘lady in waiting’, Sophie Shotek, would have her proper social standing even after her death. However, the slain heir to the throne, well aware of their special royal plans, had secretly secured a burial place so both could rest in peace without any Habsburgers nearby to haunt them even in their graves. After a short, unprecedented funeral in a small town called Artstetten, south of Vienna, the Emperor and his staff continued as if nothing of significance had happened, including the shots in Sarajevo, and returned, undisturbed, to their yearly vacation spot the following day. He enjoyed far too much the daily walks with Katharina Schratt, whose villa, Felicita, was his sanctuary for the last twenty-seven years, though their deep friendship was believed by most to be purely platonic.

  After reading that no other head of state, including Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm, had any intention of interrupting their present leisure time and no further demonstrations were taking place, one just continued to enjoy the warm summertime to the fullest, as good times are in a habit of ending much too soon anyway. At present, life just went on, nobody noticing the enormous challenge looming on the horizon.

  Philip Reinhardt, too, bought some of those many offered newspapers and discussed the news at the dinner table. He broke all previous sets of rules declaring that any sort of debates involving politics or religion were never permitted at the table. One had to enjoy a meal, and to discuss either subject was not enjoyable. To Philip’s total amazement, no one showed any reaction or gave the impression they even cared. Their vacation plans were made well ahead of time and an assassination of a Habsburger was not about to spoil anything. School vacation started the following week and each one of their children relished the time with one or the other parent. Most of their enjoyment was repetitious, but all involved traveling and being two months away from Vienna.

  Victoria, upon hearing the sad news, felt she had sleep-walked through the last fourteen years, while watching and enjoying her four children grow up, like any other family. Philip was the best father any boy or girl could have asked for. Along the way, he also became his wife’s closest friend. Their platonic arrangement seemed to suit each other, as neither quarrels nor accusations ever existed. Each one managed their life like other countless families did and made the best of it for the sake of their children. Any other alternative would have had a devastating affect without gaining anything.

  ∼

  A few of their dearest relatives were already buried or suffered illnesses that old age had in store for them. Verena, a widow who had also become Victoria’s close friend, was extremely devoted to her
grandchildren, and Anette seemed to thrive on growing old. Grandmother Lotte von Wintersberg, to both old women’s great relief, purchased a small villa in Berlin with money left from her late brother Frederick. It was very near the Kronthalers’, who were, by now, retired and still the most reliable friends anyone could ask for. The Reinhardts also made sure that Lotte was still very much a part of their family life, seeing each other at every opportunity. Although Peter and Paul loved both grandmothers and Anette equally, mountain climbing with their father for the last few years took priority by cutting their visits to Berlin somewhat short. But no one minded their new plans, as Elisabeth and Gisela loved Berlin more than Vienna, and found her small villa more charming than their palace and castle put together.

  However, the main get-together always took place in Salzburg, Ischl, or Vienna. Lotte was still in the dark over Victoria’s and Philip’s arrangement. If Verena was ever suspicious in any way, she never uttered a word. Anette, on the other hand, was well-informed years ago, but Victoria knew she would take the secret to her grave.

  Presently, her brother Kurt was in a wheelchair and it was only natural that Anette took care of him. Lillian, his beloved wife, died four years earlier of diabetes, only a few months before Hannes, which caused the family immeasurable grief once more. The once proud and upstanding officer, whose age never showed except for his white hair, became a brittle old man in no time, unable to walk, and had only one wish— to die as soon as possible so he could be with his Lillian again in a better world. Verena, who fared only physically better, grieved daily for Hannes, insistent that Kurt was given three rooms at her mansion, personally spoon-fed him, and went, weather permitting, to each other’s spouse’s gravesite. Kurt Essler’s other, much younger relatives came only through a long line of marriages and cared little for him, calling him, in his present state, an oddball, among many other unflattering names. This was one of the main reasons Verena moved him to her own place, leaving his estate strictly to his few reliable caretakers, until things changed for him mentally. But there was also another reason, and doubtless the main one— their neglect towards him. They all were extremely angry and hurt that Kurt and Lillian had started to give many of their treasures away while still alive. Both were informed by many of their close friends that almost everything would end up at the auction block and, as usual, sold to the highest bidder. Money was the only thing they ever wanted, as each came from a noble family and brought their own valuables as dowry. They felt absolutely nothing towards any item that had held sentimental value to either of the Esslers.

  Lillian, being considered a Reinhardt regardless of her adoption, had received at her marriage to Kurt many items of great value from Stephany and Karl, which had belonged for generations in their family. And there were those many pieces of priceless jewelry that had also made their way through many generations of Reinhardts. Now Victoria was the owner of each one, not only from Lillian’s side, but Verena’s and Anette’s too. It prompted her to state continuously that she owned more of those precious stones than most jewelers in Vienna, including the House of Lamberts, still famous for being the jewelers to the court.

  Upon Lillian’s death in 1910, a new will was drawn up immediately by none other than one of the Wilands. “Thank God,” Verena uttered in sadness about the loss of Lillian, but nevertheless very glad that Wiland’s children and grandchildren turned out to be the best lawyers the City of Vienna had to offer. The Reinhardts broke their chain of architects right after Karl’s death, with Hannes being a Doctor of Medicine and, in Philip’s case, an engineer turned industrialist. It was a fitting combination of his interests, and he was in awe at the new progress in machinery, combined with talent and the opportunity to visit the best universities with great encouragement from Robert, whom he admired more than anyone else. Ironically, Robert Eckhardt died two years before Karl. Not only were both eighty years of age, but each one of them had worked until their last day.

  ∼

  Ever since Victoria’s and Philip’s children became of ‘traveling age’, their visits to Grandmother Lotte and the nearby living Kronthaler, who took an early retirement after his wealthy parents died in order to take care of all their property, became very frequent. Aside from a sizable estate in the country, they also bought a villa near Lotte so she would never feel alone. Both of their sons entered, to their utter surprise, the best military academy in Potsdam and seemed to enjoy the rigorous discipline. Manfred von Wintersberg must be tossing and turning in his grave! It became a standing joke by everyone who had known him.

  Both of the Esslers, of course, were frequent visitors at Lotte’s and the Kronthalers’, who took them to their estate to enjoy life in the countryside of Prussia… or as everyone insisted, Germany. It was, therefore, by mutual consent that Ernst Kronthaler received Kurt’s collection of miniature ships and Irma got several exquisite pieces of Maria-Antoinette’s collection, with the Reinhardts given the first choice at every item. They not only declined, but added some of their own items to be shipped in six huge crates to Berlin in time for Christmas, though both families had to miss that year. Each box was carefully placed in a crate that read “In gratitude of our long and sincere friendship.” Ernst and Irma nearly fainted, and their first Christmas without their sons was, without a doubt, so much merrier trying to place all their beloved gifts in a very special place. The following year, the Kronthalers reciprocated with two beautiful Orlov Trotters from their own estate, with a note that read, “For people who have everything, but never enough horses!”

  ∼

  Since Hannes’ death, everyone knew that he had been a victim of his own research. He had become obsessed with finding a cure for diabetes mellitus, knowing by now that it was an inherited metabolic disorder, and fearing that he could be the next victim. His lifeless body was found early one morning in Dr. Billroth’s famous clinic where he spent many nights during the last years of his life, trying to find cures for many ailments… among them diabetes.

  “It was his favorite place,” a sadddened young doctor mumbled to the entering astonished doctor who shared his passion for research. “But he was not the first and won’t be the last,” he stated. “Some of us just feel a certain calling for it, and Hannes was one of many.”

  “Greatness is always born out of much pain,” Philip choked at the family-only funeral. It was widely known to be Hannes’ fervent wish and Verena made sure that his will was done. Franz-Xavier couldn’t come as he was crippled with arthritis and stayed presently in a home for aging priests, refusing the Reinhardts’ offer of a more comfortable place like their own hospital. Despite their difference in religion, their love for each other was never affected, as both men served the poor.

  Once again, the Reinhardts lost two of their most beloved people and were left with the task of looking after Kurt and comforting him, though they needed lots of comfort themselves. “It all seemed like yesterday and yet it was quite a few years ago,” Philip thought, looking at his beautiful wife and children, who right after the death of Hannes moved into Verena’s mansion quite happily, as the once beloved ‘dream house’ on the square became rather uncomfortable as far as the children were concerned. Verena was now surrounded by all her loved ones, including Kurt. This time, even Anette became a blessing as she doted on Kurt like on Alex previously, and still made time for helping Philip’s children with homework whenever they were in need.

  Elisabeth, the first born, was now eighteen and an excellent student, taking up the field of medicine along with biology, and showed great interest in science but never talked much about it. Secretly, she hoped to become the second Madame Curie, the only woman she had ever idolized. Gisela was another story. Nothing she started was ever finished, besides being a rather poor student at school. Her many tutors were perpetually frustrated at her lack of diligence. Aside from that vice, she had from time to time a new, fanciful dream, like becoming an actress or singer, but her parents and all other members of the family knew that in time she
would outgrow it and let it go at that. Peter and Paul were only ten when the move to Verena’s mansion took place and were, like their sisters, rather glad about it, as their rooms were larger and somehow had less stairs to climb. Victoria and Philip were pleased that both boys were very studious, though Peter, like his sister Gisela, had so many plans for his future that it caused now and then quite a few laughs.

  The dream house was rented out once more, but this time all agreed wholeheartedly on the choice, as the new tenants were the Wilands. Both brothers, Arthur and Victor, would use the first two floors for their ever-expanding office and the upstairs as their living quarters, each one now having a wife and two children. They were assured that after Verena’s death it would be theirs to buy, so any changes within their house were alright with the Reinhardts.

  Since Hannes never wrote a will, feeling he never owned anything to begin with, it was of great importance for Verena to write a will with the new tenants as her lawyers. Their father, who was in their circle of friends, died several years previously of cancer, leaving both sons his prosperous office as their inheritance. However, by choosing them, she had not the faintest notion that Anette Essler was one of their clients too. Anette inherited upon her mother’s death quite a sizable amount of gold coins, knowing Kurt and Lillian would get everything from his father. The coins were her own dowry by marrying an Essler and came with a tear-stained letter that her marriage was a big mistake and she felt so very guilty by making Anette pay for it. Arthur and Victor Wiland were told about it from their late father and kept the box in a safe, among many others of their wealthy clients, as Anette was at that time still caring for Alex. Robert, Jr. had also left her all his money, seeing in her the most selfless and unappreciated human being he ever encountered. Having abandoned his relatives on his last visit to America in 1876, he left Philip his two factories and his fully furnished elegant villa in a prestigious neighborhood. He never could foresee what a blessing it would become.