Yesterday Was Long Ago: Part Two Read online

  The setter was right there and Gaby, being already in possession of the bottle, tried carefully to walk backwards, watching not to get a heel in the long housecoat. Simultaneously, Bello jumped and pushed his wet nose towards her slippers while his master yelled, “Why in God’s name didn’t—” He couldn’t finish his sentence, recognizing Gaby who fell from the ladder, landing in the huge pile of potatoes and screeching “OUCH!” Her leg was in an awkward position, hitting a wooden plant, and she found herself even more embarrassed as the temporary satin sash which held the house coat together fell too, exposing her fully in her small, flowered flannel nightgown, showing her legs, and for the moment, she was unable to push her nightgown further down. Watching the scene from only a few feet away, he held tightly to the door, feeling as though he might faint at any moment.

  Only a completely dumbfounded and long drawn out, “It’s you” came over his white lips, looking for better words than his ‘how’, ‘what’, and an audible ‘who’. Although still in pain and Bello licking her cheeks, she managed to pat his head with one hand. The dog paced back and forth from his master to Gaby, feeling that something was wrong. Once more, Gaby proved herself very strong in an adverse situation. Also, the well-rehearsed performance for the following day came quickly to her mind, while Paul felt he was losing his.

  “No doubt you are wondering who I am, Mr. Reinhardt,” she smiled. “Only for the past eight years,” he thought, but kept mum awaiting her answer. “I am that ‘ugly von Walden brat’.”

  “Oh, no you are not,” he countered, even more perplexed.

  “If you say so. But let’s call it even. I sprained your ankle more than twenty years ago and you broke my leg. Now it’s me who can neither skate nor ski for the next few weeks. That should make you feel better!” He only gulped in total disbelief. “The other question would be what am I doing here?” His handsome face turned even whiter, knowing exactly why. “I found Irene a house in Lausanne and her maid and I helped with the move. And also with moral support, mind you.”

  Regina, who waited on the staircase for Gaby’s return, recognized Paul Reinhardt’s voice and ran upstairs to Irene’s bedroom. “I think something went wrong, Mrs. Irene. I hear Mrs. Rosatti talking to Mr. Reinhardt.”

  “Oh my God. Seeing her in my hooded garment, possibly from the back, he doubtlessly thought it was me. There is no time to lose to set him straight.” She didn’t know how she got down all the steps in a hurry in her condition, but there she stood now, with a fur coat over her nightgown, watching Gaby still petting the setter, while Paul stood motionless by the door. She pushed him aside, running towards Gaby, and yelled “What has this monster done to you?”

  “You mean Bello? He licked my heel when I descended the ladder. I got startled and here I am. I fell.”

  “Oh, I thought it was him as I wouldn’t put anything past this man. Are you hurt?”

  “Well, I think my leg is broken and hope it’s a clean break,” she replied calmly.

  “WHAT?” She turned to Paul. “See what you have done?” There was no reply, just a look of hatred in her direction.

  “I told you, Irene, it was the dog.”

  “Never mind poor Bello. It was he who let him in the cellar, seeing me on the ladder and suspecting that I’d steal a bottle.”

  “She was right, of course,” he thought, though he would never admit it.

  She still continued, enraged. “In case you don’t know who she is, this is Mrs. Rosatti, formerly a von Walden. I am sure that name rings a bell with you. She is now my partner in a bordello, which we bought in the red-light district.”

  “Get out!” is all he could muster with his head spinning.

  Gaby bit her lips, feeling how embarrassing the situation was getting one day before his annulment. And there was her own plan going up in smoke. She wanted to look her very best, and ended up looking the worst ever. But she felt, somehow, that he was in love with her. There was no other explanation for his behavior. Victor Wiland came in, hearing Irene screaming, and got the news from Regina, who was still waiting in the hallway.

  “Please, Mr. Wiland, call a doctor right now,” Irene pleaded and, noticing Regina walking behind him, she told her to bring a warm blanket in a hurry. Victor Wiland said he would call Peter since he spends the weekend in Lindenfels. “Good idea,” said Irene, but there was still no word from the ashen-faced Paul, who forgot momentarily that Peter had purchased the Wertheims’ weekend house.

  Wiland came back, assuring everyone that Dr. Peter Reinhardt was on the way, adding, “I didn’t even know the lady’s name, but I did call you ‘beautiful’ who fell from the ladder.”

  “Thank you,” Gaby replied. “Peter will have a good laugh. Many years ago, we went skiing with my late husband. I broke my leg once too.”

  That was a new shock to Paul. Victor finally turned to him, being startled at seeing him white like a ghost. Irene started to explain the situation but there was Paul again with his usual, “Get out or I’ll throw you out myself!”

  “Don’t make me laugh. Ever since I came in, still quite sick mind you, you haven’t even moved a step, neither trying to help poor Gaby nor calling Peter. But I imagine her condition is less important than your sprained ankle two decades ago. But then again, she is a von Walden and I imagine that makes all the difference,” she fumed. “Good to see you, Peter,” she said in one breath. “Look at our poor victim.”

  “Hello, Gaby. What happened?”

  “I fell from the ladder, Peter, and diagnosed myself with a broken leg.”

  “Gaby blames the dog, but I know he had to bring him in the locked cellar door,” Irene said, shooting venomous looks at Paul.

  “Oh, Irene, accidents happen. It’s not her first broken leg either. Why don’t you all go out and let me see where it hurts?”

  Gaby retold the story and Peter suggested an x-ray right away, calling for the ambulance in Lindenfels, but had to walk up to Paul’s main entrance hall. Mrs. Irene and Regina went back to her bedroom. Even after her fall, Gaby still held the brandy bottle, giving it to Regina. Irene now started, for some reason, to get better, but her maid insisted on the ‘medication’ anyway, especially since they all went through hell to get it.

  “Better get something for Paul,” Victor Wiland said. “Take a look at him.”

  “My God, Paul. Are you that upset? I believe it was Bello running in front of you.”

  “But I was the one who opened the outside door thinking Irene is on the bottle again or was taking some to Switzerland. How on earth could I know she loaned the von Walden lady her coat? That was once my mother’s coat; that’s why I remembered it so well. I gave it to her for Christmas.”

  Once more, the ambulance came to the Reinhardt palace, and Peter insisted that he would go along. After they heard the ambulance leave with Peter yelling, “I will call you to let you know,” Paul said only “thank you” and put both of his hands in front of his face stammering, “Why me?” and giving a short account of Irene’s outburst to his friend, Victor Wiland.

  “I felt I would die a thousand times. How did I not know she was a von Walden?”

  “Paul, just be glad she didn’t hit one of the barrels that stood so nearby. Her head would have split open.”

  “I was thinking about it the whole time standing there, just imagining I could have killed her.”

  “Why do I have the feeling of a lawyer, if you will, that there is a bit more to the whole incident than you let me believe?”

  “There is and in time I will tell you.”

  “I thought so, because in all those years you never caved in.”

  “Well, frankly, I had it coming. Listen, if Irene is too sick tomorrow to come down, we’ll go up to her.

  “I usually never work on weekends, but made an exception for you and my other client.”

  Peter called from the hospital saying that it was a clean fracture on the right leg, but he would keep her in traction. Also, her left arm was very bruised.
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  “I hope you have her in first class.”

  “What do you think? I’ll be by in a few minutes and give you something for your nerves. And tomorrow we’ll talk.”

  “About what?”

  “Come on, Paul. You will tell me. I am sure it’s more than a broken leg.” He hung up and was on his way back, leaving another doctor to put the plaster on her.

  When Peter arrived, Victor retired. “We will see how Mrs. Irene feels, but I’ll be ready anytime.”

  Peter prepared the pills, told him to take two in front of him, and he would be back the next morning too, making sure Irene’s cold was not worse.

  Gaby was given the best room at the hospital, usually reserved for the Reinhardts, as there were three ‘first class’ at the hospital. Her pain pills helped; she felt much better, but couldn’t help having Paul’s stare in front of her. He undoubtedly remembered her from New Year’s Day, having, of course, no idea of who she was. Then came Irene’s outburst of what he still thought about that ‘von Walden brat’. It must have embarrassed him to no end. But somehow, she felt good about the whole incident, as she could love this man like no other. Feeling that it was fate, she finally fell asleep.

  The following morning, Irene sent Regina downstairs, explaining that she was still too weak to walk down the stairs. However, next to her bedroom was a salon, and she wanted them to come up at the given time. Victor Wiland and a groggy Paul were more than happy to oblige. Both signed in a hurry and Paul left without taking one look at her, let alone saying good-bye. Victor Wiland explained a few things, among them that she was permitted to stay until year’s end.

  “What I want to know is how is Gaby?” After telling her the facts she screamed, “That monster ruins everyone’s life! Now what?”

  “Dr. Peter Reinhardt will see you later to make sure you two can travel when ready. Mrs. Rosatti will have to stay at least 3 – 4 weeks in the hospital.”

  “Oh, God! I have to see her to say good-bye for a while and settle the visa concerning Regina. She is sponsored by her as a maid. Mrs. Rosatti is a Swiss citizen.”

  “Since your maid has a visitor’s visa, it doesn’t matter whom she visits.”

  “I never thought of that. But that is why you are a lawyer,” she smiled. They shook hands and both knew it was for the last time. Peter advised her to stay a few days longer in bed and by Wednesday she should be ready.

  “The sooner the better. Paul and I haven’t even exchanged one word. Can you believe that?”

  “Let’s just say you embarrassed him a great deal. Your outburst about the bordello was uncalled for. Ludvig and I feel the same way. After all, he didn’t even know she was a von Walden when she fell.”

  “You Reinhardts always stick together. I, on the other hand, am all alone.”

  “Now that is not Paul’s fault, Irene.”

  “I know,” she replied guiltily. “I hope to see Erika before I leave. You two were the only nice Reinhardts,” she said in tears.

  “I will make sure Erika and you see each other one way or another,” he promised in leaving.

  Paul waited for Victor to descend from Irene’s room to take him to his office with his sleigh. The roads were still not passable this morning due to the new snowfall. Both talked only about the weather and his setter Bello, who sat ever so proudly between them. Paul thought the dog had led him twice now to Gaby, but was incapable of thinking any further. Now the annulment was behind him and he felt free. He was glad to hear about Irene’s plan to leave as soon as possible too. Although he permitted her to stay longer, he had no desire to cross her path again. He would stay in Vienna as he did most of the time, still having his bachelor apartment at his disposal.

  The Dreesens occupied the guest rooms, and Peter and Erika, who got the Wertheims’ weekend retreat after their departure to America, spent most of their time there, weather permitting. Victoria, after all, had a full house, but was still longing for Erika, considering her the favorite. Elisabeth and Adam, as well as their children, were reserved, doubtlessly missing South Africa and their friends already. Today they decided to have a snowball fight in their back lawn and Victoria suggested to water their tennis court for the parents to practice skating after twenty years and the children to get a chance to learn. When Paul entered the mansion, they all were ready to leave. “Uncle Paul, we are going to have a snowball fight!”

  “Great!” he replied, but after Elisabeth took one look at him she knew something was wrong.

  “You are pale, brother dear. I didn’t think you would take the annulment that hard.”

  “I didn’t. You will never believe what happened to me. After I get some sleep, I’ll tell you.”

  “I can’t wait to hear it.”

  “My God, son. You look like you’ve been to hell and back.”

  “Sort of. I need to sleep for a few hours and then you will hear all about it.”

  “Need some pills?”

  “No thanks. Peter gave me some and they didn’t do anything for me.”

  “Peter? How come he was there?”

  “Mrs. Irene has a cold, so he brought her some medication. By the way, Mother, why did you give Mrs. Irene the velvet house coat I bought you years ago for Christmas?”

  “I never did. She had one made because she liked it so much. She would be the last person I would give something you gave me.”

  “Well, now I feel better.” He gave her a kiss and left for bed.

  Victoria was lately in the habit of getting the phone herself after two rings, as the grandchildren made a noisy run for it before a servant had a chance. As always, she was happy to hear from Peter who related in detail what happened the previous day. “No wonder Paul looked sick, and I mean sick, when he came in. He went right to bed claiming he couldn’t sleep regardless of your pills. I can imagine Mrs. Irene being at her best when she finally had a chance to confront Paul about Gaby. Well, Paul will get over it. Should I call Astrid?”

  “She was informed last night from the hospital and I will call her now myself. By noon, the snow will start to melt and we did put Gaby in a first-class room.”

  “I hope you did. Maybe the weather will be better by tomorrow and all of you can come for dinner. I miss Erika terribly.”

  “She misses you too, Mother.”

  Victoria now called Astrid, who already knew and was, in a way, glad to have her Gaby a little longer. She informed Ingrid in Switzerland and, weather permitting, they would come. “I am so sorry, Astrid.”

  “Don’t be silly. We both had nothing to do with it. It’s not her first break either.”

  “I am so glad, Astrid, you don’t take it as hard as Paul. He seemed to be devastated.”

  “Remind him that Gaby is so lucky to be surrounded by so many doctors.”

  “Since when is she for doctors again,” Victoria thought, but answered, “Right you are. Aside from your Andreas and my Peter, Elisabeth and Adam are here too,” she smiled and was glad that conversation was over; usually she would have answered, ‘God will heal her’ and talk no further.

  Two hours later, Paul was still wide awake. He decided on a hot bath, a good shave, and something to eat. Coming down the steps, he found Elisabeth with her needlepoint, while his mother was telling the two boys and three girls a nice story about their Reinhardt ancestors. She was very surprised that Elisabeth had never as much as tried, while they knew all about the van Dreesens.

  “Elisabeth, I have to talk to you. So glad we have our privacy, but first, where is Adam?”

  “Helping the guys with the skating rink.”

  “Good.” He retold what happened and she not only beamed with joy but embraced him spontaneously with a kiss. Paul had never seen her that happy. He only shook his head when she ran in the children’s room, demanding they read their school lessons while she and grandmother have a talk.

  Victoria was even more surprised when she learned about his encounter in Locarno.

  “How could I tell you or anyone else, M
other? It would have made me not any different from Irene.”

  “Nonsense. You looked for love; she looked for a man… any kind of man, including your late father.”

  “How did you know?” both asked in unison, shocked.

  “Because I had her watched. I confronted him and he said he had never seen a more beautiful body. ‘She felt like pure silk.’”

  “Oh, my God,” they said, once more in unison.

  “Does anyone else know about it?”

  “If you mean the family, yes.”

  “Including Rupert?”

  “He is family, isn’t he? He, by the way, knew him even before he met Gisela, having had, at times, duty in the red-light district.”

  “So that’s why he barely looked at him and never said more than ‘hello’ and good-bye’.”

  “Then how come you didn’t leave him? Verena left you and us everything. Father didn’t even get a pair of cufflinks. You are very rich.”

  “Because I loved your father and saw in him so many good qualities other men in his circle of friends never had. Aside from that, I hoped that we would spend our old age together. But let me tell you, as soon as he admitted to his affairs, I closed my bedroom door for good, knowing he would never change.”

  “Ha!” Paul laughed. “That’s what I did with Irene on our wedding day.”

  “Like mother, like son,” Elisabeth verified, smiling. “But now we need a fool-proof plan to get Gaby in our family. Then we all can live happily ever after.”

  “I should be that lucky,” Paul replied.

  “I am going to see Gaby. I want to meet her,” Elizabeth stated.

  “No, you won’t!” said Victoria. “That’s Paul’s obligation.”

  “I’d just as well be dead,” he uttered, red-faced.

  “Do you try to tell me I raised a coward?”

  “No, Mother. I just need time and plenty of it. I thought I’d go away for a while.”