Yesterday Was Long Ago: Part Two Page 26

“I cannot blame him. I would have done the same,” he replied seriously. “Like I stated, I still don’t know why, but never a day went by without thinking of you both. You cannot possibly imagine how the surprise encounter on New Year’s Day, meeting you again, pleased me. You never aged a day; only little Isabella has grown tall.”

  “I knew who you were and thought how strange it was that you looked and talked so nicely to us. Then it occurred to me you had no idea who we were but had seen us somewhere.”

  “Oh, I was ready to find out, but you kept talking to my dog and left with a nod. I made a promise to myself to give the dog roast beef that evening.”

  She laughed. “You did? How nice!”

  “Of course, a few moments later I was disappointed again when your daughter said you were here on vacation and her dog was in Switzerland. By the time I started to ask where, as I know the country quite well, I heard you calling ‘Marie’ and she started running.”

  “Well, she was named after my late husband’s mother, simply because I loved that name, however, she knows if I call her middle name too she better be running.”

  “Did she ever,” he smiled. “There I go again. I didn’t know why, but the following day I insisted on a divorce, as our annulment had taken seven years already. Irene was enthused about it, planning to move to Switzerland for good.” He looked abruptly at the floor again before continuing. “At the moment, I cannot bring myself to repeat my answer to her, including your involvement.”

  “You don’t have to, Mr. Reinhardt. I was told everything there was to know about your opinion about both of us,” she smiled.

  “Oh, my God!”

  “She came to our place asking me— by the way, it was the first time I met her— to help her find a house in Lausanne. She was educated in Switzerland and heard about the beautiful town.”

  “She may have been educated there for a while, but mostly got her experience in Paris.”

  She knew what he meant but didn’t want to discuss it. “We became sort of friendly. She was very nice, and I helped her to find the villa she wanted. Then came the letter for a signature concerning your annulment and our plan backfired.” Gaby giggled. “And there I wanted to be in my best suit and arrogant behavior when being introduced by Irene to you! Well, we both know the rest.”

  “The first night I didn’t sleep, and with the exception of the second night being overtired, I still wake up every night dripping wet, still trying to come to terms with it.”

  “Well, it sure was a strange way to find out who I was,” she smiled as he was trying to get some composure.

  “There are no words to apologize… that much I know.”

  “Like my mother still says, things have a way of working themselves out.”

  “So does mine, but will they?” There, again, was this tense facial expression.

  “Well they should. After all, you waited more than eight years just to see me again. Or, should I say my daughter and me, who by the way you spoil much too much!”

  “I love that girl like my own child, never mind her mother.” He was proud of his courage, but got up feeling he had kept her much too long and being also afraid of her reaction.

  It took all her strength not to show how happy she felt. She knew she loved him more than he would ever realize, but also knew that everything must take its time. As he put on his camel-hair coat over his off-white turtleneck sweater and leather pants tucked in his boots, she could only imagine how many other women were now waiting in line to be asked out. The word that he was single again would spread around fast.

  “Like I said a moment ago, I waited eight years just to see both of you again. I’d like to add that I am not willing to wait another eight to marry you.”

  “Mr. Reinhardt, you just got out of a marriage.”

  “Mrs. Rosatti, you know very well I was never in a marriage.”

  “Goodnight, Mr. Reinhardt. Give your family and mine my best.”

  “I will do that. Goodnight, Mrs. Rosatti.” He re-opened the door quickly. “Remember, nothing less than a marriage will do,” he repeated with a most sincere plea.

  “Be sure to remind me from time to time, Mr. Reinhardt,” she replied, with a joyous blush on her face.

  “That wouldn’t be enough for me. It will be each time I see you and I will make sure I will see you quite frequently, Mrs. Rosatti, especially now that I know where to find you. Goodnight again.”

  She wanted to ask him, “Even in Lausanne?” but the door was already shut.

  ∼

  Arriving at home in the happiest mood ever, he heard music and cheerful noise. The servants were clearing the table. The terrace was transformed to an outdoor café, to watch the skaters while sipping hot chocolate. Presently, Andreas waltzed with his wife, Therese. Erika and Isabella tried to match their steps and his sister Elisabeth was cheered on by Adam, trying after twenty years to skate backwards. It was a happy crowd, clapping their hands to the gramophone’s music and the skaters’ performance.

  Paul was still deep in his thoughts of Gaby, enjoying his visit, tip-toeing in and standing behind on the terrace until his mother looked around and noticed him. “How did it go?” she whispered, getting up unobserved.

  “Much better than I imagined as far as the conversation went. However, I couldn’t ask her when she will leave for Lausanne once her leg is healed.”

  “Don’t worry, it will work out. The worst is over. You have eased your mind,” she smiled.

  He looked at his watch and was surprised that he was only gone a bit longer than an hour.

  “Where is Peter?”

  “At the hospital. He told me Gaby will be staying with them as of tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Irene is leaving with Isabella and her aunt the following day; quite a burden off our shoulders. It’s now up to you to win Gaby over.”

  “I started already by asking her to marry me,” he smiled.

  “Tell me you are kidding!”

  “Would I do that with her? She was very understanding and forgiving.”

  “So is her mother and her brother.”

  “I don’t remember him anymore.”

  “Never mind that. What was Gaby’s reply?”

  “To remind her from time to time.”

  “Now you see, she is kidding.”

  “She better not be, because I plan to marry her soon.”

  “Paul, all of Vienna will be laughing. Not only because your marriage just got annulled, but a von Walden and a Reinhardt? You shouldn’t have talked so hurtfully about her. I am happy about it, but wait a while longer.”

  “As for Vienna laughing, they laughed for more than eight years. And as for the harm I’ve done, I am partly forgiven. The rest I will make up once we are married.” With this final and sincere statement, they walked towards the terrace.

  “Hello, Mr. Reinhardt. Did you see me skate?”

  “No, Miss Isabella. Will you do it again?”

  “Gladly! I will waltz with my uncle.”

  “Please do.”

  Andreas, being informed about everything, and knowing how awkward Paul felt about an introduction via his mother, Astrid, or Victoria, took his own initiative and called, “Mr. Reinhardt! I am Andreas von Walden. Thanks for all you did for my niece.”

  “And I am Paul Reinhardt, the evildoer!”

  “Never mind. Accidents happen,” and off they went skating.

  Paul took it upon himself to put Lehar’s ‘Gold and Silver Waltz’ on again to the great delight of all spectators. Many wished the night would never end.

  ∼

  Irene called the following evening at Peter’s place after being told by the hospital that Gaby was already there. She only wished her a speedy recovery as she was too busy to visit, having still some shopping to do. Neither Professor Rousseau nor Paul was mentioned, but somehow Gaby felt Irene sounded a bit nervous as she repeatedly said, “I’ll see you in Lausanne and we’ll talk more about it.”

  Isabella embraced eac
h of the Reinhardts, thanking them for her good time, and promising to be back at Christmas and telling the children they would meet her American girlfriend called Daniella. “In our school, they just call us ‘Ella’ and ‘Bella’ for short. Mother and all my relatives just love her! It’s her fourth Christmas in Europe.”

  Everyone was looking forward to Christmas of 1937.

  ∼

  True to his word, Paul visited Gaby once a day with truffles and flowers, never leaving without asking her to set a date. Erika and Gaby became very close, as the three former Reinhardt servants were not to her liking to talk about anything other than the cooking or the household chores. Mostly, they were quarreling among themselves with Adolf Hitler and the brownshirts being the main topic. The former Reinhardts at the palace would have fired each one immediately for such talk, but times had changed drastically and were getting more dangerous as time went on.

  Erika herself was in a very difficult dilemma, having been told by one of her sisters, who had to meet her in secret, that her own father was a fanatic follower of Hitler’s doctrine, mentioning on several occasions that, should the time be ripe, Peter Reinhardt would be one of the first ones to get ‘his’. Erika never doubted his intentions.

  It was a leisurely, bad weather Sunday and as always, Paul was making his ‘set a date’ visit. This time, Peter decided to have Rupert and Gisela come by. Rupert had known Gaby since Bertram took him home. Gisela heard constantly about her, especially lately pertaining to Paul, and was anxious to meet her. Rupert embraced her with a lump in his throat saying, “Like the old saying goes, you have grown up very nicely.”

  “So did you, Rupert, as well as your taste in choosing such a beautiful wife. Glad to meet you, Mrs. Foster.”

  Gisela replied, “And you, Gaby Rosatti.” She was just given a comfortable chair to support her leg, with Paul next to her, when the phone rang and the servant exclaimed, “It’s Mrs. Irene, but I can barely hear the woman.”

  Erika took the phone instinctively. “Hi, Irene… yes, Gaby and I are all alone,” she said, causing the still astonished guests to be quiet. “Well, Peter will be here in about an hour. Sunday duty, you know.” All gave her the sign of agreement, knowing that if they told her about a cozy get-together with three of the four Reinhardt children present, she would never talk.

  She handed Gaby the phone, sensing a kind of urgency. “What a surprise, Irene. Sorry our connection is rather poor. We’ll just have to scream,” she replied, looking around the table for understanding. They only smiled.

  “I feel so very badly, Gaby, but Alain Rousseau and I have fallen hopelessly in love. We want to get married very soon and I wanted to be the first one to tell you, knowing it would hurt your feelings,” she sighed. “I didn’t want you to hear it from Isabella or the Lebruns first.”

  “Irene, what makes you think you hurt my feelings about a man I never cared a thing for one way or another, and neither did he. That man was my daughter’s professor and happens to be the schoolmaster of her girls’ lyceum. His mother is my aunt’s friend and we all love music.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Yes, that is all, Irene. He and his mother are looking for someone unattached with money. I have a daughter and although she is my everything, as far as those two are concerned, she is only his prize pupil as long as we pay.”

  Irene sighed in relief. “I was told you loved this man.”

  “You are joking! Why would I care for a man who looks like him? Just the thought of holding his hand other than in greeting gives me goose bumps. Never mind anything else.”

  “Well, between you and me, he is the best lover I ever had.”

  “How would you know?”

  “Because we are in bed everyday, putting our experience to work.”

  “You do? You are? Yuck!”

  The last short sentences forced somehow Gaby to look up, only to find the three men nodding their heads in unison which meant ‘yes she did’ and then some. Gaby’s face turned red, noticing Gisela and Therese’s hands in front of their mouths to contain their laughter.

  “Poor Gaby, you will never know how much you are missing.”

  “I’m not missing a thing, Irene! Anything else?”

  “May I have Isabella as flower girl? It will be a lavish affair, even the second time around.”

  “I don’t care about your lavish wedding. My daughter will never be permitted to act as flower girl. The professor has a whole school to choose from. Our morals are well above his and yours!”

  “So you are jealous and bitter.”

  “If you think that, you are sick. Goodbye and good luck!” And she banged the receiver down.

  “So sorry, but you didn’t hear the other end of the line. Especially the accusation that I am jealous.”

  “Don’t get upset, Mrs. Rosatti,” said Paul. “Isabella told me in confidence that the girls call Professor Rousseau ‘Warthog’.” They all burst out in laughter.

  “She did? Well my aunt and I call him that too. But I would never tell Irene, for fear the girls would get bad grades in return.”

  “Let’s eat,” Gisela said cheerfully and, looking at Erika, continued. “I am forever grateful that you said you two were alone. That was the best entertainment we ever had.”

  “Well, I felt the urgency in her voice and wouldn’t have wanted to miss it myself. The Warthog and she are getting married at Easter time. The rest you have probably figured out for yourself.”

  “As men we did, Gaby dear,” said Rupert, looking at his wife and Erika. “And believe me, those two sly women of ours did too.”

  Peter gave his wife a slight pinch. “Now Irene is soon a ‘Frau Professor’, my lovely Erika is ‘Frau Doctor’, my dear sister Gisela is ‘Frau Police Captain’,” He laughed, thinking about Austria’s fascination with titles bordering on absurdity. “How about you, Gaby?”

  “Irene got the best of you too, Peter,” she burst out in laughter.

  “No, I am dead serious. Isn’t it about time that after fourteen years of widowhood, you should be called “Frau Diplom Engineer?” He smiled speculatively with Paul’s and Gaby’s faces turning crimson red and Rupert starting to applaud, followed by the rest of them.

  Paul, finally looking at Gaby’s joyous expression of surprise clapped the loudest. “Thank you, brother. I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  “I will think about it,” Gaby smiled.

  “For how long? I have known you for eight years.”

  “That’s where our problem lies. I, on the other hand, have known you barely a month.”

  “Don’t be silly, Gaby,” Peter intervened. “You have known each other since childhood. I was there. Remember?”

  “And I thought you were trying to help me, Peter,” Paul mused.

  “So when is the wedding, Gaby, now that we are on the subject,” Rupert inquired seriously. “Neither one of us has any intention of leaving until you set the date. Not only are you outnumbered by five to one, but remember your leg in case you want to run. The way I see it you are in a tough spot.” Paul looked at him and winked. “Not only that Gaby, but as a man of the law, I am Paul’s witness should you dare to retract.”

  Gaby shook her finger. “Wait until my cast is off. I’ll get even.”

  “How much longer Peter? You are the doctor,” Rupert continued.

  “About three weeks,” Peter laughed. “The Academy sure taught you persistence.”

  “What I meant to say—” Gaby started.

  “I know exactly what you meant to say, Gaby, but it didn’t involve the marriage date.”

  “Thank you, Rupert,” Paul smiled gratefully, reaching for Gaby’s hand and squeezing it tightly.

  “Alright. I’ll talk with my mother about it today.”

  “I thought you were over eighteen,” Gisela joined in laughing.

  “Gosh, Gaby, it’s going to be a family affair only. Adam will give you away. He is old enough to pass for your father. Peter is Paul’s be
st man. I’ll stay on the other side with a loaded gun in case you change your mind, right Paul?” Rupert proposed.

  All laughed with Paul saying, “I always knew you were a good brother-in-law.”

  “You may get some roast beef too,” Gaby replied, thinking of the setter, causing Paul to laugh aloud, taking her other hand.

  “We are waiting,” Erika said with a show of confidence.

  “Alright, alright. We’ll get engaged at Christmas.”

  A round of applause followed, with Rupert again prodding. “Gaby, I love the idea about your engagement, but Paul needs a date for the wedding.”

  “Like I told him, he just got out of one,” she smiled at him warmly.

  “Like I told you, I was never in one,” he responded quickly. “Mother chastised me for saying those awful things about you,” he said, his face tense as usual.

  “What does Mother know?” Gisela laughed, thinking how she had endured their father’s countless infidelities.

  “Right, sister. What does she know?”

  “Well, Isabella has Easter vacation and I wouldn’t get married without her. She loves Paul… and I may just as well say it… after our first encounter on New Year’s Day, she told mother and me, ‘Why can you not find a handsome man like this?’.”

  “Which tells me how smart my future daughter is,” Paul acknowledged. “She will be a Reinhardt as soon as we are married, as her late father never knew her and vice- versa. Is that all right with you, Gaby?”

  “Of course, it is… but we have to keep it a secret until her tests are done or she will think of nothing else and flunk them.”

  “So what?” Rupert shrugged with indifference. “We have good schools too. You, yourself, went to one of the best. Isabella needs to be near her parents anyway.”

  “I agree. She and I have rarely been separated, but there is still so much to do as I have an apartment too,” she replied with a frown.

  “So, when is Easter?” Peter inquired, rubbing his hands together.

  “This year, in February!” Rupert laughed.

  “Easter Sunday is March 30, as Isabella arrives the 26th. I know this for a fact as I was supposed to come too, but as of now, I have to change certain plans.”