Yesterday Was Long Ago: Part Two Read online

  “We buried my brother-in-law, Kurt Essler, two days ago. There was simply no time.”

  “Oh, yes, I read about that,” she said, unmoved, thinking of his age, status, and military record. He, who always was considered to have a plum job in any combat, as the joke was he couldn’t stand the sight of blood.

  “So you can understand why I couldn’t see you sooner. And my own son considers the matter settled, refusing to take any part of it.” She continued to explain that she had come to set the record straight, before confronting the headmaster at the school, when a lovely and dainty little Gaby entered, bowing very courteously with a smile.

  “I know you from some pictures in our school, Madame.”

  “Gaby, how often do I have to tell you not to speak unless spoken to?” Astrid admonished.

  “So sorry, Madame. So sorry, Mama.” While Astrid’s face took the expression of severity, Verena compared Gaby to a china doll and began to question Paul’s sanity in calling her an ‘ugly brat’.

  “What exactly happened at the skating rink and why was I never informed about it?”

  “Because Papa told me not to, as he and Mr. Reinhardt had already taken care of it. You know how he is, Mama. He didn’t want to upset you before leaving.”

  Both women looked at each other in silence, knowing she told the truth. “Did you know the Lady’s grandson has a sprained ankle because of you?”

  “Not because of me, Mama,” she retorted, feeling hurt. “He was the leader in teasing us girls about our silly jumps, pushing the separating poles towards us so we had no space to skate. Those wild boys were twice our size and twice as many. You can ask each girl yourself.”

  “Then where on earth were your coaches? Or whoever was in charge?” Verena inquired, upset, seeing the situation in front of her.

  “I have no idea, Madame, but when they returned the harm was done. Your grandson was the only one hurt and we girls followed him to his father’s table and told our side of the story.”

  “And then what?” Astrid asked.

  Gaby stated the story matter-of-factly, not the least bit sorry for his sprained ankle, let alone ready to apologize.

  “How old are you, Gaby?” Verena inquired kindly, smiling, feeling her grown-up manner didn’t match her size.

  “Next month I will be ten,” she answered proudly.

  “What school are you attending?”

  “Maria-Theresia’s. And I am the youngest on our sports team and the best in my piano class.”

  “Humility is not one of her virtues,” Astrid apologized, ready to dismiss her.

  “My two granddaughters went there too. A very fine school, Gaby. You should be very proud.” She shook her hand and patted it.

  “Thank you, Madame,” she replied with her head erect, returning to her room. But Verena’s stunned expression left no doubt that she was wondering where all the money came from.

  “Then may we drink a cup of tea to our children’s school?”

  “If it’s not too much trouble. I am glad to take a cup.”

  “Rather a pleasure,” she said courtly and ringing for Hermine again, ordering some baked goods with it.

  “I have a childless sister and brother-in-law living in Lausanne, Switzerland. We are extremely close and visit each other frequently.”

  “Beautiful place,” Verena remarked in a murmur.

  “They arrive tomorrow late afternoon for two weeks. Usually they are a few days earlier but with him being a dentist, he had a few patients to take care of. In any case, they are paying for my children’s education. They give them knowledge and we give them love and discipline.”

  “Consider yourself very lucky,” Verena replied sincerely.

  “I do, Madame. Very much so.”

  Hermine arrived with a tray containing Limoges’ finest china, and Verena’s plan to give von Walden a piece of her mind ended as she was distracted with the most pleasant conversation until she was ready to leave.

  “Well, today is the twenty-third and with the school vacation until the 7th of January, there is nothing we can do about it.”

  “Unfortunately not. And I am very sorry about your grandson’s condition, truly I am.”

  “And I am equally sorry about my intrusion. On the other hand, however,” she sighed with a smile. “I am very glad that we met. As you stated so rightfully, we are, after all, neighbors.”

  Astrid called for Gaby to tell her good-bye. Andreas came along, his arm around his sister, protecting her, and again Verena had no choice but to admire their looks and behavior.

  When Philip had said he liked their father, she had shrieked. Now she would have to tell him how much she likes his family as well.

  “Good-bye Gaby. I am glad to have met you Andreas.” She smiled at both. “You know, Gaby, that I believe every word you said. No apology needed. I will make both coaches responsible.”

  “I am glad you feel that way, as my children know the consequences of lying to anyone,” Astrid voiced sternly, and Verena never doubted her statement for a moment.

  Marlene was already in the hall, engrossed with von Walden’s servant in discussion about the war. Hermine told her that two of her brothers are in the service with one of them already wounded. They wished each other a ‘Merry Christmas’ anyway, knowing there is not one merry thing about it.

  “May I ask you if all went well, Madame?”

  “Of course, you may. It went so much better than I ever would have dreamed. The Baroness von Walden is a most congenial lady, and her little well-behaved daughter’s face reminded me of a beautiful doll I still own. Aside from that, she is extremely mature and unafraid to speak her mind. Quite a surprise if one considers her strict mother. Once the holidays are behind us, I will have to confront Paul again. The way I understand it, he was the main instigator. And this time, I put Peter and his visiting friends next to him. So far, his brother pretends not to have seen anything at all. Of course, be that as it may, I blame the coaches who left boys and girls without supervision, relying on the parents to watch. If Victoria would have been there, nothing would have happened… which reminds me that I am glad I told her not to worry, as our daily walk would take longer. This snowless Christmas-time is the first I can ever remember,” she sighed, linking her arm in Marlene’s. “Can’t you just see Philip’s reaction when I tell him where I went and what a great time I had?” Marlene nodded in amusement.

  “I feel very bad about the way I treated them. Of course, it was their long-buried relatives who gave us trouble about ‘their piece of land’, and we had to prove over and over again that it was never theirs. But the young ones are a different breed. Now they will get some because I say so. I admit to being stubborn about the poor street lighting between our places, never realizing how dark it is.”

  “Madame, it is the first time we have walked in the dark. We are never back later than four unless in a car or carriage.”

  “Right, Marlene. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of changes.”

  They reached the huge, ornamented but dimly lit iron gate, enclosed with tall boxwood hedges, along with a great variety of shrubs and spruce trees, and Marlene, too, thought about this snowless and spiritless Christmas, with every young servant in the war and the sons of many of their employees too, leaving them little choices but to attend the traditional midnight Mass.

  No sooner had Marlene tried to open the gate, then from out of nowhere, came a short and skinny man whose face was barely recognizable, standing in front of them, blocking the entrance. “Can you not see the big ‘NO TRESPASSING’ sign?” Verena asked, highly annoyed.

  He only responded scornfully. “I am Bertram von Walden.” He grinned, satisfied, from ear to ear, enjoying the startled look of both, while waving his small lantern in front of him. “This place could use more lights… but then again one could then see the von Walden shack. You!” he added scornfully, directing his carefully planned accusation at Verena. “You, old bag, went to our rotten place to squeal on my
little half-sister so she would get punishment for Christmas instead of a little gift. That would suit a heartless tyrant like you just fine!”

  Verena overlooked his statement and replied. “How on earth did you get here and why don’t you go away?”

  “By taking a shortcut no one else knows.” He grinned, getting a small bottle from his back pocket.

  “Mrs. Reinhardt just wanted to get to the bottom of the incident on the skating rink. We were just talking about how sweet and beautiful the little girl is and she believed her and—”

  He quickly brushed her off. “I am not talking to an old maid. You are nothing but a slave in good clothes.” Then he turned again to Verena. “I want to get you off, once and for all, from your high horse, which all of you Reinhardts have ridden at our expense much too long,” he sputtered, taking a fast swig from his rum bottle. “I am leaving tomorrow, or I wouldn’t have been at the house overhearing in the adjoining room your carefully laid out accusation. People like you don’t fool me a bit. Aside from that, we poor von Waldens possess a diary too!”

  “We have nothing to hide.” Verena said calmly, though her heart was pounding.

  “Oh, no?”

  “Not at all. I haven’t said one unkind word which could have upset anybody, least of all you! Neither you nor your brother was ever mentioned.”

  “Half-brother,” he corrected. “but you were poking around enough to find something, or you wouldn’t have paid a visit to ‘trash’ like us, who live in a place not fit for your horses. And all that one day before Christmas, as it couldn’t have waited. It must have cost you quite a few sleepless nights, let alone the pain and humiliation. Well, never mind all that. One pays sooner or later for his shortcomings.”

  “Your mother is a very fine lady and I plan to make some drastic changes.”

  Before Marlene had a chance to vouch for her statement he interjected. “Stepmother, if you please! However, she is a very good one if I say so myself, but gullible like my father… or let’s say easily deceived!” He laughed thinking of all the lies he had fed them since he left school at fourteen. “But it’s because of you Reinhardts that we are condemned to live in poverty and shunned as social outcasts, better known as the ‘poor paupers of Lindenfels’. I waited for this heaven-sent opportunity to pay you back for a long time, as I have nothing to lose, but give you the same merry Christmas that you set out to give us… without any success, I may add.” He laughed again and took his last sip of rum. “You may just as well know that I am your son, Philip’s, very own pimp. Only he has no idea who I am! How is that for a surprise as a Christmas gift? A low-down von Walden a step ahead of Vienna’s high society! HAHAHA!” he roared in pleasure, holding his little lantern closer to her face to watch her devastated reaction in utter delight. Verena had read such words occasionally in novels, which were considered French classics, but had never heard them spoken.

  “You have had too much to drink young man. And your imminent departure for the front may also be contributing to your behavior,” Verena replied in a conciliatory tone of great understanding, while her heart was pounding and her shaking becoming quite obvious, with Marlene putting her arm around her waist.

  “Please, Baron von Walden!” she pleaded kindly. “Can you not see how upset Mrs. Reinhardt is getting by all your lies just to get even?”

  Now he was really getting livid, as nothing is worse than calling a liar by his name, especially when on rare occasions he spoke the truth. “Lies? Lies?” he repeated, gratified, as it enabled him to take the truth even further. “I have been supplying the famous and dapper Philip Reinhardt for quite a few years with young virgins so he wouldn’t catch syphilis! And that almost on a daily basis, as he has an addiction to what you would call ‘a sinful lifestyle’. Of course, he pays top price and I have him a highly secretive replacement already,” he said triumphantly as Verena started to swoon, holding on tightly to Marlene. “Now you have a very nice Christmas and never set foot in our glorified stable again or all of Vienna will know about it! So far, it’s only between you and me, as your old maid will never utter a word, providing she knows what is good for her!” he threatened, disappearing into the dark just as fast and unexpectedly as he had arrived. One could only hear the rustle and cracking of some trees and bushes, leaving no doubt that he knew his way around. He would never reveal his whereabouts to anyone, but buy a new bottle and get a restful night of sleep. After all, this was a man without a conscience and this encounter was just one more episode in his wretched life.

  “Please, dear Mrs. Reinhardt, calm yourself or you will spend the holidays in bed. Don’t believe a word from this drunken outcast. He is widely known as a blackmailer, among other things, and I am surprised he didn’t ask you for money. I’ve never met this little monster before, but one cannot help but hear from the servants that he gives his family a lot of troubles. They don’t even know or care where he lives. Well, I’d better not say anything more; enough was said already. We should have taken our regular entrance with all the lights burning. Then nothing would have happened. And all those lies!” Marlene babbled as fast as Verena’s heart was beating.

  “No, Marlene,” she stammered, almost out of breath, and motioned for her to sit down on one of the stone benches leading to the side entrance of the castle. Ironically, it was their first shortcut too as they came from the von Walden place, and it was mostly used by servants who had their own little houses as their families grew, since the Reinhardts had only single rooms meant for their live-in staff. “No, Marlene,” she repeated having taken the seat. “For years, I tried to fool myself about their marriage. Even my dear, late husband expressed, from time to time, his doubts, but left them in the end unspoken, knowing we couldn’t change a thing.” She opened her chinchilla coat, starting to perspire, while at the same time feeling cold.

  “Better close your coat, Mrs. Reinhardt. It is very chilly. Better yet, you stay put and I’ll run to the castle for help. It’s only a few minutes, after all, we walked more than an hour without a pause.

  Verena agreed gladly. “Marlene?”

  “Yes?” she turned around, already on the run.

  “Not a word to anybody. I’ll take care of it myself. It’s between Philip and myself.”

  “You know me better than that. I swear to it.” And with that promise, she raced as fast as she could until she reached the door, pounding with all her strength as it had no pull.

  “I think Mrs. Reinhardt is about to faint!” she shouted, puzzling even the doorman.

  “Where did you come from? Why this road? We sent some servants through the park as we were getting worried.”

  “She is sitting on the fourth or fifth stone bench. Better get more help, as we may have to carry her!”

  Victoria descended the stairs, having consoled herself for the last hour that Verena could be on a last-minute Christmas shopping trip as she had done a few times previously. And as Marlene was with her and there was no snow or slippery weather, there was nothing to be worried about, but she had still ordered some servants to be on the lookout. Now she ran equal to Marlene’s pace after overhearing her plea for help.

  “Good Lord! Where have you two been to take this dimly lit road?”

  “Mrs. Reinhardt decided this morning to visit the von Waldens.”

  “No!”

  “Yes, and you can believe me when I tell you they had the best time together; drank tea, had cake and promised to see each other again.”

  Once more a long, drawn out “no” followed from Victoria in great amazement.

  “That’s the reason why we are so late, and Mrs. Reinhardt insisted we take this shortcut.” It gave her goosebumps to think of Bertram’s explanation for his sudden appearance. “Remind me to get the gas lights in better condition; but then again the servants use lanterns.”

  They arrived, out of breath, with a few servants following one by one, as the young, spry ones were in the military service. “I got a wheelchair!” one screamed and both
looked at each other in relief, noticing Verena’s fur coat on the ground and she in an awkward position slumped on the bench.

  “Can you get up Mrs. Reinhardt?” Victoria asked kindly. “Let’s put your coat on. We are all here to carry you home.”

  It became obvious that she would have to be lifted and carried on the wheelchair, with more of the blankets put around her.

  “Marlene, please, I know you are exhausted but now that I have enough help, get a head start and call the ambulance.”

  “Never mind my condition,” she answered and was on the run again.

  Though not able to speak one word or show any kind of reaction, Verena held Victoria’s hand so tightly. Maybe she felt sorry that she was the wife of her unfaithful son.

  Anette and Marlene stood by the wide opened door, awaiting their arrival. “The ambulance is on the way. It may arrive any minute,” Anette stated, holding her arm around Marlene. “Poor thing is out of breath.”

  “I always said you have more than two eyes and the instinct of a wildcat,” Victoria joked, while directing the servants to put Verena on the nearest couch. They were still in the process of taking her coat off when the ambulance arrived. After all, it was a Reinhardt who needed help from their own hospital! The doctors who belonged to the Reinhardts’ social circle and two medical orderlies a bit further in the background had the stretcher already in place.

  “Who was with or spoke last with Mrs. Reinhardt?”

  “I was,” Marlene said shaken, taking a look at her mistress who was on the couch with two doctors taking her pulse and checking her heartbeat.

  “Miss Marlene is my mother-in-law’s companion for almost fifteen years now,” Victoria interrupted kindly, knowing a doctor’s attitude towards a servant.

  “Then please come with us in the ambulance for a few more questions as there is no time to lose.”