the Baron stepped out on to the cleared cobbles. He seemed delighted to see him and Valentine, who understood German perfectly, recognised that he was being particularly effusive in his welcome.
“It is good that you have arrived at last, Excellency, and to stay! We received your message, and everything is ready! Hans has brought in enough wood to roast an ox, and the beds are aired. Helga has seen to t hat!”
“And I am being killed by the draught through this open door,” said a tiny figure which appeared and occupied the spot at the head of the flight of steps where the old servant had awaited his master. “It is a poisonous draught,” she complained, “and I shall be grateful when you have all come inside and we can close the door!”
Alex looked upwards, and his face became transformed.
“Grossmutter!” he exclaimed, and fairly leapt up the steps and embraced the diminutive figure looking down at him. “You wicked old woman,” he accused her, when she had ordered him peremptorily to set her down and stop breaking her ribs — for he had swung her clean off her feet when he took her into his tumultuous hug — “how dare you come to Felden when I am not here? And at this time of year! Haven’t I told you — ?”
“Oh, yes, you have told me many lies about the closing of the passes, and so on,” she returned, smoothing the front of her striking purple velvet dress, upon which lay heavy ropes of pearls and a necklace of brilliants as well, “but this time I did not even bother to listen to you. I said to Germaine that we would pay a visit to Felden, and at Felden we arrived. Now you come, and are rude to me as usual.”
“But, Grossmutter ...” He sounded suddenly almost helpless. “But why did you not let me make arrangements for you at the hotel? They could have had you at the Imperial ... ”
“I do not doubt it,” his grandmother returned with much tartness. “But I, unlike you, am not prepared to waste good money on hotel bills, and also I have with me the dogs.”
The dogs came streaming out, three dachshunds who had been held back by a young woman in the background, but at mention of their kind they slipped their leads and tore down with much barking into the courtyard. Lou was so surprised that she nearly missed her footing and fell, but Valentine stooped and caught one of them. She carried it back up the steps to its owner.
“And who is this?” the old lady asked. “Hair as red as my own once was, and not a bit afraid of Grizel, although she bites when she feels like it.” She took Grizel out of Valentine’s arms. “What’s your name, m’dear?”
Valentine answered, smiling,
“Valentine Brown.”
“English ? ” the old lady asked. “No need to attempt to contradict me, because you wouldn’t have a complexion like that if you weren’t English.” And then she looked towards Lou. “And this young woman ? ”
The Baron spoke for her.
“Miss Lou Morgan ... From Texas.”
“And Texas is somewhere in America ? ”
Her grandson inclined his head very slightly, the faintest of smiles hovering at the corners of his mouth. “It is famous for its oil wells, Grossmutter.”
“Ah, I see.” The immensely shrewd old eyes stared hard at Lou. “I think I have already heard of you, Miss Morgan. Willi Hochenberg writes very chatty letters ... And, by the way, since he hasn’t accompanied you he will be here later in the day. I sent him a special message which he won’t dare ignore.”
She turned, shivering, and darted into the great hall, her absurd platform shoes teetering dangerously on the stone flags, the dubious-looking fur coat she wore over her velvet dress clutched tightly round her. The others followed somewhat more hesitantly, and instantly the dogs set up a violent clamour. The young woman who was endeavouring to hold on to their leads flushed and looked embarrassed and, as she was very creamy skinned and golden, the confusion suited her.
“This is my
“It is good that you have arrived at last, Excellency, and to stay! We received your message, and everything is ready! Hans has brought in enough wood to roast an ox, and the beds are aired. Helga has seen to t hat!”
“And I am being killed by the draught through this open door,” said a tiny figure which appeared and occupied the spot at the head of the flight of steps where the old servant had awaited his master. “It is a poisonous draught,” she complained, “and I shall be grateful when you have all come inside and we can close the door!”
Alex looked upwards, and his face became transformed.
“Grossmutter!” he exclaimed, and fairly leapt up the steps and embraced the diminutive figure looking down at him. “You wicked old woman,” he accused her, when she had ordered him peremptorily to set her down and stop breaking her ribs — for he had swung her clean off her feet when he took her into his tumultuous hug — “how dare you come to Felden when I am not here? And at this time of year! Haven’t I told you — ?”
“Oh, yes, you have told me many lies about the closing of the passes, and so on,” she returned, smoothing the front of her striking purple velvet dress, upon which lay heavy ropes of pearls and a necklace of brilliants as well, “but this time I did not even bother to listen to you. I said to Germaine that we would pay a visit to Felden, and at Felden we arrived. Now you come, and are rude to me as usual.”
“But, Grossmutter ...” He sounded suddenly almost helpless. “But why did you not let me make arrangements for you at the hotel? They could have had you at the Imperial ... ”
“I do not doubt it,” his grandmother returned with much tartness. “But I, unlike you, am not prepared to waste good money on hotel bills, and also I have with me the dogs.”
The dogs came streaming out, three dachshunds who had been held back by a young woman in the background, but at mention of their kind they slipped their leads and tore down with much barking into the courtyard. Lou was so surprised that she nearly missed her footing and fell, but Valentine stooped and caught one of them. She carried it back up the steps to its owner.
“And who is this?” the old lady asked. “Hair as red as my own once was, and not a bit afraid of Grizel, although she bites when she feels like it.” She took Grizel out of Valentine’s arms. “What’s your name, m’dear?”
Valentine answered, smiling,
“Valentine Brown.”
“English ? ” the old lady asked. “No need to attempt to contradict me, because you wouldn’t have a complexion like that if you weren’t English.” And then she looked towards Lou. “And this young woman ? ”
The Baron spoke for her.
“Miss Lou Morgan ... From Texas.”
“And Texas is somewhere in America ? ”
Her grandson inclined his head very slightly, the faintest of smiles hovering at the corners of his mouth. “It is famous for its oil wells, Grossmutter.”
“Ah, I see.” The immensely shrewd old eyes stared hard at Lou. “I think I have already heard of you, Miss Morgan. Willi Hochenberg writes very chatty letters ... And, by the way, since he hasn’t accompanied you he will be here later in the day. I sent him a special message which he won’t dare ignore.”
She turned, shivering, and darted into the great hall, her absurd platform shoes teetering dangerously on the stone flags, the dubious-looking fur coat she wore over her velvet dress clutched tightly round her. The others followed somewhat more hesitantly, and instantly the dogs set up a violent clamour. The young woman who was endeavouring to hold on to their leads flushed and looked embarrassed and, as she was very creamy skinned and golden, the confusion suited her.
“This is my
Similar Books
