Soon, they were seated.When niceties had been exchanged and the beans had been ground and brewed into coffee, Lise’s mother asked what was uppermost in her mind.
“What news of Henrik, if you please?Does Captain Albrecht mention him?”
Lise tensed when Friedrich spoke of her brother.She would never forget his veiled threat.
Sure enough, he sent her an overly bright smile before saying, “Henrik is honoring this house and this family, from what I hear.My brother says he can always depend upon Lieutenant von Ostenfeld to be prepared for whatever his task.”
Lise couldn’t help thinking this was intended as Friedrich’s subtle reminder of the power his family had over her family.The taskmight be a perfectly normal assignment or something more dangerous.She couldn’t help speaking up.
“My parents and I are grateful that Henrik is under your brother’s command.I’m sure Captain Albrecht knows how devastated we would be should anything happen to my brother while he serves under him.Why, it would practically be a dishonor on your brother’s part, and thus to your whole family, should anything befall Henrik.”
Her mother made an odd strangled sound, and her father set his cup down, frowning to let Lise know she’d gone too far.But Friedrich nodded as if her words were entirely appropriate.
“I’m sure both our families will always act honorably toward one another,” he agreed.Then he looked at her parents.“Besides, in a short while, we will be joined as one family.Is that not correct?”
“Oh, yes,” Lise’s mother agreed.“I look forward to the day of the wedding when your parents come here.It has been too long since I’ve seen them.”
“Too long,” her father echoed, still skewering his daughter with a look of disapproval.
The tense moment passed, but Lise remained watchful of this man whom she was meant to marry.While he chatted with her parents, she felt nothing.At least, nothing good.Her aversion to the marriage had grown over the past six months.
First, there had been the dance at which Friedrich had seemed disinterested, causing her to wonder if this was the entirety of the depth of their feelings for one another.She’d been desperate to get away to Britain, hoping once apart from him, she would long to return home to her intended.
After meeting Jonathan, her initial apathy had quickly blossomed into aversion, flourishing as swiftly as bindweed, which would choke her mother’s beloved plants within weeks if left untended.The vine had to be ruthlessly yanked out.
“Lise.”Friedrich turned to her, his pleasant smile once more upon his face.“You look well.Will you walk with me?With your parents’ permission, of course.”
“If they allow it.”Her voice sounded distant to her own ears.But she looked toward her mother and father, hoping for rescue.Given her recent misbehavior, she could almost expect a refusal.
“You may walk together,” her father said stiffly.
“As long as you stay near the house, in sight of the windows,” her mother added with due diligence.
“Naturally,” Friedrich said.“Shall you fetch a wrap?When I was traveling here, it was quite cool.”
In five minutes, she found herself once more in her mother’s formerly placid garden.Lately, it seemed, however, to be the source of much theater, all of it tragedy.Each footfall through the planting beds and shrubs usually brought her joy.Instead, Lise felt as though she were walking to an execution.What’s more, she most obstinately didnotwish to walk in the footsteps of the path taken with Jonathan.
Thus, after a brief stroll, during which Friedrich talked while she listened — “I’m no longer the boy you knew.I am strong and powerful.You’ll be happy as my wife” — she guided him back toward the house.
Suddenly, Friedrich took a turn toward the right, appearing intent upon circling to the front courtyard.And the stable!
“Where are you going?”she asked, perhaps too quickly.
“Where arewegoing?That’s the question.”He took her hand and slid her arm through his.“Surely we don’t need to keep two feet between us when your parents can glance out and observe our good behavior.”
They had walked arm-in-arm before, so she didn’t pull away, but her nerves began to jangle as he skirted the back terrace and rounded the corner of the house.
“My mother wants us to stay within sight,” Lise reminded him.
“And so we shall, just a detour to check on my horse.”
Lise stopped in her tracks.How could she stop him?“You will insult my father by not trusting our stable boy.”
Friedrich slowed down.“Most people have a groom,” he said, sounding reproachful.
“We did!”she told him.“You should remember him.He went to fight Bonaparte’s forces and never returned.His younger brother is now our stable boy, helping to support his family in Neudorf.Besides, without many horses, we don’t need anyone other than Jacob.”
As soon as she spoke, she wished she could bite back her foolish words.After all, the stalls were nearly full at the moment.
