Both men maintained careful neutrality in their discussion, as if the French had spies in the von Ostenfelds’ own dining room.
At last, after glasses ofKirschlikörin the drawing room, Lise announced her fatigue and intent to retire to her room.
“Good night, Herr Albrecht,” she said, keeping proper formality in front of her parents.
“Good night, Fräulein von Ostenfeld.Every single sunset brings us closer to the happy event.”
She smiled and turned away before her tears showed.And the hours that followed saw her rising constantly from her bed, torn between sneaking to the stable with food or doing nothing.Nothing apart from lying awake all night, cursing her powerlessness.At last, with dawn breaking, Lise fell asleep, only to awaken hours later with grainy eyes and a headache.
It didn’t improve when she entered the breakfast room to find only Friedrich.Hesitating, she asked, “Where are my parents?”
“You rose quite late today,” he said before answering her question.“They took their breakfast with me and have gone about their lives.”He gave her an appraising look, and she wondered if he noticed the shadows under her eyes.Anna had.
“Won’t you have coffee and bread with me?”he asked.
With no reason not to, Lise let him pull out her chair.When Jonathan had done the very same thing, he’d left her weak-kneed and trembling.She trembled now for different reasons, until Friedrich returned to his seat on the opposite side of the table.
In silence, she went about pouring her own coffee, noticing that Frau Becker had put out a special braidedHefezopf, golden brown and slightly sweet.
For their cook not to serve her usualSchwarzbrotwith breakfast meant her mother must have been in the kitchen last night giving orders.Taking a slice of the pillow soft, fluffy bread, something usually reserved for celebrations, Lise spread on soft curds, but didn’t eat a bite.The charade was growing harder by the day.
“You seem troubled,” Friedrich said.His voice was gentle, concerned.Everything her devoted betrothed’s tone should be.
“I didn’t sleep well,” she said and left it at that.
“That’s understandable.”He tapped the tablecloth with his butter knife.“These have been difficult days.What with the French patrols.”He paused until she had to look up from staring at her plate.“You haven’t seen anything or anyone unusual, have you?Between here and Eutin?You know the area as well as anyone apart from your brother.Even better than me, I’d wager.”
The question was asked casually, but it was peculiar enough to make Lise’s pulse quicken.
“No,” she said.“Nothing.But then I am not often on the road.I haven’t been to Eutin since I returned from my trip abroad.”
“I see.That’s good.”Friedrich breathed in the aromatic steam coming off his coffee, then sipped it.“This was a generous gift, was it not?”But he wasn’t looking for an answer, too busy patting himself on the back.All at once, however, he plunged ahead with alarmingly accurate news.
“I’ve heard that the French are searching for someone in particular, a man who got off a sloop near Tönning sometime in the past few months.A very dangerous man, they say.Armed.”
Lise kept her expression carefully neutral, despite her racing pulse.“I would be frightened except, if the French seek him, then he must be on our side.Is that not correct?”She widened her eyes, hoping she looked as innocent as a lamb.
“Quite,” Friedrich agreed.“And therefore, I must wish him godspeed away from the area.My only interest is in knowing that you are not in harm’s way.”
He stared her down, but she didn’t flinch, even when he said, “Regardless, he can hide or run, but the French will catch him eventually.They always do.”
Then he set his cup down.“And when they do, anyone who sheltered him, even unknowingly, will be considered an enemy of France.Not a good position to be in with the fate of empires hanging in the balance.”
Friedrich was one of them, Lise reminded herself, a northern German-speaking resident under the rule of the Danish king, the Duke of Holstein, just as she was.He could not possibly side with Bonaparte.
Yet his words sounded, to her, like a threat wrapped in politeness.
“I understand,” Lise said quietly.Although she didn’t.Not really.
“I only want to protect you, Lise.You and your family.You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes.”She thought she did.
Then he reached his hand across the table, making her jump when he set it upon hers.“My sincere apology for the dark turn to our friendly morning discussion.Do you accept it?”
He suddenly sounded like the young boy she’d grown up with.Whenever he had a falling out with her or her brother, Friedrich would whine and be petulant until they accepted his apology, almost as though he bullied it out of them.
“I accept your apology,” she said meekly, digesting his words with as much difficulty as trying to chew and swallow the bread.Usually, the festive treat was one of her favorites.Alas, her throat seemed to have closed.
