Pay in Gold Pt. 05

"Excuse me," Wolfe said finally, "I think I'd better check on Marie." Ela/ Vhyirmat sighed.

"Yes, go." She would miss him, but the young banker would need her full attention. Something told her that he was what she was in Berlin for. Of course, she took one peek into the periscope. Wolfe was reading aloud to Marie, who was stretched out beside him on her bed. Ela snapped shut the viewing lens. Exhausted from rearranging Wolfe's thoughts and even emotions, she fell asleep on top of her bed covers.

The cook sent her breakfast up with the chauffer. It was hard for him to climb the stairs, he pointed out, but the "French woman" as he called Marie, had slept in. He went on to complain about how difficult it was to drive the auto-mobile that Auntie had recently bought. Now a Berlin horse could practically drive itself because it knew the places that Auntie would visit.

"For example," he rattled on, "the Zufluchtsort. The horse knows that you want to get there."

She had to agree.

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Ela/ Vhyirmat did not see Herman as often as she had Wolfe, but the experiences were more memorable. There was a desire in him to learn -- all kinds of things -- that Vhyirmat adored. When the Titanic investigation unfolded he was interested in the people in all facets of the story, not just the celebrities.

At the Zufluchtsort he had a terrific time with several women and, of course, Ela, but instead of boasting he was amazed and awed at the heights achieved and they were perfectly comfortable with all the other people around. There were two moments where he became a little nervous and as Ela/ Vhyirmat had worked out to begin with, she took the lead and smoothed over the situation and they flowed beautifully into the evening.

On a crisp autumn afternoon, it was barely warm enough for the white flowing gowns. One nouveau-riche woman had added a fox trim to the shoulders of her gown. Wicked gossips claimed that when she was left out of the partner selection that she used the fur on her anxious sensitive areas. Ela, even without Vhyirmat's guidance, knew not to pass that any further.

Couples were starting to drift away toward the garden houses when there was a loud voice near the entrance gate. Ela/ Vhyirmat and Herman looked away from Katerina, the Russian university student who they were preparing for an evening for three in their garden house. A tall man with black hair and an equally dark cavalry mustache strode past the gateman with an air of what Herman later called "refined arrogance". Ela/ Vhyirmat noted his dueling scar. Someone whispered, "it's Major von Guten-Zuviel!"

He spotted Katerina; her wide eyes were fixed on him. Vhyirmat spotted her blinking. Herman spotted another woman rising from her table, leaving the fellow she had been flirting with. Katerina excused herself and advanced toward the major. He took her in his arms and then drew the other woman into a bear hug. They started toward the garden houses; the major turning his head back to display a smirk.

Suddenly there was a shriek.

"You promised me!" It was the younger sister of the woman who had -- without a word -- joined the major and Katerina. "You promised me that I could have him next time! Well, this is next time." She moved as if to snatch her older sister away from the major's bear hug.

"Hold it for a minute!" The major's parade ground voice seemed to freeze both the sisters. They looked up meekly into the soldier's intense blue eyes.

"Both of you will come with me and this... lady." He did not know Katerina's name. Vhyirmat saw both of them blink. Then they giggled and the three women joined the major on the path to the garden houses. They paused while he re-arranged Katerina's white gown to better show off her stereotypical generous breasts. His eyes scanned her possessively. He smirked again as they disappeared into the wooded garden house area.

"Well, that was rather sudden," mused Herman. "I hope we don't see him again." Ela/ Vhyirmat was certain they would see him again, just did not know why. And wondered.

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