The Taking of Lena Ch. 11

And while Lena enjoyed the way Renz presented her to his business colleagues and political friends, she enjoyed him most when they were dancing together.

The musicians played spirited waltzes, and Renz was shameless in his physical conquest of her body as they moved together. Lena barely noticed the judgmental gazes and whispers from the older couples that danced, for she was too entranced and entertained by Renz's energy.

His intense eyes never left hers as they moved together, and when the waltz took on a playful tone, so did Renz's movements. He rapidly dipped her as they waltzed, pulling her back up against him on a bubbly bounce, with an impish, almost childlike twinkle in his eye. He'd never appeared more youthful to her, more playful, and eventually, Lena was giggling so hard that she had to bring her hand to her chest, to keep from indecently exposing herself.

"Impressive gathering, Herr Wolfenbarger. I never would have thought so many people would dare associate with the Wolfenbarger name anymore, at a party, no less," Herr Friedrich said.

Lena was giggling into Renz's chest as Herr Friedrich approached them, with a somber looking Gisele on his arm.

"I never would have thought anyone of the Friedrich pedigree would attend a party without an invitation...yet here we are. Pleasure," Renz said. His words were separated by fading laughter, but the smile remained on his face once he composed himself.

And Lena wanted him to stay that way.

She glanced at Gisele, and expected to feel fear upon gazing at the lovely woman, who'd been intimate with Renz before, and whose words had made her believe she was to be his wife. She thought that seeing Gisele again would make her cry even, but instead, Lena could only smile broadly and slightly giggle, a welcome side effect of her two glasses of champagne.

"What a joy to see you again, Gisele!" Lena exclaimed happily. She slightly blushed when she heard how high her voice sounded, and Gisele stared at her warily.

"The pleasure is mine...Lena. I see you are still enjoying your time as Herr Wolfenbarger's...companion," she said airily, emphasizing the latter word. She had a wide smile on her pretty face, but there was an iciness in her eyes that made Lena nervous.

"And...here you are, enjoying another outing as your father's companion. You are quite the dutiful daughter," Lena heard herself say.

The smile instantly faded from Gisele's face, and Lena could hear Renz struggling to maintain his laughter next to her.

"Indeed...I'm sure I'll have the great fortune of seeing you again at some point tonight. Til then," Gisele said, voice slightly rising. She gripped her father's arm before Herr Friedrich could interject, and quickly, they were both gone.

"And the kitten has discovered her claws," Renz said humorously. Lena felt her entire body flush as she experienced a highly delayed reaction to the consequences of her words.

"I was rude to her," Lena said shamefully. Renz laughed heartily and gently kissed her cheek.

"Relax, Lena. Don't think of the Friedrichs. In fact, here is someone I believe you'd enjoy getting to know very much," Renz said, gesturing to a woman in a stunning black gown with a silvery chiffon around her shoulders.

She was heavily pregnant, but that didn't take anything away from her seemingly effortless grace and poise. She had radiant blonde hair that was pulled to the side of her face, held together by a delicate, diamond band of sorts. She had sky-blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a youthful pout in her rouged lips. Lena found her to be exceptionally beautiful.

The woman's eyes briefly glanced at Renz, but locked on Lena's, and her pretty mouth widened into a bright, genuine smile.

"You must be Lena!" she exclaimed pleasantly. She wrapped her arms around Lena's shoulders in a tight hug, and to Lena's surprise, she didn't feel ambushed or uncomfortable by this stranger's touch.

She liked her instantly.

"Lena, this is Ava...Wolfenbarger. Wife of my brother. Ava, meet Lena," Renz said cordially.

Ava's eyes slightly saddened for a brief moment, and she leaned towards Lena, and spoke in hushed whispers.

"Words cannot...cannot even begin to express how sorry I am for what that...animal of my husband did to you. I would kill him again if Renz hadn't done it first," Ava said quickly.

Lena could hear Renz shift and sigh where he stood.

"Remember where you are, Ava," he warned slightly. Ava rolled her eyes and fanned her delicate hand in dismissal.

"Oh that's right, I'm in mourning," Ava said, unable to keep from smiling on end.

"You're...so lovely," Lena said, in genuine amazement. She could now see why Karl was so nervous to be around Ava—the woman was truly a sight to behold. Ava's smile widened in irresistible charm, faint dimples forming in her cheeks.

"My goodness, you are a every bit as sweet as Renz boasted, and even more. Your lover's words certainly failed him in describing just how beautiful you are, my dear!" Ava said.

Lena blushed in embarrassment and she lowered her head, but Ava reached for her chin and gently shook her head.

"No need to be shy, Lena. I can already tell we are going to be fast friends," Ava said comfortingly.

Lena was about to speak, but one of Renz's servants suddenly approached, submissively clearing his throat.

"Everything is arranged for the meeting, sir," he said. Renz quickly nodded and

dismissed him.

"And time for the business. Lena, Ava...will the two of you keep each other entertained for a short while?" Renz asked.

Ava reached for Lena's hand and squeezed fondly.

"Of course we will. Go buy some factories or invest in more railroads. Shoo!" Ava said playfully.

Renz rolled his eyes and shook his head again, but his gleaming smile nearly made Lena swoon as he departed.

Ava turned towards Lena, her pretty face excited and bright.

"Now you and I have lots to talk about," she said sweetly.

******

Lena had liked Ava upon the first words she'd spoken, but after only spending a short time with her, Lena completely adored her.

She was lively and spirited, but most importantly, her smile and words revealed a sense of sincerity that Lena found was lacking in most of the wealthy people Renz had introduced her to. Ava was opinionated and humorous, highly intelligent and quick-witted. If there were any risk of anyone finding her shameless words coming across as rude, her stunning smile quickly dissipated those perceptions.

After enthusiastically dancing together like children to the curious gaze of men, Ava and Lena had retreated to one of the upstairs lounges. There were several women there, and there was an odd silence immediately upon their entry that made Lena nervous.

But the ever-confident, unperturbed Ava elegantly sat down on one of the many lounges, graciously accepting the many hors d'oeuvres offered to her by waiting servants.

"The baby makes me positively ravenous," Ava mentioned, delicately chewing.

Lena followed her movements, realizing that she'd need to eat something too. She'd had too much champagne on her empty stomach.

"Should you be resting?" Lena asked. She'd momentarily forgotten how clearly pregnant Ava was. She'd been so energetic as they'd danced together, not at all hindered by her swollen belly.

Ava laughed cheerfully and shook her head, gently placing her hand on Lena's.

"Heavens, no. I'm pregnant, not an invalid. Neither the death of my husband nor a giant baby in my stomach will prevent me from enjoying what is sure to be the most talked about party of the season," Ava replied.

Lena nibbled on some of the meats offered to her as she slowly sipped her champagne.

"Have you seen Karl, yet?" Lena asked curiously. Ava appeared slightly bemused for several moments, lips pausing on a strawberry.

"Karl? Karl Günther! The doctor! I didn't know he'd be here tonight, where is he?" Ava asked.

Her exclamation was loud, and several women in the room brought their hands to their mouths. Undeterred, Ava simply shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

"Yes...I think he's nervous. He seems quite fond of you," Lena replied. A faint bit of blush formed at the top of Ava's cheekbones as she smiled.

"He is a gentle man, that one, isn't he?" Ava mused.

Lena nodded in agreement and reached for another sip of champagne, but she froze when she saw Gisele approaching her again.

But this time, she wasn't alone. There were two very pretty, very styled women on either side of her.

"Why Lena, we were just talking about you. Might we join?" Gisele asked. She and the two women beside her sat down on the lounge directly opposite of where Lena and Ava sat, and Lena felt some of her confidence begin to fade. She felt outnumbered.

"What a lovely gown that is...Gisele Friedrich, correct?" Ava asked. Lena was thankful that she was the first to speak.

"I am. And I assume you must be the famous Ava Wolfenbarger. My sincerest condolences for the loss of your husband. Do they know yet who took him?" Gisele asked.

"The authorities are doing all that they can. In the meantime, Renz was kind enough to allow me to stay at Schloss Wolfenbarger for a while...as I'm mourning, of course. But only if that is acceptable to you, is it Lena dear?" Ava asked, turning her attention to Lena.

The idea made Lena elated, and she quickly nodded.

"Oh Ava, that would be wonderful—"

"Surely you don't need the permission of Lena to stay at Schloss Wolfenbarger, Ava. She is, after all, just a companion," one of the other women said. She leaned close while she spoke, and the scent of her heavy, too-sweet perfume was beginning to make Lena feel sick.

"A plaything, really," the other said.

Lena's face felt hot with embarrassment, and she began wishing she could crawl beneath the lounge and disappear.

She was about to speak and defend herself, but Ava suddenly interjected, her sweet voice highly direct.

"I think we can all agree that Lena's place at Schloss Wolfenbarger is far more influential than that of a companion. Didn't we all hear Herr Wolfenbarger's toast? And didn't we all witness their spirited first dance?" Ava asked, fluttering her eyelashes prettily.

Gisele appeared uncomfortable for a few moments, but then she smiled icily again.

"Be that as it may, she is neither a wife nor the daughter of any prominent family I have ever heard of. Sterling, was it? A fitting name for a modest farm somewhere far less civilized, I'm sure," Gisele said. She and the two other women broke out into soft laughter, and Lena lowered her head shamefully.

She felt Ava's gentle hand on her shoulder, and Lena tried to take comfort in the fact that she did seem to have at least one, very strong ally.

"Wife or not, I think it is quite evident that Renz is firmly devoted to Lena. Haven't you all taken a look at the piece she is wearing tonight?" Ava said suddenly.

The three women leaned forward in curiosity, eyes on her necklace, and Gisele was the first to widen her eyes and gasp, loudly.

"Is that...is that the—"

"The Sun Diamond? Yes. It is. A work of art, really," Ava said confidently.

Lena was momentarily confused. She'd never known that the necklace Renz had given her had an official name.

"Sun Diamond?" Lena asked softly. Ava gently squeezed her shoulder.

"You dear girl, Renz probably didn't tell you. That man chooses the most peculiar times to be humble. Darling Gisele, won't you tell Lena the origins of the Sun Diamond? My memory is slightly slipping...pregnancy and mourning and all," Ava said wistfully.

Gisele's mouth slightly twitched as she gazed at the necklace, and eventually, she straightened her posture and slightly shifted away.

"If...that is indeed the Sun Diamond...I've read that it was originally a gift from Napoleon to Joséphine. I thought it was on display at the museum in Berlin," Gisele said quickly.

Lena tried to hide her surprise and slight humor at the revelation of the necklace's true origins. She smiled to herself upon realizing that when Renz had said he was giving her a piece of royalty...he had been entirely literal.

"Right you are, Gisele. I knew you were a smart girl, somewhere," Ava replied sweetly.

Lena watched as the women hurriedly retreated to the other end of the room, where each one reached for a new glass of champagne.

Ava was beaming triumphantly next to her, but Lena suddenly began feeling uneasy.

As she scanned the occupants of the lounge, it appeared that almost every single woman in the room was gazing at Lena with a venomous expression identical to Gisele. Some had wedding rings, some didn't, but Lena finally realized why every woman seemed to dislike her so much.

Renz hadn't only slept with Gisele. He'd slept with nearly every woman in the room.

The idea of being surrounded by Renz's former mistresses made her blood boil in anger, and Lena knew she had to leave before she embarrassed herself in front of these women.

"Lena dear, are you all right?" Ava asked eventually. Lena nodded quickly.

"Yes...I just need some air. I'll be back soon," Lena excused softly.

She quickly hurried out of the lounge and stormed down the hallways as her anger shook her entire body. She couldn't believe that Renz had invited his former lovers, and had failed to warn her about their presence. Surely he knew they would intersect at some point. Surely he knew they would be cruel to her.

But Renz had displayed her like some kind of champion possession at the top of the stairs during his speech, opening her up to the scrutinizing glances of all of his jealous former lovers. He'd given no thought to the kind of reception she'd receive...he'd only thought about himself.

Lena roughly grabbed a nearby glass of champagne from a passing servant, and she emptied it in a single large, unladylike gulp. The servant appeared bashful as he offered her a cloth and took her empty glass, but Lena declined, as politely as she could manage in her anger, and continued storming through the halls of Schloss Wolfenbarger.

She heard the booming, thunderous laughter of deep male voices behind two large double doors, and could faintly smell the heady aroma of cigars and brandy. Lena knew she'd found the men's party.

Lena quickly flung open the doors on wobbly arms and entered, too tipsy to notice how indecent her actions were.

She quickly scanned the room as the men gazed at her, and she spotted Renz sitting at the head of a table, seemingly in deep discussion with four other men. He raised his head and smiled broadly when he saw she'd entered the room, and slightly beckoned with his hand for her to join him, but Lena fixed herself where she stood.

She would not come to him like a pet whenever he called for her. She would not be his show trophy.

Lena tried to ignore how handsome he looked as she quickly turned her head away, and began searching the room for what she was really after.

She could feel Renz continuing to stare at her, but the more she walked, the less powerful it felt. Eventually, Lena glanced over at him, and noticed that he was once again immersed in the conversation he was having.

"That was...quite a speech Herr Wolfenbarger gave, wasn't it?" a man said.

Lena turned towards the speaker, and she smiled in delight when she realized that this was precisely who she'd been looking for.

He was a young man, perhaps only a few years older than she was. He was dressed in formal military attire that was highly decorated with medals and pins. He was very tall and lean, with large brown eyes and dark blond hair. His skin was slightly tan, and Lena instantly found him very handsome.

She quickly looked back over to Renz, and noticed that his attention seemed to be divided between the conversation he was having, and the conversation she was about to have. Lena swallowed hard and held onto her anger. If Renz could surround her with his lovers, then Lena could find a lover of her own to surround him with.

"Was it? I hadn't noticed...flattery does make me a bit bashful," Lena said softly, slowly raising her eyes to meet his. She slightly fluttered her eyelashes as she straightened her posture, displaying her swollen breasts provocatively in her gown. The man before her certainly noticed, and she giggled when she realized he was trying, with great difficulty, to look away from her generous cleavage.

"Surely a woman like you is quite used to flattery...compliments must be

exhausting for you to hear," the man said, clearing his throat several times.

Lena slightly stepped closer to him, forming a very intimate private space between their bodies. She could detect his body heat and his breathing, and Lena had a flicker of insecurity. She wondered if she was about to embarrass herself by revealing just how inexperienced she really was. She knew nothing about charming or flirting with men, and for a moment, Lena wanted to abandon her anger and hide in her suite.

But the look on the man's face seemed to be full of lust, guarded by propriety, and Lena became determined to release it.

"I wouldn't be exhausted if I heard them from someone like you. My name is Lena," she said softly. She slightly bit her lip in nervousness, but the man's answering smile gave her confidence.

"My name is Max, Fräulein Lena. And I think you are the most stunning creature at this party," he said.

Lena tried to keep her blushing to a minimum as she digested his words, not quite wanting to believe him.

"You are very kind and very dashing, Max. Would you like to join me for a walk?" Lena asked.

She was overwhelmed with embarrassment when Max suddenly stepped away from her and shook his head defensively. She'd been far too forward. She'd humiliated herself in her unskilled attempt at flirting.

"Lena...Herr Wolfenbarger is staring at you," Max said apologetically. Lena fumed for a moment and glanced over at Renz. His expression certainly appeared grave, and Lena slightly flinched where she stood. He was warning her with his eyes to refrain from what she was about to do.

But instead of cowering, Lena chose to stay angry. He'd humiliated her, she could humiliate him.

Lena closed her eyes and swallowed hard to build her confidence again. She

looked up at Max and smiled, and tried to appear as visually pleasing as possible.

"I do not belong to Herr Wolfenbarger," Lena said sweetly. And on impulse, she reached for Max's jacket collar, and pulled him towards her.

She felt the guilt and fear begin to form in her chest even before her lips met his, but her anger and drunkenness kept her from behaving rationally. She gave Max a soft kiss, and could instantly feel Renz's angry gaze on her.

She stepped away from him then, suddenly feeling herself begin to sober. She was too afraid to look up at Max, and even more afraid to look at Renz.

"You are...enchanting," she heard Max say as he stepped towards her again. But Lena shook her head and began to retreat.

"I...I must leave," Lena muttered quickly, nearly tripping on her gown as she hurried out of the room. She wanted to bolt into a run, but the dress wouldn't let her, and Lena became desperate to go as far away from Renz as possible.

After a few moments, she could hear the double doors open, and Renz's angry footsteps following her. Lena increased her speed as he called out to her, much to the surprise of the passing servants and amorous guests that had been hiding in the hallways.

"Lena!" Renz called angrily.

Lena absently reached for a glass of champagne and ran into the first open door she found, closing it behind her fearfully. It was a room she'd spent very little time in, a lounge of sorts with large windows that overlooked the Wolfenbarger maze-like gardens. Her entire body shook with fear as her heart pounded and her breathing increased.