by Janet Pywell
Chapter 11
‘Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself.’
Friedrich Nietzsche
‘This looks delightful,’ Louisa exclaims. ‘My favourite – sponge cake. How lovely.’ Louisa holds the plate and takes a small bite. ‘Absolutely delicious!’ she cries.
Herr Schiltz glares at me. His face is thunderous. He waves the knife, and Jim steps closer, knowing something is wrong.
I swallow hard. My face is flushed. One by one, the guests realise Herr Schiltz isn’t happy, and they turn to follow his gaze.
They’re all staring at me.
Louisa looks at her husband and then at me as she senses something’s wrong too.
‘Darling?’ she says. ‘Friedrich?’
‘There’s supposed to be a surprise for you—’
I shake my head. How can I explain? It’s impossible. I’ve checked. There was no way anyone could have taken off the fondant and replaced it with such accuracy.
I step forward to look at the sponge. How could anyone have tampered with it?
‘Perhaps I could cut the next slice.’
I take the knife from his hand and cut into the cake.
‘I don’t think you had the right slice.’
I cut firmly and slice another wedge of sponge and place it on another plate.
Herr Schiltz begins examining it. There’s a flash, a bright blue diamond.
To my relief, his faces breaks into a smile.
‘Ronda is right, my dear Louisa. I didn’t quite cut the right piece for you.’
‘Whatever do you mean, darling?’
Louisa reluctantly lets go of the first plate and takes the second one, looking at it quizzically and then her face breaks out into a broad and happy smile.
‘Oh, my goodness. Friedrich, what’s this?’
‘What is it?’ asks Freya.
‘Is it a surprise?’ Fran asks.
‘It’s probably something expensive,’ adds Wilhelm.
‘Oh, goodness. I don’t believe it.’ Louisa pulls the valuable ring from the sponge, places it in her mouth and sucks the mixture from the precious stones as if she’s done it all before, and then pulls it from her mouth. ‘There, that’s lovely and clean now.’
She places it onto the third finger on her right hand and holds it up. ‘It’s magnificent, Friedrich. What a lovely surprise.’
‘Let at me look,’ says Roma.
‘That’s a proper rock.’ Chloe nudges Wilhelm. ‘That’s what you call a real diamond,’ she drawls, and he snorts irritably.
Herr Schiltz beams as Louisa kisses him on the cheek.
‘You really do know how to treat your wife,’ Fran says. ‘Well done, Friedrich!’
‘That’s a lovely gesture,’ agrees Mike.
Only Gunter and Jack remain silent.
Meanwhile, Jim hovers menacingly over my shoulder, and I feel that I have a reprieve from the death sentence.
* * *
I’m alone in the kitchen.
Mrs Long has gone home. Dan and the waiting staff have left for the evening.
Julie agrees to do a circuit of the rooms and corridors looking for dirty glasses while I search the fridge to find some supper for Julie, Hugo and possibly Paula when there’s a noise behind me.
I look up, expecting Hugo, and I’m shocked to see Gunter.
He says, ‘My father doesn’t trust you.’
I close the fridge door and straighten my shoulders. He has milky blue eyes, red-rimmed and bloodshot. Hugo said earlier some of the family had been downing shots, and I guess Gunter is one of them.
‘I don’t care about your father. I’m here to cook, nothing more and nothing less. Is there something you want here?’
‘What would you have to gain?’ He leans against the worktop, folds his arms but seems to find it hard to maintain his balance, and regards me thoughtfully. ‘Why would you want to read the documents in my father’s bedroom?’
‘If there’s nothing else you want, then I suggest you leave, go back upstairs and join your family.’
He sighs heavily. ‘Do you know what it’s like working for a man like my father?’
‘Yes.’
He looks surprised.
‘My father was exactly the same,’ I add.
‘Really?’ His laugh is patronising and he sneers.’ You had a multi-billion pound business to run, did you?’
‘That’s not the point. The point is, their characters are the same.’
‘What’s my father’s character?’
‘The same as yours.’
Gunter laughs and steps closer to me. ‘You’re a cheeky little bitch.’ He grabs my wrists.
‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ I warn him.
He laughs and lets me go.
‘I didn’t ask you to come into my kitchen, and I’d like you to go now.’
‘I’ll do what I like. Get me a coffee.’
‘There are staff upstairs who will get you coffee.’ I’m thinking of Hugo and Julie, who I will enlist for support.
‘You don’t like taking orders, do you?’
‘That’s not the point. If you go upstairs, I’ll get someone to bring your coffee up to you.’
Hugo walks in and stops in surprise when he sees the stand-off between us.
‘Mr Schiltz, can I get you something?’
‘Mr Schiltz would like coffee,’ I say.
‘I’ll bring it upstairs to you. Let’s leave the ladies to sort the kitchen out,’ Hugo says smoothly, ‘Would you like a liqueur or brandy with that?’
I raise my eyebrows. He’s clearly had enough to drink, but I guess this is Hugo’s way of enticing him away.
‘Jim is keeping an eye on everything,’ Gunter says. ‘He knows where you all are, and what you are all doing, so be careful – I’m warning you all.’
‘Thank you,’ Hugo says. ‘It’s good to know we’re all being taken care of.’ Hugo moves to stand between us, effectively blocking Gunter from coming closer to me.
Gunter seems to get the message that Hugo isn’t moving and when he’s out of earshot I say, ‘Drunken idiot.’
Hugo looks at me. ‘What was all that about?’ he asks.
I shrug.
Hugo is watching me. His gaze doesn’t leave my face.
‘Jim thinks I was in Herr Schiltz’s bedroom. They saw us together on the battlements.’
I give all this information to Hugo, hoping that he will take my cue and understand the subtle message I’m giving him.
‘That’s none of their business,’ Hugo says curtly.
‘That’s what I told Herr Schiltz,’ I reply, but I can’t stop the unease growing in my stomach.
Julie comes in the back door smelling faintly of cigarettes. I frown. Why was she outside smoking when I thought she was upstairs collecting the dirty glasses?
* * *
Hugo is called onto the terrace of the Grand Hall where Louisa, Herr Schiltz, Fran and Mike are seated around a terrace table. They have also asked for coffee which Julie takes to them. I’m now feeling courageous, so I carry Gunter’s coffee upstairs to the library.
I push open the door, but the room is empty. I’m about to leave when I hear the soft sounds of whimpering. I pause.
Is it an animal?
‘Hello?’ I whisper.
No one replies. Fleetingly, I wonder if the room is haunted, but then a small voice asks, ‘Have you ever been in love?’
I close the library door behind me and walk over to a silhouette on the couch, furthest from the window, where a young girl is curled in a foetal position. Her hair is a mess, and mascara has smeared her cheeks.
‘Yes. I have.’
‘Isn’t it awful?’
‘Yes. Terrible.’ I place the coffee on the table.
‘Is that for me?’
‘You can have it if you like, I can always make another one.’
‘Who is it for?’
‘Gunter?’
&nb
sp; ‘Oh, him. Well, in that case, I’ll drink it. Sod him.’
I grin. ‘Don’t you get on with Gunter?’
‘He doesn’t like Jack or me. He reckons I’m spoilt and Jack’s lazy.’
‘Is that true?’
Freya swings her legs off the sofa and reaches for the cup. ‘I was doing shots with Wil – Wilhelm – and now I feel terrible.’
‘Then, why do it?’
‘You can’t show any weakness, or they bully you.’ She sips the coffee gratefully. ‘They’re awful.’
I turn to leave. I’d better make Gunter more coffee, or he will be even more annoyed.
‘Ronda?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you in love now?’
‘No.’
‘It’s better that way, isn’t it?’
‘Much better.’
‘They can’t hurt you then, can they?’
‘No.’
Frey begins to cry again, and instinctively I sit down beside her. She leans against me. I put my arm around her shoulder. ‘Do you want to tell me about it?’ I’m curious, but I’m not sure if I need an outpouring of grief about love right at this moment. After my experience with James, I’m probably not the best person to advise her either.
‘I’d probably shock you.’
‘I doubt it.’
‘Do you know Paula?’
‘Yes.’
‘We had a fling last month. We met in London, in a club and one thing led to another, but when she found out that I was her boss’s stepdaughter, she got scared and she called it all off.’
I take a deep breath. ‘Well, that’s awkward.’
‘I thought I was over her until yesterday when I saw her again. It’s awful even being in the same room as her – and then, even worse, Jack started flirting with her.’
‘Doesn’t he know she’s gay?’
‘No one does. She’s not out.’
‘Are you?’
‘Yes, pretty much, but no one talks about it apart from Gunter who said over dinner that I needed a man and a good seeing to—’
‘Charming.’
‘I know. That’s why I don’t talk about it.’
‘What about your mum, have you spoken to her?’
‘Yes, and she told me not to mention it to Friedrich, or anyone. She said some things should remain private. I don’t think she knows what to do.’
‘It’s complicated.’
‘None of them really cares, and now with Friedrich’s announcement today, it’s all hit the fan anyway.’
‘What announcement?’
Freya looks at me and then says, ‘I guess it’s common knowledge now, but he’s resigning from the board.’
‘Is that a shock?’
‘Yes. A massive one. I think Mum is upset.’
‘Why?’
Freya frowns. ‘I don’t know, but it means that he’s focusing on the business in Europe, while Mike wants to branch out in America. It’s dividing the family. Gunter will take over in Europe, and they will have to move to London and Roma is fed up. She likes living in Berlin. I heard them arguing last night after we arrived.’
I remember how Roma had looked upset and sad.
‘I’m sure it will all get sorted out,’ I say. ‘Everything works out in the end.’
‘It won’t,’ she wails. ‘We’ve only just started to get normal after the last; you know the last …’
‘The last what?’ I encourage her.
Freya runs her hand through her hair. ‘Oh God, don’t tell me you don’t know! You must be the only one in the bloody castle who doesn’t…’
I shrug. ‘Sorry … but now I’m curious. Know what?’ I probe.
‘Friedrich’s first wife – Iris – died. She was killed. Shot dead. There were so many rumours at the time, and we really suffered.’
‘Who?’
‘Me and Jack. You see, Louisa, our mum, and Friedrich were having an affair for almost ten years. We didn’t know. Jack and I were young and we were at school. But then when the police started investigating, it all came out. There was talk about a cover-up and police corruption. It was awful. Our lives were picked apart by the media and I hated it all. My mum was called all sorts of things, and then my dad divorced her and she had to marry Friedrich then. I think she did it to save our reputation.’
‘And did they catch the person who killed Iris?’ I ask, remembering the scant details that Inspector Joachin had told me in the pub in London.
‘They arrested their gardener. They said Iris was having an affair with him and she wanted to call it off, but he was jealous, so he shot her. But the thing is, he didn’t do it.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘Mum told me soon afterwards. She was distraught. Dad left, and she was alone. She said they were hiding things, and then afterwards she had no choice. Her affair with Friedrich became public, and now she’s stuck with him.’
‘But she doesn’t love him?’ I’m thinking of the blue diamond, the present in her birthday cake.
‘Could you love him?’ Freya replies quickly.
I take a deep breath. ‘It’s not about me.’
‘I know, but don’t you see, Ronda? We’re stuck with him and this awful family.’
‘You can go off to university soon and live somewhere else or go abroad.’
‘I want to live in London, but I don’t know what will happen now that Friedrich is retiring. He’ll have even more control over us all …’
I wish Freya wasn’t slurring her words so much.
‘He’ll force me to go to Germany.’
‘Maybe you can—’
‘Don’t you understand?’ Freya’s face crinkles in frustration. ‘Herr Schiltz knows who did it. He knows who killed his first wife, but he won’t say. He’s covering up for someone.’
‘Who?’
‘Who do you think?’ Freya pulls away and pulls a tissue from her pocket. She wipes her eyes and dabs at the mascara stain, and as she does that I see a slight movement behind the hidden bookshelf, then there’s a scuffle and silent curse.
‘Who’s there?’ I call out.
Freya follows my gaze. We both sit up.
‘Come on out!’ I say, raising my voice. ‘We all know about the secret passage.’
Freya says, ‘Perhaps they’re stuck.’
In a few strides, I’m at the secret library panel. I push the particular book with the lever, and the door clicks open, and Wilhelm falls into the room laughing. He can barely stand.
‘He’s drunk,’ says Freya. ‘Spying on us, were you?’
‘Just checking to see what woman you’re kissing now.’ Wilhelm laughs tauntingly, and it takes me all my trained army discipline not to kick him in the nuts.
* * *
I can’t leave the library fast enough. My conversation with Freya was exciting, but I don’t want to get involved in Freya and Wilhelm’s drunken arguments.
I’m half-way down the stairs when I hear Freya leave the library and slam the door behind her.
In the kitchen, Hugo says,’ Where were you?’
‘I took coffee up to Gunter, but then I found Freya in the library whose need was greater than his.’
Hugo nods. ‘She was downing lots of shots.’
I make a fresh coffee and return upstairs with the tray, just as Jim enters the kitchen. I don’t want to be left alone with him, and I take the stairs two at a time.
Outside on the battlements, the air is chilled. I take a quick look at the magnificent view. The setting sun has left a magenta and crimson sky, the clouds are like an artist’s palette. It would be lovely to share the view with someone special.
‘Hey, over here.’ I turn to see Gunter lying on a sun-bed beside his wife. He points at a table.’ Put it there.’
Wordlessly I place the tray on the table, and I turn away.
‘It’s Ronda, isn’t it?’ Roma sits up and pulls a shawl around her shoulders. ‘That meal you cooked. All the meals have been delicious. Tha
nk you.’
The tip of cigar flares up and in the dusk, I see a vague outline of a shadow.
‘You’re welcome.’ I stand for a second feeling sorry for Roma. She continues to smile at me, as if she wants a conversation, almost as if she’s grateful.
‘You shouldn’t have to do that.’ Mike’s voice is louder than I expect. ‘You shouldn’t have to bring that up here. Aren’t there any waiters to do that?’
‘They’ve gone off duty.’
Mike sniffs. ‘Well, the family can help themselves if they want anything. You’ve all worked so hard. You must be exhausted.’
‘That’s true.’ I smile.
‘Where’s Jim?’ Gunter asks Mike.
Although he’s not asking me, I reply, ‘He’s just gone into the kitchen.’
‘Probably spying on someone else,’ Mike says, ‘and it will make a change that it isn’t Fran or me that he’s filming. She’s distraught. He frightened her earlier. He prowls around like he’s an undercover spy working for MI5, but he’s a thug. I don’t know why Friedrich trusts him – all this talk of someone in his room – it was probably Jim.’
Gunter says slowly, ‘There’s something not right. Papa did say he wanted us to relocate to London. Still, it’s not normal for Dad to want to resign like this, without mentioning it to any of us before …’ He glares at me as if I should have left by now so I walk away, but I pause out of sight near the door to the stairs and wait, listening.
‘He’s asking us to uproot our life, move to London without even discussing it with us first,’ Roma complains.
‘He told me on Friday after we arrived.’ Gunter’s tone is rude.
‘Yes, and you told me. But I’m not happy,’ Roma replies. ‘What about our children and their friends in Germany and their education?’
‘Shut up, Roma,’ Gunter says. ‘I’m sick of going through all of this with you. You knew when you married me what it would be like—’
‘I never expected you to be at your father’s beck and call. It was bad enough after your mother died and what we all went through, with all the public humiliation, but this is—’
‘Roma, stop. That’s enough. That’s my mother you’re talking about.’
‘I know.’
‘Speak about her with some respect.’ Gunter is angry.
‘Respect?’ Roma scoffs. ‘Neither you, nor your brother, or even Friedrich treated her with respect. You were awful to her, you all mistreated her. She was too frightened to stand up to you but don’t think I’m going to be like that. You’re not going to behave like that to me, Gunter – if you don’t treat me with respect – if any of you don’t treat me with respect then I’ll be gone, and I’ll take my children with me.’