Sally Wentworth - King of the Castle

by King of the Castle

  Anna von Reistoven remarked, 'You seem very pleased to leave Vienna, Lee.'

  'I loved Vienna. It's a wonderful city to get to know and I wouldn't have missed it for worlds, but I suppose I'm a country girl at heart. I feel more at home among the woods and the hills than in the city streets.'

  To enter her room at the Schloss was almost like coming home. Trudi was waiting for her with a big smile and helped her to unpack her many purchases, exclaiming with unenvious delight when each one was unwrapped. At length Lee came upon the present she had bought specially for Trudi. 'And this is for you,' she smiled.

  At first the servant-girl was reluctant and murmured something in her own dialect, but Lee insisted and in the end Trudi was persuaded to take the small package and open it. The flush of pleasure that came over her face when she saw the bracelet inside" was reward enough for Lee, but the younger girl broke into profuse thanks which Lee quickly laughed away.

  'Would you finish unpacking for me? I'm going to have a swim, my first in two weeks.' Slipping into a white bikini, she hurried down to the pool, threw her wrap on to a chair and immediately dived in the deep end.

  'Hey! Are you trying to drown me?'

  Quickly Lee turned and found that she had just missed Max, who was floating on his back at the side. 'Heavens! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there.'

  'You didn't stop to look, you mean.' Without warning he rolled over and catching her round the waist pulled her under.

  'Oh, you beast!' Gasping and shaking water from her eyes, Lee looked round to take her revenge, but Max was already half way up the pool. There followed a hectic half-hour in which Max was always just a little

  too fast for her, eluding her hands outstretched to catch him and diving down to come up behind her and duck her again. At last she caught up with him and, putting her hands on His shoulders, used the weight of her body to draw him down to the bottom and hold him there for a few seconds until he wrapped his arms round her and lifted her to the surface. She turned a wet, laughing face up to him and his arms tightened, pulling her against him. His face was close to hers, but as Lee clung to him his smile faded and a bright, intense look came into his eyes. She felt his lean, muscular body hard against her own and for a breathless moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead he let go of her abruptly and swam to the side, where he sprang out easily and then reached a long arm down to haul, her out.

  There was nothing of his former tenseness about him as he casually offered Lee a cigarette. 'Are you still determined to go back to England soon?'

  So he was reminding her of her words when they had visited the vineyards. Did that mean that he wanted her to go? she wondered.

  'Your mother told me that there's to be a festival in the village on Saturday. I think I should like to stay for that, if you'll have me?'

  'But of course. I'm sure Mother has asked you to stay for as long as you wish. Your company gives her much pleasure, I know.'

  'And you?' Lee couldn't resist asking. 'Does my company give you pleasure?'

  He smiled with genuine amusement. 'That is, I believe, what is known as a leading question. Now how am I going to answer it? Your presence in Ausbach has been disturbing, to say the least. It has caused me to lose my temper many times, even making me go so far as to be discourteous to a guest.' Lee flushed as she remembered the spanking he had given her. 'But my feelings are rather like those you felt about Vienna. It was an education getting to know you and I wouldn't have missed it for worlds.'

  Now how was she supposed to take that? Really, the man was impossible! The light of battle came into her hazel eyes, but Max saw it and rose to his feet with a laugh.

  'No, Lee, I'm not going to argue with you. You might tempt me to lose my temper again. Come, it's time to dress for dinner.'

  Frau von Reistoven was busy helping to organise the festival for the rest of that week and Max was catching up with the work that had arisen during his absence, so Lee and Rudi were rather left to make their own amusements. Lee borrowed a car from the garage and drove round some of the neighbouring towns and villages, falling in love with the region all over again whenever she came upon a landscape that took her breath away. Twice she asked a groom to saddle a horse for her and went riding in the foothills, inevitably making her way to the chalet where she sat again by the horse-trough and looked across at the turrets of the Schloss and dreamed of castles in the air.

  The chalet chimney had been expertly repaired, but there was still the hole in the roof waiting to be finished. She supposed she ought to tell Max that he had won, but she knew she wouldn't because that was the only thing that kept her in Austria. And now, more than anything else, she wanted to stay, to be near him. She didn't allow herself to hope that anything would come of it, but at least he had stopped treating her like a child; when he had held her in the pool she knew that he had been fully aware of her as a woman.

  When Lee looked out of her window on the morning of the festival, she was rewarded with the promise of perfect weather. The sound of cowbells echoed through the still air and the sun caressed the valley like a cat licking its fur. Trudi came in carrying a breakfast tray, her face flushed with excitement, for all the servants were being given a holiday to attend the festival and many of them were actually taking part. Everyone was so busy that there was to be no breakfast on the terrace this morning. Both Max and his mother were leaving early to go to the village for last-minute preparations and Lee was to follow later with Rudi and the servants. After eating her rather lonely breakfast, Lee came out t of the bathroom to find that Trudi had brought a large parcel and laid it on her bed.

  'From Herr von Reistoven,' the maid told her.

  From Max? Puzzled, Leo lifted the lid and removed several layers of tissue paper before she came upon a beautifully made Austrian peasant dress of rose-printed material with an embroidered bodice and crisp white apron. There was also an exquisite flowered headdress with gay ribbons; even the buckled black dancing pumps had not been forgotten. With trembling fingers Lee opened the card that lay on top of the clothes. 'Please wear our national costume and in doing so know that there will always be a welcome for you in Austria. Max.'

  With a heart as light as air and a face just as excited as Trudi's, Lee dressed herself in the peasant costume and went to look at herself in the long mirror. How strange it felt to wear clothes that had been the traditional dress of Austrian women for hundreds of years; by just putting them on she seemed to have shed much of her modern sophistication, and the image that looked back at her from the mirror could have been that of any young village girl through the ages of time —any girl flushed and happy at the thought of meeting her lover.

  Trudi had also changed into her own dirndl and they went out into the courtyard together to where their transport to the village awaited them. But today it wasn't to be Hans and the grey Mercedes, instead the grooms had trundled out a huge wagonette which everyone had spent hours decorating with flowers and ferns over every conceivable surface, so that when Lee climbed into it with the rest of the women from the Schloss and took her place it was like stepping into a floral bower. Rudi was already aboard with Prinz held in his arms. He was jumping up and down and -trying to persuade the young groom, Franz, who had been assigned to keep an eye oh him, to let him sit next to the driver.

  Two huge black carthorses, their coats brushed until they shone, and their harness adorned with countless gleaming horsebrasses, pulled them across the covered bridge, through the gatehouse and down the steep road that led to the village. Bright brass trivets with little bells suspended from them were fixed to the horses' heads so that they tinkled every time the horses moved and added to the sound of distant cowbells and the music of the alpine bands that were converging on the village square.

  The wagonette rumbled slowly along, the servants exchanging greetings with everyone they met. Most of the men wore the traditional costume of white shirts, embroidered waistcoats, short leather trousers and hats adorned with sprays of flowe
rs, but it never occurred to Lee that Max, too, would be wearing the same outfit until the wagonette pulled up in the village square and he came surging forward, head and shoulders above everyone else, to lift her out over the side, too impatient to wait for her to climb decorously down the steps. Lee gasped, not so much from being lifted down in his arms, but from the difference that his costume made to his appearance. The clothes were exactly right. She thought that they could have been designed especially for him; the soft material of the shirt clearly defined the width of his broad shoulders and the short trousers showed off his tanned, muscular legs.

  But while she had been studying him, Max had also been looking Lee over appreciatively. 'You look very beautiful. The dress becomes you.'

  'You look pretty good yourself.'

  His mouth quirked in amusement. 'Thank you, I shall treasure the first compliment you have ever paid me,' he said mockingly. 'Come along, I've reserved a place for you where you can watch the parade.' He took her to a raised stand where Frau von Reistoven was already seated with the village dignitaries and their wives. Seats had been saved for her and Rudi and the groom a little further away.

  'Rudi and Franz will take care of you and explain everything that's going on,' Max told her as he ushered her along.

  Turning, Lee plucked at his sleeve. 'What about you? Couldn't you come and sit with us?'

  'I'm sorry, I have to help organise the procession as it enters the village.' His left eyebrow rose slightly. 'What's the matter, don't you like Franz?'

  'Well, yes, but—but I'd rather it were you.' Lee looked up at him, her eyes large and pleading, and for the first time she let something of what she felt for him show in her face.

  Max gave a sharp, indrawn breath, then he propelled her forcibly towards her seat. 'Go with Rudi and Franz, there's a good girl. I have a great deal to do,' he said brusquely, then he was gone and Lee was left to join Rudi. Out of the way among the children, she thought unhappily.

  The groom spoke quite good English and he began to tell her about the festival, but Lee was far too busy worrying about Max's hasty departure and whether she had given herself away to pay much attention to what Franz was saying. Soon the head of the procession, led by a band playing traditional alpine instruments as well as the more modern ones, marched into the square. They were handsome men, mostly quite young, who blew on their instruments enthusiastically and looked very dashing in their frilled shirts and black breeches tied with wide cummerbunds hung with bells. The band was followed by several men with large masks of bearded old men and over-handsome youths covering their heads. They danced along and brought squeals of delight from the children who lined the streets waving flags and paper windmills.

  Several beautifully decorated lorries and carts, including the Reistoven wagonette, trundled slowly after them, then there was another band and the men who were going to enter for the various competitions that were to take, place later; yodellers, alpine horn blowers, sportsmen, wood-choppers—the list that Franz reeled off seemed endless. There were more bands interspersed in the parade, all of them wearing the particular costume of their district, and among them the young people who were going to take part in the folk-dancing demonstrations, their dresses moving along the square like a river of colour, a gay kaleidoscope of rainbow tints that almost hurt the eyes by their brightness.

  As the day wore on the heat became intense and Rudi began to fidget, eager to sample the delights of the fair, so as soon as the last band in the procession had passed they went to the field at the end of the village where all the stalls and sideshows had been set up. Lee, her worries temporarily forgotten, let herself be persuaded to try everything, from knocking the heads off giant effigies to bowling for a pig. They came to a spit where a huge carcase of meat was being roasted, the hot coals emitting a haze of shimmering heat, and an already extremely grubby Rudi, with Prinz tied on an old piece of cord, demanded that they try some.

  'But you've already had three sausages!' Lee protested in vain.

  The three of them sat under a tree to eat their pieces of ox-roast, although Lee would have preferred something more suitable for the hot, still weather. Rudi, though, ate his with gusto and plagued them for hot pancakes filled with cream from a nearby creperie to follow.

  The folk-dancing had begun and they wandered over to watch the display, enjoying every moment as the dancers skipped and hopped in the intricate set dances, swinging their partners and seemingly tireless. In between the displays the spectators were allowed to join in the more subdued versions of the folk-dances. The next dance, however, was more energetic and had one movement where the men picked up their partners by the waist and swung them high into the air amidst shrieks of delight from the girls. As Lee laughingly refused Franz's offer to take part in this, she found herself suddenly pushed forward and a voice said mockingly in her ear, 'Have you had so much to eat that you're afraid Franz will drop you?'

  Next moment she was whirled up high into the air, much higher than anyone else, and then Max was twirling her round in the dance, leading her so well that she had no difficulty in following. Flushed and breathless, she skipped and spun with him until the music ended and he held -her up high for a moment, laughing up at her, teasing her, before setting her lightly down.

  'Phew! That was fun, but I'm so thirsty.'

  'Come along, then, I'll get you a drink.' He led the way to a lemonade stall, clearing a path through the crowd easily with his broad shoulders.

  'It's so hot—I'm sure they've chosen the hottest day of the year. Thank goodness the breeze has come along,' Lee remarked as she felt a cooling wind that stirred her hair and ruffled her skirts.

  Max lifted his head to look at the sky, a slight frown appearing on his forehead. 'Not so good, Lee. I'm afraid it's the Fohn.'

  'The Fohn? What's that?'

  'It's a wind that comes from the south and blows through the Alps. Have you heard of the mistral in France, or the sirocco of the Mediterranean lands?'

  'Why, yes. They can be pretty devastating, can't they?'

  'I'm afraid so. The Fohn can be extremely violent.'

  'And you think one is blowing up now?'

  'Yes.' Then his serious expression changed to a smile. 'But we won't let it spoil the festival. If you've finished your drink I'll take you back to watch Mother do her stuff on the judges' stand.'

  On the way they encountered Rudi, Franz having taken time off to join in the dancing with Trudi. The boy was hovering hopefully by an old-fashioned 'Try your strength' machine where several optimistic young men were bringing a huge mallet down as heavily as they could in the hope of sounding the bell at the top of a high pole. His interest in the machine became apparent when they saw that the prizes were boxes of chocolates.

  Rudi's eyes lit up when he saw Max's large proportions. 'Please, you hit the bell?' he pleaded, his little face so hopeful that Max had to laugh and agree. Both boy and dog watched with fascinated expectation as Max took the huge hammer in his hands and swung it high over his head. It came down so hard that the bell clanged like a cannon-shot and frightened poor Prinz so much that he jerked the piece of cord from Rudi's hands and rah yelping through the crowd, his tail between his legs.

  Lee and Max burst into laughter, but Rudi stopped only long enough to grab his box of sweets before tearing off after his pet. Max went off to help organise the yodelling competition while Lee went to watch Frau von Reistoven, who was busily judging and presenting prizes.

  The fair was stiff at its height, an hour or so later, when Franz sought Lee out. 'Have you seen Rudi. Fraulein? I cannot find him anywhere.'

  'Don't look so worried, Franz. After the amount he's eaten he has probably gone off to be sick somewhere. Herr von Reistoven won him a box of chocolates at the Try your Strength machine, but it made such a loud noise that it frightened Prinz and he ran away. But I'm sure Rudi must have caught him by now and is here somewhere.'

  'I hope so,' Franz said with some feeling. 'He is always in trouble, that
one.' He went off, and Lee continued to go round the fair alone, keeping an eye open for Rudi.

  The breeze had become a little stronger now, causing the coloured ribbons on the stalls to stream gaily and the awnings to flap in the wind, but everyone was far too busy enjoying themselves to take any notice. The crowds had been augmented by coachloads of tourists from the more popular resorts, everyone good-humour- edly pushing to get near the stalls and sideshows, but it was now very hot and Lee decided that she had had enough. She wanted to go back to the Schloss to rest for a while before getting ready for the dance tonight,. For tonight, was to be all-important; she had decided that tonight she was going to tell Max that she had broken off her engagement to Richard.

  Coming away from the fairground she again encountered Franz, an anxious look on his face. 'Why, Franz, are you still looking for Rudi?'

  'Yes, I'm so worried. It's nearly three hours now. Trudi is searching on the other side of the village, but I must take the road back to the Schloss. He may have gone that way.'

  'No, don't do that,' Lee said quickly. 'You stay here while I search towards the Schloss. If I don't find him on the way, I'll go up to one of the turret rooms—you can see for miles from there. And I'll telephone the Hotel Erlenbach when I get to the castle. If you find Rudi leave a message for me there.'

  'That is most kind, Fraulein, but I cannot let you. It will spoil the festival for you.'

  'Now that's silly! You stay here and search around. You'll probably find him trying to con another box of sweets at the machine,' Lee said comfortingly. With a cheerful wave she set off to walk back towards the castle, pausing at every farm gate and footpath to shout Rudi's name, but there was so much noise from the festival that it was impossible to distinguish any answering call. The Schloss was deserted except for the old man at the gate when she arrived there, having seen no sign of Rudi and his dog on the way. Knowing how anxious Anna von Reistoven must be, Lee went straight to the telephone in the drawing-room and rang through to the hotel.