The Cursed Bride
By Camille Oster
Copyright ©2018 Camille Oster
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the work of the author's imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Camille Oster – Author
www.camilleoster.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camille-Oster/489718877729579
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@camille_oster
Chapter 1
Black Forest, German Confederation, 1865
AS THE COUNTRYSIDE PASSED by outside the carriage, Heinrich held Aldine's hand. His hand was large and course compared to her own, and she studied the differences between them. It was still hard to imagine that this beautiful man was her husband. Blond and strong, with an open face, strong nose and pleasing jaw. Everything about him seemed lovely, and he had been very gentle with her throughout their honeymoon by one of the beautiful lakes just north of Milan.
Having grown up so close to Italian lands, Heinrich spoke Italian easily and had been able to speak to all and sundry during their honeymoon. Throughout, he’d shown he was easygoing and struck up conversations gladly.
Looking out the window, she surveyed the landscape outside, the darkening woods that were to be her new home. The Black Forest. Heinrich had assured her it was the most wonderful place in the world. Forests that sang in the breeze and magical landscapes that drove the imagination. To Aldine, it looked scary. She wouldn't like to get lost here.
This was not the area she was from, having been born and raised north of here. But the winters were tolerable and the summers wonderful, she had been assured.
His family was awaiting their return. She had only met them briefly just after the wedding. His mother had looked very regal, and his brother handsome. They were a handsome family, and Heinrich was the master of the estate called Schwarzfeld.
Even the name was a little gloomy, but Heinrich's love for his home was obvious, so she had great hope she would be happy there.
All marriages had some trouble, her mother had told her, and not to be disheartened if not everything was perfect. A husband and wife had to learn to suit each other. So far, they suited well.
The gold band on her finger glinted in the pale sunlight, which came and went with the trees they passed by. Tall pines blocked out most of the sunshine, but intermittently, they passed idyllic villages along mountain valleys.
"Now we are close," he said, regripping his hold on her hand.
Aldine's eyes searched out the window for her new home. The Graven family was old, their history here going back centuries, or so both Heinrich and her father had told her. It was a brilliant match for her. She had married well. Very well.
Heinrich was smiling, pleased to be returning home. "You will like it. You will see," he said. Pulling his hand away, he straightened the arms of his jacket. It had been a long journey through dramatic landscapes, but slowly and steadily they had progressed.
Finally, the house came into view—built of grey stone. Three stories with a turret, and a pitched, slate roof. A very stately house. Ivy grew along the front of it. It was at least two hundred years old, if not older, with both some baroque and gothic features. It had been redesigned at some point in the past, it seemed. Probably around a hundred years ago, if she were to guess. Undeniably a handsome house.
"What do you think?" Heinrich asked.
"It is very stately. A fine mansion."
With a nod, he seemed to approve of her assessment.
The carriage pulled up along the main entrance, gravel crunching under the wheels before stopping. Heinrich jumped out and held his hand for her to take, while someone was coming out of the house to greet them. Firstly, what looked like an elderly retainer.
"Weber," Heinrich said, addressing the elderly man. "I hope all is well here."
"Of course," Weber said. "Your mother and your brother are both at home."
The woman Aldine recognized appeared through the door. Heinrich's mother. Dressed in elegant dark green silk which rustled when she walked. "Heinrich. You return," she said to her son. "I trust the journey went well."
"We encountered no problems on the road. The carriage took the journey well."
"It has been a while since it's endured such a long journey. You must tell us all about it. And here is your bride," the woman said, taking Aldine's hands and holding them out as if surveying her. "As lovely as the day you wed. Please, come inside, Aldine, see your new home."
Heinrich's mother walked ahead of them. Aldine didn't know her name yet. The introductions had been swift. At least Aldine hoped so, or she had forgotten her mother-in-law's Christian name.
With his hand extended, Heinrich urged her to go ahead, entering a large hall with a grand staircase made of rich mahogany. She wondered if it was as old as the house, her eyes gazing over the ornate wood carvings that accented the corners of the staircase that skirted every side of the hall.
Taking Heinrich's arm, she let herself be led into a salon, where the brother, Ludwig, was sitting with his wife. Ludwig smiled as they appeared. "Home safe and sound," he said and rose to greet them. Ludwig put more attention into his clothes, Aldine noticed, the sumptuous clothes reflecting the height of fashion. Perhaps Ludwig spent more time in cities than Heinrich did.
While well dressed, Heinrich didn't seem to pay particular attention to fashion. He certainly hadn't during their two weeks in Italy. He had, however, bought a nice saddle that would arrive in a month or so.
It had been interesting getting to know this man who was now her husband, seeing how he interacted with the world and the people around them. There seemed to be a real affection between him and his family too, which was comforting to see. It would be awful to have to navigate a bitter and feuding family, but all seemed well here. The two brothers appeared close.
"You all remember my wife, Aldine," Heinrich said.
"We do remember. It was merely two weeks ago that you wed," Ludwig's wife said. If they had been properly introduced, Aldine couldn't remember. It had been such a harried and rushed day; she had paid so little attention to everything except where she was supposed to be and what she was supposed to say. Little else had sunk in. Her parents had been there—proud of the match they had achieved for her. Her younger brother too, who had probably preferred to not be there at all.
It was still strange to imagine she would see her family so seldom now. These people in the room with her were her new family. These were the people she would see day in and day out, and they were all strangers to her—even Heinrich, in most regards.
Ludwig's wife stretched for her hands and Aldine wished she knew her name. She seemed very nice. Aldine held great hope they would be friends. "You must be exhausted. Come sit. Would you like a coffee, or perhaps a tea? It is still some hours until supper."
"Or perhaps you wish to rest?" Heinrich's mother suggested. "Your room has been prepared for you."
"Why bother? So recently married, I doubt she will spend much time in there," the brother said quietly and his mother slapped him on the arm.
"Pay him no heed. He is a rude, uncouth creature," the older woman said, lifting her hand to the retainer, who seemingly knew exactly what she wanted. "Weber will bring a fresh pot. Sit."
Aldine did as directed. It was a fine room. Green silk on the walls, and a richly carved fireplace, in the same style as the stairway in the main hall.
"I must go see to some things," Heinrich said, and Aldine felt a moment of panic as he left her alone with his family. It would likely not occur to him that it would make
her uncomfortable, or perhaps he should not be tending to her in their own home. Aldine smiled at the people now taking their seats around her.
"How was your honeymoon?" the brother's wife asked.
"It was lovely. Such a beautiful place," Aldine said. "Please, you must all call me Aldine." The Graven title was still a shock to her, and she wasn't used to it. Plus, these people were now her family.
"And you must call me Elke," the brother's wife said.
Aldine smiled, now having a name. The same was not offered from Heinrich's mother, and Aldine would continue with the formal dowager Graven title.
A steaming pot of coffee was placed down and Aldine smiled, sure it would revive her somewhat after the long journey.
"We know so little about you," Elke continued, pouring the coffee to whoever indicated they wanted some.
Aldine felt the dowager studying her, the stoic expression on her face giving little away. "I come from Manheim, where I grew up."
"Your father is renowned for his architectural talents, I believe."
Her father had been celebrated for his work around the growing city of Manheim and nearby Stuttgart. Her grandfather was the third son of a fine family in the district, so they were still considered gentry, albeit removed from the heights of society. Little inherited wealth was coming their way, but her father earned respectable commissions from his architectural assignments. "Yes," she said. "He is currently working on the designs for a guild building in Stuttgart. I'm afraid I don't know the details of it." Of late, her father hadn’t often shared the details of his work, primarily because her mother had felt Aldine’s attention needed to be on her upcoming nuptials.
With coffee dispensed to everyone, the conversation continued around which buildings they admired in the nearby towns, most of which Aldine didn’t know.
Chapter 2
THE ROOM THAT HAD been given her was beautiful. Rose-colored silks decorated the walls, while the furniture was finely carved wood, much like the rest of the house. The window overlooked a lawn with the trees of the forest beyond. The gravel outside the main entrance was in sight too.
Beyond, from what she understood, there were fields that belonged to the estate, but she could not see them—only trees. Heinrich had promised to show her the estate in the afternoon, but this morning he had to see to the business of the estate.
Anna, the maid she had been assigned, was pinning her hair and Aldine sat patiently until she finished. The girl was shy and said very little, avoiding Aldine's eyes whenever she looked at her through the mirror.
It was raining gently outside, little spears of water forming on the leaded window panes. Purposefully, she forced herself not to think about what her parents and brother were doing that day, or that it felt a little as though she had been severed from her family.
But it would do no good to think such. Now she had a husband and things were as they always would be. There would be no going back to the life she had known.
The maid was done and Aldine rose, ready to leave her room, hoping she wouldn't get lost. A hallway led her to the main staircase. It was a beautifully appointed house with portraits of previous generations on the walls. Even swords from bygone eras.
She didn't have long to explore, because Weber found her and led her to the dining room where Elke was eating breakfast. An array of cold meats and cheese lay on the table, and she picked to suit herself.
"I think it will rain today," Elke said. "Sometimes it doesn't stop, but a forest does need rain. It won't be too heavy, though."
"Heinrich said he would show me the estate in the afternoon."
"That should be nice. Do you ride?"
"Not well."
"Raised in the city. There are some nice families around, but one must travel."
"Is your family from nearby?"
"Not far away," Elke said, leaning back and placing her napkin beside her. "It can feel very isolating here, with all the trees, but you will soon meet the people nearby. It is not like living in the city, though, I would imagine. People around here have known each other for generations."
It was hard for Aldine to grasp such a concept.
"The post only goes once a week, though, if you have correspondence to send. I imagine you want to tell your family you’ve arrived safe and sound."
"Of course," Aldine said.
"If you like to walk, there is plenty of walking, but don't get lost. Fortunately, there aren't so many bears and wolves anymore, but the boars can be dangerous. They will gore you and do horrific damage."
Listening intently, Aldine stopped chewing. Heinrich hadn't mentioned anything about boars.
"And they're fast. They can come out of the forest, charging with their long, sharp tusks." Elke used her fingers to accentuate around her mouth.
"Are they truly such a danger?"
"Only if you're unlucky," Elke said with a smile. "I had one charge my horse once. That's why it is much better to ride. Horses can strike them with their hooves."
In fact, Aldine was a little scared of horses, being so large and unpredictable. Now she had to be scared without a horse as well. This she hadn't realized. The forest surrounding the house seemed much more ominous.
"You find all sorts of things in the forest. Old, deserted cottages. The forest has a long history. There are a few mills as well, sawing the lumber that is harvested. And mines. It has been known to happen, people falling into old mineshafts. But look, I am scaring you. It is not my intention. Only to warn you. It is safe to stay on established paths, but wandering around the forest should be left to those who know the area well. Both Heinrich and Ludwig do know this land like the backs of their hands. If they say it's safe, it is. As boys, they ran all over this forest."
As would her children, Aldine realized. They would grow up here and face the perils of boars and mineshafts. It was still hard to imagine that there would be children. Would she make a good mother? She hadn't even worked out how to be a good wife yet.
Saying something about flowers, Elke got up and left. She did smell a little like flowers. Obviously a perfume she wore. It was lovely, but Aldine also preferred spicier perfumes that made her think of distant lands and exotic places. Scent had a way of carrying one away. But then there was a fresh scent here. Even within the house, there was the scent of pines. Forests smelled fresh without the coal and fires of the city. Even so, a fire crackled in the grate behind her.
Finishing her breakfast, the search for the scent of the forest drove her outside. The doorway had a covered stoop and she stood there watching. It was so quiet, except for birds. No people, no carriages, no distant whistle of a locomotive—just thick, pressing silence. It was simply that she wasn't used to it. It was as though she was in the middle of a sea of wilderness out here. That probably wasn't remotely correct, it just felt that way for a moment.
Pulling herself together, she pushed such sentiment away and looked around. The air was fresh and wet, with the scent of rain. The gravel road leading from the house was where they had come yesterday. From the journey, she knew the estate was quite high in the mountains, but it didn't seem it just here.
With her step away from the entrance, gravel shifted under her feet and she walked ahead to look back on the building, which stood large and solid behind her. Ages of family history were encased in this house, and she was now a part of it.
Off to the side were buildings, which she assumed were for farming purposes and probably a stable. The carriage would have a house too. It was too fine to leave to the ravages of weather.
Where was Heinrich? Off somewhere. There was no sound to indicate anyone was outside, until she heard hooves coming closer.
Turning, she looked, but saw nothing. Searching the trees, she sought a glimpse, eventually seeing flashes of a horse cantering. The sound grew louder as the horse and rider struck the gravel. He wore a hat and a coat.
Aldine smiled. Heinrich was home a little earlier than she'd expected—he'd said afternoon, but here he
was.
As she watched, though, his features became more clear, shifting from what she knew. This wasn't Heinrich—instead someone else. It was easy to see how she could have assumed so, because they looked alike. This man was darker, though. Not quite as golden, not quite as fine in features—more masculine. That wasn't right. Heinrich was a very masculine man, but this man was… harder.
"Who're you?" he said, reining the horse in. A blatant statement without much finesse. This man didn't have the look of a servant. His clothes were well-made.
"I am Aldine… Graven."
"Heinrich's new wife," he said, but it was a statement more than a question. Smoothly he dismounted and pulled the reins over the horse's head. The man turned to assess her, and Aldine didn't know where to put her hands. Who was this man?
"Enchanted, I'm sure," she said when the man didn't introduce himself.
It spurred him into action. "Wolfgang. Half-brother. Neither part of the family, nor not."
The frown must have spelled her confusion. There was another brother? She didn’t remember hearing of him.
"I am the illegitimate son of the former Count Graven." There was a bitterness in the statement. He didn't seem to hide it. "I live in one of the cottages. Not the house." And clearly he hadn’t been invited to the wedding, but he had known about it.
"Oh, I see," Aldine said, unsure what to say.
"I take it Heinrich didn't mention me."
No one had mentioned him. It was as though he wasn't there.
"He has spoken more about the land than the people. I still don't know his mother's name," she confessed.
The man smiled as he undid the straps of the horse's girth. "Wilhelmina. I have other names for her, but I won't share them."
Taking the saddle off, he carried it over one arm as he led the horse away and around the corner of the house without saying anything more.
Well, that was curious. There was another brother, who seemed to be acknowledged enough to live on the estate, but not enough to be considered family.
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