Nemesis

by Margit Sandemo

  ‘Well, it won’t be worth much,’ thought Alexander, feeling slightly ill at ease. ‘The hangman will take care of the Countess. But the Count? He will probably be punished for adultery and attempted rape – he is not likely to lose his life and be tortured and disgraced. Maybe he will spend some time in prison, maybe not. Then he will be out again, and Jessica may well endure several lovesick assaults from him. No, that mustn’t happen. I must speak with Cecilie.’

  Cecilie had always had her heart in the right place. She took Jessica with her to Zealand. She journeyed ahead with her so that she would not suffer the unpleasantness of the law suits and the verdicts. They got a new farm bailiff for Stella, who was allowed to stay at New Askinge until Jessica was ready to take over the estate. But right now, all she wanted was to get away. The Count was banned from New Askinge.

  Cecilie found a good job for Jessica with Leonora Christina’s children. Eleonora Sofia Ulfeldt, who was two years old, needed a nanny because she was frequently ill. And now that her parents were in the Netherlands, the little girl felt even more anxious. Jessica and she soon got along very well.

  Alexander and his son, Tancred, stayed in Jutland until everything was settled there. Then they rode back home to Zealand.

  On board the ship across the Great Belt, Alexander asked him: “Well, have you forgiven Jessica for ‘letting you down’?”

  “’Letting me down’?” said Tancred slowly. “If you mean her inability to confide in me, then I must say that it’s wounded me so profoundly that I don’t want to see her ever again.”

  “I don’t think you will. Mum wanted to arrange something for her a long way from Gabrielshus.”

  “Well, that’s a good thing. She doesn’t know where we live either because I never told her who I am or that we own a castle. I wanted her to love me for who I am and not because of my name.”

  Alexander stared speechless at his son for a while. They stood by the bulwark and saw the coast of Zealand draw closer. A pair of strong hands embraced the boy’s shoulders.

  “Now listen, Tancred,” said Alexander, seething with rage. Never before had Tancred seen his Dad so furious. “Now listen, you smug little judge! Can’t you hear what you’re saying. You didn’t tell Jessica who you were. But that was quite all right despite the fact that you had a very bad reason to lie to her. She was scared to death, and in order to protect herself, she didn’t say a word about who she was. And in your view, this was a mortal sin.”

  Alexander pushed him away. “Tancred, you disappoint me so much that I don’t want to talk to you any more!”

  Alexander turned to leave and Tancred remained standing there.

  “Oh, God, what have I done?” he shouted, repentant.

  “Dad, dad! I must see her again and ask for forgiveness. I need to tell her how much I like her!”

  Alexander turned round.

  “That’s not going to be so easy. Your Mum has promised not to tell anybody where she is. Besides, I don’t think she wants to see you. Jessica must be very disappointed with you.”

  Then he went on and Tancred put his head on the bulwark in bitter self-reproach.

  Stella Holzenstern walked about in the many quiet rooms of Askinge. Her parents were gone. She would never see her mother again. Her father was in prison and had been banned from showing up at Askinge in the future. Jessica had left. The coachman had left the farm. Stella’s aunt and Molly were dead. Dieter had not turned up again. Only a handful of waiters tiptoed silently about in the house.

  “One day I’ll find you,” said Stella coldly, gazing in a mirror. The beautiful face merely expressed her deep sense of emptiness. “All this is because of you, Jessica. Thank you, Jessica Cross. You’ve given me a goal in life! One day I’ll find you, no matter how well you hide yourself. Be sure of that!”

  Chapter 8

  Before they parted, Cecilie had a short conversation with Jessica.

  “Growing up takes time, Jessica,” she said with a worldly-wise smile. “It will take my son, Tancred, twice as long because he’s had it too easy. Alexander and I would always say that twelve fairies must have stood by his cradle. He seemed to have everything: good health, wealth, intelligence, handsome features, a good background, a prestigious name, charm and humour – everything! He’s never experienced adversity, you see, which is why he didn’t know how to handle it.”

  Jessica nodded. She herself felt that she had become ten years older in the past week.

  “Things were different with his twin sister,” said Cecilie. “She really had to struggle. She didn’t have her brother’s good looks. Gabriella was always unsure of herself and then she was rejected by the one she was to marry. It was a very severe blow to her. I decided to send her to my wise mother in Norway, and there she found love. First of all, love for the disadvantaged in society. Secondly, for a man who is so totally ignoble that he doesn’t even have a last name. But Alexander was compassionate and let them marry. Sadly, they lost their only child. But they took in a little girl and they are thinking of setting up an orphanage on the farm they are building at the moment. Tancred has never understood how Gabriella could waste her life like that. But the rest of us know that so far he’s the one who has wasted his life. Now I hope he’s learned a lesson!”

  “It wasn’t my intention to mislead him,” said Jessica. “It was just how it all turned out.”

  “I know. He did the same, didn’t he? Tancred will soon come to his senses over this,” said Cecilie. “Then he’ll realise that he’s misjudged you. Do you want me to give him your address?”

  “I’d rather not,” said Jessica slowly. “I need to rest a little myself. I’d like to begin a new chapter now, in a new place. There’s too much that’s still painful.”

  “I understand,” said Cecilie. “Besides, you and Tancred have only known each other for a few days. So there’s not so much that binds you.”

  “No,” said Jessica quietly.

  Corfitz Ulfeldt and his magnificent entourage returned from the Netherlands in October. Rumours of his success had reached Denmark.

  Success ...? Well, things had moved pretty slowly to begin with. Denmark needed the support of the Netherlands in a possible war – wars were rife – and as “blackmail” Ulfeldt used a treaty which would give Dutch ships full freedom of duty in the Sound. By late September, after various concessions and negotiations, a treaty was signed. It promised defence to Denmark and freedom of duty to the Netherlands,

  Corfitz Ulfeldt was triumphant as he began his home journey.

  But the trip had come at a price! Ulfeldt was not stingy when it came to his own entertainment expenses. More than 150,000 rix-dollar had been spent.

  Then there was also the matter of the Council of State, which certainly wanted a defence pact with the Netherlands, but the fact that Denmark was to lose its duty revenues? No, this was too severe. And all this was the making of the Lord Chamberlain!

  Jessica stood at a window at Hørsholm Farm with young Eleonora Sofia, looking down the road for the coach with the girl’s mother and father. But so far they hadn’t seen anything.

  They had been very busy months in Hørsholm, for which Jessica was grateful. It meant she hadn’t had to think of all the things that had happened.

  She was turning into a young, grown-up woman, calm on the outside, yet still sensitive. Her blond, straight hair had turned slightly darker and her eyes had a vulnerable expression which had moved many young men in Ulfeldt’s circles.

  Alexander Paladin’s sister, Ursula, was Jessica’s ally and contact for the farmer at Askinge. The new farmer was very clever. He would come to Ursula Horn’s estate at regular intervals and report on the running of the farm. And Ursula would write to Cecilie, who would forward the letters to Jessica, because they did not trust anybody. Count Holzenstern was not in the parish, but they had heard that he was now a drunken wreck in Aarhus.
r />   Stella often undertook long journeys – nobody knew where to. So the farmer would spend most of his time alone on the farm, during the six months that had passed. Ursula wrote that never had it been managed so well. She felt that it was safe for Jessica to return.

  But Jessica was scared. She did not want to because she was still frightened: Old Askinge, the forest, the loneliness ... She was seriously considering handing over the whole of Askinge to Stella, but was not yet sure whether she had the courage to do so.

  Besides, she was happy in her present job. She was to take care of young Eleonora Sofia as the two got on well in each other’s company and understood each other so well.

  “They’re on their way,” shrieked the little girl by her side. The coach rolled into the courtyard. They ran down the stairs.

  Leonora Christina, King Christian’s daughter, was wearing the ugly black hat which she always wore as a sign of her noble descent. She took the youngest daughter in her arms. Following the first, boisterous welcome, turned towards Jessica.

  “A new nanny by the look of it.”

  “This is Jessica,” said Eleonora Sofia. “She and I have made a fine embroidery for you.”

  “You speak so beautifully, my little child,” said Leonora Christina.

  Jessica curtseyed. “My name is Jessica Cross. Margravine Cecilie Paladin recommended me for this responsible position since the previous nanny got married.”

  “Cross? That’s English nobility, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, I’m the last one with the name.”

  “Hm ...” Leonora Christina smiled. “Well, what a magical journey it has been! Cecilie and Tancred Paladin will be disappointed that they travelled over to his aunt in Jutland instead of joining my husband! What a triumph! We were received with much glory and honour.”

  She disappeared to say hello to the bigger children and brought along the little girl so that Jessica was left alone.

  This reminded her of Tancred once more! But it hurt less and less every time. Or so she imagined. At least the memory of him was beginning to fade away. She could no longer see his features before her eyes. She could see the dark hair – and his upright posture. But his face ... No.

  Nevertheless he had been her first great – and so far only – love, which ended in a complete misunderstanding. Or, to be more precise, in mutual distrust and disappointment.

  Actually, the Ulfeldts lived in a large farm close to Gråbødretorv. But Leonora Christina would rather that young Eleonora Sofia stayed in the country, on their slightly smaller farm in Hørsholm, where the other children would come and visit every now and then. Now that Leonora Christina and her husband were back, the entire family moved to Copenhagen once more. But if Corfitz Ulfeldt had expected an honourable welcome in his native Denmark, he would be deeply disappointed. Everything went against him. The Council of Ministers was disgusted at his wilful actions, and the treasurer was incensed about the paltry 150,000 rix-dollar. While he had been abroad, Ulfeldt had been stripped of everything that had to do with customs revenue in Norway, and to his great chagrin he discovered that he was only Lord Chamberlain in name.

  He was offended and locked himself in in his house in Copenhagen and left it to the others to handle his business affairs. In 1650, when the King sent for him, asking him why, Corfitz Ulfeldt replied that he could not take care of his post when it was as limited as the Council of Ministers had made it. The King roared with laughter and left.

  More adversity followed. The Netherlands did nothing to ratify the treaty. Some ships, which Ulfeldt had asked the Germans to build, were evaluated at a much lower price than he had promised them, and he came out of it a laughing stock. It emerged that Corfitz Ulfeldt had placed major sums and valuables abroad. The King ordered that everything had to be examined with meticulous scrutiny.

  Ulfeldt became increasingly pathetic and grumpy. Opposed was the word he used himself. Nobody understood him, everybody was jealous of him. But Leonora Christina consoled him.

  She was a loving mother, but above all she was her husband’s wife. Yes she was haughty and arrogant, but you would rarely find a more loyal and devoted love than hers. Although everybody criticised Corfitz Ulfeldt more and more, Leonora Ulfeldt saw him as the hero of her youth and a great and misunderstood statesman.

  Jessica had settled down comfortably in what was called “the small Court.” Leonora Christina regarded herself as belonging to the Court. Queen Sophie Amalie was, however, of a different opinion. This was why Leonora Christina and Corfitz Ulfeldt had their own Court.

  Jessica was happy both at the farm in Hørsholm and the farm in Copenhagen. She travelled a lot back and forth between these two places, depending on Eleonora Sofia’s health.

  She met from time to time with Cecilie. Cecilie Paladin said that Tancred was now a lieutenant in the army and had matured a lot. He was stockier and more masculine but his former jolly nature, and his mischievous and positive personality, were gone. They had disappeared right after his stay in Jutland and nobody knew why. Jessica did not ask whether he had got married. Once a long time ago Cecilie had said, “He’s still searching.” Then her heart had missed a beat. But Cecilie had continued: “Let him search! I’m not saying anything!” and Jessica had kept quiet about her fervent wish that her whereabouts could now be revealed. She did not have the courage to say anything.

  But that was a long time ago now.

  It was about this time when a new kitchen maid was employed in the Ulfeldt household.

  She was a peculiar type of person. Blonde with an unusually beautiful, yet expressionless, face. The cook would say that her face was like a polished floor or a blank piece of paper.

  Her name was Ella, and she tended to keep to herself. She looked down on the others in the kitchen as if she was worth more than they – or as if she just happened be there by some mistake.

  She would never go up to the Ulfeldts’ quarters, which none of the kitchen staff would do anyway. But she asked a lot of questions about those who lived there – light, innocent questions. If the others had paid a bit more attention, they would have noticed that she always left or looked away when a certain person would come into the kitchen.

  She went about her work silently and without complaining, although it was obvious that she did not like it. The others were not particularly fond of Ella. There was something unpleasant about her expressionless face.

  Every evening, little Eleonora Sofia had a hot drink brought to her bedroom and Jessica, her nanny, was brought a cup of milk as well. Ella would prepare the hot drink for the little girl, something she did conscientiously every evening, but she let one of the other maids walk up with it.

  Jessica would lie in bed every night, listening nervously for signals from her body. She had a pain in her stomach. A constant headache kept her awake. It thumped behind her eyes, making them feel as though they were about to burst. She began to feel lethargic in the daytime and had begun to develop a rash, which frightened her.

  She was alone and had nobody to talk to. It was only now that she realised how utterly alone in the world she really was.

  The mood was tense in the Ulfeldt palace in Copenhagen. The Lord Chamberlain’s bad mood got on everybody’s nerves, including Jessica’s.

  Then suddenly all his small insults and humiliations were forgotten. Because now fate struck hard at the charmer and former favourite, Corfitz Ulfeldt.

  One day in the New Year of 1651, one of the maids entered the butler’s pantry, where Jessica and a few of the other maids were having their breakfast. The maid closed all the doors and turned to them wide-eyed.

  “Scandal!” she whispered.

  “What? What scandal?” asked one of the maids.

  “Sssh! Not a word about it in this house. The Princess and the Lord Chamberlain know nothing.” She giggled.

  “Well, tell us then!”

  The
maid sat down. “It’s absolutely crazy. But wonderful, wonderful! You know Dina Vinshofers, don’t you?”

  The others nodded. Jessica had heard about her. A quite notorious lady in the highest circles. Right now she was the mistress of an officer from Holstein by the name of Jørgen Walter. It was rumoured that she was expecting his child.

  “Now you listen. You won’t believe your own ears. Between Christmas and New Year, Jørgen Walter went up to King Frederik and told him that Ulfeldt planned to murder His Majesty!”

  “What?” exclaimed the others.

  “I don’t believe that,” said Jessica.

  “No, but that’s what Jørgen Walter said. And do you know how he knew? Well, Dina had spent the night here, in this house – in Ulfeldt’s bed!”

  “Honestly?” said one of the maids.

  “Yes. And in the morning, Leonora Christina had entered his bedroom and Ulfeldt very quickly hid Dina underneath the duvet, and there she lay. She must have almost suffocated! And she’d heard Leonora Christina talk to her husband about poisoning King Frederik. Then she’d given him a bottle with poison in it. And all this Dina heard!”

  “What a lot of rubbish and gossip!” said Jessica. Her headache made her eyes very sore.

  “It’s true! Because the King has interrogated Dina Vinshofers, and she swore that it’s the truth!”

  Jessica was very skeptical.

  Only two days later, she was summoned to Court.

  She asked why. Well, this was because she had been nearby on the night in question, as little Eleonora had been restless and wanted company.

  Jessica had never been at the Royal Palace in Copenhagen. She put on her best clothes, which now sat alarmingly loose on her, and was driving the others mad by constantly asking when it was time for her to leave. It would not be good to arrive too early either.

  Finally, she walked through the streets to the Palace, warmly dressed in the winter cold. Her heart was beating fast when she told the guard at the gate about her reason for being allowed in.