“Well, maybe his son Alex will change all that someday. Especially after he will have attended Prince Eugen. It certainly changed me dramatically!”
“First his son will have to attain admittance. The Reinhardt’s may be many things, but nobility, in the common sense, they are not,” Colonel Hauser finalized, used to having the last word.
Major Essler only nodded, knowing the Reinhardts’ refusal to carry any titles throughout the centuries.
∼
“Why are you still up drinking, Policeman Volker?” his wife bellowed, never missing a chance to remind him of his title and position whenever she was less than happy with him.
“As of today, Officer Volker, please.” He smiled with his eyes half crossed. “Even Count Auersbach called me that!”
“Go to bed already! You’ve probably had a bad dream,” she insisted.
“A bad dream? I had a drink of spiked tea with a Count and toasted to the New Year with regular Officers at the garrison, and you call this a bad dream?”
“Alright, so you had a good dream. Go to bed and don’t wake the children!”
“Oh yes! Our children. They will be so proud of their father once they hear my story!”
“They are already proud of you, so go to bed!”
“1850 started out so wonderful, except—”
“Except what?” she started to question, looking at the tightly held flagon with the initials of the Auersbachs, and the cup and saucer set nearby that he saved strictly for good company, and which hadn’t been used since the Count’s last visit in connection with a horse theft. But on a clear night like this, no one would be that foolish to risk getting caught. “What happened?” she demanded.
“Help me to bed and I’ll tell you about it!”
She did, but he did not deliver. Policeman Volker fell into bed with a satisfied grunt and went to sleep at once, slightly mumbling about the ‘Happy New Year’.
∼
“Mrs. Volker? Mrs. Julius Volker?”
“Yes?” she gulped, stunned by what she saw, never having talked to one, let alone three officers.
“We must talk to your husband. We have to take him to the garrison.”
“He has stolen the Auersbach flagon” she assumed immediately. Instead, she asked, “Has he done something wrong?”
“No, nothing at all. Just call him out please!”
“He is inca…. He is incap…. He is still in bed,” she hurried through her sentence, as the refined word that her sister frequently used just wouldn’t pass her lips.
“Then please, get him up in a hurry, and make him some coffee!”
“He drank too much.”
“Yes, so did we. As I said, give him some coffee….very strong!”
“Won’t you come in and wait?” she asked, much friendlier now.
“I should say not,” the captain replied arrogantly.
“I hope you did nothing wrong, Julius!” She handed him his coffee with a question on her face.
“Just the opposite dear. Wait until I tell you what happened last night,” he answered confidently and with a hint of triumph in his voice.
“By the time you get back, I might just know it already,” she said, opening the door for him.
“I am Policeman Julius Volker, Captain.”
“We have orders to take you to the garrison.”
“But I just came from there a few hours ago!”
“As a matter of fact, that is exactly why our captain has to see you again.”
His thoughts went to Count Auersbach immediately, and their conversation about the asses in the Emperor’s army.
“Your cap is on crookedly,” the captain commented officiously, instructing him to take a seat next to the Sergeant driving the carriage.
“I always wear my cap this way!”
“Alright, Policeman! I just talk to you as an officer,” he sneered, and gave the sergeant a sign to move on.
Volker smiled inwardly. “Last night I drank with some of these officers, but they were different then.”
“Shhh!” the sergeant cautioned, putting his fingers to his lips. “That is exactly why they want you back. To make sure you won’t say anything to embarrass them.”
“What?” That struck a nerve. “They could have told me that right then and there.”
“Shhh! Not in the army.”
“God Almighty,” he thought again. “There I had the most exciting time of my whole professional life, and was dying to tell my wife, my children, and someday my grandchildren, possibly receiving a bit more respect from the people in the village….and now, chances are that I have to keep my mouth shut about all the excitement until I die! Damn it all!”
He was interrupted in his thoughts by someone calling, “Policeman Julius Volker!”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Happy New Year. Follow me, please!”
At least there was one friendly face, but since he outranked the officers, it was not really much to brag about.
“It’s only a matter of formality. Please sign right here,” said a Lieutenant firmly but not unfriendly, giving the policeman a rather impatient look because he had made himself comfortable at the desk and chair, and was studying the paper he was supposed to sign.
Volker commented, “In my line of work, one has to be doubly careful what one signs, especially that which is printed very finely.”
“It reads that you are henceforth ordered not to repeat to anyone in any way the incidents of last night. I assume you were not informed about our procedures.”
“No, sir, I was not. But there are others involved beside myself. Already these people might be talking.”
“We have taken care of it and will take further procedures to ensure the secrecy. Just sign at the bottom right corner and wait until I find a sergeant to take you back home.”
∼
Coming back to his own humble abode was quite a pleasant surprise, and the policeman was nothing less than startled seeing his small living room almost overflowing with people greeting him like a hero returning home from a battle.
“We heard Reinhardt’s only daughter was gruesomely murdered last night! Is it all true?”
“And they tried to poison his servants,” insisted another.
“I’ve heard they both jumped to their death,” the next one interjected.
“Hold on! Where did you hear all these stories? It’s barely morning,” he questioned.
“From Major Walden’s sister!”
“His sister?”
“Well, not directly from her, but her servants have spread the news all over the village already! Everyone was awakened, after all.”
His face now assumed an air of superiority. “The reason why I am a police officer is that I am also a man of the law!” These were the Count’s own words, he thought, still pleased. He continued now. “And this is why I am, therefore, also sworn to secrecy. And not for the first time, either,” he added, boasting. No one knew, and he himself could not recall anytime in particular, other than some botched up abortions that never left any trace to the source anyhow. “All I can tell you is that I am not at liberty to tell you anything. Not anything at all!” He took a deep sigh, as if weighed down with the burden of importance. “So, my dear neighbors let us leave it at that!” All looked at him speechless, especially his wife and children.
“You are a fine man, Julius,” one of the surrounding people uttered.
“This is what someone told me last night.” He smiled proudly, thinking of Count Auersbach’s similarly put phrase, and was sorry not to be permitted to reveal even that to his admirers. But then, it was just as well not to, since anything nice and complimentary from the more cold-blooded than blue-blooded Auersbachs would always be regarded with scorn or indifference by these plain people. But there are always those exceptions, and last night he was the lucky one to have met one of them. A Count from Lindenfels and some intoxicated officers from the garrison was all that was needed to make a man
like Julius Volker happier for the knowing.
∼
At the Walden place, it was quite a different scene altogether when the military police finally arrived. Their coroner had already had his differences with the Reinhardt physicians in regards to Christina’s autopsy. Since all were exhausted by now, they were anxiously awaiting one of the Wilands to settle their arguments and to be able to remove her body. Since the Captain in charge of the military police was only concerned in questioning the late Walden-Altmann servants, he was ignoring all other debates, and furthermore, was becoming quite irritated with all the quibbling going on around him.
“Are you trying to tell me there is only one of them I’ll be able to question?”
“That’s right, only one!” Reinhardt’s doctor answered matter-of-factly.
“I do have strict orders to bring back all of their servants.”
“I wish you good luck! You’ll need it,” the doctor grinned.
Reaching the downstairs, the captain encountered only Egon. “Who are you, and who is in charge?”
“All in charge are dead! I am the servant of—”
“That is who I came for. Let’s get the rest of them,” the captain interrupted sharply, waving off his waiting sergeants.
“I doubt you’ll be able to wake them, but see for yourself,” Egon reported calmly.
The captain took a quick look and turned disgustedly to the sergeants. “Revolting sight,” he grumbled, taking a closer look at the nearly dead looking servants, spread all over the kitchen floor, their snoring the only sign of life. The stench of alcohol was almost unbearable. Egon explained the tragedy in few words, as well as their own finds, especially stressing the point of Benedict’s poor health. He hoped that the latter would sleep through all of this and his apprehension in regard to the Captain’s forceful behavior, which might trigger another nerve. “And the Lord only knows which staircase he might wind up on!”
“I tell you what, servant Egon,” The captain stroked his chin in deep thought, not wanting to take any chances to be blamed for negligence. “I’ll tell you what—” he repeated. “The servants of the late von Walden would not be able to tell me anything, because they knew nothing to start with! And you belong to the Reinhardts’ staff and arrived only after the murder.”
“And servant Benedict can neither hear nor speak,” Egon reminded him, just to be sure.
“Ah, yes, him,” the captain replied tonelessly, dismissing any notion of involvement on the part of the deaf-mute. “I’ll let you sign a sworn statement. How plain should I make it for a man of your standing? Can you read?”
“All Reinhardt servants are required to have attended school, Captain.”
“Is that a fact?” Egon nodded in pride. “Well, this makes it a lot easier for me. Then read very carefully and sign right here. It’s only the talebearers and the newspapers we are concerned about until this matter has been properly settled. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s an oath you are signing, and breaking it will have severe consequences!”
“We Reinhardters are known for our complete loyalty to our masters,” Egon retorted with immense pride.
“So I’ve heard,” the captain said, relieved, snapping his fingers for his nearby standing sergeants and leaving the place with a salute to the doctors and lawyers, who had finally all arrived at this scene of tragedy. He was satisfied that at least the last part of his mission had gone smoother than at first anticipated. For him, as well as his commander, it was a mission accomplished.
As Egon opened the large Walden gate, watching the captain and his sergeants leave and listening to the clacking sound of the hoofs of their horses, he offered a heartfelt “Thank you, Lord,” with a deep sigh heavenwards. His thoughts went from Karl Reinhardt to George Auersbach, from both Wilands to the courageous Madeleine, and arriving at a still deeply sleeping Benedict, the bravest of the servants, whose selfless participation in this tragedy would henceforth always be dismissed as impossibility by one as helpless as he. No one would ever think of challenging an imbecile, not even the Emperor’s army. Egon, relieved and quite satisfied with the outcome of all, closed the heavy gate. And he was quite right in his simple thinking. No one would ever dare to prove wrong the almighty Habsburger system. It was high time to call it a day and finally get some rest.
∼
“Finally,” both Wilands echoed, welcoming Karl back to the table for lunch. He had just returned from thanking all his servants personally for their efforts, while also accepting their tearful condolences. Most of the employees had returned to Vienna for their well-deserved rest; he had kept only a small number of them in Lindenfels until his mother awakened.
“Finally what?” he questioned, adding that all were showing visible signs of stress.
“We have finally gotten permission to transfer Christina’s body to the chapel, and have had her brought here thanks to Colonel Hauser’s last-minute intervention. The military police and all others involved would otherwise not have given us any options in any way or form, nor did they show any consideration at all, constantly referring to their orders,” Mark Wiland explained.
“If I hear the word orders once more, I swear I’ll order you to eat,” Karl interrupted half laughingly, half serious. “So what do you say to that?”
“Thank you, Karl. We are indeed starved,” Ulrich answered, happy to finally get some food.
Even though it was against Karl’s wishes, they had to discuss with him all pertinent facts as well as the latest developments regarding the military and they did so during their lengthy dinner.
“They have transferred the two men’s bodies to a place usually reserved for deserters and convicts, and their only concern is there might be leaks to the newspapers and the likes.”
“Doubtless, another order from their General,” Karl said mirthfully, now in better spirits than before, finally having had some food.
“The best news is that they even agreed to pick up all those bedraggled servants for further questioning. This problem of the chloroform scares them, and they are not going to take any chances,” Mark added.
“Now they have at least some witnesses! I’d give anything to watch their interrogation,” Ulrich interjected.
“Are Egon and Benedict back also?” Karl was concerned about his two loyal servants.
“Benedict slept through the whole ordeal and Egon had to sign a form promising never to reveal anything about last night’s findings.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mind at all!” Karl was relieved that Benedict had not been made to get up.
“They are not back yet. Egon had to wait for the military carts to arrive and once they have loaded all of the servants on them, he and Benedict will return to Lindenfels. And that is just about all we have so far,” Ulrich finalized.
“What a day! And what a night! I hope I can repay you all someday for all your help.” Karl sighed, bidding them goodbye and returning to his room.
∼
Once more Karl was alone and in deep thought, anxiously waiting for his mother to awaken. He went over to where she still slept and kindly forced the Rombergs to leave and get some rest, leaving Stephany’s doctor, who had meanwhile arrived from Vienna, with her. Alex and Verena had been sent back to Vienna with their retinue of governesses to look after them until such time when he, and hopefully his mother, would be able to return.
To his surprise, George Auersbach’s parents had proved to be of immense help and comfort, calming and supervising some of the more shocked guests, offering them a stay overnight at their castle, since most of them preferred to be anywhere else but there to face Stephany when she realized that her beloved Otto was not to be at her side any longer.
“Hopefully Karl is not going to take off to Paris again,” some critical woman said, as she reluctantly left her seventh glass of champagne on the table.
By late afternoon, the tragic news had spread like wildfire. Vienna was talking of nothing else, with the usual rumors flying in all direc
tions. This New Year’s Day of 1850 became a day to be remembered, and was the focal point of many stories about murders from times past, inevitably leading to the two henchmen, the late Barons von Walden and Altmann. And as if that had not been bad enough for the crowd, everyone knew something to add on to their background, be it their odd family circumstances or something else entirely. Even the latest gossip about the Habsburgers was not left out. And as for the poor widow, Stephany Reinhardt, facing the future without her beloved husband, Vienna already embellished her martyrdom, if not already predicting outright sainthood.
∼
“More coffee, Mr. Reinhardt?”
“Thank you, Elsa. You poor thing! Did you at least have a nap?”
“Yes, sir! And I have a few messages for you. The first is from Miss Madeleine who said to tell you goodbye for now and that she will be back for the funerals of your dear departed sister and father.”
“Oh, God! That too,” he mumbled, putting his hand on his forehead. He hadn’t even thought in terms of time, but commissioned their priest to take charge, after both doctors and the Wilands assured him of the military’s full approval. His own wish was for a closed casket for Christina as she was barely recognizable any longer, and as for his father….well, he would have to wait for his mother’s consent.
He felt suddenly that a new world had opened and a different kind of future was awaiting him, remembering his father’s advice years ago, that one is either born to a fortune, or one is carefully trained for it! Even though he considered himself foremost an architect, he knew his chosen profession would have to be put off for the time being. He realized that he would need the Wilands’ help more than ever, and that he should ask them to work solely for the Reinhardts from now on, since they were the best lawyers that money could buy and more than worthy of their friendship. Again, as so often in the past, he vowed to devote more time to his children and knew that now, since his father had left them, he would also have to take more time to be with his mother as well. He was willing to leave most of the work he and his father had taken care of together all these past years to his capable staff. Even the thought of Egon having now earned a promotion in his employment status crossed his mind, but also thought that he might be more comfortable at the present position, which he seemed to like very much.
Yesterday Was Long Ago: Part One Page 20
