The Cursed Bride

by Camille Oster

  "There you are," she heard from the doorway. "What are you doing outside? It's raining. Come inside," Elke said. "I will show you the house. I'm sure Heinrich forgot to."

  "I just met the other brother, Wolfgang."

  "He's back, is he? Yes, well, come inside. No point standing out in the rain."

  It was barely raining, more like a mist of wetness. Turning to the door, Aldine attempted to smile. Being a stranger in a strange house felt a little claustrophobic. She felt in the way and awkward, not knowing the routines and traditions of the house and family. It was something she would learn, this awkwardness a necessary period that had to be suffered through with as much grace as she would manage.

  Chapter 3

  THE RAIN HAD STOPPED in the afternoon when Aldine and Heinrich headed out in the open carriage. The air was fresh and there was even gentle sunshine. Heinrich held the reins and drove, a very competent driver. It pleased her, all the things he could do. He wasn't one of the city men who depended on others to do all things.

  Looking at his profile, she again wondered that this man was her husband. A handsome, titled man with a thriving estate. How had she been so lucky? Handsome, considerate and kind. It was almost as if she didn't deserve such happiness.

  The roads were narrow, but well-kept. In places the land was rugged and stony, thick moss covering everything. Forest so thick, it seemed impenetrable. In other places, it was lighter in tone with ash trees and birches.

  Emerging at a plateau, the landscape opened up, forests of pine beneath them, a dark lake, and snow-capped mountains in the distance.

  "It is so beautiful," Aldine said.

  "Yes. Honestly, I get so caught up in everyday life, I don't always notice."

  Driving further, they came to a village with large, sloping roofs, built entirely of timbre. A few people milled around the village, a few raising their hats in greeting to Heinrich, who returned the gesture.

  "Is this village affiliated with the estate?" she asked.

  "Partially. Most work with lumber, some with dairy."

  They passed a stone church with a thin, sharp spire. It was not the church they had married in, which seemed to have been a larger one in a town nearby. She wasn't sure exactly where that town was. She and her family had stayed at a nearby inn while getting ready, and set off on the honeymoon right after the quick reception held at the town hall.

  "I met your brother," she said as they left the village. "Your other brother, I mean."

  "Wolfgang?" he asked.

  "Yes, he came riding." Perhaps she should not mention that he had been rude—not deliberately rude, more lacking in manners. It wasn't as though it had offended her; she had simply noted that he didn't prescribe to the manners that Heinrich and Ludwig did.

  "He lives in one of the cottages," Heinrich said. "I wasn't aware he has returned.”

  Aldine found it difficult to ask what role he had in the estate. Being illegitimate as he was, it could be a sensitive topic. "Should we expect him for supper tonight?"

  Beside her, Heinrich seemed to shrug. "Usually not. He only tends to appear on special occasions, but I suppose a new bride does qualify, so he might. He is always welcome, of course." Was there a bit of strain in his voice? Odd that he would rarely dine with them if he was welcome. How families treated illegitimate children differed from family to family, but it did say something that he lived on the estate.

  "You do look alike," she continued. "I thought it was you riding up for a moment. I suppose partially because he wore a hat."

  "He takes after our father. We both do, I suppose."

  They headed into a very wooded area again, the landscape darkening considerably. A building was hidden amongst the trees, almost as if it emerged from the rocky landscape behind it, the brick being discolored to blend into the forest. Attached to it was a large wheel being turned by the stream coming down the hill, and a chimney bellowed smoke.

  "The mill," he said. "This is where the lumber is sawn."

  "You spend time here?"

  "Yes, so does Wolfgang. He deals more with the sales, which is why he often leaves."

  "But not Ludwig?"

  "Ludwig is more suited to dealing with the estate accounts."

  Continuing on, they drove through forest that got denser and denser, almost blocking all light.

  "Elke told me there are boars," she said.

  "Yes," he smiled. "We hunt them when we can."

  "I understand they are dangerous."

  "They can be, particularly during rearing season. Mothers defending their young. It is always the female of the species that is most dangerous, I find. But outside of rearing season, it is not much to worry about."

  "Elke said it is perilous to walk in the forest."

  "If you are loud and they hear you coming, then they pose no threat. Elke is overexaggerating."

  "She was just trying to warn me," Aldine said, feeling as if she needed to defend Elke's intentions. "With my background, I am not used to forests. She also mentioned mineshafts."

  "Now that is true. Mostly, those we know of have been labeled, but further away, they can pose a danger as the growth covers them. It is always a good idea to tell someone that you are walking and in which direction."

  With a smile Aldine nodded, not sure who she should believe, Elke or Heinrich. Perhaps Heinrich's familiarity with the place made him blind to the perils. Then again, if she believed Elke, she would be marooned in the house for the rest of her life. Getting to know the perils and learning to deal with them was a much better option.

  They emerged to a field that looked somewhat familiar. Cows grazed lazily in the mild sunshine and the road skirted around the field.

  "Thank you for showing me the estate," she said, taking his arm and placing her head on his shoulder. "I still struggle to fathom that this is where I am to live, and that you are my husband. We shall be happy here, won't we?"

  It took a moment before he smiled and she noted the hesitation, but didn't understand why it was there. "I hope so," he said calmly. "I hope we will be very happy." With his hand, he stroked hers wrapped around his other arm.

  A mile or so and they were returning to the house, coming from a direction she hadn't come from before.

  Taking her by the waist, Heinrich lifted her down from the carriage. "Do not be afraid to walk nearby. It is quite safe. It's not rearing season for a while yet, and even then, if you make some noise, a sow will not bother you. Even just a little humming. They have good hearing."

  "Alright," she said, feeling assured. There were a great many things she felt assured about when he had her in his arms.

  "Now, there are a few things I must do before I retire for the day." Leaning down, he kissed her and Aldine received it with affection. The honeymoon was over and he had to return to his duties, but she wasn't sure she was ready for it to be. It had been lovely and sweet getting to know each other during their time in Italy. Here he seemed to be gone most days.

  Getting in the carriage again, he took his seat. "Too much bother to unharness and simply ride. I won’t be long." He winked before he drove off and Aldine watched him go.

  It had been a lovely afternoon, but she could use a refreshment, still a bit sorry that he couldn't stay with her. That was something she would have to get used to. He would be back for supper and then they had some hours to while away after.

  "There you are," said Wilhelmina, today again looking regal in her stately and somber dress, which she seemed to prefer. "I was just about to have some coffee. Would you like a cup?"

  "I would," Aldine said, thinking it would do well to dispel some of the chill from the afternoon ride. "Heinrich has just shown me the estate. It's very large."

  "Yes," Wilhelmina said, leading the way to the salon, where in a corner by a window, she sat. This had to be where she took afternoon refreshments, Aldine assumed.

  "Very beautiful landscape."

  Weber arrived with a beautiful porcelain service, pouring hot, st
eaming coffee into two cups. "Sugar?" he asked and Aldine shook her head. She liked the bitterness of it.

  "I liked the way the Italians drink their coffee. Thick and dark."

  "Perhaps you should have a bit of milk—in case there is a child growing," Wilhelmina stated.

  "I don't like it with milk."

  "When it comes to family, what we like is of secondary importance, is it not?" With that, she poured a measure of milk into Aldine's coffee. Smiling, she returned the small milk jug. "We have excellent milk here. The best in the country, I would say."

  "Yes, of course," Aldine said, smiling tightly as she received her cup.

  "We are all so looking forward to having small feet running around the house again."

  It was natural that she should want grandchildren, Aldine concluded. Obviously, it was on the woman's mind. Ludwig's marriage had not produced any as of yet, and Wilhelmina was turning her attention to the new union, it seemed.

  Blowing on the hot liquid, Aldine took a sip, encountering the creaminess of the milk. She really did prefer her coffee without it. Perhaps she'd had better get used to coffee this way until she produced the heir the family needed. It was the point of this union, after all. It would be a stretch to say it was a love match, but the union had been proposed, and Heinrich had been courteous and considerate at every meeting she'd had with him prior to the bargain being struck. Both herself and her parents had concluded he was a man she could fall in love with over time, and she had seen nothing in him since that would suggest otherwise.

  Chapter 4

  HER HEART WAS BEATING out of her chest, and waking felt like a rush from a chaotic dream world to the stillness of the real one. Darkness surrounded her, but her heart still beat wildly, making her feel like she needed to fight her way out of the blankets. There was no danger, no threat, but her dream had been horrid. She couldn't remember what it had been about, but it had been bad. Heinrich had been there.

  Turning, she saw him gently sleeping beside her. Sleeping soundly, he always looked so peaceful. Bare shoulders. Was the room warm? It wasn't to her, but then her nightgown had an uncomfortable stickiness. The horrid dream had made her perspire.

  Sitting up, she peeled it over her head and placed it on the floor. It made the blankets feel a little better and she snuggled closer to Heinrich's warmth. Now that was a lovely feeling, when he put his arm around her as they slept.

  The marriage bed was lovely too. It had been worrisome and distressing at the very start, her being unsure what to do. No one had explained it, and it wasn't something you spoke about, as such, with your husband, was it? Now, though, she felt she had an understanding of what it was about, and the intimacy was shifting from awkward to comforting.

  Her heart finally calming, she closed her eyes again, but the effects of her dream were still on her mind, if not her body.

  Nightmares were not something she usually suffered from. Her mind was usually too calm for such things. Obviously there had been nightmares when her grandmother had died, but that was to be expected. There was nothing now to cause her such concern, but perhaps taking on her new life here at Schwartzfeld was more overwhelming to her than she realized.

  Leaning over, she kissed Heinrich on the cheek. It was strange to think she had a husband to kiss now. Her parents' relationship was quietly affectionate. They never gave themselves to wrought emotion, and neither did she. So this nightmare was unusual.

  No, it was too hot to sleep next to Heinrich and she shifted away to a cooler part of the bed. Still, sleep eluded her as she closed her eyes.

  There was an inherent problem with having someone in her bed—she couldn't simply light a candle and read, so she lay there, staring at the ceiling. The headboard was ornate above her, oak leaves and acorns if she recalled right. It looked like nothing more than shadows right now.

  Some night bird squawked outside and Aldine slowly rose out of bed and softly walked to the window. The moon was full that night, so she could see the lawn outside, painting everything in ghostly moonlight. Nothing moved, until she saw a fox running across the lawn.

  It was so much cooler over by the window. Her skin was starting to contract with the iciness. The fire had died in the grate, nothing but cold ashes.

  She had no idea what time it was, if it was close to dawn or even past midnight.

  Wrapping her arms around her, she stood for a while longer, until the cold grew intolerable. Then she returned to the bed. Funnily, she seemed to get warmer the closer she got to the bed. Perhaps it emanated.

  Stepping back, she felt the shift from warm to cold wash over her almost like cold water being added to a bath. How curious. Perhaps it was how currents worked in the room. Houses could be like that, the design creating air currents. If built wrong, wind could positively howl down corridors. These were things a good architect knew. Longing for home hit her suddenly and fiercely. It was hard to believe she would never live with her parents again, the only home she had ever known.

  Shifting beneath the blankets, she lay down again. It really was warm. Placing her hand on Heinrich's shoulders, she felt his heat. Definitely warm. Not clammy like fever, but warm. Perhaps he was simply warm and the space around him warmed.

  On the wall behind the bed was a painting. In the dark, it looked little more than scribbles, but she knew it was a painting of people from the village. She hadn't looked at it too closely, had only noticed people sitting and standing around in a room.

  Closing her eyes, she pretended to sleep, until it finally claimed her.

  Next, she woke with a start, sunshine beaming in through the windows. The bed shifted and she startled even more, but it was simply Heinrich putting a knee on the bed so he could kiss her. "I must go," he said, his lips seeking hers. Tilting her head back, she received the kiss. Kissing was nice. She liked kissing.

  He was dressed, putting on his jacket over a soft linen shirt. Dark boots covered his feet and ankles—perhaps practical in a forest.

  "Sleep some more," he said and Aldine smiled as she watched him walk out of the bedroom and close the door.

  In truth, she felt horrid. Drained and tired, but she couldn't fall asleep again. The sun was a little too bright, perhaps. It was much brighter than the previous day. Likely, she would dare to venture out on such a day. It would be warm and clear.

  Rising, she felt the tiredness in her body. It must be the nightmare that had drained her so, or the fact that it had taken her so long to fall back asleep. With her blankets off, she remembered that she was completely nude, and the room was cold. With Heinrich gone, so was the heat of having him in the bed. She shivered as she quickly pulled on her nightdress, before darting into her own room, which was just as cold when she bathed and dressed in a new shift.

  With a ring of the bell, Anna appeared to dress her hair. The girl had brown hair under a large mobcap. "Is your family from here?" Aldine asked after the girl silently went about her task.

  "From the village," she said, her accent a little different from Heinrich’s.

  "It's nice that you have a position so close to your family." Aldine smiled tightly, again feeling the distance to her own family.

  The girl nodded and brushed Aldine's hair. As a well-trained domestic servant, she only spoke when spoken to.

  "I suppose you walk to the village," Aldine continued.

  "Yes."

  Others walked around comfortably, and so would she. The fears that had built in her were unreasonable and she had to overcome them. Today, she would walk outside, along one of the established paths, so she didn't by chance fall down some discarded mineshaft.

  Finally done, she made her way downstairs, where both her sister and mother-in-law were sitting at the dining room table. It seemed all were early risers here, but then they didn't have terribly late nights either.

  "Good morning," Wilhelmina said. "I hope you slept well."

  There was no point bringing up her lack of sleep, so she simply smiled as she sat down. "It seems to be a
beautiful day. I am going to venture out for a walk."

  "Would you like me to join you?" Elke asked.

  "Wonderful idea," Wilhelmina added. "You should go together. Show Aldine the paths around the house. Tomorrow, we must go to service in the village. Our church is much smaller than the one you are used to, I am sure."

  "The family built it," Elke added.

  "I saw the church," Aldine mentioned. "Heinrich didn't say that the family was responsible for its construction. It looks old."

  Putting her cup down, Wilhelmina looked at Aldine. "Built in the year 1550. The stone was quarried nearby, I understand."

  "I am curious to see what it looks like inside."

  "It seems you have inherited your father's curiosity for buildings."

  "Well, it was a topic discussed every day, so perhaps I could not fail to take an interest."

  "Such a modern girl, aren't you?" Wilhelmina said.

  Twisting her head slightly, Aldine tried to figure out what the statement meant. Was it a compliment or an insult? Wilhelmina's face wasn't giving her intentions away. "I simply am as I was raised to be."

  "Of course," the woman said with a smile. "Aren't we all?"

  Placing her napkin down, Wilhelmina rose, her skirts rustling as she moved out of the dining room.

  Elke made an exaggerated grimace for a second. "She disapproves of everything modern. Beyond rearing children and comforting a husband, she sees no role for women outside the home."

  Intellectual development was a noble pursuit in Aldine’s family. "I suppose she won't approve of attending lectures, then?"

  "Well, you can try if you can find one. Not too many lectures around here."

  "I will have to make do with the library," Aldine said with a smile.

  "If you like animal husbandry and agricultural practices, then you are in luck. The family bible makes interesting reading." The wryness in her voice was humorous, and Aldine thought they could be good friends. They were a little isolated out here in the mountains of the Black Forest, so it would be wonderful if they could be friends.