When at last she paused, he shook his head in a little involuntary gesture of confusion.
“Sol, why are you avoiding me?”
“Avoiding?” she laughed nervously. “Do you call this avoiding, meeting you here in the woods in secret?”
“Maybe not, but something in your manner towards me worries me. There’s so much I’ve been dreaming of, Sol.”
“Oh, Jacob!”
She turned to look at him and he kissed her urgently and passionately.
When she managed to free herself, delicately and tenderly, she said: “It’s true that I’ve changed a bit. In Scania, we were so free and so far from home. Here I must respect my parents’ wishes. Dear Jacob, do you find it strange if I’d prefer not ...to be embraced by you ... just yet? Do you understand me when I say that I want to feel pure and innocent until we belong to each other properly?”
Jacob was touched by what she’d said. “Of course I’ll respect your wishes. I can wait – forever if I must ... my little dove.”
Dove? What a thing to call me, thought Sol.
Sol walked home, bearing the weight of the world’s guiltiest conscience on her shoulders. How on earth was she going to get out of this? She wouldn’t wish Jacob Skille far away although, to be quite honest, that was what she truly wanted. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings ... so what could she do?
All the way home, in time with her footsteps and through clenched teeth, she whispered to herself: “Damn, damn, damn ...!”
***
Dag stood in the large Berenius office building down by the Oslo harbour, staring in disbelief at the peasant who’d just arrived to deliver a load of timber. The man was twisting his cap in his hands, uncomfortable at the look on Dag’s face.
“Do you mean to say that you don’t want any money for the timber you’ve just brought? If that’s so, why have you brought it here?”
The peasant ran his fingers round the edge of his cap. “Mr. Berenius, the owner of the sawmill, ordered me to bring it. His Majesty the King needed the timber,” he said.
“What are you saying? It’s probably true that the King is to receive a certain percentage and that we must pay our due taxes to him, but a full load of timber? Has this happened before?”
“Ten loads a year, sir.”
“What? And the other peasants?
“It’s the same for them as well, sir.”
“Good God! No wonder Berenius was rich! What about the other loads you bring – those that aren’t for the King – what do you get for them?”
The peasant mentioned a ridiculously low price.
“No, I’m not having this. Now I ask you to gather all the peasants who have delivered timber in the past year and tell them to come here one week from today. Here’s a list of their names. Then you’ll all be paid the money you’re entitled to from this timber merchant for the year that’s just gone. From now on, you’ll have a proper agreement and be paid a reasonable wage for your timber and the work you do. Will that be satisfactory?”
The peasant could hardly believe the words that Dag had just spoken. He was floored. Then he nodded eagerly and dashed out of the door.
Dag turned to the foreman, who seemed utterly confused. “What about the labourers here? What are their wages?”
“Wages?”
It appeared that they were paid in kind: Bread and spirits, and a daler, an old Danish coin worth less than 40 cents, for Christmas. Dag closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
“I’ll go over the bookkeeping books and see what I can pay them. I’m ashamed. Ashamed on behalf of Berenius.”
***
As Dag began reorganising the business and putting matters in Oslo on a better footing, Liv’s burden of problems began to be lifted thanks to Meta. Nobody took so much care of the child as Liv. One day, they entered the house together, dissolved in laughter.
“You’re smiling,” said Silje. “It’s the most wonderful sight and one which I’ve waited for for so long.”
“I don’t know what it is,” answered Liv, throwing her arms wide as if to embrace the world. “Maybe it’s because Dag has done something truly great. He’s sold that horrible house in Oslo and bought another one instead. It will be his office now when he really gets down to doing business in earnest. It will also be the family’s Oslo home if any of you need to stay there.”
“That’s wonderful news,” said Silje. “But best of all is your happiness, Liv – my little one – and Meta’s, of course.”
“Besides, Dag’s changing the way the business is run completely. He’s given the foreman greater authority and seen to it that the labourers have better conditions. The forestry peasants’ standing has been improved by the new agreements. They all think the world of Dag. The only issue is that the King should receive such a disgustingly large amount of timber – for free!”
This was true, but even so, the King was only to receive a fraction of what Laurents Berenius had said. He’d been putting the difference – a staggeringly high amount – in his own pocket.
“Liv,” said Silje indignantly. “You mustn’t talk badly about His Majesty the King.”
“Yes, but what’s he done to deserve all that timber?”
“Liv, the King is above criticism!”
It was here that Sol burst out laughing. “Then you should have seen your beloved Majesty, Silje, at the party I was at in Copenhagen! The flabby, big mountain of fat they carried out, dead drunk while he babbled incoherently. It took six men to lift him. They say that King Christian IV’s love of booze is only surpassed by that of his late father, Frederik II. Although, in his defence, it must be said that his mind is crystal clear the morning after, and nobody can criticise the way he’s ruled the country. But he shouldn’t have a tenth of the peasants’ timber and the tax on what Liv sells. He’s increased customs duties this year, and he won’t be the one who’s losing out!”
Silje had been staring hard at Sol while her illusions were being shattered.
“You didn’t have to tell us all that, Sol” said Tengel. “Silje has always had a touching belief in the monarchy. We’ve tried to bring you up differently – we wanted you to be strong, independent individuals, but that also means that you must respect the views and feelings of others. Do you understand me, Sol?”
“Yes, sorry.”
Tengel nodded. “King Christian is a good man. The best Danish king we’ve had – and he does care about Norway. Though his father never did.”
“There’s something else that bothers me,” Are said. “There are those who don’t like that we mix with Danes.”
“Are you referring to the fact that we’re friends with Charlotte?” asked Tengel. “There can’t be many who object to that.”
“I haven’t heard anything,” said Sol.
“Neither have I,” added Liv.
“I have,” said Silje. “But as you say, they are few and far between. Only fanatics can have such opinions about Charlotte, a woman on her own.”
“Aunt Charlotte is very much liked,” said Liv. “Dag is so proud of her.”
“The majority of people in Norway have accepted that there are Danes here,” said Tengel. “But there are also some opponents, and I happen to be on their side. Norway was once a superpower but through the manipulations of several dynasties, she became dominated by Denmark. A time of great tension may come but hardly during King Christian’s reign.”
“What do you actually believe yourself?” asked Sol.
“I want a free Norway like we all do,” answered Tengel. “But Charlotte is our dearest friend and I’ll not turn against her because she’s a Dane. No, most people in these parts mix with Danes. So Are: Don’t pay attention to the few odd ones. That’s my advice!”
“Well, those I came across and who disapproved were just a couple of youngsters.”
Tengel nodded. “Future rebels, I’m sure. We can’t afford to be involved. We must avoid attracting attention for Sol’s sake.”
“Fo
r my sake?” echoed Sol. “I’m certainly able to look after myself!”
Tengel sounded skeptical. “You must be extremely careful, Sol. One small misstep could bring catastrophic consequences to us all – but especially to you, Sol!”
“Have I not been as meek as a lamb?”
“Yes, you have, but I see the signs and I’m worried. You’re becoming restless again. Only the other day you used magic on the shoemaker’s wife so that she recovered miraculously. This will have to stop! Please just stick to the herbs now?”
Sol nodded and promised to be an angel from now on.
***
Sol lay in bed with her arms tucked under her head, gazing at the ceiling. Liv was asleep. You could tell that by her breathing.
It was high time to do something about the problem of Jacob Skille, thought Sol. He was still at Graastensholm but was due to leave in a few days’ time. Thankfully he hadn’t turned up at Linden Avenue for a whole week, probably because he was disappointed at Sol’s guarded behaviour.
She was beginning to feel the same restlessness that sent her on her journeys to Blakulla. She wouldn’t and shouldn’t go on another trip as they tended to upset her and made her pull back from the real world. What’s more, she hadn’t been able to find a remedy for the awful headaches and nausea she would suffer afterwards.
It had been raining for many days, but the earth was dry once more. Should she persuade Jacob to go into the forest and then ‘seduce’ him? That would probably make him happy and he would have no idea that this was her plan right from the beginning. They’d just be ‘irresistibly drawn into each other’s arms.’
She made a few plans before she fell asleep.
***
The next day she went up to Graastensholm dressed in light, sensuous clothes.
When she arrived there, she found that the hall was looking very grand. Someone had obviously been at work here. Drapes had been placed on the walls and a new fireplace had been built in the corner.
She heard voices from the drawing room and walked over to the door. Charlotte was laughing, a cheerful, carefree laugh, and without hesitating, Sol knocked and entered the room. As she did so, Jacob Skille and Charlotte moved quickly away from each other.
“Oh, Sol!” exclaimed Charlotte, her cheeks blushing a bright crimson. “Come in!”
Jacob Skille’s face showed no emotion at first, but Sol began to see a silent plea, a desperate warning in his eyes. “Please don’t say anything about us!” Sol gazed steadily back at him and this seemed to calm him. She realised that she had no wish to expose him – quite the opposite!
Afterwards, she couldn’t remember what they’d been talking about or what she’d said for that matter. It was mostly chitchat. Charlotte showed her all the newly arranged furnishings and improvements, telling her repeatedly how wonderful it was to have a man about the house. Sol probably asked after Dag – yes, she had, although she knew perfectly well that he was in Oslo. Then she left shortly afterwards, confused, but more than a little amused.
So she, the irresistible Sol, was beaten to it by a middle-aged and far from beautiful woman! Did Dag know about this, she wondered?
Still, she was very pleased that Charlotte had found romance. There had been precious little of that in her life! It was all the more satisfactory, as Charlotte and Jacob were closer in age than she and Jacob.
However, she hoped that Jacob was serious. Charlotte wasn’t going to be hurt again!
What would happen to Dag now? Were Jacob Skille’s intentions honourable or was he after her fortune?
No, she thought, absolutely not... So this was the reason why he hadn’t been down to Linden Avenue for a few days!
She laughed heartily.
She had been under no illusions about Jacob’s love for her: It had been nothing but a passionate physical attraction just as hers had been curiosity and a wish for a little adventure. His feelings for Charlotte were evidently quite different. As soon as she’d entered Graastensholm this time, she instantly sensed just how strong their feelings were for each other.
At that moment, Sol felt her emotions turn into a deep mood of melancholy. She wasn’t sad about Jacob, far from it, but what was left for her? Was it impossible for her to love and be loved by a man in the way that Tengel and Silje loved one another?
Was she unable to love anyone except one impossible ghostly character? Was any man ever going to want her for who she was and not simply desire her body, her beauty?
To her amazement, she heard a sob and she tried hard not to burst into tears. She fumbled impatiently in the bag hanging on her belt and found she still had the small box of ointment. Unused to the tears that misted her eyes, she left the path and ran straight into the forest until she came to a secret, secluded place that no other soul knew about. She took off her clothes and rubbed the ointment on herself. Then she lay down with an improvised stick pressed hard between her loins. Half an hour later she fell into the ‘abyss,’ into the depths of darkness on the special journey that always excited her and filled her with expectation. It had been such a long wait this time! She wanted it so much, so very much!
Then she met him once more, the Prince of Darkness, the only one who really loved and understood her. Although their meetings were never more than episodes of passionate sex, she knew this was true. What was more, she knew that no earthly being could ever arouse her and satisfy her lust as he could. This was the only kind of love she desired.
***
It was as Tengel had predicted – Sol was deeply restless and couldn’t bear being at home any longer. Everyone else seemed to be satisfied with life on the farms, though. Are and some of the other peasants and lumberjacks had begun to bring some organisation to their forestry, so Are was often out in the vast forests for days on end. For her part, Charlotte was enjoying her new love, but for safety’s sake she had drawn up a special will in which Dag would receive almost everything if – and only if – she should happen to marry at any time. It had never crossed her mind that she, Charlotte Meiden, would ever have such thoughts again! Life was so confusing at times! But at the moment, it was delightful.
The colour had also returned to Liv’s cheeks. She and Dag often disappeared on long thoughtful walks over the farm, although they never strayed out of sight of the house. As she was only recently widowed, Liv wanted everything to be done correctly and still panicked like a startled deer at the slightest touch of Dag’s hand. But she was clearly on the mend. It was amazing how much calmer her eyes had become and how easy it was for her to laugh once again.
Little Meta also settled down well to her new life and every day she’d run endlessly between the barn and the house. She loved the work and the people that she lived with. In all her short, wretched life, she’d never been so happy as she was now.
With all these things falling neatly into place, Sol soon felt she was no longer needed.
Autumn arrived and began to turn the leaves on the trees into yellow, red and brown. Seeing this, Sol asked to be allowed to stay in the house in Oslo for a while just to help Liv with the decorating, as she put it.
Tengel and Silje thought about this for a long time, but they both knew their unruly stepdaughter only too well, and in the end they agreed to let her go to Oslo. As Tengel said, they couldn’t hold onto her all her life. If they did she’d be impossible to live with.
Strangely enough, they didn’t think of marrying her off. It would have been a simple task to find an unsuspecting man because Sol had many admirers. But to be quite honest, Tengel and Silje had never dared – and Sol had never raised the subject either.
When the day of her departure arrived, Tengel was sad as he watched his beautiful niece ride away down the path from the farmyard under the growing autumn colours of the linden trees. He was sad and deeply anxious because she had refused any company on the journey. She preferred to travel at her own pace.
Then, on the road to Oslo, something extraordinary occurred – and it changed her life in a
heartbeat. She had stopped at a roadside inn where she knew they served good food. As she sat down at a table and pulled off her gloves – it was cold riding this late in the autumn – she happened to look at a man at a nearby table. As she looked at him, her heart missed a beat. This just couldn’t be true. Her eyes were deceiving her! It was as if her blood had rushed through her with convulsive swiftness.
There he is, she thought, sensing that she was completely out of her wits. The Prince of Darkness! The man from all my rides to Blakulla!
But no, it surely couldn’t be him. That would be ...
Yes, it’s him! He exists! He’s come to the world of humans just to meet me!
It didn’t look quite like him. He was slightly older, about the same age as Jacob Skille, and he was fair-haired while Satan’s was, of course, as black as coal. Besides, he wasn’t so intensely demonic. In fact, he looked more human.
Of course, Sol thought excitedly, the Prince of Darkness would have to disguise himself so that people wouldn’t realise who he was. Even so, there was something devil-may-care in his expression that betrayed him.
He wore beautiful velvet and silk – obviously he was a rich man – and when he finally looked in her direction, he instantly returned her gaze and his eyes lit up with triumphal recognition. Sol stared straight back at him, and it was immediately clear to them both that they knew each other. She saw that he was accompanied by two men and seemed unable to free himself of them. Then, as they all got up to leave, he came across to where she sat.
“We’ll meet again, my beauty,” he whispered and hurried out.
Sol was bewitched. She’d never seen such an attractive man in all her life. He was the Lord of the Night, the only one she could ever love.
Never had she felt so aroused.
When at last her food arrived, she ate it in no time. She had to wait to pay for her meal and when she left a little while later, the three men were gone. But Sol was convinced that she’d see him again. After all, hadn’t he come all the way from Blakulla just to meet her?
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