The Prince and the Nun

by Jacqueline George

  She had not gone much further before the smell of wood smoke caught her attention. She heard a murmur of voices in the trees. Curiosity led her into the shadows, and she found a group of men sitting beside a small fire, cooking sausages. They had been working on the tree trunks stacked behind them. A draught horse with a nosebag on stood under a tree. It had a blanket and chains draped across its back. She coughed to warn them and the men turned to stare at her in surprise.

  “Why, Madam!” said old Mikhail, jumping to his feet and pulling his cap off. “What are you doing up here? Are you lost?”

  “Not at all, Mikhail. I was taking a walk.” She looked at the men in their bulky clothes sitting on the ground by the fire. “And you are taking lunch. Will you invite me to your table?”

  “Leszek, get her ladyship something to sit on. Here—move that log up and stick a coat on it or something.”

  “Will I bring the horse blanket, Mikhail?”

  “Don’t be stupid! Her ladyship don’t want to stink of horse sweat. Besides, the old boy might take a cold if you take his blanket after he’s been working so hard. Sit yourself down here, Ma’am, and warm yourself. I’m surprised to see you up here all by yourself. Ain’t you frightened?”

  “Frightened of what, Mikhail?”

  “Them soldiers, Ma’am. Did you see them just now?”

  “Certainly, but they’re no problem, are they?”

  “If you say so, Ma’am. I’m sure I don’t know. Here, Your Honour. I’m afraid it’s nothing suitable, but it’ll warm you up.” He handed her a hot, fat sausage wrapped in a slice of dark bread. Her stomach leapt at the rich smell, and she suddenly realized that she was hungry.

  “Why, thank you Mikhail, but I’d be taking your lunch.”

  “Not at all, Ma’am, not at all. It’s share and share alike when we work up here. Besides, Leszek’s mum always packs enough sausage for a real man even if he ain’t anything like. We’ll not go short, never you mind.”

  The men already held bread and sausage, so Therese bit into hers with a clear conscience. It tasted rich and spicy. The villagers of Krasna Dolina believed they made the best sausage in the world, and it tasted all the better for being cooked over a wood fire and eaten in the forest on a cold day. Mikhail rooted in his bag and drew out a bottle and small heavy glass tumblers. He carefully filled them to the brim and started passing them around. Finally he offered one to Therese.

  “White Lady, Ma’am. Warm you up. Na zdravie!” and he offered his glass and drank it in one swallow.

  “Na zdravie!” echoed the others draining their glasses.

  Therese sipped at the sweet, fiery liquor and coughed in surprise. “Mikhail!” she exclaimed, “This is very strong!”

  “It’s good for you, Ma’am. Helps the sausage go down.”

  “I think this would make me drunk very quickly,” she said, sipping again. “Tell me, do you come up here a lot?”

  “We do in winter, Ma’am. We’re dropping this timber, and we’ll set up a sawpit here shortly. Break down the trunks and when the snow comes, we’ll drag ’em out to season down at the castle. We’re running low on timber, Ma’am. The soldiers are taking it all to make tables and things. We shall be out of good, seasoned timber soon if they don’t let up.”

  “Do you see many people up here?”

  “Not many, Ma’am. A few hunters, but not so many of them nowadays. Still, I believe we’ll be seeing more folk in the forest soon if the Army keeps on taking the young men. They say young Rado Krausov has run off to the forest.”

  “Rado Krausov! What happened to him?”

  “He crossed them black policemen, that’s what happened. Then when they came for him, he had gone. The police just smashed up old Krausov’s house and couldn’t do no more.”

  “What did he do? What did they want him for?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know, Ma’am,” he said, avoiding her eye.

  “Poor Rado. I wouldn’t like to live in the forest in November. It’ll be snowing soon.”

  “You’re right, Ma’am. St Martin always comes on a white horse, and it’s his day Thursday.”

  “How will Rado survive? He’ll freeze.”

  “I don’t know, Ma’am. I suppose he’ll shoot some meat, and I expect he’ll be busy building a little shelter somewhere. I know he’s young and strong, but it’s nothing I’d like to do. These old bones like a warm bed at night.”

  Therese drew her coat tighter around her. The thought of Rado struggling to survive made the forest look blacker and unforgiving. She shivered. Now she had stopped walking, the cold had begun to seep in.

  She left the men and decided to hurry back to the castle. She needed to know what had happened to Rado and why Drazevich was chasing him.

  She went looking for Mefist as soon as she arrived, but Timko said he had gone with the General down to the village. Timko did have other news for her; Mrs. Orlova was waiting in her office.

  Mrs. Orlova looked worried. “I’m so glad you’ve come, Ma’am. That policeman has taken old Krausov away, and Jana’s terribly worried. They’ve got him in the school and no one can see him, and on top of everything, Rado’s run away. There’s a notice in the square saying he’s to be shot if anyone sees him. Everyone’s upset. The schoolmaster tried to talk to old Krausov, but the police wouldn’t let him in. It’s terrible! The Army’s meant to be protecting us people, not treating us like an enemy. Jana says you’ve got to help her.”

  Therese’s mind raced. The first important thing to do was protect Jana and Mrs. Orlova. If Drazevich got an inkling of the link between them and Therese, there was no telling what sort of conspiracy he would dream up. At best he could take the village women for questioning; at worst, they and Therese could be imprisoned on suspicion.

  “Now, calm down! Are you well enough to do my hair? I don’t want anyone to think you came up here for any other reason.” Therese pushed back the office door so that anyone could see them, and arranged her chair in the centre of the room. “What are you going to do for me?”

  “Well, I don’t know, Ma’am. It looks beautiful as it is. Just like a young maid. Prince Mefist would kill me if I did too much to it.”

  “You’ll have to do something. I want to show off my earrings; can you push it back at the sides a little? If Mefist doesn’t like it, well, you’ve got an excuse to come back again.” Mrs. Orlova opened her bag and started to comb her hair.

  “Now; start at the beginning. Tell me what happened to Rado.”

  “Well, it was all that police Lieutenant….”

  “You mean Lieutenant Drazevich, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Drazevich. That’s him. You see, he has a sort of lady friend in the village.”

  “What! I thought–I mean–Never mind, go on.”

  “Well, it’s Darina. Do you know her? Well, she’s always been a bit that way. When we were young girls she was always letting the boys put their hands up her knickers. She was a real slut. She still is, come to that. She had a baby by her brother, did you know? The sisters took it away from her and took care of it somewhere out of the valley. Anyway, she’s got a son who’s a bit simple. He’s not a bad lad considering, but not good for much. Anyway, Drazevich got hold of her and said he was taking her son away for the Army unless she let him–you know. Stupid, really. She’d have done it for a crown anyway. Or less. She’d take on all the policemen for a bottle of vodka. So, she has a house down by the gypsy colony. It’s all muddy down there, being so near the river, and she doesn’t take care of it. It’s a real hovel. So most days Lieutenant Drazevich goes down there in his fine uniform and has his way with her. I don’t know what he sees in her. She’s no lady and not clean. Anyway, there’s one thing she’s really fussy about, and that’s not wearing boots inside. Quite sensible if you ask me, with all that mud outside. So last week Rado was going past and he sees the Lieutenant going inside, and when he looks he sees the Lieutenant’s big shiny boots standing outside the door. So he goes off to Darina
’s stable and comes back with a bucket of cow muck, and he fills the boots right up to the top.

  “Well, the Lieutenant was crazy when he came out. He made Darina clean them spotless before he’d put them back on. I don’t think anyone would have told what had happened if it had been in the village proper, but they were right next to the gypsy houses there, and the gypsies don’t care for the Krausovs. They told him who had done it, and he went off to get his men. Somehow Rado heard they were coming, and he had gone by the time they got to Krausov’s place. The police went all through the house looking for him and they broke things. Smashed mirrors, tore photographs out of their frames, tipped all the food in the pantry out on the floor. Then they took old Krausov to the school and said they wouldn’t let him out until Rado comes back.

  “Now Jana doesn’t know what to do. She can’t get her father back, and she says she’s told Rado to stay away because she’s afraid of what Drazevich will do to him if he comes home. I think he’s gone to the forest. Anyway, she sent me up here to beg you to help.”

  Therese sat thinking. Her first instinct was to rush down to Jana and comfort her, but that would not help. She could talk to the General, but somehow she knew that he would not look kindly on anyone who filled an Imperial Army officer’s boots with cow dung, even an officer like Drazevich. He was naturally careful of the Army’s honour. She supposed that she had better concentrate on getting freedom for old Krausov. Rado had only himself to blame, and at least he would still be alive in the forest. She would have to wait for Mefist to return.

  Chapter 18

  It was already late when Mefist came up to the club looking for her. She could see he had news and reached for the champagne. Maria entered their names in the book and grinned as Therese rushed him into the office and locked the door.

  “Mefist, I’ve been waiting for you for ages. What took you so long?”

  “Now, now, my dear. Don’t start nagging me so soon, or I’ll think twice about marrying you. Open the champagne. It’s been a grey day, hasn’t it? I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t snow soon.”

  “Mefist—” she threatened.

  “Sergeant Grossner said he saw you out walking today, far away up the hill. How was it?”

  “Mefist, if you don’t tell me what is happening right now, I’ll scream!”

  “Really, Therese, I’ve never seen you like this! Why don’t you relax and drink your champagne, and we can have a sensible discussion.” He handed her a glass and steered her to the chaise longue. “Why don’t you take your dress off for me?”

  “Mefist—” she pleaded.

  He crossed his arms and struck a pose. “No, I’m implacable. At last I have a lever to move you with. Take your dress off, and I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Mefist, you’re not being gentlemanly!”

  “No, today I’m a slippery politician, and I’m waiting. I’ve been swooning at your feet for a long time now, and you have not been gentle with me.”

  Perhaps it was good to have an excuse. She knew she would have to do something for him eventually. After all, he presumably paid for a lot more than he received each time he came here. She reached behind her to unclip her dress. “But no touching, Mefist, and I shall expect every last detail.”

  She turned her back to him and allowed the dress to slip down over her hips and legs. Still with her back turned, she carefully draped the dress over the back of the chaise longue and sat down. Slowly she lifted her legs onto the day bed and rolled her hips to face him.

  He was smiling like a cat with cream, and he lifted his glass. “Therese, you are more beautiful than ever! I swear I’ll never look at another woman without feeling dissatisfied. I think I’ll send for my camera so I can record you like this and send it to Hollywood.”

  She blushed as his eyes brushed over her naked breasts and down to the secrets hidden between her closed thighs. “Stop it! Start telling me what you’ve been doing.”

  “Really, Therese, you’re in such a hurry. Well, I had to go down to the village with the General to deal with the affair of the butcher Krausov. A friend of yours, I believe.” He waited for her to nod agreement. “Well, Krausov’s son has apparently attacked Drazevich’s boots.”

  “Filled them with cow dung!”

  “Is that what he did? Drazevich seemed reluctant to discuss the details, but how did he come to fill the boots with cow dung when Drazevich was inside them?”

  “He wasn’t in them. Drazevich was having some old slut in her house at the end of the village, and his boots were on the step outside the house.”

  “Really? I had no idea. Drazevich has a secret lady love. Well, well, well….”

  “She doesn’t sound much like a lady love. She’s middle-aged and dirty. She’s got an idiot son and she’d be happy to go with anyone for a few kopeks. Only Drazevich doesn’t pay her; he threatened to take her son for the Army, so she does it for nothing.”

  “Really, Therese, I feel I’ve made you take your dress off under false pretenses. You’re telling me what has happened.”

  “I don’t know about Krausov. I know that Drazevich’s men ransacked his house and did a lot of damage, and that they were holding him in the school until the son comes back. That’s all I know.”

  “Well, I got a message through Timko that something had happened and told the General. He was furious that someone had been disrespectful to Drazevich, and we went down to see what was what. We found they’d got old Krausov handcuffed and tied to a window catch with a rope under his arms so that he had to stand on tiptoe. The old man was suffering. Well, that upset the General, so we had him cut down. Then we found out that Drazevich really wanted the son, not the old man. So we questioned Krausov a little, and the General released him on a bond of five hundred crowns. I think he would have just let him go, but he didn’t want to disagree with Drazevich in public.

  “Old Krausov has a nice daughter, did you know that?” He was trying to make Therese jealous. “She’s quite beautiful, you know. Long dark hair and such deep, dark eyes. She got hold of me outside the school and begged me to help her father. Maybe I should invite her up here to discuss it...”

  She could not help rising to the bait. “Mefist, if you do any such thing, I’ll–I’ll never take my dress off for you again. Anyway, Jana’s a nice girl and she’s a friend of mine.”

  Mefist pretended to consider it. “Oh, well. If that means you’re going to continue taking off your dress for me, I suppose I’d better help her from a distance. Do you know what has happened to the son?”

  “Rado’s apparently run off to the forest. I don’t suppose Drazevich will bother looking for him there.”

  “Probably not, but all the same, I think I’ll make sure the General knows what’s behind it all, and about Drazevich’s old tart. He won’t be happy about it. Now, enough of that. Tell me about your walk.”

  “Well, I went up the hill, that way, along the edge of the forest.” She waved her arm vaguely in the direction of her walk.

  “I love the way your breasts move, my dear. They are enchanting, truly enchanting.”

  She was blushing again. “Mefist, pay attention. Do you want to hear about my walk or not?”

  Chapter 19

  Drazevich caught Rado one night as he tried to reach his father’s house. It had been snowing that evening, and the SekPol patrol came across fresh footprints. The curfew had been in force since eight o’clock, so they knew someone was up to something illegal. They found Rado trying to hide in a doorway.

  They woke Therese as they struggled to get him up the stairs outside her room. When she opened her door in her nightdress, she found herself looking straight at Drazevich. Two policemen were dragging Rado up the spiral stairs above.

  “What’s happening?”

  Drazevich looked pointedly at her in her nightdress. “I have taken a prisoner. He will stay in the storeroom. You may return to your room.” She wanted to shout at him but thought better of it and shut the door. She h
eard them upstairs, dragging furniture out of the way, she supposed. Then the questioning started. It was horrible. She could hear Drazevich shouting questions and what sounded like blows and struggling. Then everything quietened down and the voices did no more than murmur, until Drazevich was shouting again and more blows came. She got up, put on her dressing gown, and went looking for Mefist.

  She woke him and begged him to come. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he came to her room still in pyjamas and dressing gown. The ugly sounds continued until, as they debated what to do, they heard the door being closed and feet on the staircase.

  Therese pushed Mefist to the door. “Go on! Find out what’s happening.”

  “You don’t mind? Very well.” He flung the door open and called to Drazevich.

  “It’s police business. I’m interrogating a prisoner, and he’ll stay up there until I’m done with him. So get back to your fancy woman and let me get back to my job.”

  Therese saw him stiffen and pulled him back before he could say anything.

  “That poisonous little sneak!” he exploded when the door closed. “Now what do we do?”

  “Can’t you stop him?”

  “It’s SekPol. Even the General can’t go directly against them. Still, I guess we can hobble Drazevich. The General will certainly welcome the chance to interfere with him after the Krausov affair. He feels that Drazevich’s tart has made the Army look silly. We can’t release the prisoner, but we can certainly make his captivity more civilized. I’d suggest you complain to the General in the morning about the noise and ask if you can make a medical visit to the prisoner. I expect he’ll need cleaning up after Drazevich and his men have been beating him, so then you can complain to the General and make sure he gets a daily visit. Even SekPol won’t want to rough him up if anyone is watching.”

  He seized Therese by the shoulders and pressed her to him. In a dramatic voice, he said, “My dear, I would love to stay here and make wild and exotic love to you until you are climbing the walls in ecstasy, but my duty to the Army calls me. Adieu, my love, I will return!”