It was Tessa, coming up behind Guy and thoroughly familiar with the problems of guilt and retribution, who now took charge.
‘That wasn’t telling lies, Martha,’ she said earnestly. ‘That was strategy, like in a war.’ Then she exclaimed, ‘Oh, you’re wearing the locket! Isn’t the picture good of him! You wouldn’t believe the fuss he made about getting photographed.’
A great sigh of release and fulfilment now issued from Martha Hodge.
‘It was you, then,’ she said. ‘I knew… I just knew…’ and opened her arms.
But when the hugs and explanations were over and Martha had gone to change her lacerated stockings Guy and Tessa, seeking the shelter of the library, found themselves interrupted once again. Preceded by a fusillade of agitated knocks Herr Witzler, distraught and unannounced, burst into the room.
‘Herr Farne, I have bad news! Everything else is all right, I completely assure you. Every single article is labelled and waiting in the warehouse in Neustadt to be brought back when you give the order. But I, personally, have broken a Dresden figurine. Boris warned me… I knew you only wanted the stage-hands and it is true that I myself am not actually used to moving furniture, but I wanted to come too. After all, it was my company.’ And as Guy frowned, he added hastily, ‘I was extremely well disguised: my Aryan outfit. There was no question of Frau Hurlingham recognizing me. But in the excitement, I dropped the figurine. I understand that it is very valuable. Will you accept the first takings from Fricassée as compensation?’
‘No,’ said Guy. ‘Our deal was that I would get the theatre back for you if you carried out your task successfully. Fricassée was nowhere mentioned and I am not remotely interested in financing it.’
‘Herr Farne, I assure you that once you have heard—’
‘I’ll talk to you later, Witzler. Now, go away.’
‘Yes, Herr Farne.’
But Witzler had now seen Tessa, standing beside the Englishman and reminding him suddenly of Our Lady of Sprotz, glowing with candles as she was carried through the streets at Easter — a sinful and unforgettable sight he had beheld from his bedroom window while studying for his bar mitzvah. He bowed, left and rushed down the steps to where Boris was waiting.
‘It’s all right, it’s splendid — it’s all as we hoped! You should see how he looks at Tessa: as if she had at that moment been lowered from Paradise!’
‘So he should,’ said Boris gruffly. He had been so impressed by his own appearance as chief bailiff that he was growing a South American moustache, an enterprise still in its infancy.
‘Tristan is a herring compared to him,’ continued Witzler. ‘You’ll see, he’ll deny her nothing! Our accounts he may audit,’ Jacob admitted, ‘but that is all.’
A great radiance spread over his Old Testament countenance as he looked into the future. The plate-layers’ chorus wafting from the battlements… Raisa soaking up the ultra-violet… Pino’s uvula awash with eggs… And later, Cosi Fan Tutte and Figaro…
‘I shall learn to milk a cow,’ said Jacob, and hurried off to find a telephone and give his Rhinemaiden the joyful news.
‘Guy, I don’t think I completely understand,’ said Tessa, when they were alone at last.
‘It’s quite simple. I decided that the time had come to terminate my engagement to Nerine. However, I had no desire to humiliate her personally, nor did I wish to be embroiled in a messy breach of promise case. So I hired Witzler’s troupe to act as bailiffs and strip the place. Your friend, Bubi, gave me the idea — bailiffs seemed to be much on his mind. It was an absurd charade and wouldn’t have deceived anyone with the slightest faith in me. Even Martha smelled a rat, though fortunately, she held her tongue. But as you see, it worked.’
‘So you’re not ruined at all?’ said Tessa, abandoning with reluctance the free and roaming life with shoelaces she had envisaged.
‘I’m afraid not. In fact, I used the time to pull off a couple of rather profitable deals. You’re disappointed, I see. Don’t you think a wealthy husband might be quite useful, in view of your penchant for succouring the arts?’
Tessa nodded, seeing the justice of this. ‘Only, I do have this wedding dress which I think it would be a pity to waste. It’s from Lucia di Lammermoor, but it’s not bloodstained. It’s the nightdress that’s—’
But the helpful exposition on the plot of Donizetti’s masterpiece which Tessa was preparing, was cut short by Guy who now told her to be quiet.
‘I’m going to kiss you, you see,’ he explained.
Then he kissed her.
It was a very long time before he let her go. When he did, she looked up at him, hurt and bewilderment on her face.
‘Why did you stop?’ asked Tessa.
‘I thought you might want to breathe,’ said Guy carefully.
‘Breathe?’ said Tessa, shocked. ‘I don’t need to breathe when I’m with you.’
What came into his eyes then — eyes which seemed, at that moment, to have invented the colour blue — made her put up a hand as though to shield herself from so much joy.
This hand he now removed.
‘In that case…’ said Guy.
The Author
Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna, but when the Nazis came to power her family fled to England and she was sent to boarding school. She planned to become a physiologist, but hated doing experiments on animals, and was rescued from some fierce rabbits by her husband-to-be. She became a writer while bringing up her four children, and her bestselling novels for both adults and children have been published around the world. Her books have also won and been shortlisted for many prizes. Journey to the River Sea won the Nestlé Gold Award and was runner-up for the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and the Guardian Fiction Award. The Star of Kazan won the Nestlé Silver Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Eva lives in Newcastle.
Also by Eva Ibbotson
A Company of Swans
A Song for Summer
The Morning Gift
The Secret Countess
For younger readers
Journey to the River Sea
The Star of Kazan
The Dragonfly Pool
The Beasts of Clawstone Castle
The Great Ghost Rescue
Which Witch? The Haunting of Hiram
Not Just a Witch
The Secret of Platform 13
Dial a Ghost
Monster Mission