Trapped!
Chapter 1 – The Wrong Side of the War
She stood looking out from the bluff over the sea.
She smelled the salty air and sighed, feeling at peace, even during this troubled time. Below her, the waves crashed against the cliff. She looked out over the channel toward France only a few miles away. How far her life had come.
She caressed her heavily swollen belly where her child grew. She swallowed as she reflected what had brought her here.
ZzZ
She smiled as her tall mount jumped a hedgerow.
At eighteen, Elizabeth Chester, daughter of Marquess Justin Chester, an English milord, and his lady wife, Konstanz von Strauffenberg who was a German noble and sister to Colonel Count Claus von Strauffenberg.
Elizabeth's father had died earlier that year, leaving her mother in need of support emotionally and so she had taken her daughter to Germany. Elizabeth was seventeen, a bright, though saucy teenager, who was schooled in etiquette and refinement, but found it horrifically boring to her mother's chagrin.
Elizabeth and her mother had come to visit her uncle at her mother's family's seat in Jettingen, Bavaria. Her uncle Claus had been very taken with the young girl and she quickly because his favorite of his nieces and nephews. He had even given her the hunter she now rode.
However, the war had broken out as Hitler invaded Poland on a hot September day, surprising everyone, and Lizzy and her mother were trapped in Germany. They could not return to England and Claus had to report to the army. His wife Nina, Lizzy, and her mother, all traveled with Claus's children to Berlin to live.
In Berlin, she felt trapped. There were too many people and so many of them were in uniform. I felt decidedly uneasy and even more so since she was not fluent in German. She could understand far more than she could speak, though she had been working on it with the neighbors and Nina. They always smiled and gently corrected my pronunciation and articles. She enjoyed her youth, but she knew soon it would be over and she would marry someone.
It was where they now were and Elizabeth was enjoying time riding free on the town outskirts, a place where it was still beautiful and not industrialized. It also had a wonderful lack of German men. Since moving to the capital, she had found many young officers, and even some older, trying to win her hand. She found it frankly annoying and gave it little mind.
She stabled Fire, her tall roan hunter and gave him a carrot before moving away. Her mother appeared as she put her saddle away.
"What on earth are you doing?" Her mother asked her.
"Riding." Lizzy said.
"At this hour? We have a party to go to." Her mother said exasperated.
"Yes, I know." Lizzy said.
She walked to the home where officers and their families will billeted with her mother trailing her, trying to talk sense to the girl who wanted nothing more than to be a free woman. Her mother and she shared a small flat beside her uncle Claus and his family. Nina and my mother were very good friends.
She was dressing when her mother came in. She looked at her daughter and then began to do her hair, brushing with harsh strokes that made Lizzy wince. "Ouch!"
"You must find one, Lizzy. Someone of rank and importance."
"Why is it so important?"
"Your father left us many debts. I have bargained with the Furher to allow us to stay, but in return, you must marry a high officer."
"I am only eighteen." Lizzy protested.
"Yes. A good age to prove a colonel or general with heirs and children for the Reich."
"I do not wish to be a wife or a mother."
Her mother took her face in her hand. "Listen well. The money is gone. We cannot live here as paupers under they charity from your uncle forever." She took a breath. "Please. Just pick one. It will not be so bad. You would be his for a week or two and then he would leave and you would have a comfortable living."
"What about you?" Lizzy asked.
"I am a widow. General Leo Hessen has already offered me a hand which I am tempted not to refuse." She sighed. "If we both are married, it protects us."
"From what?"
"We are in danger. I am German born, but I married an Englishman and you are his half breed daughter."
She winced. "I am not a half breed."
"They see you as that way. Something they need to control and keep you under their protection and guardianship."
Lizzy nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror.
But whom?
ZzZ
Lizzy entered the great ball room and looked about. So many people were here. She had her gloves on that came to her elbows. She wore a formal dress and looked around the room. It was a mix of young officers and older, all in their formal uniforms.
Lizzy danced with a few of them, had some punch, and then after about two hours in, needed some air. She looked very German with my rounded face and blue eyes from her mother and reddish hair that came from her father. Her slenderness and petite size came from also came from her mother. She, however, knew how to blend into the crowd and speak with the men about her. She had an awkwardness and did not like playing the game.
Lizzy's mother seemed to parade her under the noses of the senior officers, but ultimately, her marriage and even her very life was in the hands of the Fuhrer. Adolf Hitler. The name made many people cringe. He seemed as human as many, the few times Lizzy had met him. A little standoffish perhaps, but he was at least polite. She could not expect much more being between two peoples at war.
She sighed. The ballroom in which she now stood was stuffy. She needed air and if she had to dance with one more pimple faced junior officer, she was going to scream. She walked into the terrace and took a deep breath. The stones under her hands were cool. She walked around and toward the fountain. It was secluded and she would be able to be on her own again, at least until her mother found her and scolded her.
She dropped onto the bench and touched her head, sighing loudly. She then reached down. Her ankles were not used to the tight shoes. She had not worn them before, a mistake for she would have blisters if she did not already.
She heard something and sat up. "Who is there?" She called out into the darkness. It was not well lit, but a form materialized. She was sitting next to a torch that was burning oil and the shape materialized into that of a man. Not just any man, but a German Colonel by his uniform.
He was a large man, easily a foot taller than she was and twice her breadth of shoulders. He was in his dress uniform and looked at her intently with his vivid blue eyes. There was something haughty about them, but also curiosity. "Was machen Sie den hier? Sollten Sie nicht auf der Party verpassen?"
She swallowed and then looked down before rising to her feet. She took a few steps and paused. "Pardon sir, I seem to have forgotten the way back in the labyrinth."
He stood back on one leg, the other slightly bent, hands behind him as he stood ramrod straight. Clearly, a man who thought himself superior. There was a hint of amusement in his look as he stepped forward. "You are English." He said. He was not stating it as a question.
"Yes." She answered truthfully.
"So you are the one they call Frauline Chester." He said cocking his head. He was handsome enough, though far older. He could easily be her father and indeed look to be around the age of her father had he still been alive, though she wondered if it was the war that had aged him for his eyes were bright and full of mischief like an errant school boy.
She blinked. Naturally he would have heard of her and she knew nothings of him. The bastard knew it too as he watched her, his face impassive. "I do not know you sir."
"Oh forgive me." He clicked his heels together and bowed to her slightly. "Colonel Baron Heinrich Von Rheingarten."
"Pleasure." She said as she moved a little, but the heel of her shoe caught in a tree root over the path. Trapped, my ankle turned and she landed hard. She yelped as my hands were cut by the stones of the walkway.
Hissing, she sat up and reached back toward her ankle which hurt. Two large hands were already there as the Baron knelt beside her. She had no idea men could move so quickly. He gently freed her shoe and thus her ankle, but did not release it from his grasp. She turned to him a little as he held it feeling it with sure steady hands.
"What are you doing?" She asked trying to move her foot from his grasp. She looked at her hands. They were cut and bleeding, but not too badly.
He looked at her and clicked his tongue at her. She could now see his face more clearly. He was a handsome man, close to forty, perhaps younger. His face was round, but he looked like the quintessential German officer. When she tried again to reclaim her ankle he pressed against it with his finger and she yelped. His gaze told me he did that on purpose to gain her attention.
"You have injured this ankle." He said. Though he spoke with an accent that was strongly German, he spoke better English than she had ever heard. "It is strained."
"Is it broken?" she asked.
He moved it a little. It ached a little, but not as bad as it could have she supposed. "No." He said firmly. "It will be painful to walk on, however, for a few days."
She nodded and moved to stand, but his hand caught her wrist. "What?"
"You are bleeding, Frauline." He said. He looked about then sighed. "I am sorry."
"For…" She gasped as he lifted the over petticoat of her dress, finding the frills beneath. "Colonel!" She cried and he gave her a look that shut her up immediately. He leaned forward, biting the material and ripping it making a strip. He did it again and then took her hand in his and began to wrap it with skill. Had he just come back the front and knew such things for field medicine or did he just know?
She watched him and sighed looking at her hands. "Thank you." She managed.
"You are welcome, Frauline." He said. "Come let us get you back to the house. It is becoming chilled."
She had not noticed until he said something. Her skin was goose-fleshed, but she did not think it was solely due to the cold. She got to her feet and stepped down and nearly fell to the earth again. The Baron was quick to grab her elbows. With a maneuver he had her facing him and she looked up at his handsome face.
"Now will you allow me to help you?" He asked.
"I think it would be…" She felt his arm snake around her waist and he took her arm and held it over his broad shoulders. His large hand was flat against her stomach, long fingers near my hip. She never knew someone could have such large hands. She felt the roughness of his uniform as she moved a little to a more stable position.
"Now try to walk without putting weight on it." He advised.
She nodded and as she turned to hobble beside him, his hand moved a little upwards before settling back where it had been. However, they both were startled by the cry of female outrage.
"Elizabeth! What on earth are you doing?" Her mother's shrill voice cried.
The baron looked up at her. "I assure you, I am just assisting her. She fell." He said nodding to her foot that rested lightly on the earth between them. His grip had tightened as though part of him wished to protect her from something. He knew full well what this looked like. His arms about a girl whose skirt was torn and her general appearance looked tousled.
"Of course she did." The woman said, her eyes narrowing.
Others joined her and the baron just shook his head. "Gibt seinen Sofa in der Nähe?" He asked.
"Ja, in der Bibliothek." A male voice said.
The baron nodded and without another thought, she found herself in his arms. He had bent so quickly that she was startled to find her legs suddenly in the air. One arm was still around her back and the other was under her knees. She felt like a dwarf next to this powerful man who held her as though she weighted nothing. He walked with purpose into the house and to the library where a divan was. He gently set her upon it and found a pillow to prop up her ankle. He gently lifted the bruised limb and then placed it on a pillow.
The door opened to reveal the girl's mother who was flushed with anger. "Was in Gottes Namen tun sie mit meiner Tochter? Sie wissen, dass sie nicht mit einem Mann unbehütet." She said her voice barely below a shriek.
The baron sighed. He rose to his feet. "I merely helped her." He said softly. She realized he was speaking in English for her benefit. He then looked at her look of indignation and spoke again. This time in German. "Ich kann Ihnen versichern, Frau, dass ihre Tochter den Rufist nach wie vorintakt. Sie verletzt esich. Ich war einfach nur sah sie zurück in das Gebäude.."
General Olbricht was standing in the doorway. "Colonel. A word." He said politely in English.
The Colonel looked in the girl's direction. The General then nodded to my mother. "Lady Chester." He said softly. "Frau Chester, ich habe einen Arzt hier um sich nach ihrer Tochter. Ich muss mit ihnen sprechen und der Oberst."
She looked at him. "Ich denke schon. Sie wurde der art diskreditiert. Änderung vorgenommen werden muss."
The Colonel looked back at the girl a moment before he followed them out. The doctor came in and he saw to her. He confirmed her ankle was badly sprained, but not broken. My hands were cut, but would also heal in a couple days. He put medicine on them and wrapped them afresh.
The girl's mother returned to her a while later. The girl had found a book to read while she waited. Her mother was followed by the Colonel who stood back, his arms behind him as her mother came to her. She smiled. "All is not lost, Lizzy." She smiled. "Come let's get you to bed."
The Colonel stepped forward. "Ich werde ihr, Gräfin Chester." He said. His tone was formal. She realized that he well knew her mother was a Countess, born a Countess in Germany as the daughter of a Landgraf and she had married the Marquess Justin of Chester. That was before the war, a life time ago.
The Baron came to the girl and gently wrapped her arm about his shoulders before lifting her in his arms. Again, she realized this man was powerful and he walked following her mother out the door and up the stairs to their rooms. He turned sideways to make it in without hitting her head on the way passed. He gently set her down on the divan and stepped back from her.
My mother was smiling and leaned close to the man. "Sie müssen sich sorgen für ihre Verlobung. Sie ist fruchtbar und man kann wenn man möchte. Sie istein Mädchen von Zucht. Die Tochter des Grafen auf beiden Seiten. Lohnt sich eine Ehe an."
He colored a little around his collar and then sighed. "Ich war nicht auf der Suchen ach einer Frau. Ich würdem it ihr allein fürein paar Augen blicke. Sie hört von mir."
The Countess nodded and smiled as she stepped back and left the room, leaving the pair alone. The Baron coughed and turned to the girl. "Are you well, Frauline?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Good." He said.
"Thank you for your kindness."
He nodded. He sighed and dropped into a seat near her. "I am not really sure how to begin."
"From the beginning?"
He half-smiled. He reached and took one of her small hands in his large one. "You and I are to be…married." Her eyes opened and so did her mouth, but he lifted a hand. "No, this is the best way to avoid scandal."
"You are unmarried?" She could hardly believe that as handsome as he was.
"I am widowed." He said. "I have two sons. They are both in the Luftwaffe."
She swallowed. "I am sorry for your loss."
He moved his head a little, swallowing some emotion. "It is better this way. You were compromised and now I can marry you and keep you safe."
"Safe, safe from what?"
"You are the daughter of a hostile. You are fortunate that you amuse the Fuhrer and his men or you would be in jail. As my wife, you will live the life of a Colonel's wife."
She looked at him stunned. "I am barely eighteen." She swallowed.
He sighed. "I know. I am sorry. But it will be better this way." He said. He looked at her. "You are younger than my sons and we are to be married you and I."
"How can we marry? We do not love each other."
That seemed to amuse him slightly as a whisper of a smile crossed his lips. "That is not the point." He said. He collected himself a moment. He swallowed. "Dies ist schwerzu erklären in englischer Sprache. Lassen Sie mich sehen. Ich werde es aus probieren. Können Sie mich verstehen wenn ich langsamer sprechen?" He asked. He was speaking slower than most did and she was grateful. She nodded understanding him. She sat forward to listen to him.
He set about seeing to her ankle again. Elevating it on a pillow before her, forcing her to sit back.
"Gut. Sie ware nall ein mit mir. Da zwei Mitglieder der oberen Klasse entspricht dies nicht. Ich hatte die Hoffnung Skandal zu vermeiden, aber ihre Mutter hat deutlich gemacht, was muss ich tun, um sie vor Verleumdung. Und ich würde alle stun um dich Schatz. Sie sind so unschuldig in der Welt. Der Krieg hat gerade erst begonnen und schon sind Sie und Preis. Mein Preis." He said.
"I…"
"We will be married this coming Saturday." He said. "The Fuhrer has decided."
Saturday? That was in less than three days.
She swallowed. She nodded. So much for trying to be courted. This was not in any books on courtship. He was telling her what was to happen. She realized as he took her hand and raised it to his lips, that he too was as trapped as she was. Her mother no doubt demanded him marry her to protect herself as much as her.
"I suppose I should be happy." She smiled a little. "But I do not even know your name, Baron."
"Heinrich." He said softly.
"I'm Lizzy." She said softly. "Well to my friends." She smiled at him.
"Lizzy. I like that." He said. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her mouth. She had only kissed a boy once and it had been sloppy, hurried, and as not pleasant. By contrast, the Baron's mouth was warm, but dry, soft, but demanding as he kissed her. She felt his hand go into my hair and cup the back of her head.
When he pulled back she was panting and shaking a little. He smiled looking at her face as he remained only a couple inches away. "Sie sind sehr schön. Jung und schön. Es wirde in kleines Geschenk, damit wir Sie besser kennen lernen. Bald sind wir verheiratet und werden Sie hoffentlich mit meinem Kind im Jahr." He said lapsing once more into German as he studied her face.
She blushed and he smiled more.
Her mother came into the room and the baron sat back. "I trust you will return soon to us, Baron." She said.
"Yes. Tomorrow I will call on you." He said. "My bride should know me better."
"I shall have cakes and tea ready for you."
He nodded and stood. He bowed to them, clicking his the heels of his knee high boots and walking out. She took a breath. She was to be married to a German officer and a high officer at that. Her mother's scheming seemed to have no end or bounds.
"Do you like him?"
"He is kind."
"He is also rich and has culture and is an aristo. He will be perfect since all the Generals are married."
The girl rolled her eyes. "Thank you mother."
"The sooner you bear him a child, the sooner we are both safer."
She frowned. "Why is that so important?"
"An officer must have two children at least on his wife. It is customary and needed for the Reich."
"You can't be serious. He has two sons."
"You will be a new wife."
"Why do we have to wait?"
"Your exams."
"Exams."
"Yes. They are not horrible, just take some time. It proves you are an asset to the Reich and can marry and officer. Nothing major. Blood draws, examination, and questions."
She nodded. She then laid back. "I want to sleep now."
"Yes, my darling. Rest." Mother told me.
She watched her mother leave the room. Tomorrow would be another day. She went from being a high spirited girl to being someone's intended by turning her ankle. Not that Heinrich wasn't attractive, he was, but she did wish he were younger or at least closer to her age. That said, experience, she had heard was better in matters of the bedroom.
Time would tell.
Also though aloof seemed to be a good man. She liked him and started to dream about her wedding day.