Blue
"There's a package in your room, Fraulein!" called Frau Schmidt as they returned from their outing. The young governess put out seven pairs of damp shoes to dry, every one a different size, as her charges filed into supper. "Look smart now, children", the housekeeper chided, "your father called to say he is returning tomorrow."
Bounding up the stairs, the young woman opened the door and spied it lying on the bed, all brown paper and string. Unable to recognise the handwriting or decipher the postmark, she eased at the knots until the ends lay free and the wrapping crackled open to reveal a ciphered box; inside, layers of crisp white tissue paper were topped by a card printed with the words,
Druckmann
Vienna
Fingering the raised print, her brow furrowed: she knew of no-one in the capital. But then, folding back the leaves of paper, she discovered the bolt of blue beneath. Moments later, she was lifting the corners of the finest organza, holding it up to the light, marvelling at its sheerness and the subtlety of its colour. Then finally, she placed her hands behind her waist and smiled as she watched the folds fall around her.
It had been stifling; the evening had been hot, and the way conversations kept faltering half-way through had meant he had to escape into the night air. The Captain chose the balcony to be alone, and seeing the moon rising over the lake, he placed his hands on the balustrade, relishing its coolness in the dark. But gradually, looking out, he saw in the shadows of the trees someone else gazing out across the water, the reflected light filtering through and silhouetting the slenderest of figures. He stared until his eyes rewarded him with the hint of a familiar blue. His fingers could remember the softness and silkiness of the material, and he longed to feel its blueness again.
"So there you are!" came a voice from behind him, and suddenly his fingers began to feel the cold hardness of the balustrade once more. "You were very quiet at the dinner table…"
He felt himself shiver as the wind blew across the lake; then he took a deep breath and turned to face the music.