A couple of months had passed, and the news of the young nun Maria Beillschmidt running off with hired hand Dániel Hédervary was still a hot topic. Word had spread fast, just as her family had feared it would, despite their attempts to keep the scandal a secret. It was just too good of a tale to keep hidden for long from the gossip mongers.
One could easily trace the original source of the gossip: the Edelstein house. After Elizaveta found the letter Dániel had left for her, one of the maids had witnessed her emotional distress over its contents. Curiosity had gotten the better of the girl and she snatched it up while Elizaveta was away from her room. No one in the household had any real attachment to the Beillschmidt girl or her family, and Dániel had never shown any particular attention to any of the maids either, so they were eager to spread the news concerning the two runaway lovers. As a result, the story spread like wildfire not just around the house, but throughout the town, especially when word got out that the nuns found Maria missing from their convent.
Soon, the Beillschmidt family found themselves in an upheaval of scandal and outrage. Ludwig, after hearing the news, was even called away to go on leave for his mother's sake.
"I suppose your family is taking this badly?" Feliciano guessed. The two had run into each other in town. Feliciano had been sent on an errand and Ludwig had been asked to go buy something for his mother, and the Italian couldn't help but ask how Ludwig and his family were doing during all of this.
The soldier sighed, running his hand through his hair, making it look slightly disheveled.
"Very badly." He acquiesced. "My father is practically in a state of denial. He won't even acknowledge a mere mention of Maria's name and my mother has fallen into a sort of depression. She cries a lot over the loss of her daughter and the actions she took." He sighed and shook his head. "Needless to say, Maria's disowned now..."
"I see..." Feliciano murmured. He wasn't sure what else to say.
"They'll be leaving the country shortly; traveling abroad." Ludwig continued. "I believe my mother said they'll be visiting family in Germany."
Feliciano nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose that's best."
"It's the only option they have, really, to get away from all these gossip mongers," Ludwig replied, frowning slightly.
"So..." Feliciano spoke up after a minute, a little hesitatingly. "How are you and Gilbert handling all of this?"
Ludwig shrugged in response. "I mean, I don't hate my sister. If she ever needs help, I won't turn her away, even when my parents do." He stopped talking and looked up at the sky, as if pondering over where Maria could be at this moment.
"I'm not sure what Gilbert thinks of her now," he said after an awkward pause.
Feliciano nodded again. "Well, I know Elizaveta is really upset. She won't talk about it at all and was close to beating the maids when she found out they read her letter Dániel left her."
He could remember seeing Elizaveta - while sneaking into the kitchen to grab a snack - angrily tearing up the letter and throwing it into the kitchen fire.
That idiot! He had heard her hiss. I hope I never see his face again!
Feliciano sighed as Ludwig nodded understandingly. "It seems everyone is either shocked or angered by what has occurred." He remarked. "And it would probably be best to keep quiet about this matter for now."
"Yes, I know. I'm a bit upset myself," Feliciano replied. "Now that Dániel is gone, I've been 'promoted'," he held his hands up to make invisible quotation marks, "to help maintain the grounds."
Ludwig couldn't help but amusedly smile at the disgusted look on his friend's face. "What? You don't like being outside?"
He frowned. "Indoor work was hard enough. Now I have to be slaving under the hot sun, pulling weeds, cleaning out the stalls..."
"Ah, I see." Ludwig chuckled. "Well, why don't you try to seek other employment if it is so disagreeable to you?" He suggested as they walked down the street.
"You could always join the militia. I'm sure my commanding officer would be able to find a place for you in our regiment."
Feliciano inwardly balked at that option. Being in the army was the last thing he wanted. It scared him. Even so, he did appreciate his friend's thoughtfulness.
"Well, I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm just complaining. Besides, the Edelsteins are kind employers and I wouldn't want to leave them just now, when they lost another worker so suddenly. Not to mention, Elizaveta is a good friend and I wouldn't want to worry her," he explained, and while these were all genuine reasons, the main one was that if he joined the militia he would be far away from the Edelstein house. The Edelsteins, after all, were the closest neighbors to the Zwinglis - to Elise. He couldn't imagine living any further away from her than he already did.
"Well, it was just a suggestion," Ludwig replied, patting Feliciano on his shoulder. He then walked over to his horse and put his package in the saddle bag.
"I hate to cut this conversation short, but I must head back." He told Feliciano. The two shared smiles and shook hands.
"Good to see you again!" Feliciano said brightly. He watched as Ludwig got on the horse and rode off before he proceeded to finish his errand.
When he arrived back at the big house, he stopped by the kitchen with the parcel he was sent to bring back.
"Oh, you're back," Elizaveta remarked when she saw him. She was sitting down, mending what looked like a shawl that probably belonged to Anneliese Edelstein.
"Hello." He smiled at her and put the parcel on the large, long table that stretched out along the kitchen floor. He sighed.
"I guess I had better get to work."
Elizaveta sympathetically smiled. "I know you don't like working outside," she smiled more at his downcast expression, "but now that autumn has finally arrived, it won't be so hot out, right?"
No. It'll be colder, he thought bleakly. He kept that to himself though. Instead, he worked up a smile.
"Right. Well, I guess I should see to the stables first." He then changed his shoes before exiting out via the back door.
"Oh! Feli, before you go, a letter arrived for you."
His ears perked up at that and he quickly looked over to see Elizaveta walking up to him, pulling out a letter from her apron pocket.
She was mildly surprised to see the young man's face light up with excitement as he took the letter.
"Thank you, Elizaveta!" He grinned.
"You're welcome." She eyed him curiously as he stuffed the letter in his own pocket. "It's from that girl, isn't it?" She guessed.
Feliciano froze. "What...?"
"That girl you told me about." She smiled knowingly. "You know, the lady you said you couldn't be in love with?"
Feliciano repressed a sigh of relief and slowly nodded, sheepishly smiling. "Right. Yes, it's from her."
She amusedly shook her head. "At least you get to write to her!" She tried to console him.
"Yes, that's true." He looked away, still smiling.
"Well, you'd better get to work," Elizaveta said gently, patting his back. She figured his was thinking about this mysterious girl and perhaps about how they could only write to each other.
He nodded and went out back to tend to the stables and help with caring for the grounds.
... ... ...
A little over an hour later, Feliciano was hiding up in the stable's loft, buried among the hay and straw. He munched on a light snack of bread and cheese and with a deep breath, retrieved the long-awaited letter from his trousers pocket. As he hoped, the letter was from her.
.
My dear friend, it read,
I have indeed heard of what has happened between Miss Beillschmidt and the man who worked at the Edelstein's house. You said he was the brother of the housekeeper? She must be very upset and I feel for her, especially since he was the only family you said she had.
And yet, you've told me that the two had been in love with each other. I can't help but also feel sorry for them as well, since they felt that running away was their only option to be together. I don't know what I would do if I was in their place. Could I leave my brother behind like they did? I cannot say. What about you?
Now that I think about it, something else has come to mind. I've never asked you about your family! I've told you about mine, but I didn't think to ask you about yours, and I am sorry about that, as I am quite curious to know more about you. I hope you will tell me in your next letter, if you are comfortable with doing so.
You asked me in your last letter how I am feeling lately. Thank you for your concern. It really makes me happy to know you're worried. I am doing better now, though I always feel under the weather when the seasons change. It's just something I've grown accustomed to, so don't let it trouble you too much. I'm sure it won't last for long.
Perhaps we can meet up again when Spring comes. My brother doesn't really like me traveling much in the autumn and winter due to my health, so I won't be going many places in these next few months. As such, I will look forward to your letters and what you have to tell me as I stay cooped up in the house. So, until your next letter, I will remain,
Ever yours,
Elise Zwingli
.
Feliciano read the letter a couple of times, almost memorizing her words and trying to picture her small white hands elegantly gliding the quill over the paper. Perhaps she was smiling as she wrote to him. He would like to think so.
He had to go back to work so he kissed the letter gently before putting it back in his pocket. He was determined to write up another letter to her before going to bed that night.
... ... ...
The days grew shorter and the nights grew longer. As she told Feliciano in her letter, Elise did not go out beyond the grounds of their house as the weather changed. She had even caught a small cold which kept her inside longer. Emil was usually the one on the bad end of things, being the person Elise usually took her frustrations out on. He didn't mind, though, knowing she didn't mean any of the harsh words she said. She even apologized on several occasions.
"I'm such a horrid person, Emil!" She exclaimed reproachfully. "I don't mean to sound so hateful."
He shook his head, smiling. "I know it must be extremely frustrating to stay inside so much." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Would you feel up to walking around through the garden? Just for a moment or two; I'm sure a bit of fresh air - just a little - wouldn't be harmful."
Her face brightened up considerably. "I would love that. Let me just dress up a little!"
Emil smiled and nodded. "I'll be waiting right outside the door."
Once he had exited her room, Elise pushed her quilt aside and rose up from her chair. Emil had thoughtfully asked the ladies' maid to come help her get dressed. Once she was ready with a warm dress on, she slipped on a pair of boots and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, over her coat.
"I'm ready!" She said brightly. She beamed at Emil.
"Excellent. Do you have gloves?" He queried, looking concerned.
She giggled. "Yes, and I brought my shawl so I could cover my head." She had a feeling he would ask that next.
He actually blushed a little and sheepishly smiled. "Ah...Good. That way you won't catch cold as easily."
The two went downstairs and out to the gardens. Elise immediately began to smile at the sight of the many colors of autumn on the trees and the ground. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her breath forming a small cloud in the air.
"Oh, this feels nice. It was getting so stuffy in that house!" She good naturedly complained.
Emil could agree with her. "Yes, being kept inside for so long would drive you mad sooner or later."
She could hear a slight hint of amusement in his voice and it made her smile.
"Very true!" She agreed. "That must have been the reason why I've been so moody of late."
Emil smiled more and gallantly offered her his arm as they walked. They both remained quiet as they admired the falling leaves and the clear autumn sky. After a few minutes, Elise told him she was feeling much better and was ready to go back inside. She was getting hungry anyways. As they headed for the garden door, one of the maids appeared from inside.
"Oh, there you are, Miss!" She exclaimed brightly.
Elise smiled sweetly. "What is it? Has my brother returned?"
"No, Miss. But you've received another letter!" The lady told her - a little excitedly, it seemed. Emil noticed Elise's cheeks reddened a little and her face lit up.
"Oh! Thank you, Mary!" The young lady was very excited as she held her hand out to take the letter.
All the servants knew Elise had been passing letters back and forth with an unknown correspondent. The ladies all whispered that she had a secret admirer.
Emil heard all the rumors and whisperings. He tried not to pay much attention to them, but he couldn't deny the pleased expression on her face. On many occasions, he had been tempted to tell Basch about the letters, but he had a feeling Basch might take measures to stop the correspondence, so he kept silent. He knew Elise would probably be upset if she was forced to stop writing this person.
Plus, admit it, he thought, you don't like this because you don't like the idea of Elise being involved with someone else.
He sighed a little to himself as Elise quickly went for the door, letter in hand.
"I'm going in," she told him. "Thank you for walking with me!"
"Ah. You're welcome," he murmured, smiling weakly.
Elise was too distracted by her letter to notice his demeanor. She bounded inside and up to her room, basically throwing off her shawl and coat onto the chair. She plopped down onto the bed and quickly broke the seal to read the contents. Just as she hoped, it was a letter from him.
.
My dearest lady,
I apologize that I haven't sent a letter for a while. Unfortunately, now that we have one less worker in the Edelstein house, I have been forced to work outside on the grounds which leaves me quite tired many nights. It's not much of an excuse, I know, but that is why I have only responded to your letter now. But we have talked about these matters enough, so I am going to change the subject!
You asked me about my family. I would be more than happy to tell you about them, though there is nothing that interesting to tell. My parents died when I was quite young, leaving me and my older sister, Katarina, in the care of our grandfather. He is a very handsome, kind, and strong man whom everybody loves. I think you would like him. He is a wine merchant and owns many acres of land in Tuscany where he cares for a large vineyard. That is where I grew up and even though my sister is the oldest, I was the one who was supposed to inherit the vineyards and take over the wine business.
Well, Elise, I'm going to be honest with you and admit something. While I love drinking wine, working to make it was never a passion for me. I've always loved painting and would rather live a penniless life as an artist instead of living the comfortable life of a wine merchant. But grandfather was so set on me taking over his role after he died, that I didn't have the heart to tell him it wasn't what I wanted to do.
Instead, I packed my things and told both him and my sister that I wanted to travel before I settled down. They were surprised and thought I'd be too scared to do it (I had loved a sheltered life before hand), but I was determined to try to find a different life for myself to avoid the life I was to inherit. I'll spare you the painful and embarrassing details and just tell you that things started to fall apart quickly. I traveled for a while but I soon found myself out of money and looking for work. I should have tried to find a way home, but without money, I had no way of getting on a ship without doing something illegal and I didn't want to do that.
So, here I am now. All of that which I explained to you above happened a little over three years ago. I do plan on trying to anonymously sell my paintings in the near future. Hopefully that means I could possibly leave this life of servitude, but I have to admit, the idea seems less appealing now since I've realized my employers live near the home of a certain lovely young lady.
I do hope you feel better and won't fall ill again. I wish I could come to your home so I could fix you some hot soup and maybe paint you a small picture to make you feel better. I look forward to the springtime when we can meet again. Until then, I am still,
Your faithful servant,
Feliciano Vargas
.
Elise sighed happily at the letter. She fell back on her bed, the paper pressed to her chest, and she stared blankly up at the ceiling. Her mind was light-years away. She was pleased to know more about him, especially when it concerned his family. He seemed rather embarrassed of his actions in his letter, but she didn't blame him for what was basically running away from a future that was chosen for him.
It's rather similar to having your spouse chosen for you, she thought, so in a certain way, she could relate. She knew that sooner or later, Basch would have to do the same for her. After all, that was the proper way to deal with sisters and daughters, she thought ruefully.
Her thoughts returned to Feliciano again at that moment. She wondered if he ever thought about getting married, or even if he wanted to. Pondering all of this made her curious and a blush began to dust her cheeks. For a moment she even wondered what being married to him would be like!
You can't think things like that! She told herself, rubbing her cheeks. Basch would never allow it.
Little did she know, but her suppositions were quite founded. While Elise stayed at home, recovering, her brother was hard at work, not only visiting friends at the barracks, but calling on several acquaintances to talk about future connections. He didn't want to, but securing the future of his little sister was very important to him. He wanted to know she would want for nothing, especially if anything sudden or unexpected occurred.
Of course, being the bachelor he was, he had no idea how to go about accomplishing that. Therefore, his only option was to seek the advice of someone more knowledgeable about society. He figured Miss Edelstein was a good place to start.
... ... ...
"Mr. Zwingli! To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Anneliese said charmingly.
Basch gallantly bowed his head slightly in a returned greeting. "I seek advice from someone."
The lady looked surprised and quite curious. "Advice? Not from my brother, surely!" She laughed a little.
He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. "No. From you. You seem well aware in what is proper and decent in society."
Anneliese seemed to be pleased and ushered him to go and sit with her in the parlor. Once they were both settled, Basch began to speak again.
"I seek advice about what to do for my sister."
Anneliese now understood. She sagely nodded and merely uttered, "Ah..." in response.
"I just want to secure her safety and happiness. I am hardly around during the day and sometimes I am gone for days on end due to my position. She is so young, I don't want her to be ostracized. She needs music and dancing and..." he paused, looking uncomfortable, "...friends."
The lady smiled kindly.
"You want her to meet a young man, don't you?"
"An honorable young man," he stressed. "A gentleman; someone who will both love and care for her."
"In other words, Mr. Zwingli, you want her to move about in society more?"
He sighed, rather exasperated. "I suppose that's the way to put it, though I wish 'society' didn't have to be partnered with meeting suitable matches."
Anneliese patted his arm. "My good sir, society is not all bad, if you know the right people. If you want to entrust your sister into my care, I can assure you, she will be well-taken care of."
Basch was quiet for a few minutes. He then stood up and strode over to the window that looked out to the east side of the grounds. It wasn't the view of the gardens though.
"Would you look after her health too?" He murmured.
"Certainly!" Anneliese exclaimed. "I know her constitution is delicate on occasion. I will make sure we do not go to places where the rooms are small and crowded."
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, falling quiet again for one more minute or two. Anneliese just watched him until he finally spoke again.
"Then, I will entrust her into your care when I'm not here. I also entrust her social status to you as well." He turned to face her with quite a serious countenance.
"I swear to you, Elise will be in good hands," she responded firmly.
"I am relieved to hear it," he admitted. He truly did look relieved too.
"I was actually planning to go up to the city in a couple of weeks," she remarked. "It is getting chillier and I like being where all the hustle and bustle is during the winter. The country is quite dull this time of year, when all you can do is stay inside." She gave Basch a winning smile. "I could take Elise with me then, if you don't mind her being away for the winter."
Now, to say that Basch wasn't startled by this request would be untrue, but he did his best not to show it. Even so, deep down, it worried him a little to think of his younger sister moving about the city in the cold weather without him around to watch over her. He could just imagine what might happen.
Still, Anneliese knows of her delicate constitution, he reminded himself. If anything happens, she could probably handle it.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This would be good for Elise, he reasoned with himself. She would meet new people and wouldn't be stuck in the house. Her health had improved over the last few years, since they had moved to the country, so he could only hope she would be fine in the city during the winter.
"Now the only thing left is to tell her," he muttered to himself as he made his way home. "Elise might be a little hesitant about the idea, but if I discuss this with her, she'll surely see reason."
The lady in question was up in her room reading when he approached her door and knocked.
"Come in," Elise called.
Basch entered and saw her relaxing in her chair. She looked up from her book and gave him a smile.
"Oh, Basch! Is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine," he assured her. He awkwardly stopped talking and rubbed the back of his neck. "Could I talk to you about something?"
She blinked. "Certainly!" She lowered her book onto her lap.
"Good. It, well, has to do with you. I know..." he hesitated, trying to figure out what to say. "I know you dislike staying indoors for the winter months."
She looked surprised. "Well, yes."
He nodded. "And I know I've been concerned about your health, but I've been talking to Miss Edelstein-"
"Really? Miss Edelstein?" Elise interjected. She smiled more. "Are you fond of the lady, Basch?"
He frowned a little, trying not to seem embarrassed. "This isn't about me," he muttered after clearing his throat. "I was talking to her because I was thinking about sending you to the city with her this winter." He confessed.
Now Elise looked really surprised. "The city?" She exclaimed.
"Yes. After all, you hardly get to see or talk to anybody when you're cooped up in here during the winter," he put his hand on her head, " and I know you get lonely."
"I-I don't mind it, really," she tried to argue. "I get sick often anyways."
"Perhaps so, but last winter, you seemed to fare better," he remarked.
She blinked and smiled again, amusedly. "What's changed?" She wondered. "Usually, I'm the one who doesn't worry much about my health. Now you want me to go into town and meet people? What's bothering you?"
He sighed. It would figure that she would read him so well. "I just think it's time you started meeting more people, and if that includes potential suitors, than that's good too."
"So that's it." She looked down at her book. "Well, if you think I'll be all right..." she murmured.
He smiled now. "I knew you'd understand. This will be good for you, Elise, and Miss Edelstein will look after you. She assured me she would keep an eye on you and she's also aware of your health." He caressed her hair. "You'll have a splendid time."
Elise smiled and said she figured she would too. Even so, deep down, she worried about something: meeting men. She knew both her brother and Miss Edelstein would be thinking of looking for men that could be potential husbands for her, and since she was going to the city, she knew Miss Edelstein would definitely introduce her to several men, young and old.
As Basch left her room, looking relieved and pleased, Elise just remained in her chair, secretly fretting about what was to come. It would be hard to replace the feelings she was experiencing toward a certain young Italian man - and she wasn't sure she wanted to replace them either. She didn't want to search for a "suitable husband."
... ... ...
It was the night before Anneliese Edelstein would pack Elise up and take her to the city. Miss Edelstein had talked of little else after she received a letter of confirmation that the young lady would be going with her. Elise, on the other hand, was a bit pensive about the entire thing.
She sat down at her desk and sighed. What was she to do? Ever since the early autumn season, she and Feliciano had been exchanging letters and now that she was going away, would their correspondence have to stop? She hoped not. She feared, too, that her being in the city would deter him from writing to her, considering the reason why she was going there to begin with.
She took a deep breath and let it out decidedly. "There's only one way to find out." She whispered, and picked up her pen.
... ... ...
"Looks like you've got another letter, boy!" One of the serving men grinned as Feliciano was handed a letter. It was early morning at the Edelstein manor, and most of the hired help were seated around the kitchen table finishing breakfast. The post had arrived and they were passing around their letters.
Feliciano tried to ignore the grins and nudges the others gave him. It had become a daily event to see if he would receive yet another letter from his mysterious lady friend. The result was endless teasing every time he got one.
"Another letter? You really will break my heart with all these letters and flirting with girls, Feli!" One of the maids teased.
"Leave him alone, why don't you?" Elizaveta rushed to his defense when she saw he looked quite embarrassed. She frowned a little.
Instead of feeling ashamed, the others merely chuckled. Several began to get up and go about their normal duties. Feliciano was one of them, getting ready to start working outside with many of the other men. But working was the last thing he wanted to do; he was itching to read his new letter instead. Of course, after about an hour or so, he decided to take his own designated break and sneaked off to the barn, where he holed up in the loft with a light snack.
Now cuddled in the hay, he took the letter and eagerly tore it open. He was excited to finally read it. The letter wasn't very long, but he didn't mind that.
.
Dear Feliciano,
I am happy I received your last letter. I don't grow tired of hearing about your home town, despite your seeming reluctance to keep writing of it. You said you were afraid that I would soon be bored of reading about it, but you must remember that I have never traveled. Any description of a new place interests me, therefore keep telling me about Tuscany. I enjoy your accounts immensely, especially because I feel like I know you more when you do.
I'm afraid I must keep this letter short. A new series of events has unfolded before me and I now find myself about to leave for the city. Apparently, my brother wants me to move about in the world more and to meet new people. So, it's off to the city I go. I fear this might stunt our correspondence, but if you still want to write to me, you can send your letters to the address enclosed in this letter. I do hope we can still write to one another. Please don't feel that just because I've left town, that means I don't want to hear from you. I still want full accounts of what mishaps the maids fall into, or what talk goes around the town.
Hopefully I will receive a reply from you soon! Until then, I remain,
Ever Yours,
Elise Zwingli
.
Feliciano sighed. So it was true. It had been talked of that Miss Edelstein was taking someone with her into the city this winter. He thought he'd heard it was to be Elise, but he hadn't been sure if that really was the case, since he'd heard of this by word of mouth. Now it was certain, however: Elise would be gone for a good four months. He hoped she would be all right. He knew from her letters that she often grew sick when it was colder out. Would she do well in the city? He couldn't help but worry about the whole thing.
He glanced over the letter again. She had mentioned she worried that they wouldn't be able to write to one another. He supposed that she would be busy, meeting new people, even other men. That was probably the main reason why her brother wanted to her to go the city, he figured. A small frown appeared on his face. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy over any man that would meet Elise. He wouldn't be there to distract and charm her. What if she fell in love with someone in the city?
"The only thing to do is to keep writing to her," he muttered. "I might still be in her thoughts if I do."
He perused the letter for the address she had written down for him. His face was set determinedly. She wanted him to write to her and he didn't want to give her up to another man (even if it was out of his place to think that way), so he would write to her. A cheeky smile spread over his face then. Perhaps he was being reckless and foolish to pursue her, but he didn't care.