Chapter Seventeen: Elisabeth

Victor

Elisabeth is closing the last of our bags. To my consternation, it looks as if she has packed for a week, not a few days. The children rush at us, arms flung open. After kissing their Mother again, they turn to me and I hug them close. "Be good for the staff."

I lead Elisabeth out to the stable to our waiting carriage.

"Victor?" She has stopped, glancing inside the stable. "Who is that man?"

Damn it. She's seen Brettele. "Just a man passing through. I told him he could spend the night in the stable."

She smiles. "That was kind, Victor." Grasping my hand, she starts to step up into the carriage. "Oh, I've forgotten something."

"Elisabeth you've brought enough with us. You won't need anything else."

She blinks at me and glances around continuing in a low voice. "It's what I got from the midwife."

"All right." I watch her hurry back to the sanitarium.

Thomas

I've been keeping watch over Victor and Elisabeth. They've retreated to the stable, but now she has suddenly turned and come back to the building.

I leave my room, hastily making my way to the conservatory. Arriving, I see Frau Radmacher has been checking on their progress as well. She sends me a warning glance and I hang back out of view.

Elisabeth enters and goes to the Frau. "There's a strange man in the stable," she says.

"We know," the Frau replies. "He's an army marksman. The gossip is already going around the village. He has been brought here by Victor."

Elisabeth becomes very still. "No. You're wrong."

"Hurry," the Frau admonishes her. "Get you gone from here. Therese and Michael left last night."

I understand now that Elisabeth does not comprehend the depth of Victor's obsession with destroying Michael. As a stone tossed into a pond sends out waves, Victor's actions send out repercussions that touch us all. With a deep sense of foreboding, I watch the carriage leave at last.

Michael

Today, we ascend to the top of one of the high ridges. Walking along, I tell Therese, "We'll meet Thomas across the border in Fierney Volatire. He is to leave there on the 12th. We then go on to Moulins on the 14th, Poitiers until the 18th, Nantes for a day, and on to Le Havré on the 21rst."

I go over the cities and dates while she repeats them back to me. "If for some reason we are separated, I have put the money into your pack. I want you to meet up with Thomas."

"What about you?" She slows her steps.

"Not to worry, little wife. I know the schedule as well. I'd find you."

We stop at the top of the ridge. I point out the directions down the other side of the face into France to her. She has looked back over her shoulder. "What is over there?" She is looking south towards Italy.

"That is the top of the glacier. They call it the Sea of Ice. It leads to Chamonix on the other side. It's too dangerous to go across. Ice avalanches have been known to bury entire forests and villages."

Victor

We arrive in time for the evening meal at the Chalet. The dinner is well prepared and the staff leaves us alone to enjoy it. I carry up a bottle and two glasses with me as I follow Elisabeth back to our room.

Arriving, I see she is behind the screen, changing her clothing. I pour the wine, and sit on the bed. She appears wearing a gown I purchased for her. It is pale lavender silk. Bearing children has thickened her form, but I find it more attractive than ever. I love her pale hair down on her shoulders.

We sit together and sip our wine. I stroke her thigh through her gown. "Do you remember our honeymoon?"

She sighs softly. "Yes. I danced until I was dizzy."

Kissing her neck, I run my fingers between the ribbons that cross the bodice. She breaths softly, turning her head. Her hair teases my face. My questing fingers find her warm full flesh; I make circles around her nipple until it peaks under my fingers. She turns her face to mine and I kiss her deeply.

I take the glass away from her and place both of them on the table near the bed. "Were you happy when we married?"

She leans back on her elbows. "Yes Victor. You know I have always loved you."

"And I have always loved you, Elisabeth. Since the day my Mother brought you to live with us, you have always been mine."

Her blue eyes are so bright. "Your Father was so happy that day."

"I remember the pride on his face. His children at last married." I also remember his sadness. "He wanted so badly for us to be happy. Since William was murdered."

I move my hand to touch my wife. She doesn't respond. "What is wrong, Elisabeth?"

She is looking at me with a saddened expression. "Victor. You remember. William drowned."

Something is wrong. Elisabeth has never lied to me. I do not understand why she should fabricate such a statement now. "What?"

"He drowned Victor. Your Father and I found the body." Her eyes are large as she speaks to me. The rise and fall of her breast seems shallow. She swallows thickly.

Shaking my head I pull away from her. "No. The fiend who killed my brother was never found."

She sits up, curling her hands in her lap. Elisabeth fidgets. It is the singular most distracting thing that I have not been able to break her of. She flashes an awkward smile. "Of course, Darling." She reaches for the fly on my trousers. I capture her hand. My arousal has left me. She is attempting to distract me.

"Elisabeth, you are lying to me."

"No, Darling." Her voice is sincere but her eyes avoid mine.

I snatch her hair and pull her face towards mine. "Liar!" She flinches away from me. "Who has been talking to you? Therese? Astrid?"

"No Victor!" Tears fill her eyes. "We were on the blanket on the bank of the lake. William chased after his boat and fell in. We were making love and didn't hear him."

No. "You lying bitch." I yank her up off the bed by her hair. The fear on her face tells me all I need to know. "He told you that didn't he."

Her eyes grow larger, and I slap her. She sputters and puts her hands in front of her face. Grabbing handfuls of the gown I give it a viscous yank, tearing it off of her shoulders. "He told you didn't he!"

As she cowers before me, my eyes rake her body. "No wonder you didn't want me in your bed. Did you spread your legs for him as well? You were on the blanket by the lake while my brother drowned."

"No, Victor," her voice is pleading.

"He said he'd take my wife." I shove her away from me. "How could you betray me?"

"I've never betrayed you. I love you!" She reaches for my arm. She clings to my shirt.

"What else have you lied about?" I catch her shoulders and shake her, my face inches from hers.

"Nothing, Victor," she protests.

I cannot stomach the sickening lies that will pour from her pretty mouth. My hands encircle her throat. Her hands claw at mine but I am stronger. She tries to pull away and bumps into the table by the bed.

I feel a slashing pain in my cheek. She has picked up one of our wine glasses and has broken it on my face. Clutching at my torn cheek, she wrenches from my grasp and runs for the door. I am a few strides behind her as she heads for the stairs.

Catching at her gown, I pull her back to me. One stiff arm pushes off of my chest and she leans backwards.

For a moment she hovers in the air. Her hair a bright halo around her face, she floats away from me. She turns and pitches downward.

There is a sickening thud when she at last hits the floor at the base of the stairs. I stare at my wife's face. Her head is twisted to one side, the neck broken.

I rush to her. Cradling her body, I find her hand and slip off the wedding ring. "Elisabeth!"

They find me with her still warm corpse. A man is dispatched to the village with a description of the fiend who killed my wife.

I've waited too long. He finally found her.

Now it is my turn to rob him of his happiness as he has done to me.

Thomas

It is nearly noon, and those of us who have counted the hours since Therese and Michael departed are taking in a relaxed meal. Astrid has come out to join us, sitting beside Herr Dirnegg at the table. She does not speak but listens intently to every word from the Herr.

Our conversation is interrupted as someone comes through the dinning room looking for Frau Radmacher. She glances sharply at the servant and then to me. Something has gone wrong.

I back away from the table quickly, excusing myself. I turn my eyes to the Frau as Herr Dirnegg notices my movements. He turns to speak to Astrid in Austrian. She gets up quickly, and comes to push my chair for me.

We arrive at the conservatory door as Victor stands by a wagon. Two of the men from the Sanitarium are lifting something in a roll of tarp. Victor's face is cut; he stands in the same clothing that he left in. Elisabeth is no where in sight.

Looking at the way the two men lift the object, I realize it is a body. "My God."

Astrid's hands move on the back of the chair and she leans forward to look closely. "He's hurt Elisabeth?" She asks. Her voice sounds strained.

"Astrid, I think he has killed her."

Before I can warn her, she pushes past my chair and throws open the doors with a stiff arm. She's making a straight line towards Victor who has followed the men into the barn.

I cannot get out through the conservatory door without assistance. My wheels will become stuck on the bottom ledge along the ground. I turn my chair and start heading for the front door, shouting for the Frau. She arrives shortly and I turn to tell her, "Astrid's gone to follow Victor."

"What's happened?"

"He brought back a body."

I don't need to say more, the Frau is rushing towards the barn.