Trapped!

Chapter 4 – Visits and Farewells

Elizabeth had been married a week.

Her husband was working in the officers in Berlin, but she knew soon he would be sent out to the Western Front to be a field commander. He had studied well at Oesnabrueck and was to be an asset to the Reich.

Elizabeth had moved into the officer's married housing area in the same compound as where Heinrich worked. She took the time, making it a home.

Her husband came home and took her to the shooting range. Hardly a romantic venue, but he wanted to teach her to fire a weapon. It would be protection for herself and others.

She fired at the target and he had been amused to note that she was a better shot than he was. She explained she hunted grouse and other such birds on her father's estates. They then had a friendly competition to see who would win.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth won and he had to take her to a lovely restaurant as her compensation for winning. Could have been far worse he supposed and it led to a wonderful night of passionate love making.

She was a most willing and active participant in his seemingly endless variations on the theme. Sometimes he was gentle, sometimes he was not, but either way he was as much a master of the bedroom as he was the master of the troops he commanded.

She came to the field camp and had met Captain Dieter Mueller. Mueller was a red haired man who was a kind soul. He respected her in ways few did, speaking to her, working on his English, and finding her humor something he enjoyed.

Her husband did not mind her with his second, knowing he would keep her safe and the man had enough honor not to seduce the girl. Mueller was from Cologne where he had been a university professor. Now he was a captain and served under her husband.

She liked him and when she came to the camp she often would spend hours talking with him to improve his English. He was escorting her home when an Allied bombing raid started. He pulled her against a building, holding her between the wall and himself as the sirens wailed.

She cried out as one hit across the street on a house and sent brick shards and dust everywhere. He protected her and after a few moments, he pulled her to the safety of the officer flats. There they went to the basement to hideout.

The baron was there, startled to see them coming in a little dirty as he rocked a baby, the child of another officer whose wife was trying to sooth the toddler she held. The baby was fussing, but the baron hummed softly, calming it, even as something hit close enough to jar their sanctum.

Mueller smiled as he sat waiting.

One of the wives had brought food since it promised to be a long night. None of them could move until the all clear. After the baby slept, the baron and Mueller began to play a game of cards. Lizzy sat beside them, shivering.

She was tired and the baron smiled, patting a cushion between them. Her head dropped and she was soon asleep, drowning out the voices, the faint sirens, and everything else as her husband looked after her.

ZzZ

Manfred and Michael came to visit their father and new step mother. The pair had been married more than a month and that was pleasing to the Rheingarten sons. Their father was training enlisted men in the camps outside the town, but always returned to his wife.

Both were in the Luftwaffe on different planes. Manfred was a navigator and his brother was a pilot. Together they had successfully bombed enemy targets several times.

Both were pleased to see their father happy with another woman. Their mother had died and though they missed her and loved her, as their father had, they were finding their new step mother was a blessing for them all.

Manfred especially bonded with his new younger step mother. Heinrich was pleased to see his two young sons with her. Neither seemed to be bitter about him remarrying, and in fact seemed to be taking steps to assure him that was not the case.

They danced with her. Dined with her. Told her stories. They even found her flowers somewhere.

Heinrich had spoken to them about how proud they he was of them and he hoped they would continue to be a good asset to the Reich. Michael had a girl, whose picture he had. He had shown his new mother who had smiled at him in delight.

It was then that Elizabeth realized she was part step sister and part step mother due to her age. She was between them in age and she playfully enjoyed their antics. Heinrich allowed it, knowing it was in good fun and to see all three of them smiling was a blessing.

The pair returned to their duties only two days later.

Heinrich was to be sent to the Western Front to be a military leader. He had heard rumor of them going to take the Channel Islands in order to have a place for the planes to land between bomb runs. However, they had to challenge the army there in residence and take them over as a strategic land holding for the Reich.

She said her goodbyes, kissing him, and watching his men match away to the rest as she stood with her mother.

Saying goodbye to him was likely the hardest thing she had ever done.

As he disappeared from view she lifted her chin.

She was the Baroness von Rheingarten.

And now she was alone.

ZzZ

Elizabeth sighed as she danced.

The endless parties in the capital were getting exhausting. She had loved it at first, but now it felt like more of a chore. Her mother was busy flirting with every available officer of note while Elizabeth danced with several of them.

None of them had her husband's charm or presence.

She would often have functions she went to with other officer wives, but that was often dull, though at least her aunt was there. Nina was a God send and when she was bored or wanted to leave, she claimed she needed to lie down due to her pregnancy.

Everyone felt such pity for her and naturally Elizabeth was needed to help her manage to get home. Once clear of the group of women, they often would laugh and walk arm in arm to somewhere for gelalto or something of that nature. As a Baroness, Elizabeth had more rank than most in the room, which was one of the reasons she was invited to such functions since she was a newcomer to the scene much like her aunt also being a Countess and she was the highest ranking on the social ladder of the women there.

It was still early summer, but already it was very warm.

She missed Heinrich terribly.

He had been gone about a month when she was having tea with her uncle, Colonel von Stauffenberg and his wife Nina. Elizabeth had been feeling off all day, but she sat, listening to them talking about the war. Her uncle now wore an eye patch after he lost an eye to shrapnel from a bomb.

Nina was visibly pregnant with her third child and was sipping her tea as she looked at Elizabeth looking out the window.

"Lizzy. Bis du Krank oder?"

Elizabeth turned back. "No. I am well." She smiled and sipped her tea.

Her uncle Claus then spoke about a gala with Nina. Elizabeth set her tea cup down and rose to her feet feeling a need to stretch her legs. She rose and then took a couple steps. She felt warm all over and then suddenly very cold and her legs buckled.

She reached out to stop her fall and catch herself, but missed the table all together and fell to the earth in a heap. Her uncle rolled her onto her back, touching her face, calling her name as he tapped her cheek lightly. Lizzy was not wholly unconscious, but she hurt a little and looked about confused.

The Colonel spoke to his wife and then shifted, bringing the younger woman up in his arms. He held her close and Nina moved forward, opening the doors. The Colonel laid Elizabeth down in a guest bedroom and gently touched her face.

Nina sat beside her, holding her hand as her husband went to fetch a doctor. Elizabeth drifted asleep, but woke to her uncle returning with an army doctor with him. The doctor, who was a captain by his uniform, gently nodded for the Count and Countess to leave.

He looked Elizabeth over and smiled kindly. He patted her hand.

"What is it doctor?" She asked him.

"Alles gute." He told her. "Sie sind schwanger. Sie brachen etwas gemuese and oebst." He said kindly. He walked to the door and opened it. He smiled at the Colonel and his wife who looked out of sorts. He spoke to them and the Colonel straightened and then smiled. Nina grinned and walked to Lizzy's side.

"How are you?" She asked in English.

"Tired. Hungry."

"We shall see to that."

"What did he say? What is "schwanger"? And why must I eat more vegetables and fruit?"

Nina smiled and touched her brow affectionately. "When was your last bleeding?"

The girl gasped. "What? Why? I..." She stopped and blinked. "Two months ago."

Her aunt nodded. "And your breasts. They ache."

"Yes." Elizabeth said. "How did you know?"

Nina smiled patiently. "Because, meine liebe. You are also pregnant."

"What?" Elizabeth asked sitting up a little. She blinked. "Really?"

Nina smiled and nodded. She embraced her niece as Elizabeth started to cry. Heinrich's parting gift. He had made her pregnant.

She pulled back and wiped her eyes as she smiled and touched her belly. "I never thought..."

Nina smiled and rose to her feet. "I will bring you some soup. When you feel up to it, come to the table or I can bring it here."

"I will go." Elizabeth smiled. "How did Uncle Claus take it?"

"He is happy." Nina said.

Elizabeth sighed.

ZzZ

Elizabeth was sitting in the main room reading. The children had gone to bed and Claus was there working on some paperwork as Nina sat reading also by the firelight.

There was commotion at the door and suddenly it opened to reveal Elizabeth's mother. She looked about. "Why the hell was I not told?!" She growled at her brother.

Elizabeth gasped and looked at her uncle.

Claus looked at Elizabeth and winked before rising and lifting his hands. "Alles Gute. Wir warten auf dich." He smiled.

Her mother hissed and walked to the girl. "This is wonderful news Lizzy." she smiled. "A baby will give you power. You carry a German baby. You are safe now. Completely."

Elizabeth looked at her mother. "Was I not before?"

"No. You were a half English little git who needed to be married off." She said. "But now you are and the baby will be part of the Reich."

I made a face and rose to my feet. "I wish I had not part of this hateful war."

She blinked. "If there wasn't a war, then you would still be unmarried."

"Better than having my husband away while I carry his baby." I snapped back.

Nina blinked and rose to her feet. "Lizzy." She said softly.

"What? I miss him. Uncle Claus is here. Why can't he be?" Lizzy growled and then turned and stomped off to a bedroom to rest.

The Colonel was about to follow her when his wife held up her hand and shook her head. Her mother looked at her brother. "I have let her be around your uppity wife too much of late. She no longer listens to reason."

Nina looked at her sister-in-law. "Perhaps it is because you no longer know how to be civil." She said.

"I am perfectly..."

"Leave. Do you not have a dining date with Colonel Koenigberg?" Nina asked.

"Lizzy needs to be looked after. Worry will not be good for..."

Claus stepped forward. "She is being well looked after here."

"Why is she here?"

"She has been lonely." Nina said.

"She had better become used to it with her husband on the front."

Claus folded his arms. "I wish I could see my sister, not this cold hearted self important bitch who has taken her place."

Konstanze looked up in surprise. "What?"

"You heard me." He said stepping to her. "Go and enjoy your date. I hope you find a new husband soon so you will remember that your priorities should be family first."

"Well I never." She straightened as if he had slapped her. "Tell her I expect her home when I get there this evening."

"She may stay here if she wishes. She is an adult now, married to an officer of the Reich. You no longer can keep her on a leash." Nina said.

Konstanze drew herself up. "You have been nothing, but trouble for this family since you married into it."

"Sister!" Claus barked gaining her attention. "Leave."

Elizabeth's mother hissed and then left the home. Nina looked at her husband as he took a breath. "Good husband."

"She needs to marry rather than be wine and dined by the upper officers. She has too swollen a head as to her power and it will harm her soon."

"I have no doubt." Nina said.

From the stairs, Lizzy had been listening and she had watched her mother leave. She smiled. For the first time in her life she was in control of what she did, and that was a glorious feeling.