C11 Chapter 11

Christiania was a cold and hostile city to come home to when you were tired and frozen stiff after having bumped along on a driver’s seat for so long. Frosty mist rose from the black water in Pipervika and the air was so nippy and foggy along the dark streets, where far too few lights tried in vain to spread some light. The generous light and warmth at Elistrand seemed a hazy, lovely dream for Elisabet.

She virtually staggered along because she was so tired and frozen. Besides, for a young girl to be out on her own so late at night was not particularly nice; fortunately there were not many people out as the autumn had now turned cold.

She was genuinely relieved when Dr Hansen’s coach and horses stopped next to her. He had been out on his house calls and offered to drive her home. Elisabet accepted shamelessly, even though she only had a short distance to walk. It seemed that Dr Hansen was more than happy to drive her to the house.

“You’re right. Miss Karin interests me not only as a patient but also as a person,” he admitted. “The way in which – without a moment’s hesitation – she welcomed the baby girl proves that in the middle of her self-absorption, your employer has a heart of gold.”

“Yes, her self-centredness has virtually disappeared.”

“Yes, yes,” he murmured. “They have all missed you, Miss Paladin. You seem to have made yourself indispensable to everyone.”

“Do you think so?” Elisabet said, blushing with happiness. “Is everything in the house as it should be?”

“Yes, I was summoned yesterday because the baby had a bit of a cold and poor Karin was, of course, nearly out of her mind. I managed to make her relax and afterwards I took her for a drive in my coach.”

“That was awfully nice of you. I’m sure she felt better for it.”

“I’m also glad that I had the chance to observe her a bit more closely,” the doctor mumbled. “Her mental state seems much livelier than it was the first time I met her.”

“Yes, don’t you agree?”

“I took her for a spin outside town and up into the hills. A spot of country air can work wonders. She was absolutely fascinated by the beautiful estate up there – Lekenes. She wanted to go up there again.”

Elisabet pondered what Dr Hansen had just said. Should she say no, for goodness sake don’t take Karin to that place again. Vemund doesn’t want her to meet anybody from Lekenes. They are the Tark Family, you see. And as you know, she mustn’t know that he is also a Tark. He, Vemund, was the reason why she became so mentally ill – he doesn’t want to say in what way. The name Tark may trigger some haunting memories. You must keep her away from Lekenes. Before she spoke, Elisabet would have to ask Vemund for permission. Perhaps he wouldn’t like anyone else to be involved.

She asked: “Did anybody see her?”

Dr Hansen answered: “I don’t think so. We got out of the coach but we didn’t walk up to the house.”

“But people could see you from the windows?” she asked.

“Probably but ... Why do you ask?” Dr Hansen said.

“I just wondered whether the people at Lekenes would get in touch with Karin,” Elisabet said vaguely. “She comes from just such an environment and it could reopen the old wounds. Anyway, this is what Vemund says and I have no reason to doubt his words.”

Dr Hansen pondered this for a while. “Something strange occurred as we were on our way back to town. A coach drove up behind us and we waited to let it pass but it didn’t.”

“How long did it follow you?”

“I don’t know because later on we forgot all about the incident. I must say that I would like to know a bit more about all the mystery surrounding Karin and what lies behind her illness.”

Elisabet muttered: “So would I.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you.”

Elisabet became eager. “Well, yes, you can help me now! You meet so many people ... Do you know a Miss Spitze? It’s vital that I meet her.”

Dr Hansen’s grey goatee was silhouetted against a street lamp. “Miss Spitze? I can’t say that I ...”

Elisabet added: “She’s German. She helps some congregation here in Christiania. Benevolent work or something along those lines.”

“Ah, well then I know who it is! I’ve met her.”

Elisabet tried to move her toes inside her boots but she felt so frozen. She nodded, her teeth chattering, when she got the address of the church and the congregation that Miss Spitze belonged to. By now they had reached the house and did not have time to finish their conversation. Elisabet asked Dr Hansen to come in because she intuitively felt that this was what he wanted. He hesitated for a moment and then entered the house with her.

Never before had Elisabet stepped into such a wonderful atmosphere. She was frozen, hungry and tired – but as soon as she was in the small hall she brightened up when she smelled fresh-baked bread. Mrs Vaagen and Mrs Aakerstrøm were laying the table for supper in the dining room and the light was soft from the candles on the table. Karin walked down the stairs, bidding them welcome, and the best thing of all was that Vemund was there!

She tried in vain to hide a smile of genuine happiness. Because of the cold weather it was a stiff one, yet it could not be mistaken.

“Look at the time,” Vemund said vehemently. “Where have you been?”

“At home at Elistrand,” was Elisabet’s brief reply.

“I’m glad you came,” Karin chirped. “Vemund has been so worried about you ...”

She chatted away without paying attention to the angry look in Vemund’s eyes. “We were just about to have a meeting over supper about the christening, and Mrs Vaagen and Mrs Aakerstrøm have been busy baking cakes and bread. Wasn’t that nice of them? Dr Hansen, it’s so nice to see you.”

Elisabet merely stood there, taking it all in. “How is little Sofie Magdalene?” she asked as Vemund helped her off with her coat. She noted a swift brush on her arm, which, strictly speaking, was not necessary.

“Yes, the little mite is breathing a bit more easily now,” Karin replied. “We’ve applied a compress on her chest and we lit a fire in the stove, everything according to Dr Hansen’s instructions.”

“You’re quite blue with cold,” Vemund said sternly to Elisabet. “How did that happen?”

She spoke about the powdered ladies in the coach – she was just about to mention Holmestrand – but fortunately managed to stop herself in time.

Vemund chafed her hands. While the others were preoccupied in the dining room, he told her: “I met Lillebror at the office today. His mother wants you to go up to Lekenes on Saturday. They’re holding their annual party for the great and good. Now they want to introduce you as a margravine and the daughter of a prince and goodness knows what.”

“This is absolutely crazy. I’m not the daughter of a prince!”

They laughed reluctantly at the thought of the robust down-to-earth farmer, Ulf Paladin of the Ice People, being a prince.

“I’m so glad that you’re back,” Vemund said quietly.

“Thank you,” Elisabet said as gently as she could. “I’m so happy to see you here.”

He stood behind her and put his cheek against her hair for a long, wonderful moment.

“Do I have to go to Lekenes next Sunday?” Elisabet asked.

“I think so,” was Vemund’s reply.

“Do I really need to go through with this, marrying a man I don’t want? Living a whole life with him?”

“I thought you liked Lillebror,” Vemund said, wounded on behalf of his brother.

“I prefer his brother,” Elisabet said bluntly and walked into the dining room to join the others.

He followed after her, hissing into her ear: “His brother isn’t available. Not to any woman. He intends to take his own sorrows and leave.”

“No,” Elisabet whispered back with clenched teeth as she pressed her nails into his hands.

Karin shouted: “Now we’re ready. Do come and sit down!”

The meal was a success to begin with, nice and cosy with a blissfully happy Karin and two jolly, polite gentlemen. Elisabet was allowed to sit with her back to the stove and felt she was beginning to feel warm all over, right down to her frozen fingers, which had been so cold that she was unable to pick up one of the fresh-baked rye cakes. Mrs Vaagen and Mrs Aakerstrøm were allowed to sit at the table, and although the latter looked disapproving they could see that she was having a good time as well.

Now and again Mrs Vaagen looked into the room where Sofie Magdalene was fast asleep.

Everything was nice and calm and everybody was having a good time.

But then, all of a sudden, the blissful atmosphere changed. It was when the baby began to whimper, and the whimpering turned into loud screams. Some of the ladies went in to calm her because she did not normally cry at this hour. They moved the cot into the dining room and began to rock it so much that even the most experienced sailor would have felt extremely uncomfortable.

It worked. The baby quietened and the others were able to continue their conversation once more, accompanied now by the soft creaks of the cot.

Suddenly they discovered that Miss Karin was no longer quite so happy. She was sniffing and wiping away tears and she had gone very quiet. Her narrow face was red around the nose and eyes. Elisabet asked her gently what the matter was.

Miss Karin tried to smile. “Oh, I’m just being stupid,” she whined. “I’m so happy, so very happy.”

Now the tears began to pour uncontrollably down her cheeks.

Dr Hansen said: “Being happy can certainly make a person cry.”

Karin said: “Yes, what’s become of my life? What have I spent it on? I was young and beautiful and look at me now! When I look at myself in the mirror, I see an old witch!”

Everybody protested eagerly. They assured her that she was definitely not a witch but a sweet, fine lady.

Elisabet, who from time to time could say something really smart, explained: “Many people say exactly the same as you, Karin. ‘What’s become of my life? What have I spent it on?’ And this despite the fact that they’ve lived it all the time and have had the opportunity to build a meaningful life for themselves. You’re very much excused. You’ve been seriously ill – you realize that now, don’t you? You ought to be grateful that you’re now very much on the mend!”

Vemund shuddered. His greatest fear was that Karin would recover.

“I’ve grown so old,” Karin moaned.

Vemund pulled himself together and tried to help. “Forty-five. You’ve got half your life left together with Sofie Magdalene.”

“And us,” Elisabet added. “We will always be your friends and help you whenever you need it.”

The others nodded. Even Mrs Aakerstrøm, who had always regarded Karin with suspicion, looked brusquely determined.

“But I’m so frightened!” Karin said.

Dr Hansen took her hand, which comforted her.

“You’re so nice and so kind,” she sobbed. “But even so I feel so stupid, which is stupid of me, I know it is, but nevertheless ...”

“We’re not contradicting you,” Elisabet said. “We can never get rid of our inner loneliness no matter how many friends we have. Anyway, I think we can just about understand what it feels like not to have firm ground under your feet.”

“That is precisely how I feel,” Karin said, wiping her nose with a lace handkerchief that was just as dainty and thin as she was. I also know that there’s someone or something I ought to know. But I don’t think I want to know.”

“All you need to think about is Sofie Magdalene,” Vemund said. “And us, of course. We’ve brushed your former life under the carpet.”

Karin brightened up slightly and somewhat nervously, but Elisabet felt that the comparison was not particularly appropriate. Sooner or later, what was brushed under the carpet would come out.

Suddenly Mrs Vaagen let out a loud yell.

“Somebody was at the window!”

The men – and Elisabet, who would never learn that she was supposed to be a weak and protected woman – jumped up. The thick curtains were drawn but there was a small opening between them. Mrs Vaagen pulled the curtains together and then they seized the cot and the women hurried upstairs. The three others were already out in the back yard.

It was pitch dark outside and on that side of the house there were a lot of small, neglected gardens. They heard the footsteps of someone who was swearing and moaning as he fought his way through the tangled shrubs. Vemund was far ahead of the others. It sounded as if he would overtake the fleeing person, who had a pretty good start. But the darkness was in favour of the peeping Tom.

Vemund came back. “Either he found a hiding place in one of the hedges or else he’s lying low somewhere. I can’t do anything in this darkness.”

“Then I’ll go in and tell the ladies not to worry,” Dr Hansen said.

“Yes, please do! Elisabet: I found this on a low-hanging branch and a moment before I heard the sound of clothing being torn. It seems to be a strap. I’ll bring it inside. You shouldn’t be out here, it might be dangerous! I don’t want anything to happen to you!”

“No,” she said wryly. “You would prefer to hand me to your brother in one piece.”

“That wasn’t what I meant and you know it perfectly well,” Vemund said angrily, leading her indoors. “But if you want to put it like that, then ... I suppose you’re right.”

Vemund and Elisabet stood in the hall looking at the strap. It was of gold brocade.

Elisabet said: “Where did I see this pattern recently?”

“I’ll tell you,” Vemund said. “It’s my dear cousin Mandrup Svendsen’s gaudy waistcoat.”

“You’re absolutely right. What was he doing here?” Elisabet asked.

Vemund added: “More importantly, how did he find this place?”

Elisabet repeated what Dr Hansen had told her in the coach about the trip that he and Karin had taken up to Lekenes. And about the coach that might have followed them down towards Christiania.

Vemund had turned noticeably pale. “Karin must never ever go to Lekenes! This is our fault because we haven’t been careful and haven’t given the others proper instructions. But if they got out of the coach up there where Dr Hansen said, nobody could possibly have seen them from the windows at Lekenes. Besides, how would anybody be able to recognize Karin after so many years and at such a distance? It could very well be Mandrup Svendsen who followed your coach in order to see who it was who stopped by the gate. We don’t know. I think I’m the one he followed this evening. He hardly knows Karin.”

“You? What for?” Elisabet said quickly.

Vemund looked up and her heart immediately began to beat harder. The mere fact that he looked at her! How stupid I am, Elisabet thought. Is this how you behave when you’re in love?

Vemund answered her. He did not seem to notice her uncritical adoration. “Because he’s looking for something scandalous or something very grave to say about me and my morals. You see, now he’s fighting for his life.”

“What do you mean?”

“While you were away, I went over the company’s accounts. I don’t even want to talk about what I found. I’ve been far too indifferent to what was happening in the office. But today I reported him to the authorities.”

“So now he wants to reveal a piquant little scandal about your mistress in order to destroy your credibility?”

“I would imagine so.”

“Unless ... Vemund ... surely he won’t go about things more drastically?”

Vemund registered Elisabet’s anxious voice. “You mean, get rid of a troublesome partner? He can try, but not until Karin and Lillebror are safe.”

Elisabet began to beat Vemund on his chest with her clenched fists. “I’ve told you, haven’t I, that you mustn’t speak like that! Doesn’t it mean anything to you that you make me unhappy? Are Karin and Lillebror the only ones who mean anything to you?”

Vemund grabbed her hands. He had a very serious, almost sad, yearning expression in his eyes. But before he had time to say anything, they were both summoned from inside the house. They went up to the agitated women, whom Dr Hansen had managed to soothe somewhat.

“Mrs Vaagen,” Vemund said. “Did you see the man?”

“All I saw was a pair of staring eyes. And a round face.”

“How many of us do you think he saw?”

“The opening between the curtains was very narrow,” Mrs Vaagen said hesitantly. “So I would think he probably didn’t see anybody except me. Oh, and Mrs Aakerstrøm, of course.”

Dr Hansen nodded. “That’s right. Miss Karin and Mr Vemund were sitting with their backs to the window. Miss Elisabet and I were too far to the side of the table.”

Elisabet asked: “Could he have heard our voices?”

Vemund replied: “No, the house has thick walls and double-glazed windows.”

Mrs Aakerstrøm shuddered: “Now I certainly don’t dare to walk home this evening.”

It was decided that Dr Hansen would drive her home. Vemund was to stay with the women in the house overnight. Mrs Vaagen made a bed for him on the sofa in the living room. Then everybody felt safe and secure. Elisabet had banned Vemund from going up to his house. For his own sake. Her consideration touched him. It was a wonderful feeling knowing that he was lying in the dining room. Elisabet found it difficult to drop off to sleep because of that. If there had not been so many others in the house, she might have tiptoed in and sat on the edge of his bed. Only to talk, of course.

Vemund was faring far worse. He tossed and turned on the much too small sofa, wishing that he had some schnapps to help him fall asleep. He had not been drinking since Elisabet found him so drunk and he had no intention of doing so again. He had put an end to that bad habit. It was impossible to drown your sorrows, because they would still be there when you woke up and you would be feeling awful as well. If only his private problems had not been an absolute nightmare for him all through the night.

What am I to do, he thought as he lay there, staring at the ceiling with his eyes wide open. I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. Help Lillebror and Karin get good lives and then put an end to my own. Be rid of that horror, that troubles me and makes me sick. But now ... He turned on his side, moaning quietly to himself.

Lillebror ... Elisabet is definitely the right person for him. Without doubt. He needs a strong and independent woman by his side and he needs to get away from Lekenes. Elisabet can make him into what I never managed to accomplish: turn him in to a dominant personality, a man with a strong will. Lillebror ... whom I always took care of when we were young, helping him to look presentable and covering up for the stupid things he did. He and I were close as brothers. How many times have we not walked hand in hand as he chatted away. I always had to be there to take the worst punishment when he had done something stupid. I had to try to make that incredibly spoilt boy into a tough, self-assured person. At times, he and I were spoilt. At other times, we were neglected.

Lillebror who cried because he wasn’t allowed to join me on a boating trip. Lillebror who cheated at school, who seduced one of the servant girls while he was still a child. Goodness, the things I had to cover up for or solve for him. Now I must help him once more in the most difficult dilemma of our lives. But he mustn’t know about it.

Oh, God, what am I supposed to do? A few days ago, death was the only thing that tempted me. And now I’ve promised Lillebror to ... No, I can’t stand it. I just can’t! I wish him the very best, but I won’t allow him to take away the only thing I’ve ever wanted! I don’t want to die after all but I have to! Because I can’t rid myself of the thought of what I’m to be blamed for. It will be hell if Karin recovers and is able to remember that horrific event.

Vemund jumped out of bed and went rapidly towards the door to Elisabet’s bedroom. Please let me finally have the only one I wish for most of all! She who is almost my twin sister. We are so much alike. We’re soulmates. Just once – and then I can die.

He stopped with his hand on the door handle. No, I can’t possibly make these two that I love so much suffer even more. I’m the one who stands outside. I’m the one who must die for their and my own sake.

However, there’s a matter that I need to attend to first of all: Mandrup and his peculiar manipulations of the company finances. I have notified the authorities. I can’t disappear yet.

Vemund used his cousin’s fraud as a pretext to see Elisabet again. To be close to her. To hear her voice, feel her aura. To be allowed to yearn.

The following morning, Elisabet insisted on following Vemund up to his house. She wanted to see whether villains were hiding in the shrubs, as she put it. Vemund walked next to her without saying a word, feeling intense despair in his soul. Because he longed so much for her, he could not even look at her. It seemed to intensify with every minute. Good God, how is all this to end? he thought.

Even from a distance, Vemund and Elisabet could see that somebody was waiting by the house. Vemund said: “Lillebror.”

Elisabet blurted: “Damn,” and Vemund gave her a stern glance. She thought agitatedly that Vemund wanted her to like his brother but that was something she wanted to decide for herself.

“Heavens, Vemund,” Lillebror began to say. “Don’t tell me that you’ve spent the night in the house of my future bride? If that’s the case, then ...”

Vemund interrupted him: “Oh, shut up with your nonsense. What do you want?” He did not want to sound so brusque. But Lillebror merely mocked him. “If I may be allowed to borrow my bride, our dear mother would like to exchange a few words with Elisabet about her dress for this coming Saturday. There’s to be a fancy-dress ball precisely in the spirit of the Royal Court.”

“With masks?” Vemund said sharply. “That can be dangerous!”

Lillebror replied: “No, Mother won’t allow that. Not since the evening when some thieves sneaked in. But she wants Elisabet to wear something really nice and elegant. Will you come?” Lillebror asked Elisabet.

She felt ill at ease and tried to seek help from Vemund, but he was silent and glum the way he had been all that morning. During their walk, she had been unable to get a single sensible word out of him. She merely sighed quietly and nodded to Lillebror. She would be there – but she flatly refused to wear a silly fancy dress. Now Mrs Tark would be allowed to whet her claws on another strong personality: Elisabet Paladin of the Ice People!

On their way through the groves, the forest and the park, she and Lillebror spoke about subjects she deliberately introduced into the conversation.

Lillebror sighed: “Well, yes. Vemund has changed an awful lot. I remember him as a wonderfully sweet and kind older brother I could always turn to with my small troubles. Our childhood was blissful. We worshipped our mother as if she had been sent from heaven. Father was always so understanding and had time for us. Then, all of a sudden, Vemund changed and moved away from home. Poor Mother didn’t understand it at all and she’s very unhappy about it. It’s so unfair of Vemund just to vanish like that without any explanation when he knows how difficult Mother’s life has been ... “

“In what way?” Elisabet asked attentively.

“During her first marriage.”

“I’ve never heard about that. Vemund has never mentioned it.”

“Hasn’t he?” Lillebror said. “He should have done so. She went through hell with her first husband. From what I gather, he was mentally ill, because it was passed on to the next generation.”

Elisabet’s heart was beating hard.

“Passed on? What do you mean?”

“There was a day when their only child went completely out of her mind. She torched the house in which they lived. By then, the father had already been dead for a while.”

Elisabet’s tongue stuck to her palate. Her mouth was completely dry. “Tell me ... What was your mother’s name ... in her first marriage, I mean?”

“Ulriksby. Why do you ask?”

Elisabet stopped. She merely shrugged her shoulders because she was unable to say a word. She began walking again so that Lillebror would not notice anything. He went on talking about the coming fancy-dress ball, and Elisabet nodded and muttered something in reply from time to time.

So this was the reason for Vemund’s great concern for Karin!

She was the brothers’ half-sister!