C14 Chapter 14

On the morning of the fourth day, they could see a slight improvement in Mikael and before evening, his breathing was clear.

They had no idea what had been the decisive factor – the herbal brew, Niklas’s hands, Anette’s prayers or Mikael’s own vital force. The main thing was that it seemed that Mikael would survive, and a relieved Niklas was set free after having listened to many outpourings of gratitude.

On the fifth day, Are was taken to his final resting place. Anette joined the family at the funeral because she was sure Mikael would have wanted her to. She could not help marvelling at this family, their solidarity and the warmth that existed between them all. All of a sudden, she wished that she was one of them. She understood that they were all bound by the ties of family and that Mikael had, without being aware of it, been missing the others. Being isolated from them had contributed to his desperate loneliness. And what had she done to help him? No, she couldn’t cope thinking about it. She would have to look forward.

Dominic was also present at the funeral. Maybe he also had this sense of belonging to the family? Perhaps that was what had made him persuade his father to journey to Norway. And the boy had insisted on going with him.

Now she knew the whole family and how each of them was related. She felt no anger towards Cecilie, who had only told her a few bitter truths. Cecilie had come to see her again, and that time she did not chastise her. Instead, Cecilie confided in her profoundly by explaining more about Alexander’s tendencies and difficulties. She believed that it would be useful for Anette to know. Overwhelmed, Anette realised the world was bigger and more colourful than she had thought. Staying rigidly on a narrow path, the way her mother had taught her, was not enough. There was such a thing as tolerance, both in the sense of open-mindedness and magnanimity.

Liv stood by the grave and had just taken leave of her brother when she turned to see a group of men standing nearby. She knew just what this was about. There stood the men from the Black Forest, scowling at her spitefully and self-assuredly. Would their hatred never abate? After all, Dag had done so much for them.

It was an old story. Dag had been forced to condemn their father for incest. The father was decapitated, and the farm, which was neglected, was sold at an auction. It was not Dag’s fault, because this would have happened anyway. But the sons blamed the judge for everything, despite the fact that Dag had done everything to give the homeless family new possibilities. He had given them a small farm that belonged to Graastensholm, far up on the ridge, which was called The Black Forest. But their family farm, which they had lost, had been a lot bigger. It was situated in the neighbouring village and the people from the Black Forest never stopped calling it theirs. Judge Meiden would definitely come to suffer ...

Now, only two of the executed man’s sons were left. One of them stood in the churchyard, regarding the bereaved family with eyes that radiated an uncontrollable thirst for revenge. However, he had never done anything but speak about revenge.

It was worse with his other son, who was there with his two children aged ten and twelve. Liv was scared of this son! It was as if the whole family were nurtured by their anger, which they kept alive like an eternal fire. They appeared wild and violent standing there, all four of them, as if they were following a master of the house to the grave.

A master of the house they had hated. Are – sweet, nice Are! Liv shuddered as she walked on and tried to forget the men.

On their way home from church, Brand said the words that Anette wanted to hear so much: “Would you please help Matilda and Liv with the funeral feast, Anette? Welcome the guests and see to it that nobody feels left out? You’re one of us now.”

The words warmed her and she was so touched that she could only nod. She thought of the first time she realised that she truly loved Mikael. It was when he was home, before he was to go to war against Denmark.

They had been in Stockholm, walking in the crowd on Kornhamnstorget. Mikael had paved the way for them among the vendors at their stalls. For a moment, she had lost sight of him, which had made her feel lonely and helpless. Then he had appeared again, giving her a kind and calm smile, and she had felt greatly comforted and happy. He was hers. She had a strong man to rely on. Her heart had beat so hard at the sight of his familiar face. Only she had been unable to tell him so! Instead she spent all the evening in front of the image of the Virgin Mary, praying for forgiveness for her sinful thoughts!

‘Oh, Mikael: Why haven’t I looked upon your love of mankind as my guiding star – instead of my mother’s distrust and contempt for her fellow men?’

They had asked a maid from Graastensholm to take care of Mikael so that all the others could take part in the funeral. Mikael had recovered so much by now that he was able to eat a liquid diet. But he felt very weak and exhausted.

When they returned to Graastensholm for the funeral feast after church, Anette hurried in to him and thanked the maid for her help. She sat down by the bed and held Mikael’s hand tightly in hers, and at long last she felt a little, weak squeeze from his fingers. Just once.

“Mikael,” she whispered, touched. “I’m here by your side. Always!”

That evening, he opened his eyes and looked at her. She wanted to shout her joy to all the others but just sat with his hand in hers. Mikael tried to say something.

“Anette,” he whispered in a barely audible voice. “Have you... come to... fetch Dominic?”

“No, Mikael!” she said in an urgent voice. “I’ve come for your sake!”

“Then what I heard... was ... true. No dream.”

He had said everything he could manage this time. As he closed his eyes, a little smile was on his lips.

Anette bent down and kissed them, carefully, as if she was doing something that was forbidden. Then she did it once more, calmly and quietly and filled with love. Mikael’s smile was broader.

The next day, Anette pulled her son to her, squeezing him hard.

“Dad will survive,” she whispered.

“Are you pleased about that, Mum?” asked Dominic with a serious look on his face.

“Yes, of course I am. Surely you know that!”

“No, I didn’t, and neither did Dad,” said the boy quietly.

Anette felt a pang of bad conscience. They had both observed her while they were looking for signs that she loved her husband. While she... What a clear-sighted little boy she had!

“Anyway, now Dad knows. We must be very sweet towards him, Dominic. Of course you’ve always been that but I- I haven’t taken care of showing him that I-”

She was silent. She didn’t know what else to say.

“May I see him?” asked the boy.

“Yes, he’s asked about you.”

Dominic went in to his father, but stayed in the doorway, frightened of the white face with the dark, burning glance.

“Come over here, Dominic,” whispered Mikael hoarsely.

The boy went closer. Mikael stretched out his hand and Dominic took it hesitantly.

“My dear boy,” he said with difficulty. “Mum wants us to live in Sweden. I’d rather live here.”

“So would I.”

“I know that. That’s how we are. But we both want what’s best for others too. So I’ve promised Mum that when I’m well enough, we’ll go back home. Troll is bound to wonder where we are.”

“Yes, Troll,” said the boy smiling brightly. “Maybe it’s best that we go back home. But can we come back here?”

“As often as we wish, Dominic. Because we belong here with our relatives. Have you got some new friends?”

“Oh, absolutely. Niklas and Villemo and I always play together, and sometimes I play with the others as well. They think I’m a big boy, Dad! And smart!”

“I can well believe that,” smiled Mikael.

“May they come and visit us at Mörby?”

“Certainly. Every single member of our family if they wish.”

He closed his eyes. He was still quite week.

“Dominic,” he whispered. “Forgive me for what I did! It wasn’t me, but an evil power in me.”

“Is the evil power still there?”

“I don’t know. I can’t feel it, but I don’t know.”

Dominic put his hand on his Dad’s forehead. “I think it’s gone, Dad. You’re not so sad anymore.”

“No, I’m not. I have the will to live now. So many people have helped me – you, your mother, Mattias, Cecilie, all our relatives, that gave us such a warm welcome. However, I think little Niklas helped me the most. You see, as I was lying in some sort of trance, I could feel his hands on my heart. Maybe it’s nonsense, but it was as if the warmth of his hands drove the coldness of death out of my body.”

“I think so too.”

“I don’t mean the death I inflicted upon myself.”

“No, I understand you, Dad. You mean the other, the evil power.”

“Yes. I once met a spirit, which touched me. They try to draw the living with them, you see.”

Dominic was not entirely convinced. “Maybe. I think it was you yourself that- No, I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“Yes, Dominic, I believe you’re right. It’s cowardly trying to blame a spirit entirely. You see, I felt I was in the way. I wasn’t capable of anything and nobody needed me. Troll’s loneliness saved me once, and you saved me later on because you needed a father. But later when I felt that... No, there’s no reason to talk about that. It’s over now.”

He didn’t want to say that Anette would rather have a man like Henri as a father for his son. After all, there was no point in confusing a little boy’s mind with that.

Suddenly, a voice could be heard from the door: “You have an intelligent son, Mikael,” said Cecilie, who had been standing for a while together with Mattias and Anette. “What Dominic is trying to tell you is that – although he’s too young to put it into words – you have an innate urge within you to die. It’s this urge – and not a ghost – that’s been chasing you all the time.”

“I don’t think it’s an urge to die,” said Mattias. “I’d rather say that it’s an anxiety about life.”

Mikael looked at them. Then he nodded slowly. “You’re right, both of you. However, we can’t deny the fact that I met Magda von Steierhorn and that she managed to touch me.”

“Are you absolutely sure of that?” asked Mattias.

“Of course. I-”

“One moment, Mikael. Somebody has come to see you. Here he is.”

Sven, a Swedish non-commissioned officer, appeared in the doorway.

“Tancred brought Sven back with him from Akershus because he has some odd things to tell you.”

“I need to tell you what happened at the estate in Livonia after you left,” began Sven. “I think it’ll interest you.”

The others were silent, waiting to see what would be said.

“We went to the estate, which you asked us to, so that we could be sure that justice would be served. On the surface, everything seemed to be in order. The rightful owner had again taken control of the estate, and we made sure that the scroungers were driven away from the estate and handed over to the authorities. However, when we were there, another lady latched onto us.”

“What? What did she look like? Was it a beautiful, timeless woman, dressed in black with a pale face?”

“Precisely!”

“You saw her?”

Sven smiled. “All of us saw her. She was the owner’s aunt and the one who had actually inherited the estate, but her nephew managed it for her. The scroungers refused to speak to her. They were mortal enemies, and they had tried to have her locked up, but they hadn’t succeeded in doing so. She was too sly.”

“But this doesn’t make sense. I saw the footprints, after all. What I mean is I did not see her footprints in the snow. She was a spirit!”

“Well, that’s something we’ve given much thought to,” said Tancred. “Are you sure you both walked towards the gate?”

Mikael thought for a moment. “Yes, I’m certain. She walked right behind me.”

Cecilie nodded: “Because she was a vain lady with thin shoes. She didn’t want to tread in the deep snow, so she followed your steps. She probably walked back in your steps too. That’s what I’d have done if it were me. And she was short and slightly built, so you couldn’t see her dainty footprints in yours. Don’t you think that’s what might have happened?”

Mikael was silent. He was thinking it all over very hard. Wasn’t the woman Magda von Steierhorn? It matched very well ...

“No”, he then decided. “If it wasn’t a ghost, how would you explain the visions I’ve had since then? The fog that became increasingly denser and darker, until it forced me to seek death? Because ‘it’, was precisely what was so wonderful! The conclusion! The desirable.”

“We’ve gathered that,” said Cecilie.

“Mikael,” began Mattias. “Don’t you understand that you’ve always fled from life, from all difficulties. You’ve given in to the will of others simply because it was the most convenient thing to do, and nobody would be cross with you. You have faced obstacles. Nobody can deny that. A childhood without roots, an unhappy marriage, not being able to thrive in a profession that was not right for you. Problems in finding out what you actually wanted from life. You’ve used Magda von Steierhorn as a sort of cloak for your own desire to escape from everything.”

“Is it really as pathetic as that?” asked Mikael, shamefaced. “It sounds so... cowardly.”

“I wouldn’t say that putting other people’s needs above your own is cowardice,” said Cecilie gently. “But now you’re bound to be tired. We’d better leave now. Think it all over and then wipe the slate clean, Mikael.”

“Yes, let’s go, Dominic,” said Anette to her son. “Dad needs peace and quiet. There have been so many misunderstandings. When he’s better, he and I have a lot to talk about. I have so much to learn from him.”

She smiled at Mikael before leaving the room with the boy.

Mikael lay in bed, thinking about that smile for a long time. There was so much in it: A prayer for forgiveness and understanding. A promise. And – yes, he was sure of it – a shy kind of love.

They spent almost the whole summer month in Norway. Mikael needed time. He was totally depleted of energy, both physical and mental, so he was forced to begin from scratch. But the fog, the fear and the horror no longer tormented him.

Meanwhile, Dominic was having the time of his life. He played with his five cousins at Linden Avenue, Graastensholm and Elistrand: Lene, who was the same age as him; Niklas and Irmelin, who were both five, Villemo, who was four, and little Tristan. Never before had lonely, overprotected Dominic been so happy!

Anette got yet another ticking-off – this time from Alexander when he told her that Mikael was a talented writer. She had stared at them with horror and disbelief in her eyes. “Mikael a bard? A poet? Such people live off other people’s good will. They’re no better than street entertainers. I can’t live with the shame of it!”

That made Alexander very cross.

“Who is it that gives us beauty in life? Who is it that has decorated, carved and created all the beautiful objects you have in your home? Who is it that describes the world around us in words and tones? Who can make you happy and move you to tears when you feel the need to look beyond the narrow, grey horizon of everyday life? Well, they are the artists, the entertainers, if you will. What is it that sets apart the furnishings in a palace from a barn? Surely it’s the exquisite craftsmanship, the beauty in the material, the woodwork and the metals. If there were no creative people in this world, this difference wouldn’t have existed. Then everything would be grey and drab. Now come with me!”

Alexander grabbed Anette by the arm and pulled her out into the hall.

“Take a look at these portraits! Mikael’s great-grandmother, Silje, painted them. I was given some wallpaper from here, which she’d painted. It now decorates one wall at Gabrielshus where it always compels great respect from our visitors. My mother-in-law, Liv, who you’ve met, is a very gifted painter, but she never paints anymore because a man who, like you, had a negative point of view on art, took that creative zest from her. In the Oxenstierna clan, which you hold in such high esteem, there are bards who keep quiet about their writing. They’re scared of coming out in the open. Do you ever read books yourself?”

“Yes, of course. I’ve received a very cultured upbringing.”

“I see. So reading books is cultured but not actually writing them? Look, this is the fair copy of Mikael’s notes, as far as he had got with it. Read it – and don’t you dare call him an entertainer, although it isn’t a despicable profession.”

Anette was shaking like a leaf. She had the greatest respect for Alexander, who was of noble descent. But to be given such a ticking-off by him was unfair. Obediently, and with tears of injustice, she sat down and began to read.

That very same evening, she went down to Alexander at Elistrand and handed him the sheets of paper.

“Mikael has found his place in life,” she humbly said. “I’ll support him in everything.”

Alexander pulled her to him with happy tenderness. “I know you will, Anette. It can’t be easy for you to fight what you learned as a child. Do I have your permission to speak to Mikael about his writings?”

She nodded towards his exquisite jacket but was unable to say anything.

Alexander told Mikael that he should continue writing. Then he told him about the Ice People and everything else that he felt strongly about. Mikael was happy about being praised. During his recuperation, all the members of the family took turns to give him more detailed accounts of their lives. Mikael wrote and wrote, polished and made a fair copy until his arms ached. When they had no more to say, he began to write a novel based on his own fantasy, and then he read selected passages aloud for them, immensely proud and with radiating eyes, reaping much praise from all the others because he was surprisingly good. Mattias did not object to the huge consumption of paper but simply ordered more of the expensive material.

There was no longer such abundance for the family in Norway. The years of austerity and war had taken their toll on their reserves, and the family had spent vast sums on helping the crofters and the small farms on Graastensholm’s land. Besides, Mattias was not rich from working as a doctor. He was much too kind-hearted for that.

So it was good to have Alexander Paladin in reserve. Although nobody said so aloud, he could see the state of affairs for himself – or maybe Gabriella had mentioned it discreetly to her dad. At any rate, Alexander came with a much needed lump of money from his family’s enormous fortune. This made everybody draw a sigh of relief, and Liv hugged her son-in-law.

Mikael slowly returned to life. As often as the weather would allow it, Anette would take him out in the beautiful surroundings. At the beginning, he only had the strength for a quick walk around Linden Avenue, but his walks became longer as time went by.

Anette and Mikael had still not had the big conversation that was necessary to sort out their relationship. With her compassion and attention, Anette showed how much Mikael meant to her.

Actually, they probably only had one single barrier left to tear away. And Cecilie, with her usual clear-sightedness, broached the issue thus:

“Get her drunk, Mikael,” said Cecilie straight out. “Otherwise, you’ll never get a grip on your emotional life.”

Mikael was shocked, but Cecilie insisted. “Anette needs to throw all her inhibitions overboard, which you can’t do with your exaggerated thoughtfulness. Getting her drunk isn’t something I would normally advise, but in this case I think it would be a good idea.”

Then the Danish family left and soon after the Swedish branch also felt that they had the energy to embark on their journey home.

On one of the very last evenings at Linden Avenue, Anette turned to Mikael and said: “Dominic is playing with the other children and we’ll have so few chances to be alone when we’re back home. Can we go for a final walk here and just talk?”

She was slightly nervous, which he recognised only too well. ‘Oh, no, Anette, I’ve got other plans!’ he thought. Aloud he said: “Yes, that’s a good idea. Maybe we could borrow Kaleb’s boat and go rowing on the lake?” He suggested.

Anette thought about his suggestion. This was not quite what she had imagined, but why not? She would probably feel fairly safe in a boat. ‘Safe’? Would she never learn to think in a different way? It didn’t seem so.

Of course, they were allowed to borrow the boat and soon after they were out on the small lake below the church. Mikael was ever so courteous. He had brought wine and cakes with him, offering them generously as they glided slowly out on the water. Anette was beginning to feel wonderfully drowsy. It was a warm, but misty day. As they rowed out, the mist grew much thicker and all contours of the landscape were wiped out. The water and the veil of mist became one and all boundaries fluid.

It was a strange sensation. Anette could not help laughing as she sat there in the stern, her fine dress drawn up an inch above the lapping water in the bottom of the boat.

“We’re all alone in the world,” said Mikael.

She looked at his strong hands that were holding the oars. His voice was so deep. He was so tall and masculine. All of a sudden, her old fear got the better of her.

“Yes,” she whispered and blushed.

“But Anette,” he said tenderly. “You and I have been such good friends all the time at Linden Avenue.”

With French impulsiveness she exclaimed: “Yes but then you were also-” She stopped, surprised.

“Weak and helpless. Is that what you mean?”

She bowed her head.

“You mustn’t be afraid,” he said. He was hurt. Then he changed the topic and said in a jolly voice: “Have you noticed the many colours of the mist?”

“Colours?” she said. Everything was milk-white. Slightly grey, maybe.

“Can’t you see the pastel shades? There’s a rosy hue where the sun falls on the drops of the mist. And that weak turquoise colour is bound to be the sky behind.”

Anette looked and looked but everything seemed a light grey to her. ‘You would have to be an artist to understand,’ she thought.

She suddenly felt the wine go to her head. She felt strangely light-hearted and irresponsible. Careless with what she said and did. She should not have drunk the wine. She looked at Mikael’s hands once more. His strong shoulders, his thighs where the muscles now played underneath his clothes... ‘I’ve held this man in my arms,’ she thought, confused. ‘I’ve held him in my arms. I’ve given birth to his child. Is it really possible?’

She looked at his beautiful eyes and the strong, pronounced features of his face. She thought of his unfailing kindness despite her coldness. Anette fell to her knees and embraced him while she hid her face in his lap.

“Let me be with you, dear,” she wept. “Let me learn of your generosity, your compassion and love. I’m so frozen inside, Mikael!”

He stiffened for a moment. Then he put down the oars and drew her to him. It did not occur to them that her dress had become wet. Anette hid her face in her hands while she cozied up to him. She was shaking all over.

“My dearest friend,” Mikael said, with all the warmth in his voice that he could muster. “I love you, you know.”

“And I love you, Mikael... It was just so difficult to tell you so.”

“Well, now you’ve succeeded.”

“Yes. That was wonderful. I have so much I want to ask your forgiveness for.”

“So have I,” said Mikael.

She took away her hands from her face. “Really?”

“You know that. Haven’t I hidden away behind speculations and melancholy? It’s a kind of selfishness, although it wasn’t conscious.”

“Nor did I intend to keep you at such a great distance. But I was fighting with myself.”

“I know, Anette.”

He touched her face. She looked down, and was blushing.

This was how they sat, surrounded by quietness. Only the two of them in a small boat. Nothing else existed except those two.

Mikael moved closer to her mouth, calmly and carefully, kissing her as gently as a breath of air. Her lips trembled. He put his arms protectively around her and felt her hands gliding over his neck. Anette answered his kiss. It was of her own accord and she was clearly enjoying it.

He sent a grateful thought to Cecilie and the wine. His grip became firmer, but he didn’t go too far. He didn’t want to frighten her now when she was about to give of herself.

Suddenly the boat hit the bottom of the lake. Anette immediately let go of him, shy as a fawn. “I believe we’ve reached land,” smiled Mikael lovingly.

“Oh, dear. Then maybe somebody will come.”

“So what? We’re husband and wife, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but it’s not proper! Sorry, I’ll probably never learn.”

“Wait there, I’ll find out where we are.”

He went ashore on a small tuft of grass. He could discern some juniper bushes in the background. He disappeared in the mist but then returned with a jolly smile.

“You can relax. We’re on the islet in the middle of the lake. Far, far away from everybody else.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Here nobody will hear you scream in protest!”

She stared at him in surprise. “You don’t intend to-”

“Of course not. You’ve got absolutely no reason to be afraid.”

“All of a sudden it sounds dull to me” said Anette, surprised. “I mean-”

“Now, no explaining away. I’ve been in your arms twice, Anette, and I felt what torture it was for you. It was the loneliest feeling in the whole world for me; you made me feel ashamed. So you’ve no reason to be afraid.”

“But, Mikael, I want so much... I just don’t seem to be able to show my feelings.”

He helped her ashore on the islet.

”You hinted at something like that in your conversation with Cecilie.”

“Could you hear it?” she asked, horrified.

“Yes, but I was unable to move. I couldn’t do a thing. But on that occasion you said that you had to fight urges within you.”

He spread out his cape on the ground and asked her to sit down. She did so with much hesitation. Mikael sat down next to her.

“But, Mikael,” she said quickly. “I can’t talk to you about such things!”

“Who else can you then discuss it with? Henri, maybe?”

“Oh, don’t mention his name anymore! He’s just a nice fellow countryman. Not even like a brother to me, rather more like a sister!”

“That sounds reassuring. So you believe that you’ve held back something of yourself?”

“With you? I had to! My mother would never have-”

“Your mother was an emotionally twisted woman. She ruined not only her own and her husband’s life but also yours and mine. Forget everything she taught you! The whole lot!”

“That’s what Cecilie says. But it’s not so straightforward.”

“No, I realise that. But you’ve said that you love me. So you must try to give me what I want.”

“What is it you want?”

“I want to see, sense, that you like to be in my arms. It might be too much to ask that you’d enjoy it, but try at least not to look as if you were condemned to the wheel!”

“I don’t do that, surely! But can I truly be allowed to show you what I feel?”

“Nothing would make me happier. Then we’d have something to really share.”

She swallowed. “I’ll try. Next time. Now you’re too weak to-”

“What do you know of that? You’re not a coward, are you Anette?”

“Yes,” she squeaked, honestly and shamefully.

“If you don’t want to, we’ll just wait.”

“No, it’s not that,” she said hurriedly when he was about to get up. He remained sitting on the ground and pulled her close to him. With foxy ulterior motives, he poured more wine for her. She drank with a virtuous expression on her face and then put the mug back in the hamper.

“Sweet Anette, this was what you wanted to talk to me about today, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, in a sense. Only I had no idea it would be so real, so tangible!”

“Are you sure that this wasn’t your objective?”

“No,” she answered, just about to burst into tears. “Actually, I’m not sure of anything any longer. I thought that we were going to talk about love, non-sensual love.”

“That’s very important, but don’t we understand each other on that point? We know that we support one another. Anette, you know perfectly well the reasons for our difficulties!”

“Of course I do. But my principles are slipping away from me-”

“Maybe you want to keep hold of those principles?”

“Good heavens, no! But what else am I to hold on to?”

“Hold on to me” he said emphatically.

He kissed her once more and put her down on his cloak and began to seduce his wife. When she managed to get herself free for a moment, she whispered: “Are you sure you’ve got enough strength to go through with it?”

Mikael laughed. “When it comes to you, I’ve got all the strength in the world!”

Anette promised herself not to oppose. She was lying completely still, welcoming his caresses. Gadually, all she felt was the pleasant weakness after the wine and something else: An indifference towards everything except Mikael’s closeness. Nobody could see them, nobody could reach them, and Mikael loved her. He wanted her to feel free and to be loving.

She stretched out her arms lazily, letting them fall limply down on his back. ‘Do stop thinking,’ Anette admonished herself. ‘Forget everything else, forget the whole world.’

“Go to blazes!” she exclaimed suddenly.

He lifted his head. “Pardon?”

“Oh, it was just my mum,” murmured Anette with a smile.

Mikael understood. He kissed her once more, warmly and tenderly.

Anette giggled, a happy, infectious laughter. “What if the mist suddenly disappears?”

“Scandal,” he smiled.

‘Life is ever so lovely,’ thought Anette. In a delightful rapture, she felt how he undressed her and possessed her. Stupid expression, she thought, but that was exactly the thought that ran through her head. She was Mikael’s woman, the tall, masculine Mikael with the serious smile. It was her that he wanted. Her and nobody else.

The thought flowed pleasantly through her.

“Oh, Mikael, Mikael,” she whispered huskily towards his throat.

She felt immediately how her words made him even more passionate. She felt fulfilled by him, and it was a wonderful feeling. With a little sigh, she pressed herself against him.

‘Thank you, Cecilie, for the hint about the wine,’ thought Mikael. In the future, there would be no need for wine, because now Anette knew that he appreciated her frankness. She knew that his love was pure and tender and not a dirty vice, which he tempted and seduced her to.

With a sudden insight, Mikael gasped: “Anette, I could’ve been dead now! And never been allowed to experience... this. Your frank tenderness!”

She gently squeezed his shoulders as a sign that she understood.

Dominic plodded along the road below Graastensholm together with his three playmates.

“Next year, we’re to meet at Gabrielshus in Denmark. Uncle Alexander said so,” said Niklas.

“That’ll be fun,” smiled Dominic. “I’m looking forward to it already.”

“Me too,” said Villemo. “Oh, dear, here comes the horrible louts from the Black Forest! They always use such bad language. They say that they’ll come and take us. They say that they’ll destroy Graastensholm and Linden Avenue.”

“Don’t worry, their bark is worse than their bite,” said Irmelin.

Two of the louts stopped before them. They were older than the four. “Snotty brats,” said one of them, a girl. “Have you lost your mum? Are you crying?”

Villemo, who was not afraid of anything, and especially not when she had the two strong boys by her side, pushed her small cat-like face right up to the girl’s. “Why don’t you go home and lie down in the pigsty where you belong?”

“Villemo” exclaimed Dominic shocked. “You mustn’t say that. She can’t help it that she’s poor!”

“No, and whose fault is that?” asked the girl as quick as lightning. “It’s your fault! All you devilish, stuck-up scroungers at Graastensholm!”

The boy from the Black Forest stepped closer. “You’ve got a Swede among you. So you mix with the enemy, eh? I’ll tell my Dad.”

“There’s no war anymore,” said Niklas.

“Shut your trap, you little yellow-eyed brat! It’s obvious to everybody that your Mum has gone to bed with the Devil himself!”

Irmelin, with her gentle disposition, went calmly over to him: “Do you like to upset other people?” she asked.

For a moment, the two children from the Black Forest lost their composure. Irmelin went on: “Why don’t you come up to Graastensholm and play with us? You can have juice and cookies.”

The boy blinked in surprise, not knowing how to react. But his sister was quick: “Do you think we want to play with such snotty louts like you? You can go to hell all of you!”

She pulled her brother with her and they ran across the road.

“Just you wait!” she shouted over her shoulder. “Just you wait!” My Dad knows very well what he‘ll do with all of you.”

“Ugh,” shuddered Dominic.

“Don’t take any notice of them,” said Niklas calmly. It’s just something they say.”

Villemo followed them with glowing eyes. “One day,” she murmured grimly. “One day, all three of us with cat’s eyes will be grown-up. Just you wait and see, brood of the Black Forest. Just you wait and see!”