The Countess And The Tutor.

3.Meeting.

Dawn was finally breaking when Karolina And Natalia slipped back into Castle Garibaldi and at the precise moment, the Dowager Countess woke up. Something was wrong, she felt it. But what?. She lay on her bed and listened, other than the sounds the faint sounds of servants moving about and the creaking of the old castle, she heard nothing. Perhaps nothing was amiss, maybe she was just anxious about the day. She got out of bed and rang the bell for her maid. It was time to get ready, for today she and Karolina would set forth for Vienna. Herself onward to Britain while Karolina, in the company of Heir Von Tussle headed for Paris.

At breakfast that morning, Karolina ate with a heartiness she hadn't had in a long while. Natalia looked on pleased. The Dowager scowled.

“Don't eat so much Karolina, you'd get fat and lose your figure” she scolded her granddaughter. Karolina pretended not to hear her and proceeded to slurp her chicken broth.

“Karolina!!” the Dowager Countess shouted.

“You will cease this nonsense and behave like a proper lady at once!!, what would your father think? ” she added, her fury and disgust contorting her face.

My father would race me to see who ate the fastest and would laugh while I clean my plate with my tongue, Karolina wanted to say but instead kept quiet. As she stared defiantly at her grandmother, she recalled the events of last night. Natalia had stood respectfully to the side as Karolina and Petrov embraced tearfully. Petrov had profusely thanked Natalia when Karolina had revealed to him that it was she who made the meeting possible. It was one of those rare moments when the Count was his old self and it was not hard to see the special bond the father and daughter shared. He had sat Karolina down and wiped her tears, inquiring about where she had been. Apparently, the Dowager Countess had lied to him about Karolina's whereabouts, stating that Karolina was abroad visiting a relative of theirs in Romania. Karolina herself had been told that her father was ill and receiving treatment in Bucharest.

“Why does she keep doing this?, why can't she let us be?” Karolina asked her father. Petrov had shook his head and replied,

“My mother has in her an aversion to being happy, she couldn't find happiness herself so she strives to destroy it in other people but we won't let her, would we зайка/bunny??. They had talked, joked and laughed until the early hours of the morning when Karolina and Natalia had to return home. Karolina had left promising to visit again.

The Dowager Countess broke her gaze away and sipped her tea. She smiled deviously, perhaps Karolina wouldn't be so defiant when she heard what she was about to say.

“We'd be leaving Russia today, you and I, we'd stop over in Vienna where we'd meet with Heir Von Tussle. I have decided that you'd do well in his care” she stared at Karolina over the rim of her cup, gauging her reaction. But other than a faint nod, Karolina had given her nothing else. The Dowager Countess slammed her teacup down on the table, Karolina fought hard to hide her smile. Natalia as resourceful as ever had espied the contents of one her grandmother's letters to Heir Von Tussle and thanks to reading lessons from Karolina had understood it's contents. She had relayed what she learnt to her Karolina who had in turn told it to her father. Petrov, acutely aware of some of the deficiencies in his daughter's character has encouraged her to put up no resistance.

“Have you nothing to say?” her grand mother asked impatiently. Karolina merely shook her head.

“Very well then, we leave in an hour, get ready”

“What!?!, that's too soon!”

“Not at all my dear, as we dined your boxes were being packed, your room swept, your curtain drawn. Take a bath and change your clothes. We. Leave. In. An. Hour” she said and swept out of the room. Karolina wanted to scream, instead she hurried up to her room, sat at a table and wrote a letter. She handed it to Natalia who rushed down to the servants quarters. She gave the letter to Petr who promised to deliver it at once. Natalia and Petr exchanged a few goodbye kisses after which she flew back upstairs to help Karolina prepare for the journey.

As the sleek traveling wagon glided past Castle Chervnik, Count Petrov gazed upon it through the window, Karolina's letter in his hands. All this while she had been so close. Anger rose in his chest as he thought of his mother, she had controlled him all his life and lied to him. Never again. She might be leaving the same Petrov she always known behind now, but she would come back to a very different man.

“What do you recommend, my lord?” Nikita, his trusted servant asked.

“Get my coat Nikita, a visit to my birthplace is long overdue”.

.......................

Heinrich sat in the dining room of the Grand Hotel Wein located on Vienna's most popular avenue. He read the day's newspaper and nibbled on some biscuits left over from his breakfast. A few women cast appreciative glances at him and Heinrich either nodded or smiled and looked away. He always got attention from women but he didn't understand why. He thought himself good looking but not overtly attractive. He wasn't complaining anyways. He put down the paper, took out his pocket watch and noted the time. He stood up, tucked the newspaper under his arm, put in his hat and walked out into the street. Vienna at this time of the year was beautiful, the colours vibrant, the weather clear. He stopped at a garden of lush blooms. A lady sat in it. Reading. Fruiting trees swayed over her head, their crowns heavy with colorful flowers and cooing songbirds. He closed his eyes, as if to savour the moment.

“Beautiful day” he said to the lady.

“It is” she replied, not looking up from the book as she did, the charms of nature scorned in favour of whatever text occupied the yellowed pages of the text. Heinrich moved on and after a while got to his destination. A restaurant. Le Gavroche. Exclusive and Expensive. He walked in and at once spotted the Dowager Countess.

The Dowager Countess Sat, straight backed, sipping her tea, glaring at everyone in the room.. Even not knowing her, one would have pegged her as a very powerful woman. The energy in the room deferred towards her, the waiters cautious around her. Heinrich glanced at the young lady seated next to her and was instantly struck by how beautiful she was. Long locks of hair the colour of ripe wheat framed an angelic face, her clear, her skin unblemished. When she looked up and he locked gazes with her clear green eyes. He felt a chill pass over him. This was she. The famed Karolina Angelina Melnikova.