The Cuckoo's Cage

Chapter Three

Another few days had passed, and Anna was getting better at pretending her mood had lifted. The children's questions had stopped; even they were buying into the pretence that all was well. Ernst seemed to be enjoying their little brushes in passing, more and more trying to engineer it so that they bumped into one another. It was easy for Anna to play hard to get as she so desperately didn't want to be caught. But she still had yet to hear news of Elli. Freddie was certain he knew which camp she was kept in but had to find a reason to inspect it on Ernst's behalf. Anna had no choice but to bide her time. One morning, as they sat at breakfast, Ernst finally bustled in with Freddie in tow.

"Sorry for the late arrival," he said, kissing Freda on the head lightly as he and Freddie took their seats.

"Is everything all right?" Ilse asked. She, of course, seemed to have immediately forgiven Ernst for their altercation. They had returned to the staccato portrayal of a marriage.

"Fine," he said, dismissively waving his hand. "Just a lot to sort out for the meeting today." Anna's food suddenly sat very uneasily in her stomach. With the departure for Berlin and then the Doctor's arrival, Ernst had kept cancelling the weekly meetings. But now Anna would have to face the one person who made everything worse. Keller. She sat quietly, trying to let her food settle. She always felt ill having to carry on this charade every day, but this would be far, far worse.

It would be the first time she would see Keller since moving into the house. She knew he would look for her, find a way to get at her... or, even worse, worm his way back into her life permanently. She had to use her new position to her advantage. As they finished breakfast, she followed Ernst out, catching up to him.

"Herr Commandant?" she said, touching his arm. "I was wondering if we might have a word about the budget for Freda's schoolbooks?" He looked her up and down. She was supposed to go to Ilse about these things. She squeezed his arm a little, looking up at him beseechingly under her dark eyelashes.

"Of course," he said, letting her lead him to the drawing room. She left him standing by the piano as he watched her rummage through the pile of papers she'd left on top of it.

"Here we are," she said, finding a list and handing it to him. He looked it over quickly.

"She can have whatever she needs," he said, handing it back to her.

"Very good," said Anna, making sure to stand close to him.

"That really didn't require my undivided attention," he mused, lifting her chin with his finger.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just wanted to steal a moment with you. I know how busy you'll be today. I doubt I'll see you."

"We could have all night together," he murmured, backing her into the piano with his hands on her hips.

"It's tempting," she said, gripping his jacket in her fists, "but it's far too soon." She let him get closer to her, his mouth finding her ear.

"Just give into it," he urged. She had him.

"I desire you," she said, pushing him back, "but I don't ache for you... not yet."

"You're such a tease," he said quietly.

"I know," she said simply, then stretched up and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "Now you'll have to go. I want this morning's lessons finished before your meeting." She pushed him back, and he took a deep breath, then left the room. That should be enough to tantalise him. His jealousy would do the rest.

Freda, as usual, was a dutiful, obliging student. Now she was being stretched properly, Anna could see a real difference in her. She was reading more and getting into proper discussions with Anna and her father. Less and less she was acting out for attention and seemed more satisfied with her own company. By lunch time, she seemed exceedingly tired.