The Mice in the Kitchen

Chapter 31

In the street, Detlef and Herta were waiting uncomfortably. They both felt that they were playing no roles in this new situation. Herta, now closely linked to Adalberht, was less tempted to feel out of place; but Detlef, especially with the tension between Flora and him, was considering the possibility of leaving. His short list of reasons included, not at the bottom, the possibility of a rebellion led, among others, by his own brother. Detlef did not want to fight. He was tired of striving all his life just to have a life with no incentives. He would not shed the blood of others, or his own, in favor of changes with which he would not be happy anyway. There was only one thing, one person, who could have made him do it ─for her, if he were really sure of their mutual love, he could have done anything, fought against anyone, found endless energy. But he could not manage to feel that way. And worst of all was the feeling he now had in the pit of his stomach that it wasn't her who was failing.

'You're very pale,' Herta told him. 'Are your all right?'

He answered, not quite sure whether he was actually talking to her or still absorbed in his own thoughts.

'I shouldn't have let her go alone, right?'

He must have said it aloud, because Herta replied in turn:

'Flora can take good care of herself. However, I know from experience that difficulties and fears are better dealt with in company.'

He fixed his eyes on her as if her words were the drive he needed. Nevertheless, a halo of embarrassment cast a shadow over his vigor: It seemed he always needed an external spring to dive into things. He could never find the will to be near Flora only within himself.

Despite this cloud of sorrow, the newly found energy was stronger. He was about to look for a hidden place to turn into a mouse and run to assist Flora in whatever he could when Herta's face made him stop. She was now the pale one.

Two women, one young, the other one older, were walking towards them. Detlef, once he set eyes on them in view of his friend's reaction, thought they looked vaguely familiar.

'¿Herta?'

The young man held the older woman's hand in the air before it hit Herta's cheek.

'How dare you?' she said to her stepdaughter, completely focusing on her and barely acknowledging the presence of the man who had just grabbed her wrist.

Regine watched the scene hiding a smile.

'How dare you come here after your scandalous, treacherous, ungrateful behavior?' Cecilia continued. 'Is that how you thank everything I've done for you? The love of your sisters all these years?'

Two things were preventing Herta from opening her mouth: one, the unexpected encounter; two, her deep-seated contempt for these people, whose questions were totally senseless and unworthy of her trying to make sense of them.

'Have you had any news from Gloria?' Herta was asked by her half sister.

Her mother looked at her horrified.

'Why would she?'

'I don't know. If Gloria has gone astray, they might frequent the same circles now.'

The slap finally materialized, but on a cheek Detlef did not try to protect.

Regine looked at her full of hatred. The slap had been so hard that, despite everything, even Herta felt a bit sorry for the recipient for a few seconds.

Her step mother, on the other hand, spent those seconds considering her elder daughter's comment, which she had so severely punished her for.

'Have you heard from her?' she asked Herta.

Everything was taking place so quickly and tensely. Nevertheless, Herta began to feel a strange wave of calmness, when she realized that her relationship with those people had completely changed ─that it, in fact, it no longer existed. This enabled her to answer, which surprised even herself, not as a result of any visceral reaction, but ─incredibly─ out of mere curiosity.

'Is she missing?'

Cecilia felt nauseous at the thought of this servant (she was emphasizing the word in her head) feeling entitled to address her on equal terms. So she decided not to lower herself to talking to her anymore and went on her way. When she started walking, Regine followed her reluctantly. She was lately having to put up with too many humiliations because of her mother.

Detlef gave Herta an understanding look and a smile:

'Let's attach to this the same importance as if a bird had shit on our shoulders and we had already cleaned them.'

Herta burst out laughing.

'Sounds good to me.'

While he looked again for a discreet place to turn into a mouse, the young man whispered:

'That woman's going to have a fit when she hears you've married the prince.'

Althought Detlef had said that to lift Herta's spirits and reduce the tension that could still be felt, she could not help but think about the dangers that piece of news might bring her.

It really all depended on whether Adalberht truly intended to go away from the palace, like he always said, or if, in the end, the circumstances ─as seemed to be the case─ would make the decision for him.

At that moment, three things took place almost at the same time: Detlef was transformed and ran towards the palace, Adalbehrt hurried out onto the street and one of the men who had come with them walked quickly to meet him. He had seen him coming out. But he had seen something else too.

His face was unreadable. But his paleness ─that of someone who was in shock─ alarmed Herta. She immediately knew what had happened... and also that the man would not be able to talk about it ─if he ever did─ until his mind took in what he had just seen.

Everything was happening so fast that, by the time that bearded man, whom Herta had once heard speaking, could react, Adalberht had already been talking to him for a couple of minutes, telling him about his meeting with the influential men.

'Who are you?' he managed to ask, not having listened to Adalberht's explanation at all, and still pale.

'I beg your pardon?'

Adalberht had no idea what was going on. But Herta hastily approached them to try to help... although she didn't know how.

With every second, the man's reaction at what he had glimpsed materialized, showing the girl that, amongst the range of potential answers, the worst one was quickly developing.

In fact, her approach increased the anxiety of that accidental witness.

'Did you see it too?' he demanded. Then, he realized that the whole group of four must be involved in whatever that horrible thing he still wasn't ready to analyze was, and he instinctively stepped backwards, getting away from her... from both of them.

Herta, in just one second, considered several lies that might help them to get them out of that predicament. She even considered telling the truth. But nothing seemed safe enough.