The broken taxi The conclusion 04/26/05
The CBB -> Ste Therese's House
#1: The broken taxi The conclusion 04/26/05 Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:28 am

Carla von Lindmann wearily brushed an errant strand of graying hair away from her forehead. It had been a busy day and she had been on her feet since 9 that morning and it was now nearly 17 hours. There had been an unusually high number of customers for Mittagessen and there had scarcely been time to tidy up before the Kaffee and Kuchen customers began to arrive.

She picked up the dishtowel and began to dry the last of the plates. Her hands were red and chapped and the nails were short. Today was her 15th wedding anniversary and she thought back to that happy day 15 years before in 1938 when she had married Stefan. Things had been different then. Her hands had had long nails and white skin, Wein was a beautiful city and the Catholic church where they had married had had stained glass windows and the sun shone through them illuminating the pictures.

Still that was then and this was now – the war had come and Stefan had been conscripted by the Nazis. She had been pregnant when he had had to go and their son was born in late 1940. Karl was not a strong baby and the depravations of the war had meant that the medicines were not available for him. Eighteen months after his birth Carla laid her son to rest in the small cemetery attached to the church where she had married. Such a different gathering, by this time her parents had both died and her brother was missing. Erich was a navigator in the Luftwaffe and his plane had failed to return during the Battle of Britain. Carla hoped that maybe he was in a POW camp in England. She did not believe the propaganda that the Nazis put out about the British POW camps and all the British she had known had been upright and honorable people – Dr Jem Russell, Dr Jack Maynard, Joey and Madame.


The ringing of the bell as the door opened disturbed her musings. Herr Schmidt must have forgotten to lock the door when he took the days takings to the bank. “Es tut ich Leid, den wir geschlossen sind” she called out, as she reached for the towel to dry her hands. She repeated as she walked through the door from the back area – I am sorry we are closed.

Oh – replied a voice. I just wondered if you had a phone I could use. My taxi has broken down outside so I will miss my train so I wanted to let my husband know that I will be staying overnight.

The voice seemed vaguely familiar to Carla and as she came further into the light she could see a extremely well dressed blond woman standing just inside the door.

The woman continued I am Countess von und zu Wertheim …

Carla started and exclaimed Marie von Eschenau

The blond head swung around fully and looked at her. The eyes were still a soft violet and the fair hair was immaculately coiffured. Carla flushed red and looked down at her spotted apron, chapped hands and the strands of hair coming loose from her braid.

Last edited by ravenseyes on Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:03 am; edited 1 time in total

 

#2:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:54 am

Poor Carla, I think maybe I'll stop being so scathing about her having to be 'rescued' from working in a shop.

She has certainly had a hard life.

I hope you have some more for us soon Ravenseyes.

 

#3:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:16 am

Poor Carla. Crying or Very sad

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#4:  Author: JoW, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 7:20 am

Lovely. I can't wait to read more. Poor Carla

 

#5:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:38 am

Thank you ravenseyes, this is a really good idea. Looking forward to reading some more.

 

#6:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:31 pm

Poor Carla - she's had a tough time.

Glad that Marie has turned up.

Thanks Ravenseyes

Liz

 

#7:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:51 pm

Poor Carla *hugs*

Thank you this is lufferly Very Happy

*shyly wants more *

 

#8:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 1:54 pm

Crying or Very sad Poor Carla, she's had a rough time Sad

Hope Marie can bring some light back into her life Smile

 

#9:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:53 pm

*hugs Carla, and hopes Marie can help!*

 

#10:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:19 pm

Poor Carla, *hugs her tightly* I hope Marie can help, and thank you for giving us her story.

 

#11:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:45 pm

Poor Carla Sad I'm interested to know what happens next. Thanks Raveneyes.

Star Wars

 

#12:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:52 pm

Brilliant start, Ravenseyes. It hadn't occurred to me that we never really hear Carla's story from her point of view.

 

#13:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 7:49 pm

sounds interesting,
Embarassed Can someone remind me about Carla please Embarassed

 

#14:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:40 pm

Poor Carla, and what an interesting pov for the story. Look forward to reading more of this.

 

#15:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:50 pm

“I’m sorry” Carla said. “please excuse me, of course you may use the phone Countess. It is just behind this counter”

“Don’t Countess me” came the reply “if you know me as Marie von Eschenau you must be a Chalet girl. So Marie will do.” All the same as Marie was observing this woman she was hard pushed to reconcile her with a former Chalet girl. Life had evidently been very tough and Marie could not put a younger face to her.

“You don’t recognize me do you” the woman said.

“Your voice is familiar but..” “I was Carla von Flugen” the woman broke into Marie’s halting reply.

Marie tried to cover her surprise and her grief. Carla von Flugen had been music prefect when Jo was head girl and Marie had been games prefect. She remembered Carla as being quiet and serious and a talented pianist. Trying to align her memories with the toil worn woman in front of her was hard. Carla was the same age as Marie but looked nearly twenty years older.

“Carla von Flugen – but I thought you were dead” Marie blurted. “When we returned to Austria after the war I tried to get in touch with people but no one knew what had happened to you. Your parents were dead and you had disappeared – Emmie and Joanna Linders thought perhaps you had married but they didn’t know for sure. Their brother Karl was in a British POW camp and he knew that your brother had been shot down and had died and so many people disappeared…

Look – if I call Eugen and let him know I am not on the train – will you come back to my hotel suite and have dinner with me and we can catch up” Marie saw Carla looking down at her dress and added “we can eat in my suite if you do not want to go anywhere – the hotel does wonderful room service….please Carla”

 

#16:  Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:20 am

Poor Carla, I'm very glad Marie's found her. Thank you ravenseyes

 

#17:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:10 am

Hope Marie can help.

(Well I know that she does but you know what I mean!)

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#18:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:28 am

Also glad that Marie can help Carla. Thanks ravenseyes.

Star Wars

 

#19:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:58 am

(((((Carla)))))

Sweet Marie...

 

#20:  Author: Robin, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:01 am

this looks as though it's going to be very good, thanks Ravenseyes.
Poor carla.

 

#21:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:41 pm

Yay Marie!!!

*Gives Carla a quiet push towards the door*

 

#22:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:49 pm

Nikkie wrote
Quote:
Can someone remind me about Carla please

And can they tell me too, please? I know who Carla von Flugen is, but I'm guessing her later life has been cut from paperbacks?

 

#23:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:29 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes. Hope Carla goes with Marie and is able to talk to her.

Lyanne wrote:
Nikkie wrote
Quote:
Can someone remind me about Carla please

And can they tell me too, please? I know who Carla von Flugen is, but I'm guessing her later life has been cut from paperbacks?


After Marie told Jo about Carla, Jo offered her a job as governess/nanny (can't remember exactly) at Freudesheim, to rescue her from waitressing.

Liz

 

#24:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:56 pm

Theres quite a lot of info about Carla in Coming of Age, when she is *rescued* from waitressing in a coffee shop. Joey takes her in as a mothers help to replace Maria Marani.

The she appears in Trials and, in what appears to be a lovely EBDism, is offered a home at Freudesheim whenever she needs it, is invited to meet her family, and asked to be godmother to the expected next arrival. Rolling Eyes Very Happy

I wonder how Carla will deal with Marie's offer to help. I hope she doesnt feel to awkward.

 

#25:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:46 am

Looking at Marie’s face Carla slowly nodded her head. Despite the straits that she was in she still had retained her pride and would not accept charity. However, on Marie’s face she only saw open friendliness, which decided her.

“The phone is over there Marie. If you will excuse me I will go and tidy myself”

Leaving Marie to call Eugen, Carla made her way to the bathroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror she compared herself to Marie and bitterly reflected on what might have been had they had the money or the relatives to enable Stefan and her to have left Austria before the war. Still, she shook herself, nothing could be done about it now and if nothing else she was still a strong Chalet woman not a spineless jellyfish. If she had been a jellyfish she would have given up and died 13 years ago when her life had died.

Carla quickly combed her hair and rebraided it, before adding a light powder and some lipstick. She had removed her apron and her dress was clean underneath. Gathering her well worn heavy woolen coat and scarf she wrapped herself warmly before going back to the main restaurant.

Marie was just hanging up the phone and came over to her.

“I have called for another taxi and they will be here soon. I must leave some money to cover my calls. Will this do”

Carla took the money and put it in the till. She checked that everything was off and as they heard the toot of the horn outside, they left through the main door and Carla locked it behind her. Snow was falling and Carla settled happily in the warmth of the taxi. Normally she would have had a 15 minute walk back to her rooms.

Little was said on the journey across Salzburg and it gave Carla time to compose her thoughts. She knew that Marie would want to know about her life since leaving school and even 13 years later it still hurt deeply that she had lost both her husband and her son.

Arriving at Marie’s hotel they exited the taxi and Marie arranged for her luggage to be taken upstairs to her suite. Carla looked around the suite appreciatively. It had been along time since she had been in such luxurious surroundings.

Marie crossed the lounge to a well appointed drinks cabinet. “They have a lovely sherry here – would you like a glass”?

With Carla settled with a drink Marie turned her attention to the dinner menu. She had noted that Carla was very thin and with this in mind Marie ordered a substantial dinner meal to be served in her rooms. She knew that the seafood chowder was divine as it was one of her favorite meals. The hotel chef was famed for his chowder accompanied by light crusty herbed rolls. To follow she ordered Beef Stroganoff on rice with side salads and completed the order with fresh fruit and coffee.

Trying to think of a light conversation topic before dinner, she gestured around the room. “I’m glad they have kept to the traditional style in the rooms here. I know that have refurbished the hotel several times including after the fire but they do try and keep the same style. I remember Grizel saying that she came back after the fire and it was hard to tell that there had been a nearly total rebuild”

“Grizel – you mean Grizel Cochrane – I vaguely remember her – she was the head girl before I came to the school but she was up at the Annexe as the music teacher. I don’t remember a fire though”

Marie settled herself comfortably back in her chair “oh I had forgotten you were not there that term – Grizel was head girl, and she and Jo and - I can’t remember – it was either Evvy Lannis or Cornelia Flower – the American girls – and one of their father’s and the Mamsell, they all came and stayed down in Salzburg for a weekend and they were staying here. In the middle of the night fire broke out and they had to escape from the room and all they were left with was what they were wearing – mainly nightwear and robes. Anyway Grizel had really long hair and because it was night she had had it out loose and when they went down the fire escape she got scorched and all her hair was scorched off so she had to get it all shingled and until it grew a bit she looked really funny. Although, she was lucky because if she hadn’t had her hair out it would have been her skin that got burnt.


A knock at the door, announced the arrival of dinner and the maid entered the room pushing the dinner trolley, and proceeded to lay the table and place the dinner dishes on the table and in the warming dishes on the sideboard.

“Danke schon” said Marie as she tipped the maid.

Once the maid left the room Marie turned to Carla “Come on Carla, let us dine. Doesn’t it smell divine”

Carla had to agree. The smells were making her ravenous as she had been so busy that day she had forgotten to eat lunch. Marie poured them each some wine and they sat down to eat.

 

#26:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:53 am

I'm another one whose lip curled at the comment made about Marie 'rescuing' Carla from working in a shop and thought it patronising.

I'll revise that view now! I'm also revising my views on all the other similar occasions when Jo offered a home at Freudesheim to various people.

Thank you Ravenseyes. It's a new perspective and I do like that Laughing

 

#27:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:30 am

ravenseyes wrote:
Once the maid left the room Marie turned to Carla “Come on Carla, let us dine. Doesn’t it smell divine”


Laughing great line! Marie is showing her true lovely colours here...thanks ravenseyes!

 

#28:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:09 am

I like the way you showed that Marie had tried to find Carla after the war, and was still able to say who she had asked and been in contact with. It shows that there was memory and concern and must have gone some way to helping Carla go with her.

 

#29:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:31 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes

Hope Carla doesn't get indigestion from all that lovely food that she's not used to.

Liz

 

#30:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:42 pm

Liz! Laughing


Thanks Ravenseyes - a lovely update and very nice to see Carla willing to stay with Marie and talk to her.

 

#31:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 4:48 pm

thank you! that was lovely! Very Happy

 

#32:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:15 pm

This is great, Ravenseyes!

It's scary how much I've got to catch up with after a week away from the CBB, but there are so many lovely new drabbles!

 

#33:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:52 pm

Marie is so thoughtful- and it must be a huge shock for her.

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#34:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:01 pm

Thank you, Liz B and Ally.

 

#35:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 8:08 pm

this is wonderful - like others I'd really not known about Carla - is it in the h/b? (cos if it's inthe pbs I've not been reading them very well Embarassed )

I love the detailed descriptions you are giving, making it so easy to *see* everything. And the food is making me very hungry Very Happy

 

#36:  Author: keren, Location: Israel PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 7:02 am

I can't remember off-hand, but all the interesting things about old-girls were as a rule cut from the PBs,
but there is a transcript on the site, so you can check it out, furthermore, since it is in Word, you can do a search for her name, to find the reference quickly.

 

#37:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 12:28 pm

Dawn wrote:
this is wonderful - like others I'd really not known about Carla - is it in the h/b?


I think it must be in the PBs as I've not read any HBs.

May we have some more please Ravenseyes?

Liz

 

#38:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:10 am

Over dinner Marie kept the conversation light and trivial. She could tell that life had been hard for Carla and she did not want to poke and pry, although having found Carla she was itching with curiosity to know what had happened to her.

After the meal, which lived up to all expectations, they sat back in the lounge chairs with cups of coffee. Carla smiled at Marie “ thank you, that was magnificent. I haven’t had a meal like that for more years than I can remember. So tell me, I remember you married Count Eugen von und zu Wertheim. You went to America before the war and you were lucky enough to be over there when the Anchluss came. What happened to everyone – I have lost track over the war years and somehow after that I never have had the time to find out about anyone, and I guess later on I didn’t want to”

“ Oh Carla” Marie said sympathy in every note. The look on Carla’s face warned her not to go further. “OK – potted school history. When the Anchluss happened the school had to shut down. Several of the girls had to flee – do you remember St Scholasticka’s - across the lake, well Miss Brown got a legacy and she sold the school to Madame and they joined with the Chalet School. Louise Redfield was headgirl then. Anyway Joey, the Robin, Hilary Burn, Corney, Evvy and Miss Wilson were in Spartz one day. A group of youths were attacking Herr Goldman the jeweler, because he was a Jew. They all got mixed up in it and had to escape because of course the Nazi’s supported the youths. Somehow they ended up in a tunnel from the church which led up to above the Sonnalpe. When they came out of the tunnel Miss Wilson’s hair had all turned white with the strain. Because the Nazi’s wanted them they had to flee over the border to Switzerland. Jack Maynard was engaged to Joey and Gottfried Mensch, Gisela’s husband went with them and they got to Gottfreid’s Aunt in Switzerland after weeks of walking and being hunted.
Dr Jem and Madame shut the school and the San and moved it all to Guernsey in the Channel Islands. They stayed there for about eighteen months and then left and moved to the Welsh border. The school stayed there until it moved to Gornetz Platz in the Oberland in Switzerland and it is still there and flourishing. Dr Jem is now Sir James Russell and he runs the San in the Welsh mountains and Dr Jack runs the San on the Gornetz Platz. The San does more than TB these days. It is a big cancer research facility as well. All of my daughters have been to the school and there are heaps of what are called the schools granddaughters at it.”

Marie paused here and went and refilled her cup – “more coffee ?”

Carla nodded” yes please – so tell me what happened to some of the people. You’re married to Eugen and obviously have daughters…”

“plus two sons. I have three daughters and two sons. Who else would you like to know about ? The other prefects with us – let me think – Bianca di Ferrara. You remember her older sister Luigia joined the Poor Clares. Luigia was killed in a concentration camp. Bianca is married now and lives in Verona. She has two sons. Eva von Heiling died in Berlin during the war. Simone married Andre de Bersac and they have a daughter Tessa who is at the school and two sons. They live just south of Paris. Frieda married Bruno von Ahlen. He joined the staff at the San just before the war. During the war he and my brother-in-law Freidel von Gluck were imprisoned in a concentration camp for treason. They managed to escape, thanks to the resistance and made it to England. In the camp they tortured Bruno and smashed his hands so he can no longer be a surgeon. He works in a bank now and he and Frieda live in Balse. They have two sons and two daughters. Joey and Jack live next door to the school at Freudesheim. You will laugh at this – when they were living in Guernsey Joey had their first child, however if you remember Joey you will remember she never did anything by halves so she went and produced triplet girls”

Carla’s jaw dropped “triplets ! You mean three all at once”

“True enough. Three redheaded girls”.

Carla began to laugh “Well yes that would be Joey and redheads too. I remember when Sybil was born how disgusted she was that she was a redhead. Well triplet girls would make a nice family”

“Oh Joey didn’t stop there” replied Marie with a grin. “ After the triplets came three boys, no not triplets” she added as Carla’s eyes grew round with shock” Single boys, but then she and Jack went to Canada and while she was there she had twins, a boy and girl and then finally eighteen months ago she had a single girl”

Carla was counting on her fingers “that makes nine children – my goodness”

Carla was silent for a couple of minutes. She then got up and refilled her coffee cup. Sitting back done she gave Marie a twisted smile and said “well as you have probably gathered my life didn't quite turn out like I had hoped for.”

 

#39:  Author: JustJen, Location: waiting for a bus PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:28 am

Thnka you for the wonderful update

 

#40:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 5:32 am

Wonderful potted history, Ravenseyes. Love the explanation for why Bruno changed profession! Laughing

 

#41:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:39 am

This is wonderful Ravenseyes. Please post more.

 

#42:  Author: Helen C, Location: Sheffield/Luton PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:04 am

Thanks Ravenseyes this is great

 

#43:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:25 am

This is really good Ravenseyes. Please post more soon!

 

#44:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:59 am

This is great, ravenseyes - looking forward to more.

 

#45:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:21 am

Loving this. Also love the explanation for Bruno - it's nice to see EBDisms explained!

 

#46:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:35 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes - glad Marie included some sad history as well as all the happy history in there, so Carla won't feel she's the only one who's not "done well"

Liz

 

#47:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:29 pm

Thank you, ravenseyes. I too had wondered why Bruno had changed professions when reading CS books. Great story. Smile

 

#48:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:45 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes.

Poor Bruno though Sad

 

#49:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:38 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes. Poor Bruno, what and awful thing to happen to him. Looking forward to more. Very Happy

 

#50:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 5:15 pm

LizB wrote:
Dawn wrote:
this is wonderful - like others I'd really not known about Carla - is it in the h/b?


I think it must be in the PBs as I've not read any HBs.

May we have some more please Ravenseyes?

Liz


It is in the h/b. Her hubby died in a camp (from what I remember) and then her son died too. just after the war I think. She turns up in Trials too, at the panto, and is just about to go and live at Jo's. When Marie finds her working in the shop, she's almost penniless.

Have just read this from the beginning Ravenseyes, it's wonderful. Having just reread trials and coming of age for my own drabble research, I've been wondering about Carla's story. Am so glad you're writing it. And it's so well written too.

Thanks Very Happy

 

#51:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:24 pm

thanks ravenseyes

Marie is still lovely and kind - love Carla's reaction about Jo!!

 

#52:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:52 pm

“When we all finished school I did not return to Wein. Mother had not been well for quite a while and Father had rented a small villa on the Adriatic Coast in Italy. It was very quiet, miles from anywhere except the local village. Father settled Mother and I there and he had to return to Wein. Once a month I would drive to a bigger town which was nearly three hours away to get supplies and the mail. It was very beautiful and peaceful. Father had made sure there was a piano and we had lots of books so mother rested. We had a lovely little cove at the bottom of the garden so I could swim everyday. Mother and I stayed there for six months and she recuperated very well. We came back to Wein in the New Year. Father had come and had Christmas at the villa. When I got back to Wein I heard that you had married the Baron but we didn’t know many other people anymore. Mother used to see your mother but now that your mother was not so well she was staying with Wanda a lot and there were not many other girls in Wein. The Linder’s had moved and now lived with their Aunt and Uncle so I lost track of everyone.

If you remember Father owned a big engineering construction company. Anyway, one night in June 1937, he brought a young man home to dinner. He was the new surveyor, and he was the son of an old friend of Father’s. This old friend had died in an accident ages ago and when his son graduated from University father had offered him a job. His name was Stefan, Stefan von Lindmann. He was handsome and charming and we started “keeping company”. Father and mother were both pleased. We married in January 1938. Do you remember the little catholic church on the banks of the Danube just north of the city. It is very small but it had beautiful stained glass windows and over looked the Danube. We got married there on a sunny winters day and all the stained glass windows glowed. We were so happy and had such plans. I don’t think I even told you that is who I am Carla von Lindmann.

 

#53:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:12 am

Playing catch up after four days with no internet.

Like everyone else, I love your explanation for Bruno not being a doctor anymore.

But how could Carla wait a month for the post in those pre-internet days? Shocked Now I really feel sorry for her!

 

#54:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 7:20 am

Thank you Ravenseyes - that sounds so peaceful - it's such a shame it was all spoilt

Liz

 

#55:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:56 am

Wow

Amazing start, another great drabble

Thanks

 

#56:  Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:55 pm

is it too soon to start chanting?...still fairly new and don't know the chanting rules...

 

#57:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 3:51 pm

Definitely ok to chant Jodi!

 

#58:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:41 pm

Thanks for writing this ravenseyes, it's nice to have the gaps filled in. I feel so sorry for Carla.

Adding my voice to the chants Smile

Star Wars

 

#59:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:49 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes

 

#60:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:19 pm

We didn’t have a honeymoon then because Stefan had some big projects he was working on. We decided that we would wait and then we would take a month and go back to the Villa on the Adriatic. Then on the 13th March 1938, Hitler announced the Anschluss. At first things didn’t change a lot. Then they started persecuting the Jews. Father was ordered to dismiss all his Jewish employees. He didn’t want to but they threatened they would shut the company down so he had to so that all the staff didn’t lose their jobs. Then food got scarcer and the riots and deaths started. Then the Nazi’s started conscripting people. The unmarried women had to join the Women’s Labor forces. My brother Erich was a pilot and they made him leave Father’s company and join the Luftwaffe and they made Stefan join the Army engineers because he was a surveyor. They were both sent to Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and then they were sent to Poland. When the declaration of war came in September 1939 I was so scared but I got a letter from Stefan saying that his unit was rebuilding bridges in Poland that had been destroyed so he was away from the fighting. It was a very sad Christmas. Mother was not well again and both father and I knew that she was dying. There was little money for food or medicine. I had moved back home with mother and father to help them and although Stefan’s pay helped, the Nazi’s had taken over father’s factory for the war effort. At the end of January Stefan arrived home. He had broken his leg so he was able to come home to recuperate. I was so happy. Stefan hadn’t really seen much of the war because being in the engineers he was always behind the fighting. We didn’t know the truth of what was happening. It was a bad break so it took a while to heal. Stefan was still at home at the beginning of March when Mother died. It was very peaceful, she just passed away in her sleep. Erich was able to get leave to come home to the funeral. We didn’t know it then but it was the last time we would see Erich. I know he died during the bombing of London later that year.

Later in March Stefan got a letter from the Army. They were advising him that he would be staying in Austria. They wanted him to oversee the construction of a new facility near Linz. We were very pleased because it meant that he was in Austria and I thought he would be safer.”

Carla’s voice was shaking and her eyes were full of tears. She was looking at Marie but she wasn’t seeing her, she was reliving what happened all those years ago. Marie went to the drinks cabinet and poured a brandy and went and pressed it into Carla’s hand.

Carla continued with her voice rising “we didn’t know Marie, we just didn’t know what the facility was”

Marie looked at Carla. She was puzzled at first. Linz was a medium sized city to the north west of Austria closer to the German border. It had been from here that Hitler had announced the Anschluss but Marie could not remember anything significant about Linz. Then the realization dawned “Oh my God ... Mauthausen. Oh Carla I’m so sorry.”

 

#61:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:23 pm

Oh my God! Poor Carla. Crying or Very sad

 

#62:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:29 pm

Crying or Very sad

This is so beautifully written, thank you. It must have been really hard to write

Crying or Very sad

 

#63:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:43 pm

Crying or Very sad Poor poor Carla Sad

I really hope she can find some kind of happiness again...

 

#64:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:11 pm

Poor Carla - she's had such a hard life.

Just read this so far all in one go and tears are simply streaming down my face.

 

#65: 2nd update - CONTENT WARNING Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:03 am

Carla took a strong sip of her brandy and continued in a hard voice. “ Stefan left in April. I wasn’t positive when he left so I didn’t say anything but I was pretty sure I was pregnant. I thought he would be able to come home to see our baby when it was born. I got one letter from him when he got to Linz. He just described the journey and what Linz was like. He had not yet gone out to that abomination. That was the last time I ever heard from him. When I wrote to him in May to tell him I was pregnant the letter was returned. I didn’t know what had happened and I couldn’t find anything out. I thought perhaps he was involved in something secret – there were so many different war campaigns and propaganda so I told myself he couldn’t write and he would tell me about it when he came home. But he never came…. And when his pay stopped coming I knew even though no one had told me. In July, the news came that Erich had been shot down and was missing presumed dead. It destroyed Father. He tried so hard to be strong because he knew that the baby and I needed him but each day he got a little bit less.

In November our son was born. It was a long and difficult birth and I had not been well before. I had tried not to worry but I could not help but worry and of course there was not much food or medicine. I called him Karl Stefan Erich. He was so small and perfect.”


Marie sat still in her chair. She had the feeling that this was the first time that Carla had ever spoken about this and she did not want to break into Carla’s words. The anguish in Carla’s voice was heartbreaking and once again Marie was so thankful that circumstances had meant that her family was in America when the Anschluss had occurred. Freidel and Wanda had both suffered but they had escaped eventually and had reached a haven in Wales with the Chalet School. She sent up a silent prayer of both thankfulness and for guidance.

Carla continued, her voice had become almost a monotone and she had finished the brandy.
“On New Years night 1941 there was pounding at the door. When Father opened it two SS men pushed in. They were both drunk and laughing and they told me that Stefan was dead. They had killed him at Mauthausen. When Stefan had arrived at Mauthausen and found out what it was he had refused to oversee the construction. They had wanted him to survey and plan more crematoria. He refused and they called him a Jew lover and a traitor to the Third Reich. He was beaten and tortured. They held a court martial and found him guilty and they threw him in the camp. If he was going to support the Jews and the other prisoners he could be with them. He was forced to work with the rest of the prisoners in the rock quarry there, known as the Wiener Graben, where they began to build the granite fortress-prison of the main camp, mostly with their blood, bodies, bare hands and backs. The SS Officers were laughing as they described how they reserved him even more “special treatment” because he was a traitor. Stefan died in December 1940 and they burned him with the rest of the scum. They told me I was the wife of a traitor and our son had traitors blood too. Then one of them started … ”.
Carla’s face convulsed and she lifted the empty glass to her lips. Marie quickly poured some more brandy into the glass and Carla emptied it in one mouthful. “ one of them started to… molest me would be the polite way of putting it. Father tried to stop him but the other one hit him over the head with his pistol. I was fighting but he was too strong but when he ripped my dress open he stopped and he said I was as ugly and skinny as the Jewish scum at the camp so I wasn’t worth it.”

Marie got up from her chair and crossed to Carla. Carla was white, rigid and shaking with tears pouring down her face. All Marie could think to do was put her arms around Carla and hold her, just like she would hold one of her children when something was wrong

 

#66:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:18 am

*hugs Carla*

it's so horrible, but it could so easily have happened that way. thank you, Ravenseyes - excellent writing

 

#67:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:27 am

Oh god! Poor Carla! Sad Sad

 

#68:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:27 am

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

 

#69:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:22 am

This is so dreadful - poor Carla.

Thank you Ravenseyes.

 

#70:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:41 am

*hugs Carla tightly*

What awful things to happen to her Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

 

#71:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:47 am

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Poor Carla

Thanks Ravenseyes

Liz

 

#72:  Author: keren, Location: Israel PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:15 am

What a moving story.
I am forever astonished by the talent and knowledge of people on this board.

 

#73:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:30 am

Poor Carla - I hope that by telling Marie what she's been through she's starting to move on from it.

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#74:  Author: Robin, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:39 am

Oh my god, how horrific. Poor poor Carla.
this must be really hard to write, thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#75:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:05 am

Poor Carla Crying or Very sad She's endured so much, it must have been difficult for her to get through those times.

Thank you for writing this ravenseyes.

 

#76:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:49 am

Thank you Ravenseyes Crying or Very sad This is beautiful.

 

#77:  Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:24 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes Crying or Very sad like Keren, I am continually astonished at the talent of the people on this board. Thank you for being brave enough to write this - and write is so well.

 

#78:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:31 pm

Wow. So well written, ravenseyes, and as someone already said, so plausible that this could happen. Crying or Very sad

 

#79:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:57 pm

(((Carla)))
Poor Carla

*has lump in thoat*

 

#80:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:32 pm

This is awful ,poor Carla Crying or Very sad

 

#81:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:37 pm

Sitting here, biting my lips so not to cry... knowing that these things happen in our world... Thank you Ravenseyes for reminding us.

 

#82:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:18 pm

Finally the sobs lessened and Carla relaxed in Marie’s arms. Marie sat still just holding her and eventually she realized that Carla had fallen asleep. Marie turned Carla so she was lying on the settee and got a pillow and a blanket from her bedroom. Removing Carla’s shoes she tugged the blanket around Carla and lifted her head and slid the pillow underneath her head. Marie was shaking as she poured herself a small brandy and sat back in her chair beside the fire. She had known about what had happened during the war, the newspapers had reported about the death camps and the final solution after the war and it had been horrific reading about it, but to hear from someone about what had happened was so much more intense. Marie also knew that “there but for the grace of God go I”. She and Carla had been of similar social standing and if it had not been for the good fortune of Eugen’s mother being an American and them going to visit all the American relatives it so easily could have been her and her family.

Marie’s thoughts were very somber as she prepared for bed that night and she said her prayers with a little more fervor.

The following morning she was aroused by noises from the sitting room. Wrapping her robe around her she found Carla threshing on the sofa. The white face with two red circles immediately told Marie that something was wrong. She laid her hand on Carla’s forehead and winced as she felt the heat. Crossing the room she lifted the phone.

“This is Countess von Wertheimer in Suite three. Please arrange for a doctor to attend my suite as soon as possible”. Hanging up the phone Marie crossed to the bathroom and wet a hand towel in the cold water. She crossed back to Carla and laid it across her head. She then went back to the phone and called the front desk again. “This is Countess von Wertheimer again, can you please send up one of your emergency overnight kits in a ladies small and a maid please”.

Within minutes there was a knock at the door and Marie let the maid in. Marie had used the hotels overnight kits before when her luggage had somehow not made it onto the same train as she had so she knew that they had a nightdress and toiletries. Fortunately this suite that Marie was using had twin beds. She had not wanted to disturb Carla last night and had left her tucked in on the comfortable sofa but know she needed to be in bed.

Turning to the maid Marie said “ Can you held me get my friend changed into the nightwear and we will get her to bed in the other bed. Hopefully the doctor is not far away” The maid quickly prepared the other bed and then the two of them got Carla into the nightdress and tucked her up. Marie brushed Carla’s hair and rebraided it out of the way. There was not a lot more they could do until the doctor arrived so Marie thanked the maid for her help and asked her to organize for some breakfast to be sent up.

Quickly Marie had a shower and got dressed. She redampened the towel on Carla’s head. A knock at the door heralded the arrival of a doctor and she ushered him into the bedroom. Marie stayed on the far side of the room as the doctor examined Carla. The frown on the doctor’s face worried her and his mutterings “far to thin, hmm probably anemic, get blood tests to confirm this”

Turning to Marie he said “What can you tell me about your friend, did anything happen last night” Marie briefly told the doctor what had passed last night.

“Your friend is very run down and far too thin. This combined with what you tell me, makes me think that she is suffering from almost a nervous breakdown. She needs to rest in peaceful surrounds, have good nourishing food and recuperate both her body and her mind. She must stay in bed until the fever drops but then if she could go somewhere to rest that is what would be best. I’m leaving you some cooling mixture and later if she wakes try and get some soup or similar into her”

The doctor left just as Marie’s breakfast arrived. Over breakfast she sat thinking furiously about what to do. Firstly she phoned the front desk again and made arrangements to retain the suite for another three days.

The she phoned Eugen and gave him a brief summary of events concluding with “ I want to help her Eugen. We were so lucky and this could have been us. We have to do something”.

“ I agree hertzlibchen. I remember Carla from school but we must be careful. You do not want to hurt her or make her feel like charity. One of the first things you must do is phone the café where she works and advise them that she is ill. Then unless things change I will send the car and driver in three days and bring you both back to Wertheimshloss. Carla should be able to recuperate here”.

Marie looked up in the phonebook and found the café where Carla worked.. Herr Schmidt was sympathetic to Carla’s illness but told Marie that if Carla was away for longer than three days he would have to find another worker. “I’m sorry Countess but I am just a poor business man and I can not afford to pay someone who is not here”. He did eventually agree to allow Carla a weeks leave after Marie came over extremely the Countess and provided her with the name and number of the woman who was the landlord at the room Carla rented. Marie then phoned this woman and arranged for Carla’s rent to be paid for the next month.

 

#83:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:24 pm

Marie is so generous and practical. Thank you ravenseyes

 

#84:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:12 am

Thankyou ravenseyes for telling us Carla's story - it must have been very draining to write at times

 

#85:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:54 am

Love Marie 'coming over the Countess' - she is a good friend to have.


Poor Carla. Crying or Very sad

 

#86:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:20 am

Marie is being an excellent friend here - you see glimpses of it when she's at school - but it's lovely to see this continued and developed in her character.

Thanks Ravenseyes

Liz

 

#87:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:00 pm

As everyone has already said, Marie is being a wonderfiul friend here. Thank goodness she found Carla.

Thanks ravenseyes.

 

#88:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:34 pm

Good on Marie!

But poor Carla, what a nightmare to be living Sad

 

#89:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:10 pm

I'm glad Marie's helping her. Hopefully, Carla can now recover.
Thanks ravenseyes.

Star Wars

 

#90:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:36 pm

Good for Marie. I always thought she was strong, helpful & supportive - much more so than Joey.

I hope you've recovered from writing Carla's story, ravenseyes. That must have shattered you.

 

#91:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 4:22 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes, as everyone else has said - Marie is being a really lovely friend, I like the way she uses her status and wealth to the advantage of someone who is struggling!

 

#92:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:26 pm

It looks like Marie found her just in time.
Poor Carla and good for Marie

 

#93:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:02 pm

Thank you for all your encouragement.
Very Happy


Over the next three days Carla’s temperature dropped and she tended to sleep most of the time. Marie made sure that there was always a supply of soup on hand. She had sent Carla’s clothing away to be cleaned and bearing in mind what Eugen had said, she had slipped out to a local department store and purchased some simple plain underwear, another nightdress and some toiletries for Carla. She had hesitated for a while before purchasing a winter dress in a soft rose color, but it was on sale and she hoped that she could persuade Carla it would be more comfortable for traveling in than the black dress of her uniform. Because it had been on sale she made sure that she left the sale price tag on it so Carla would not feel like she was getting charity.

On the morning of the third day Marie began to pack for them to leave. Carla had got up and had a long shower and Marie had convinced her to accept the dress and other items. Carla was still feeling weak and tired so she was not up to arguing with Marie so she accepted Marie’s statements it would be more comfortable to travel in and had agreed to come back to Wertheimschloss with little fuss for which Marie was very thankful.

The car arrived for them at 10am and after settling Carla in the car Marie went back into the hotel and paid the bill and thanked the staff for all their help. She had got Carla to give her the address and key to her room so the driver set off to take them there so Marie could pack Carla a bag. Their journey took them into the narrower streets near the old railway station. Pulling up outside a grimy three story building the chauffeur looked around and said to Marie “are you sure you want to go in there Ma’am”
“I’ll just be a minute Mueller – just keep an eye open”

Marie exited the car and hurried up the flight of stairs to the third floor. She opened the door marked 4. The room was spotlessly clean but very small with room for a single bed, a table and chairs and in the corner a small bench with a gas ring and an ancient refridgerator. Looking inside the fridge Marie found there was only a jug of milk which had gone off so she emptied this away, cleaned the jug and turned the fridge off. Crossing to by the bed she opened a chest of drawers and proceeded to pack, in the suitcase she had had Eugen send with Mueller, Carla’s rather pitiful selection of clothing. Everything was beautifully cleaned and mended but it was all very well worn. Luckily she noted that she and Carla took the same size shoe so she would be able to give Carla some walking boots so they could walk around the estate, without causing any problems. On the table beside the bed were two photos. One was obviously Carla and Stefan on their wedding day and the other one was of Carla holding a small baby with an older man behind her. This was Carla and Carl and her father. Both Carla and her father were thin and tired looking in the photo. Marie carefully packed them on top of the clothes and closed the bag. She locked the door on her way out and returned to the car. Mueller stowed the case in the trunk and said “She’s asleep Ma’am”. Carla had fallen asleep on the back seat. Marie placed a folded rug under her head and spread another rug over her. “I guess I will have to sit up front then Mueller, with a grin she continued perhaps I should drive” “The look on Mueller’s face brightened her day. “Never mind - I will stick to driving the Porshe not the Mercedes”.

They drove away from Salzburg and were soon heading through the snow covered country side toward Wertheimschloss.

 

#94:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 2:50 am

Just caught up on this and am so impressed by your relating of Carla's story, ravenseyes.

To repeat what many have said, (((Marie))) and ((((((Carla))))))

 

#95:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:04 am

Love the relationship Marie has with Mueller. Thank you Ravenseyes - Marie is wonderful.

 

#96:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 7:19 am

Thanks Ravenseyes - Marie is an amazing friend - and so practical as well.

Liz

 

#97:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 7:47 am

Marie is brilliant, what a wonderful friend Very Happy

Thanks Ravenseyes

 

#98:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:18 am

Thanks ravenseyes. Agrees with everyone else that Marie is a wonderful friend.

Star Wars

 

#99:  Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:02 pm

thanks ravenseyes
(((Carla))) (((marie)))

 

#100:  Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:53 pm

Just found this, Ravenseyes - wonderful. I hadn't realised that Carla had been "rescued" - her life has been so sad. I hope she can start to rebuild and enjoy herself again with help from her friends.

Love Marie in this!

 

#101:  Author: Lucy, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 1:22 pm

I've just caught up with this ravenseys - its wonderful and so emotional. Its sent shivers up my back and I had to leave my desk at work to take a few minutes out in the toilets before I could come back and write this.

Incredibly well written - thank you

 

#102:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 2:24 pm

thanks ravenseyes Kiss

 

#103:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:14 pm

This really is incredibly written!
You have made Carla so real!

 

#104:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 7:29 pm

What a beautifully moving, arresting story, Ravenseye! Sad Crying or Very sad

I do hope Marie can help her - and that she will let herself be helped.

 

#105:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:35 am

Arriving at Wertheimschloss Marie found that Eugen had had a suite prepared on the ground floor. It overlooked the lawns, that were currently covered in snow and out over the valley towards the river. The furnishings were made of the local black pine and the style was simple although the craftsmanship and expertise was obvious in the furniture. Although they had had central heating installed in the castle they had maintained some of the traditional porcelain stoves and the stove added its warmth and a ruddy glow to the room. Carla had awakened as they approached Wertheimschloss. Her nervousness at meeting Eugen again after all the years had disappeared with the warmth and friendliness of his greeting. They had not stopped for lunch on the trip from Salzburg as more snow was forecast and Marie and Mueller both thought it would be better to get home. Consequently it was well after three and Marie was ravenous.

Eugen continued " I know you have not had lunch yet so if you wash up there is Kaffee and Kuchen with extras in the family room" Carla looked slightly puzzled at the reference to family room so Marie explained as they went to wash up. "It’s a bit of an Americanism. We have the formal lounges, and dining room and salons etc etc but they are so big. If Eugen and I ate at the formal dining table each night we would need phones to talk to each other. With the children away at school we converted a room near the kitchen into what we call a family room and it is much cozier".

Following Marie along the wood paneled stone hallways they came to a big wooden door. Opening it they went into a warm room and Carla immediately understood what Marie had meant. This room was meant for living in. Over the far side was a large comfortable looking sofa. It had a coffee table in front of it and lamps stood at either end. In another corner stood a television and a radiogram again with some comfortable looking chairs in front of them. Against one wall was a large bookcase come cabinet loaded with a large array of books, records and jigsaws. The was a large wooden chest with a much loved one eyed teddy bear sitting on top surveying the room. "the drapes are all closed now but in summer there are french doors that open out onto a paved courtyard" said Marie. "We grow herbs in the courtyard and in summer the smell is lovely". Close to the door was an eight place dining suite and credenza. There was a tureen of savory smelling soup plus fresh crusty rolls, as well as assorted cookies and fresh fruit, sitting waiting on the table. "Come on you two before it gets cold" called Eugen moving behind them to shepherd them towards the table. Carla was actually feeling quite hungry which was a good sign and both Marie and Eugen were please to see she had a good bowl of soup with a roll, and had a cookie and some coffee. Once they had finished eating, it was obvious Carla was very tired again so Marie took her to her room. The maid had unpacked Carla’s clothes and laid out the nightie and the robe. The bed was beautifully warm as a hot water bottle had been placed into it. Carla went to the bathroom and got changed and sunk into the bed. "Oh Marie, this is like a dream. Thank you so much" and then rolled over and went to sleep.


Although each day Carla got stronger it was very obvious that the weeks leave Herr Schmidt had given her was not going to be enough. The doctor had been and told her she needed several more weeks of rest but Carla was adamant that she needed to return to work and refused to listen until Marie proved to her that she was unable to. Marie had a fair idea from Carla’s conversation what a day was like so on the Saturday she rousted Carla from bed at six am. With a minimal breakfast she then hauled Carla off to walk around for the 20 minutes it would have taken her to walk from her rooms to the Café. Marie had spoken to her housekeeper and had arranged for the baskets of clean washing to be left out. She and Carla then set to ironing and folding the washing. By 8.30am Carla was exhausted and only fit for bed. "Now do you see" said Marie. "You can’t do it". "Yes I know you need the job Carla but will you trust me. You are not well enough to go back to work and you won’t be for a while. You are not being a burden to us and I don’t want you thinking that you are. When you are well enough, and that is when the doctor says you are well enough, then it will be time to look for another job. Eugen has many business associates and he is sure that you will be able to obtain a better position. It’s not charity it is common sense."

Over lunch that day Eugen also argued for Carla to stay. "I am leaving on a business trip next week, and I will be gone for about 4 weeks. As the children are all away at school, during that time Marie will be alone here, except for the staff, so I would welcome you to stay".

Carla finally acquiesced and agreed to stay until after Eugen’s business trip was over.
The days were spent quietly and it was clear Carla was improving. One night as she and Marie were in the family room she said to Marie "I want to tell you the rest – about little Carl and what happened" Marie put down her book and settle herself as Carla poured them both a coffee.

 

#106:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 7:13 am

Thank you Ravenseyes - think both Marie and Eugen are being wonderful in this - exactly what Carla needs.

 

#107:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 1:39 pm

Am glad Carla has seen sense.

I don't want her to go to Joey once she's better though - it's not exactly a good job is it?!

 

#108:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 3:05 pm

Thanks ravenseyes. It's nice to see Marie and Eugen being so welcoming to Carla, helping her to recover.

Star Wars

 

#109:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:13 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes

Glad Marie is helping Carla, but not bulldozing her into things

Liz

 

#110:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 7:04 pm

Marie is such a good friend.

 

#111:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:16 pm

This is lovely Ravenseyes.

 

#112:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 2:08 am

"after the SS Men left I was able to go to father. Luckily Carl had stayed asleep so I was able to tend to father. I sponged his head and he was able to get up to bed. There were no doctors available at night and we had no phone so I knew it would have to wait until daylight before I could go to the clinic to see a doctor. The next day I got a doctor to look at Father and he said he had a concussion. There was nothing that could be done, Father simply had to rest in bed. Most people would have got better but Father just dwindled. The news of Stefan’s death coming on top of Erich’s death and getting attacked was just too much for him and within two weeks he died. He was buried next to mother, There were so many burials at this time that they simply buried the people at the church yard and then on Sunday the Priest would do a funeral mass for everyone that had died. All I really remember is how angry I was, at God for letting this terrible war happen, at Father for dying and leaving me and" here Carla’s voice shook " God forgive me I was angry at Stefan, for putting the lives of strangers before his family. He must of known what the Nazi’s would do to him for refusing and he still refused."

Marie looked at Carla. " I have never walked in your shoes Carla, but being angry sounds very natural. Why shouldn’t you have been angry, everything and nearly everyone you loved was gone?"

Carla smiled weakly at Marie "Anyway, here I was, a widow with a three month old baby, penniless and destitute and in the Nazi’s eyes, the wife of a traitor. It was a chance meeting on my way home from the funeral that gave me the opportunity to survive the next while. I literally fell over her, Her name was Elsa and she was in the Woman’s Labor Corps. She had been sent from Munich to work in the armament factories that the Nazis had set up on the far side of the city. She had been living in rooms near the factory but they had been destroyed by bombing. She seemed very nice so I suggested she come back to the house with me. Elsa had another four friends in the Labor Corps and they moved in as well and that is how we lived until 1945. Elsa and her friends lived at the house and their wages paid for the power and what groceries we could get. I stayed at home and was basically housekeeper. We planted a vegetable garden and our lawns became home to a milking goat and some chickens. Now that’s something they didn’t teach you at the Chalet school, how to milk a goat" she finished with a small grin. "I did all the cleaning, sewing and cooking and it worked well. One of girls had a young man who was part of the crew who cleared the destroyed buildings. Through him were able to get wood for the fires and I taught myself how to use the old range in the kitchen to save on power and heat the water."

Carla’s eyes misted over as she continued. " I told you that Carl was very small when he was born and he was what the doctors called a blue baby. I know now that it is caused by a heart defect and it was not treatable in 1940 even if there had not been a war. There was nothing that could be done. The girls loved him and they used to beg scraps of wool at work and knit him these little hats, jumpers and trousers that were all colors of the rainbow. He was a gently baby and would happily go to anyone. On the girls day off work I would only see him when he needed feeding as they would be telling him stories and playing with him. As he got bigger he got sicker as his growth put pressure on his heart. He was never able to walk properly because he had no energy and he used to turn blue and sink to the ground. We had an old pushchair that Greta’s young man had found when clearing a site. I tried not to think about who’s it had been before and what had happened to them. Carl used to spend most of the day in it and would watch me do my cleaning and cooking. When the weather was fine we would go outside by we rarely left the house grounds. I was too scared of meeting those soldiers again and to me our house was safe ground. Carl’s death was peaceful. When he was eighteen months old I went to check on him in the morning and found him. He had gone to sleep and woken with the angels. Carl’s death didn’t make me angry like Father’s had. I think I had always known that he would not live for that long and I was very grateful that the past year had been so good for him. Living as we did we were probably among the more fortunate as regards having heat and some food. I was able to bury him with father and mother. My biggest regret is that I have never been able to afford to put a headstone on the plot. I suppose after Carl died I should gone out to work but Elsa and the other girls liked our arrangement and somehow the Labor Corps just never got around to conscripting me. And we stayed like this until the end of the war"

 

#113:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 2:44 am

Thank you, Ravenseyes.
Poor Carla! Glad to see she's found Marie and is able to talk it through.

 

#114:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:46 am

Poor Carla - but at least she could see that Carl's death would have happened anyway, and that it was a peaceful one.

So glad she is able to confide in Marie.

 

#115:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:56 am

This is all extemely moving, ravenseyes, and very true to life. Keep it up.

 

#116:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 8:14 am

Crying or Very sad

Poor Carla and poor Carl - I'm so glad that she had Elsa and her friends to live with her and help her.

Liz

 

#117:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 10:39 am

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Thank you Ravenseyes

 

#118:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:42 am

Crying or Very sad Poor Carla - she's gone through so much.
Thanks ravenseyes.

 

#119:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:43 pm

poor poor Carla!

Glad her somewhat innocent faith in Elsa ("she seemed very nice") wasn't misplaced!

 

#120:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 8:56 pm

*sends huggles to Carla*

 

#121:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:58 pm

thank you! this is beautiful ravenseyes, just brings tears to my eyes. You write so well, I can imagine the scene as you're describing it.

 

#122:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:27 am

Carla got up and went and refilled the coffee cups and threw another log on the fire before sitting down again “It was after the war that things got worse. I know it sounds funny but from when the girls moved in until the liberation we coped. My house was right across the city from the factories on the Mönchsberg so of course the planes avoided our area so we were not in much danger. But after the liberation all the factories were closed and Elsa and Greta and the others went home so I was left alone in the house with no money. I ended up doing almost the same thing but with some American Army nurses. Because I could speak English, German and French it was useful and the stayed with me for most of 1946. But in 1947 when they left I could not afford to maintain the house. I was able to sell it – not for much but enough for me to survive on for a while. The main problem was getting a job. Girls like you and I were not supposed to need jobs and the Chalet school was lovely but it didn’t teach us things for jobs. My piano playing was of no use and I did not know how to type or clerk and there were so many girls and now returned soldiers looking for work. I moved to cheaper and cheaper rooms to try to save money. Finally I met Herr Schmidt and he agreed to give me a job as a waitress. Because the café is near the new railway station he hoped that my speaking English and French would help with the traveling customers. And there I have been every after. It didn’t pay much but it was a job and it meant I could keep my room. But since Frau Schmidt died two years ago I have been the only waitress there and the hours have been longer and longer but I couldn’t afford to go anywhere else, and Herr Schmidt kept saying he could not afford to hire anyone else and if I didn’t like it I could always leave. I think some of it was about six months after Frau Schmidt died, Herr Schmidt suggested “things” that I could do to make him miss his wife less and I refused”

Marie let out a gasp at this last revelation “he didn’t. Oh how disgusting, what an awful position to be in”

“Well you know the old saying beggars can’t be choosers. I just tried to ignore him but I was getting so tired. The day that you came in – that was my wedding anniversary and all I really wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up”

Marie couldn’t really think of anything that she could say. They sat in silence listening to the crackling of the logs on the fire and watching the shadows over the wall.

Carla broke the silence “I owe you and Eugen so much. You have literally saved my life and I am so grateful to you for allowing me to stay here and learn to live again. But it is time I need to be looking for a job so I must return to Salzburg when Eugen is home”.

Marie reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope “I wasn’t going to mention this until tomorrow but I may as well now. I received a letter from Joey this morning. Do you remember Maria Mariani?”

“Gisela’s sister ,she was younger than us. I do remember her though, she put her head through the back of a chair and got it stuck and they had to saw the back of the chair to get her out”

Marie laughed “That’s right, I had forgotten about that. Anyway she has been working for Joey as a mother help for the few years. Maria was very sick during the war. Onkle Florian died in a camp but for ages they had no knowledge of what had happened to him. When the news finally came Maria had a nervous breakdown. She was head girl at the time but she could not continue. She stayed in the San for nearly six months and then she went and stayed with Gisela and Gottfreid.
After the war Gisela and Gottfreid went to America for quite awhile and she went with them and helped Gisela. Then Gottfreid accepted a post at the San on Gornetz Platz and as the children were all older she went to Joey to be Mothers help as her former mothers help was getting married. She was another former Chalet girl although you wouldn’t have known her. She was at there in England.

But to continue, Maria is getting married and so will be leaving Joey so Joey wrote to me and said to offer you the position if you were interested. It’s mainly helping with the younger children as the older ones are all at school so I think that leaves Felix and Felicity and Cecelia during term time. Len, Con and Margot, Steve and Charles are at school during the term and I’m sure that Mike is going with the other two boys this term as well. And if I know Joey you certainly wouldn’t find it quiet or boring. Joey hasn’t changed and is still a flypaper for adventures and she still swears that she is going to have quads to round off the family”

“Quads, but she’s got nine including triplets and twins. Mein Gott”

“Well that is Joey. Look here is Joey's letter. Have a read and see what she has to say”

Carla settled back in her chair and started reading the pages of Joey's letter.

 

#123:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:41 am

Thank you Ravenseyes, strange that the worst time was after the War finished - but feasible the way Carla explained it.

 

#124:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:01 am

Thanks ravenseyes. Poor Carla has had a difficult life so far, but hopefully now it'll get easier.

Star Wars

 

#125:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:45 am

Poor Carla.I hope things get better for her. I'm sure with Joey involved they will. (don't they always) Can't wait to see what happens

 

#126:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:38 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes.

This makes Jo's offer to Carla sound so much better than it did in the books - and she really did need rescuing from the slimy employer!

Liz

 

#127:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:00 pm

*Nids and agrees with Liz*


Poor Carla though Crying or Very sad

 

#128:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 1:05 am

Eugen returned home two days later and was amazed at the change in Carla. “You look so much better and years younger.” he exclaimed when he first saw Carla. “Two beautiful women in my house, oh what a lucky man am I” he continued facetiously. Carla flushed but smiled back “well it is all thanks to Marie and yourself”.

Marie had convinced Carla to help her clear out her wardrobe. Several children and the years had rounded her figure and while by no means overweight she was rounder in some places than she had been previously. A lot of her clothing was of very good quality and she was able to convince Carla to take many of the outfits that no longer fitted her. She had threatened that if Carla didn’t take them they would end up on the bonfire and had also used the argument that if Carla was going to go for a job interview she needed smart suits or dresses to wear. Some, such as dinner dresses she had only worn once or twice. Many of them had matching shoes, bags and hats so she had pressed the whole outfit on Carla. She and Carla had also gone into the local town where Marie had made appointments at the beauty salon and they had both had their hair shampooed and trimmed.

After dinner that night Eugen was describing some of the places he had been on his business trip and a few of the more humorous happenings. They all settled down for their after dinner coffee and he turned to Carla “Marie tells me that you have a job offer from Joey to replace Maria Mariani”

A cloud passed over Carla’s face “yes I do and I am so grateful to her for thinking of me …”
“But” prompted Eugen. “I am unsure that I am the best person for Joey. Joey is so, so alive I guess would be the best way to describe it and Marie says that there are always things happening around her, and she and Jack have constant visitors and the school and everything. I am not sure I can handle that. I am a quiet person anyway and the years have made me more of a solitary person. I simply do not think I could handle the children and the activity of the house and school”

“well I would have to agree that peace and quiet and Joey are not words that exactly go together” said Marie.

Eguen continued dropping into French “have you retained your fluency in French Carla ?” “Oui M’sieur” Carla responded looking rather surprised. “and my English” she continued in English as their previous conversation had all been in German. “I also became fairly fluent in Italian while we were living on the Adriatic although I have not used it very much of late”

“Good” said Eugen. “Then I may have another suggestion that could be of interest to you. I have a business colleague Herr Bernard Lowenhardt. He has a sister, Sofia. Sofia would be 33 or 34 I suppose. She was injured in a horse riding accident three years ago. She is not paralyzed but she received bad back injuries that have left her unable to move at anything other than a slow walk and bending and lifting are out of her range. Sofia wishes to travel and in order for her to do this she needs a companion. She does not want a maid, she was hoping to find someone closer to her in age who can be both company and a help to her both on her trips and in her home. Sofia only speaks German so I thought of you and your languages as being of great assistance for the traveling. The first trip she has planned is to get the train to Marseilles and join a cruise liner around the Mediterranean. It is a fairly slow cruise and you get about 4 days in each port it stops at so she will have an opportunity to see each place. She lives in Geneva so it would mean flying to Geneva to meet her but I thought this position sounded quite good. Bernard is a very nice fellow and he says that his sister is much the same and has a good sense of humor so would you be willing to meet her to discuss this ?”

“Oh Eugen” said Carla “this sounds wonderful. I truly think that it sounds more like me that going to Joey. I was telling Marie that during the war I was basically housekeeper in my house to some girls in the Labor Corps who lived with me and then later some American Army Nurses. I think I could be good at this.”

“Excellent, well I will phone Bernard and get him to arrange a meeting and when he confirms it the three of us will fly to Geneva”

Eugen left the room to go to his office and make the calls. Carla looked at Marie “will Joey be upset at all if I take this other position?”

“Of course not Carla, Joey only ever wants what is best for people and she will understand entirely of this other position works out. Besides, you will be based in Geneva so don’t be surprised if you get an invitation to visit Freudesheim for a weekend. I’m glad you have thought about it because all though I am used to Joey I would agree sometimes she can be overwhelming”.

Eugen came back in “well that is settled. We fly out of Salzburg on Monday afternoon and you will be having lunch with Sofia on Tuesday.”

Carla went to bed that night looking forward to Monday although she was somewhat nervous. Not only an interview, but she hadn’t told either Eugen or Marie, her first ever flight.

 

#129:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:17 am

Thank you Ravenseyes - did Carla never take the position with Joey? I cannot remember her ever being mentioned as being there - agree with Carla and the others, it would probably be rather too overwhelming.

 

#130:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:27 am

Thanks Ravenseyes

I'm glad Carla felt able to say she didn't think Jo's offer was right for her. I hope she and Sofia get on well.

Liz

 

#131:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:37 am

Thanks ravenseyes. I'm glad Carla's found something that's suitable for her.

Star Wars

 

#132:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:52 am

Im glad Carla has an option to follow other than Joey, as I agree with her that it might be too much.

Thanks Ravenseyes Very Happy

 

#133:  Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:08 am

Thanks ravenseyes.
Really glad she has an opportunity other than Joey...not sure Joey is the best person to employ her

 

#134:  Author: Nicci, Location: UK PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:28 pm

This is a wonderful backstory, thank you so much for posting it. Carla's history is shocking and sad Crying or Very sad . I too am pleased that she felt she could refuse Joey's offer - definately not the right environment for somebody like Carla.

 

#135:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:12 pm

Good for Carla for being able to say no!

Look forward to hearing more about Sofia, and their travels togther Smile

 

#136:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:50 pm

Gosh, now I come to think of it, I don't remember Carla ever actually going to Freudesheim - either as a guest or an employee!

This is really good ravenseyes!

 

#137:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:21 pm

As far as I could tell Carla never did go to Joeys. It is mentioned in reunion as she is coming but in the later books you have Anna and Rosli

 

#138:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 2:30 am

Monday afternoon found Carla, Eugen and Marie in the café at the airport. That morning they had driven to Salzburg and terminated Carla’s rental of her room. Additionally they had gone and completed the documentation for Carla to obtain a passport. A passport was not needed to fly between Austria and Switzerland but if Carla was successful in getting this position with Sofia she would need one to travel further a field. They would be boarding the flight in 10 minutes. It would not be a long flight to Geneva.

“you look nervous Carla” said Marie.

“Just a little, excited too both over the job and this flight” Marie and Eugen both looked puzzled at this statement.

“Over the flight?”

“Well, I have not every flown before”

“Oh – whoops sorry I had not thought of that” grinned Eugen. “Seeing as this is your first flight I will ask the pilots to make sure they wind all the rubber bands up tight”

“Eugen” cried Marie giving Eugen a light punch on the arm “Stop teasing her, it is a beautiful clear day so we should have a fantastic view as we fly over the mountains. It is just wave after wave of glistening snowy mountain tops. The first time I ever saw them it gave me a whole new perspective on the mountains – just how huge they really are and how small we are”

Marie insisted the Carla take the window seat in the plane and sat next to her. Eugen was banished to a seat on his own across the aisle. As they raced down the runway Carla was looking fixedly straight ahead, both arms white knuckled on the armrests. Marie put her hand over Carla’s. “Just relax”. As they climbed Carla let go of the arm rests and began to look out the cabin window while Marie pointed out features around Salzburg. As they flew over the mountains to Switzerland Carla understood what Marie had meant. Words could not describe the magnificence of the mountains.

They landed at Geneva at just after 3 in the afternoon. Eugen had booked them into Le Richemond. Carla had insisted that Eugen and Marie have time to them selves so Eugen and Marie had a suite and Carla had a lovely room 1 floor below. Only the Brunswick Gardens separate the hotel from the Lake so Carla’s room had beautiful views of the Alps across Lake Geneva. Eugen was going to meet some business colleagues so Marie and Carla met in the lobby and went for a walk through the gardens and along the lake front. Carla looked around the lake front and exclaimed to Marie “Oh this is so wonderful. I feel like I am dreaming” Dinner that night was on a floating restaurant. As she sat eating crisp pan fried Lake Perch, with herbed potato balls and salad Carla couldn’t help reflect on the changes that two months had wrought in her life.
“I saw Bernard today” said Eugen. “The car will collect you from the hotel at 11 tomorrow. Sofia wants you to have lunch with her. She is really looking forward to meeting you”.

“So am I” Carla smiled back.
Promptly at 11 the following morning the car arrived and drove Carla through Geneva. Sofia’s house was away from the lake on the terraced hillside so that you got wonderful views of the lake from the front of the house. The house was wide built to maximize the number of rooms along the front. Carla pressed the door chime and turned to look out at the view. The door opened and an older woman in a cleaning smock stood in the doorway. “Good morning, you must be Miss Carla. Come this way Miss Sofia is expecting you” The woman took her coat and hat and hung it on a coat stand and huge cabinet that stood in the front entrance. Carla followed the woman along a corridor into a conservatory. A cane lounge suite with squabs covered in bright floral material faced the lake and the view was unobstructed.
“Oh how lovely” breathed Carla.
“Yes I love this room myself” a voice returned from behind her. Carla swung around and viewed her hostess. She was about the same height as Carla, with auburn hair and hazel eyes. She moved slowly toward a chair using a cane to assist her. “Sit down won’t you” she said doing that herself. “I’m Sofia Lowenhardt”
“Carla von Lindmann, it is lovely to meet you”
“I’ve asked Helga to bring us some coffee. Let’s get comfortable and have a chat.

 

#139:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 3:48 am

This is great ravenseyes.

Like everyone else, as much as I love Joey, I just don't think all the activity constantly going on at Freudesheim (or however it is spelt) would be the best thing for Carla's health.

Thanks for the update.

 

#140:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:15 am

Love Marie and Eugen's relationship, hope Carla's enjoys her new post.

Thank you Ravenseyes.

 

#141:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:30 am

Thank you, Ravenseyes. This post sounds like a wonderful opportunity for Carla. Hope everything workes out!

 

#142:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:03 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes. It sounds like life is about to get much much better for Carla.

Liz

 

#143:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 3:57 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes - that was lovely!

 

#144:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:11 pm

Good for Carla! I think she'll get on much better in this job than she would with Joey.

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#145:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:35 pm

Thanks ravenseyes - so glad things are looking up for Carla

bless Marie! (and Eugen)

 

#146:  Author: Nicci, Location: UK PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:42 pm

thanks for the update, I'm looking forward to finding out how things work out for carla.

 

#147:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:29 pm

how did i miss 2 pages of this?! but then again doing a massive catch up has been great!

thanks ravenseyes - i really hope Sofia and Carla get on well!

 

#148:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:31 pm

fingers crossed for Carla getting the post

I've just read the h/b of Trials and in that Joey talks about there always being a bedroom and sitting room available at Freidesheim for Carla - it felt to me that it was more of a place to live than as a job and that she would be able to have privacy when she wanted it. But that's quite near the end during the pantomime.

 

#149:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:06 am

“My brother tells me you are a friend of Eugen’s wife Marie” Sofia started.
“Yes, Marie and I were at the Chalet school in the Austrian Tyrol before the war.” Carla replied
“Oh, I’ve heard Marie talk about the Chalet School, it did sound so much more fun that the convent where I went although I wondered about the learning to speak English. I tried to learn but it is such a confusing language. As fast as I learnt a rule then I found there were so many exceptions to the rule. It was so frustrating”
“I think learning it with the English girls as well made it easier. We did English, French and German on alternate days so you gained the fluency and the English girls helped us and we helped them with the German and the French girls did the same, so no one felt stupid about making a mistake”.
“So you speak German, English and French, anything else?”
“Some Italian, after I left school my mother and I stayed at a Villa on the Adriatic in Italy for a while, as she was not well. None of the villagers spoke German so I had to learn Italian as well as I could. I’m not as fluent in Italian and having learnt it in a fishing village it may not be quite as “upper class” as it could be but I can get around” replied Carla.
Over the next hour the conversation continued and Sofia and Carla found they had a lot in common with similar tasted in music and literature. Sofia was not married as her fiancé had cancelled their wedding when it became apparent her injuries were permanent. Carla simply said that her husband had died in the war.
At 1pm Helga called them for lunch. As they were sitting eating Sofia said “I guess I better tell you something about the position then. I want to travel and see the world. I have always loved reading about the different places and now I want to see them. I have more money than I know what to do with so I am going to travel. What I need is a companion friend. I can move around slowly so I know that can not join tour parties because they move quickly. This first cruise I have sorted out is a slower cruise so I thought it would be a good start. We go by train from Geneva to Lyon and say in Lyon for three days. Then from Lyon to Marseilles and join the liner.
The liner leaves Marseilles and goes to Rome. We have four days in Rome and I want to look at the Ostia Antica, the Vatican, the Coliseum. The we go to Palermo for four days and I want to look at the wonderful Cathedrals and the Chinese Villa build for King Ferdinando. Then we go on to Valetta in Malta. We are there for two days. Apparently it has the most amazing fortification walls and I’ve been told can get a tour by horse and buggy which would be neat. Then we go is Athens and we have another four days in Athens and there is just so much I want to see, the Parthenon, Mt Olympus all the places you read the mythology stories about, Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite. After Athens we go back through the Mediterranean to Barcelona and have another 4 days in Barcelona. There is a place called La Rambla which is a kind of a market and all sorts of interesting shops. There is a very attractive opera house and a wonderful mansion that are open to the public. Also there is a Picasso museum. The beauty of this cruise is they do not leave port until nighttime so you have four full days in each town. The way they work is they arrive about 5 in the morning and leave about 10pm so you do as much traveling as possible while you are sleeping. The days between the stops will let me rest and recover. When we are back here I guess the position is again a companion with some light housekeeping. Helga wants to reduce her hours so she will do the cleaning and laundry. I want someone who can prepare dinner, I can get my own breakfast and lunch when it is just me, and to have dinner with and talk to. Oh – by the way can you drive ?”
“Yes I could although I have not done so for a while but I do have a license”
“Good, I want someone to go shopping with and maybe go to see a movie or a play. Come with me and I will show you the apartment”
Sofia got slowly to her feet and went through the kitchen to a hallway. Carla noted that the kitchen had all the latest appliances and everything was in counter cabinets. Nothing was above so that there was no reaching involved to get anything. Exiting the kitchen they walked along a hallway until they reached a door. This door opened onto the garage and Carla could see a car parked. She went over and looked at it. “It is an Opel Rekord” Sofia said. “It has nice wide doors so it easy for me to get in and out of. Bernard takes me out every couple of weekends so the car is in good running order. Now go up that stair case and you will find the apartment I was speaking of”
Carla went up the stairs and opened a door at the top. This door opened onto a kitchenette. Carla walked around looking. Opening a double door she found a washer and a drier with cupboards above. Walking forward from the kitchen she found a large dining/living room with large windows that looked over the roof of the house and on out over the lake. There was a balcony running along the front and an external staircase at the opposite end to the house. Opening off this room to the rear so it was next to the kitchen was a compact bathroom. A sliding door opened from this into a good sized bedroom that also had a door opening out to the living area. The bedroom contained a double bed and matching dresser, wardrobe and bedside table. The living area had a sofa that Carla found could be folded out to make a spare bed and matching chairs. A bookcase, television and radiogram and a coffee table completed that end of the room. At the opposite end a small round dining table with four chairs and a matching sideboard provided the dining area. Carla stood in the midst of this apartment and offered up a prayer thanking God for this wonderful opportunity. Sofia seemed really nice and she obviously liked Carla so it looked as though they would get on admirably. A place to live and the opportunity for travel.
Carla went back downstairs and Sofia looked at her. “You like it.”
“It’s wonderful”
Sofia and Carla returned to the main sitting room to discuss starting dates salaries etc.

 

#150:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 6:12 am

Sounds like the perfect post - hope Carla is happy.

 

#151:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:00 am

I agree with Lesley. I have just caught up with a lot of this, ravenseyes, and am loving it. It gets beter and better.

 

#152:  Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:24 pm

This is really lovely, Ravenseyes - so glad that Carla looks like having some happier times. Agree that Freudesheim wouldn't be great for her: she was quiet, even at the Chalet School, and her subsequent experiences have probably accentuated that trait.

 

#153:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 2:26 pm

Aww, bless them!

I'm so glad Carla is happy again. Hope she and Sofia have a wonderful time away...

 

#154:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:12 pm

Loads of fabulous posts since I last looked ravenseyes.

Carla's new job sounds perfect for her. Are we going to get to see the cruise? Very Happy

 

#155:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:17 pm

That sounds lovely!!
I want to go on the cruise!! Shocked
I'm really pleased for Carla!

Thank you Ravenseyes

 

#156:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:36 pm

I think Sofie and Carla will be great companions for each other.

Thank you Ravenseyes, this is wonderful.

 

#157:  Author: JustJen, Location: waiting for a bus PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:10 pm

I would like to stuff myself in Sofia siutcase. Sounds like a lovely vacation. Glad that Carla life is turning around

 

#158:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 8:07 pm

sounds ideal for Carla - I do hope everything works out for her

thank you ravenseyes

 

#159:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:02 am

Carla arrived back at the hotel and literally danced in the entrance way. She made her way to Marie and Eugen’s suite and knocked on the door. Marie opened it and took one look at her and said “Well there is no need to ask you how it went. You look ecstatic”
“Oh Marie, it is almost to good to be true. Sofia is lovely and there is an apartment for me and a wage and we will travel. It is just so perfect. Sofia and I have very similar tastes in music, books and the type of places we would like to see. She wants me to start with her in three weeks time. My passport and everything should be through by then and we will be in Geneva for a month before we leave for the cruise around the Mediterranean. We will go to Rome, Palermo, Valetta and Athens, then back to Barcelona then to Marseilles. It’s just so exciting, to be able to see some of these places I had only every read about. I never thought I would get to see them. The apartment is just delightful. It is above the garage at the rear of the house and it looks out to the side and overlooks the lake as it goes into a bay. The main house is build so it faces out over the lake and the garage is at one end to make an L shape. The house is on a sort of a peninsula so the apartment looks over a different bit of lake to the main house. There is just one thing”
Marie raised an eyebrow “Do you think Mueller could give me a couple of driving lessons. I did have my license but it has been 10 years since I last drove so I am out of practice. Sofia has a car that she wants me to drive us around in so I would like to get some practice in before I set myself loose on the Geneva roads”
“I’m sure Mueller will be fine, what sort of car does Sofia have”
“An Olympia Rekord”
“Umm that wasn’t quite what I meant, is it a big car like the Mercedes or a little car like the Porsche “
“Neither, it is a middle sized car” Carla pointed out the window at the cars driving past on the lake front “see that cream colored on over there, it is pretty much like that one”
“Oh I see it” said Marie. “In that case the Fiat is probably best. You haven’t seen that one, we keep it for the staff to use, but it looks about the same size. I’m sure Mueller will be happy to give you a refresher. I’m really really happy for you Carla”.
“It’s all thanks to you and Eugen. I will never be able to thank you enough”.
“Guess what we are doing tomorrow” said Marie with a grin.
“Not a clue, why should we be doing anything “?
“We are going to have lunch with some old friends tomorrow”
Carla looked rather puzzled “Old friends”?
“Joey, Freida, Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson”
“Really, are they in Geneva”?
“No, we are getting the 9am flight to Interlaken and having lunch with them and having a look around Interlaken then we get the 5pm flight back to Geneva. I was talking to Joey on the phone last night, Freida has been staying with her and is returning to Balse so she is catching the train that leaves at 3pm so it seemed like a perfect opportunity for us all to meet. They are practically expiring of excitement to see you”
“Goodness. That is wonderful. It will be good to see them again, I can not imagine Joey with nine children. Have Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson changed much. I remember you said Miss Wilson’s hair turned white when they had to flee Spartz”
“You will see for yourself tomorrow. We return to Salzburg late the day after. Do you want to do any shopping before we leave. I guess you may be needing a trunk for the trip, although we will get that in Salzburg, what about a swimming costume and things like that. The shops in Geneva have a better selection than Salzburg, although you may want to get it once you are here”
“I think I will leave it until I am here. I have the wonderful array of clothes you gave me and I would like to go through those and then work out what is needed and buy them when I return to Geneva. I will need to keep the weight down on the plane”.
“I wouldn’t worry to much about the weight. Take what you need for a few days on the plane and we will prepack the trunk and sent it to Geneva by rail. If we send it two weeks ahead it and you should arrive at about the same time.”

 

#160:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:48 am

Excellent! So glad for Carla, and looking forward to the reunion.

 

#161:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:25 am

Really pleased for Carla - especially as she has regained a sunny personality and joy in her life.

*Also looking forward to the reunion.*

 

#162:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:04 am

ravenseyes wrote:

"what sort of car does Sofia have”
“An Olympia Rekord”
“Umm that wasn’t quite what I meant, is it a big car like the Mercedes or a little car like the Porsche “


Laughing Shocked Laughing

In my world it's is it big like a Commodore or little like a Barina! Talk about the Rich are Different...

Thanks Ravenseyes, I'm so glad Carla's life is improving.

 

#163:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:12 am

In my world it's is it big like a Commodore or little like a Barina!

No way In my world it's is it big like a FALCON or little like a FESTIVA!

Razz

 

#164:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:14 am

Thank you, ravenseyes, also looking forward to the reunion. Smile

 

#165:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:41 am

Thank you ravenseyes. Eagerly waiting for more.

 

#166:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:04 pm

Its so good to see her happy about something, Im also looking forward to the reunion Very Happy

Thanks ravenseyes

 

#167:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:57 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes. Good to see Carla has a chance of getting some independence and enjoyment in her life.

Liz

 

#168:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:32 pm

Brilliant to see Carla so alive now; am glad she's taking an interest in life again Smile


Thanks Ravenseyes!

 

#169:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:31 pm

thank you ravenseyes - looking forward to seeing the reunion!

 

#170:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:52 pm

I'm glad Carla's so happy. Thanks ravenseyes.

(Also looking forward to the reunion)

Star Wars

 

#171:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:01 am

Two smartly dressed women made their way to the check in counter at the Geneva’s domestic terminal. Both were wearing one-piece dress and jacket sets. The blonde woman was wearing a dress that had a low round neckline front with two notches with slightly flared skirt. Her jacket had two button closure below a low neckline and a shawl-style collar, her three-quarter length sleeves were cuffed and the jacket was dart-fitted through waistline. The warm dark grape purple color suited her coloring perfectly. The other women was a brunette and she was wearing a deep forest green ensemble. The dress had a high round neckline and triangular scarf-collar, it’s slim skirt with back kick pleat suited her slender figure. The blouson jacket belted at waistline, short stand-up mandarin style collar. Both carried overcoats over their arms, as it was warm in the terminal, and smart leather handbags.
“Good morning Mesdames” attendant greeted them.
“Good morning mein Herr” the blond replied. “I am Countess von und zu Wertheimer and this is Frau von Lindmann. We have reservations for the 9am flight to Interlaken”
“Certainly Countess, these are your tickets. You are returning on the evening flight. Do you have any luggage for the hold ?”
“No we don’t, just a day trip for us”
“Thank you Countess. If you and Frau von Lindmann will go through to the departure lounge the plane will be boarding in approximately 35 minutes”
“Danke” replied Marie
Carla and Marie took a seat in the comfortable chairs provided in the departure lounge. The windows overlooked the runway and Carla sat and watched the planes taking off and landing. The attendant brought them some coffee and small croissants.
“So what are they like now Marie” asked Carla “Have Joey and Frieda changed much”?
Marie thought for a moment “Frieda hasn’t changed that much. She was always sensible, quiet and caring at school and she still is. I told you that Bruno used to be a surgeon but after he was tortured in the camp which destroyed the fine tendons in this hands he could not return to medicine. He works in the banking industry now and is a branch manager for the Swiss National Bank. They have a lovely apartment in Balse. Their little girl Gretchen has been very delicate and it is only now that she is coming well. Frieda hopes to send her to the Chalet school when Jack Maynard gives her clearance. Their two boys Louis and Gerald and Gretchen are all like Frieda, fair hair blue eyes. Their youngest Carlotta is like Bruno, dark hair, darker skin and dark eyes. She looks so different when she is with the other children.
Joey is a bit different. Some days she seems no older than when we were at school. But other times she is much older. Jack was missing presumed dead for several months in the war and she grew up a lot then, and her youngest triplet Margot was a very delicate baby. She nearly died several times but she always just pulled through. She didn’t improve until she went to Canada with Madame and Dr Jem. The dry cold winter of Canada helped her tremendously and then moving to Switzerland has kept her healthy. Joey is always so energetic and on the go. Freudesheim is an amazing house – it used to be a Pension and she has lots of rooms so any time anyone wants to come and visit there is always a room.

Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson haven’t changed much. Bill can still be really sarcastic when she wants to be. She is the head of St Mildred’s which is the finishing school area and is separate from the school proper. Miss Annersley is the head of the main school. You know she still doesn’t need glasses and she can just look at you and still make you feel like a worm”
Carla burst out laughing “Oh I do remember some of Bill’s patent remarks, remember when Evvy blew up the chemistry lab. Fortunately I never ran foul of Miss Annersley so I didn’t come in for the worm effect. I do remember how Madame could make you feel though, like when we corn floured the hair of Evvy, Corney, Maria and co. She was rather squashing”
“Hmm – to use one of Joey’s expressions I can see a number of skeletons getting out of their closets at lunchtime and having a good dust off. Oh look we are boarding now en avent Carla ”
Carla spent most of the flight gazing out the window. She loved watching the rolling mountains passing beneath the plane.
Landing at Interlaken Marie hailed a cab and got them taken down town to the main shopping complex.

 

#172:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:29 am

Oooh lovely! Can't wait for the reunion! Thank you ravenseyes.

 

#173:  Author: tiffinata, Location: melbourne, australia PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:38 am

ravenseyes wrote:
In my world it's is it big like a Commodore or little like a Barina!

No way In my world it's is it big like a FALCON or little like a FESTIVA!

Razz

Oh no! The everlasting Aussie (and New Zealand) battle! The Holden or the Ford!

'fraid my husband is a commadore fella- I much prefer my little mirage.

Tune into Bathurst, Ravenseyes? I go away that weekend. Too much testosterone in my house then. Laughing

 

#174:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:52 am

In my defense, I nearly wrote big like a Falcon and small like a Barina but I thought I'd stick with one brand.

I first learnt to drive on a monster of a Falcon and just bought a Barina. But I don't really care what brand they are, until one day someone buys me a Lamborghini they are just transport.

Hey, why doesn't Marie learn to fly her own plane to support her country hopping?

 

#175:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 7:41 am

A lovely summimg up of 4 beloved characters.

Well done, ravenseyes.

 

#176:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:41 am

Wonderful ravenseyes.

Quote:
Carla arrived back at the hotel and literally danced in the entrance way.


I wanted to give her a big hug then!

Looking forward to the reunion Very Happy

 

#177:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:01 pm

Thanks Ravenseyes - looking forward to seeing the reunion.

Liz

 

#178:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:47 pm

Thanks Bobbie!

 

#179:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 7:07 pm

thanks ravenseyes - loving the way Marie mentions Miss A still doesn't need glasses!

 

#180:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:23 am

thanks ravenseyes! Love all the detail, too!

 

#181:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:28 am

However have I missed this?

Ravenseyes I have just read the whole drabble straight through. It is brilliant. Poor Carla what a horrible life during the war though countless must have gone through similar suffereing. What a good thing Mariecmae along, she and Eugen were wonderful with Carla. Glad she didn't take thr job with Jo, Mother's Helo would be too much for her frail health. Looking forward to the reunion and her travels with Sofia.

 

#182:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:36 am

Standing in the Hoheweg Strasse Carla gazed around at the various shops. “come on” said Marie, “we will start on this side and work our way along. There are some lovely picture galleries and similar. We have to meet the others for mittagessen at 12.30. You will love the restaurant. No I am not going to tell you more, you will see when you get there” she finished with a grin.
Carla enjoyed wandering through the shops. She was not looking to buy anything but she took note of different fashion styles and fell in love with some of the Murano glass sculptures. She made up her mind to purchase one when she was in Italy. There was something about the way the color diffused through them that spoke to her. Also by then she would have been paid and would have money in her account. Although Carla knew that Marie and Eugen could well afford to pay for her to come with them and to fly to Interlaken she still felt a little uncomfortable inside about accepting their paying for everything. Once she started earning and could pay for things herself she knew she would feel complete for want of a better word.
At 12.15 Marie and Carla entered the Hotel du Lac which stands beside the river Aare. They deposited their coats at the coat check and went to the powder room to freshen up.
“We are eating at the Balcony Restaurant” said Marie. She led Carla down a hallway and into a foyer.
“Mesdames are here for lunch” the hostess asked them.
“Yes” replied Marie “Countess von und zu Wertheimer and party”
“Thank you, Countess. Please come this way”
Marie made Carla proceed her and Carla could feel her watching her. The hostess opened a door and led the way into a room. Carla followed the hostess and then stumbled to a halt. The Balcony restaurant was literally that a balcony on the side of the hotel. It was all glass so right now Carla was standing over the river. Looking down she could see the river Aare flowing beneath her feet. “Oh my goodness” she exclaimed. Looking up she saw Marie standing with a huge grin on her face. “I told you it was special”
“It’s awfully disconcerting” Carla said. “I feel quite unbalanced”
“You get used to it. The first time I came here I literally held the back of each chair to get around but now I love to watch the river. It is slower now but in February when the snow is melting it just pelts along under the floor and you can hear it. It is all quite safe. These big steel beams go from side to side just like floor joists and they are concreted into the piles that go into the river bed. The glass is actually about 5 inches thick so there is no danger of falling through or of having anything damaged unless there is a massive flood and in that case no one would be here”
Carla walked carefully over to the table were the hostess was standing. She took a seat with her back to the entrance of the room so that she was gazing out over the rest of the river. Marie sat at the head of the table. The hostess handed them menus then departed.
A few minutes later the door opened again and the hostess ushered in three more women. Marie looked up and smiled as they came towards their table. “Carla look who is here” Carla turned and stood up. “Carla von Flugen, how wonderful to see you after all of these years” The tall slim woman, dressed in jade green enveloped Carla in a hug. A moment later she was being hugged by the smaller fair woman dressed in a soft rusty earth toned dress. “Oh Joey and Frieda” Carla could not say anymore she was all choked up. Tall stately Miss Annersley stood off to one side watching the reunion with her warm blue grey eyes. Carla looked up “ Miss Annersley it is nice to see you after all this time. And where is Miss Wilson, I thought she was coming too”
“Bill is parking the car” replied Joey, “she will be here in a moment”
“And in the meantime it is delightful to see you again after all this time Carla” Miss Annersley continued.
Miss Wilson joined them and over a tasty lunch they all caught up. Carla did not dwell upon her past, she knew that the others knew that Stefan had died in a camp for refusing to do what the Nazi’s had wanted. She told them about Carl and the fact he had been a blue baby and said that she had worked in a restaurant. She was far more excited about her new position and told them about Sofia and the apartment and the cruise they would be going on. Frieda showed her photo’s of her family and between them all she caught up on most of the people she had known.
“What happened to Herr Anserl” she asked
“Vater Bar managed to get to England and continued as the music teacher when we were in Wales. He died, about the second year we were at Plas Howell and he left everything to the school to set up some scholarships for the really musically gifted students. Have you heard Jacynth Hardy, the cellist, on the radio at all ?” replied Joey
“Yes I have”
“Well she was one of the holders of the Karl Anserl scholarship winners, she sat for it when the school was on an Island off the Welsh coast and she went on to attend the Paris conservatoire. Herr Laubach is still the art teacher, Mr Denny still teaches singing and Miss Denny is still around for Italian, Spanish etc. Matey is still at the school. She sends you her love and wishes she could have come today but she couldn’t. Elisaveta is currently living in London but hopes to come to Switzerland soon. Belsornia was conquered by the Nazi’s and then the Russians took it over. Elisaveta married the duc du Mirolani, but he died in a plane crash in America. Now she is known as Mrs Helston. She was fortunate in that most of the Royal families investments were in British or American companies so she is OK for money. He eldest boys go to school in England with my eldest Steve and Charles”.
Miss Annersley continued “staff wise, Mary Burnett returned to us as the history mistress until she married a doctor and now lives in Aberdeen. They have two boys. Do you remember Hilary Burn originally from St Scholastikas, well she came back to us as Games mistress and also married a doctor and is now up on the Gornetz Platz as Phil Graves is a doctor at the San. Gillian Linton is married to an artist and also has a son. Miss Durrant got married during the war but was widowed, her husband was a naval commander and his boat was sunk by a U Boat in the Atlantic. She was living in Portsmouth and they were bombed and her little girl was killed. She returned to the school as a mistress and is now a senior mistress at Glendower House which is our branch in Wales. Miss Stewart is now Con MacKenzie and lives in Manly which is near Sydney in Australia, Miss Maynard you may remember married and lives in New Zealand. They own a large sheep station in the South Island. Grizel Cochrane also lives in New Zealand but she is in Auckland with Diera O’Hagen as she was. Diera married but she is a widow with an invalid daughter. They run a music shop together.”
Frieda continued “others we know died in the war or are now in Russian occupied countries. Eva von Heiling died in the Berlin bombings, Jeanne le Cadelouc drowned after her ship to Canada was sunk. Suzette Mercier died in Paris. She had just given birth and the Nazi’s turned everyone out of their building and she was too weak and died soon after. Luigia di Ferrara died in Treblinka camp. Cyrilla returned to Hungary and Natasha went back to Poland when we finished school and no one has heard from them since the war. Alixe von Elsen is another who we know nothing of. Frau von Elsen died just as the San was closing and Alixe was ordered to return home to join the Labor Corps and nothing more was heard”
Joey looked up at the clock on the other side of the room and exclaimed “My aunt Sophonisba, look at the time. It is almost three o’clock. Frieda if we are going to get you to your train we better put out skates on. Carla is was wonderful to see you again and just remember if you ever want to come up to Gornetz Platz there is always a bedroom and sitting room available. I wish you every happiness in your new job. Marie , I will see you in a couple of months when we come to Wertheimshloss.
Frieda hugged Carla and added “and if you are in Balse come and see us to. So long as it is term time you are welcome to stay with us but when the boys are home we are full up.”
Miss Wilson and Miss Annersley added their goodbyes and best wishes and the party left as there was now only 10 minutes for Frieda to make her train. Luckily the station was close by and they had already checked her suitcase in earlier.
Carla sat down at the table and looked out over the river. Her eyes were full of tears. Marie said nothing at first then gently prompted “Carla”?
“Oh I’m being silly. I’m just scared almost. All of this in some ways seems too good to be true. I’m scared that something is going to snatch it all away and I don’t think I could cope with that again”
“Carla” Marie said gently but firmly “you have walked in the shadow for long enough. Now it is your time to walk in the light. You have endured horrible things, but you got through them and now it is your turn. Go ahead and enjoy these opportunities that are coming, take hold of them with both hands and go to it”.

 

#183:  Author: JustJen, Location: waiting for a bus PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:41 am

That was a wonderful chapter.

 

#184:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:01 am

ravenseyes wrote:
“Carla” Marie said gently but firmly “you have walked in the shadow for long enough. Now it is your time to walk in the light. You have endured horrible things, but you got through them and now it is your turn. Go ahead and enjoy these opportunities that are coming, take hold of them with both hands and go to it”.


That brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely sentiment.

And thank you for the run down of Whatever happened to...


(still not sure about sitting on a see through balcony though - hope they were all in slacks!)

 

#185:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:06 am

T'was over the river so only the fishies were looking up Smile

 

#186:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 5:34 am

...and I don't reckon they were wearing minis!! Skirts long enough to sit on would have hidden anything embarrassing, Di!

ravenseyes that was a lovely chapter, I can see Carla being a bit overwhelmed with the flood of information about people, but then that last paragraph with what Marie said...ooh! lovely Smile

 

#187:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 7:12 am

That was a lovely chapter ravenseyes. Thank you.

 

#188:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:03 am

That was beautiful, thanks Ravenesyes.

 

#189:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:24 am

The end of that was so moving, ravenseyes, and how nice for the others to play catch-up for her. Smile Smile

Thank you

 

#190:  Author: Robin, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:24 pm

ravenseyes wrote:

Eva von Heiling died in the Berlin bombings, Jeanne le Cadelouc drowned after her ship to Canada was sunk. Suzette Mercier died in Paris. She had just given birth and the Nazi’s turned everyone out of their building and she was too weak and died soon after. Luigia di Ferrara died in Treblinka camp. Cyrilla returned to Hungary and Natasha went back to Poland when we finished school and no one has heard from them since the war. Alixe von Elsen is another who we know nothing of. Frau von Elsen died just as the San was closing and Alixe was ordered to return home to join the Labor Corps and nothing more was heard”.


I never knew some of that - is it Kosher EBD? Can anyone tell me which books - i presume it's HBs?

but thanks Raven, that was a lovely last speech of Maries.

 

#191:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:39 pm

Like the others that last speech had me wiping my eyes. Lovely.

 

#192:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:49 pm

That was lovely Ravenseyes.

So sad to hear about all the girls who didn't make it through the war though Crying or Very sad

 

#193:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:04 pm

Oh that was wonderful! Am smiling widely and swallowing the lunp in my throat.

Thanks ravenseyes. Smile

 

#194:  Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:23 pm

Thank you all for your encouragement

Robin wrote "I never knew some of that - is it Kosher EBD? Can anyone tell me which books - i presume it's HBs?"

Suzette Mercier is in CS in the Oberland
Jeanne Le Cadelouc - A Future Chalet Girl
Luiga di Ferrara is CS and the Island

The others are my inventions

 

#195:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:06 pm

how lovely, ravenseyes. Thank you. It's nice to see Joey's offer presented in that light rather than in the way EBD makes it out to be.

 

#196:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:57 pm

Thanks ravenseyes for this story. It was wonderful.

 

#197:  Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:23 pm

Thank you, Ravenseyes. This is an amazing story. Tears, laughter, sadness and joy - what more could we ask?

 

#198:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:45 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes that was a lovely scene, glad Carla did not find meeting the others too scary.

 

#199:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:56 am

Thanks Ravenseyes

That was a lot to catch up on - my head would be spinning I think - but it was good to see Carla having the chance to hear about her old friends.

Liz

 

#200:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:22 pm

That was wonderful Ravenseyes

Hope that Carla can follow Marie's advice and start to move forward and enjoy her new life

 

#201: The conclusion 05/26/05 Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:07 am

The next three weeks passed in a whirl for Carla. They had flown back to Salzburg and from there Carla had been busy. While in Salzburg they had purchased a trunk and brought it back to Wertheimschloss. Carla and Marie had gone through all the clothes packing and listing what Carla needed to buy in Geneva. Mueller had taken Carla out in the Fiat and refreshed her driving skills. They had driven into Salzburg and although Geneva would be busier Carla now felt confident she could drive around safely. All of Carla’s documentation had arrived including a passport and a drivers license so she was set to go. Eugen had taken her to the Swiss National bank in Geneva while they were there and Carla had arranged for an account to be opened.
Carla had decided to travel to Geneva by train. There was a train that went from Salzburg to Innsbruck then onto to Zurich, Bern and Geneva. The scenery was spectacular so Carla had booked a sleeping berth. She would leave Salzburg on the Friday morning and arrive in Geneva on the Sunday night. She had purchased two new books and was looking forward to the trip. Marie had given her several travel tips to make the journey smoother and Carla was bubbling with excitement. Sofia had phoned twice to hear how the arrangements were coming and her pleasure that Carla would be joining her was evident. Finally, it was Thursday and they left for Salzburg. Eugen had booked a suite with an adjoining room for them in the same hotel that Marie had been staying at previously. As they sat down to dinner, the same delectable seafood chowder, Carla gazed around. “You know it all started here and it seems that my whole life has turned upside down in the space of a couple of months. I’ve got the most wonderful opportunities coming my way to travel and see places that I only ever dreamed of seeing, I have friends that care about me and I have a job that I have pride in. I owe you both so much and I am so grateful for all that you have done for me”.
Eugen grinned at her and raised his glass “a toast, to Carla, may her path continue in the sunshine”.
Marie raised her glass “Carla”
The following morning found Carla settled in her compartment on the train. The comfortable recliner seat was by a large picture window and would be converted in a single bed later that evening by the attendant. At the end of the car was a ladies bathroom which included a shower. The restaurant car for her section of the train was further down the train or if she wished Carla could eat in her compartment. Carla had decided to eat in the restaurant car. She knew that on the cruise boats they would be eating in dining rooms so she wanted to practice meeting people and dining in public. The shriek of the train’s horn cut through the air and the train began moving. Carla waved out the window to Marie and Eugen who had come to see her off. As the train accelerated away from Salzburg Carla settled back in her seat to watch the landscape flash past.
Over the next three days Carla thoroughly enjoyed her trip. She had made friends with an English couple and also an Italian woman so the opportunity to practice her languages was an added bonus. The Italian woman was from Rome so she had made Carla promise to get in touch with her while she was in Rome and to come and have morning tea. She had included Sofia in the invitation and Carla was fairly sure Sofia would enjoy meeting Signora Francesca di Mallori. Mr and Mrs Wexfield or Bruce and Irene as they had insisted were from a small town near Norwich in Norfolk and they were reveling in the mountains. Norfolk, Bruce had explained was as flat as a pancake only broken by the canal and little lakes called broads. The magnificence of the European mountains were amazing to them although as Irene said somewhat overwhelming especially when the train was going along the bottom of a valley between two ranges of mountains. Irene said she felt very insignificant and ant like.
Finally on Sunday evening about 5.30pm the train rolled into Geneva station. Sofia had told Carla that she would be meeting her. As Carla left the luggage claim area a male voice spoke to her left. “Frau von Lindmann”. Looking up she saw Bernard Lowenhardt and behind him Sofia and another woman. “Here, let me take that” suiting the action to the words he took her suitcase from her. “Carla, I’m so glad you are here” bubbled Sofia. “This is Elise, Bernard’s wife” “How do you do” said Elise coming forward “it is so nice to meet you in person. Sofia has spoken of little else over the past three weeks. Come, we are going to dinner and then we will drop you back to the house”
Over dinner, Bernard and Elise quickly put Carla at ease. She described the beauty of the train trip and the other people she had met on the trip. Sofia was also enthused by the train trip and it made her even more keen for the trip from Geneva to Marseilles.
“Bernard, this decides it. Next time you go to see Eugen on business I want to come with you and go by train. We have flown to Salzburg many times, but from Carla’s description the train sounds like a wonderful trip to make” stated Elise.
After dinner, Bernard drove them back to Sofia’s house. Sofia told Bernard to take Carla round to her apartment. “Carla has had a long day and if I start talking we will be up all night and she will want to unpack and get settled. This way Carla and I can start tomorrow fresh. Here’s your keys and I will see you in the morning” With that Sofia shut the car door and unlocked her door and entered the house. Bernard followed the drive that came off the loop in front of the house and pulled up outside the stairs to Carla’s apartment. “Your trunk came yesterday and has been put up in the main room. Let me take you suitcase up” he said. “Carla” said Elise “we are really glad you are here. Sofia is so happy and I can tell this is going to be really good for her”.
“Thank you” replied Carla. “I too am very glad to be here”.
Carla climbed the stairs and unlocked the door and flicked on the light. Standing to one side so the Bernard could put her suitcase on the floor she gazed around.
“Good night Carla” said Bernard as he turned and went down the stairs.
“Good night” Carla called to both of them and waved as the car pulled away.
She then turned back to her apartment. The central heating was going to the apartment was warm and cozy. Crossing to the kitchen she found some basic supplies, coffee, sugar, milk, bread, butter and eggs were in the fridge and cupboard. Also in a cookie jar were some chocolate biscuits. Carla put on a percolator of coffee and then went to her bedroom. She quickly unpacked her suitcase and some of the trunk. The summer clothing she left in the trunk to take on the cruise.
Hearing the percolator finish she went abck to the kitchen and poured herself a mug of coffee and went to the main room. In a vase on the coffee table was a large bouquet of flowers and there was a gaily wrapped parcel beside it. She picked the card that sat between them
To Carla
Wishing you all the best for you new life. We hope you enjoy it and it will record happy memories for you
With lots of love
Marie and Eugen, Joey, Frieda, Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson
Opening the parcel Carla found a Kodak color camera. She sat on the sofa as tears of happiness fell down her face. The joy and completeness she felt were wonderful and she looked forward to her new life. She lifted her face to gaze out the window at the stars shining over the lake. Thank you she whispered. Thank you

Last edited by ravenseyes on Tue Apr 26, 2005 10:47 am; edited 1 time in total

 

#202:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:54 am

Oh, that is so lovely. Really pleased for Carla, after so much heartache she has finally got a wonderful life.

Thank you Ravensyes.

 

#203:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:08 am

Thank you, ravenseyes. It's so good to see things going well for Carla after all her troubles. Nice touch from her CS friends, too. Very Happy

 

#204:  Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:37 pm

That was a beautiful ending - will we hear more about Carla's travels with Sofia? Agree with Kathy that it was a lovely thought from her old friends.

 

#205:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:49 pm

I've read this over the last few days, and it has had me in tears.

 

#206:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:06 pm

Ravenseyes, this is just wonderful! Thank you sweetie!

 

#207:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:07 pm

Raveseyes, this is excellent - thank you so much

 

#208:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:09 pm

Wonderful ravenseyes. So nice to see Carla happy, and what a lovely present from her friends.

 

#209:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:55 pm

That was so fluffy and warm and comforting!

Thank you Ravenseyes Smile

 

#210:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:28 am

Such a nice ending Ravenseyes.

I hope Carla can go happily into her new life.

 

#211:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:16 am

Thanks you for such a beautiful story Ravenseyes, and such an uplifting ending. Very Happy

 

#212:  Author: Guest,  PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:19 am

That was all truly amazing, ravenseyes.

Thank you


Mary (unable to log on)

 

#213:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:24 am

ravenseyes wrote:
She sat on the sofa as tears of happiness fell down her face. The joy and completeness she felt were wonderful and she looked forward to her new life. She lifted her face to gaze out the window at the stars shining over the lake. Thank you she whispered. Thank you.

I didn't cry until I read these last lines.

Thank you ravenseyes.

 

#214:  Author: Lucy, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:51 am

I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed this story Ravenseyes - thank you very much

 

#215:  Author: Robin, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:59 am

have also really enjoyed this - I do love a happy ending!

Thanks Ravenseyes.

 

#216:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:14 pm

It's all over, and I didn't even realise. That was beauriful Ravenseyes, thank you.

 

#217:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:52 pm

That was absolutely wonderful Ravenseyes - thankyou

 

#218:  Author: JoW, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 6:17 pm

I have really enjoyed this. I love it when people who have had a difficult time have things work out for them. I feel all warm and cosy and happy Very Happy

 

#219:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 6:45 pm

thank you Ravenseyes! I lost track of this about a week ago but I've just caught up and it's so beautiful! thanks xxxx

 

#220:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:56 pm

A perfect ending. Thank you ravenseyes.

 

#221:  Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:23 am

beautiful. thanks ravenseyes

 

#222:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:10 am

You've written a beautiful story. Thanks ravenseyes.

 

#223:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 9:41 pm

Thank you Ravenseyes that was really lovely. So glad Carla is going to have good times now.

 

#224:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2005 9:04 pm

I've only just got around to reading the last installment of this.

Thank you Ravenseyes - it's beautiful and I'm so glad that Carla has hope and happiness in her life now.

Liz

 

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