Bastian
Chapter 162 - Quiet days

✧Quiet Days✧

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

The small house was situated on the bank of a small stream. It was a charming, aged, stone house with a rustic country charm.

   Carrying a folded parasol, Odette walked along the narrow path that stuck close to the stream, heading toward her little house. She placed the parasol down under the porch of the house and and unlocked the front door with the keys she had  taken from her handbag.

   She went straight to the kitchen and began organising the contents of the basket she had been carrying. Carrots, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, all the ingredients she would need to make a stew for that evenings meal. Dough for the bread was already set and ready for the oven.

   Her daily routine was a simple one, she went to the market for groceries, cooked her meals, and in the morning, she cleaned up the old house that hadn’t seen a living soul in years, or so it seemed. She would potter about the garden, too, planting flowers that would burst into a myriad of colours by the spring time, or tending to the vegetable patch. Her busy schedule made the day fly by, and the physical activities left her sleeping soundly at night.

Odette lit the oven, loaded it with coal, and waited for the heat to climb. During the wait, she placed the kettle on for tea but decided to brew coffee and headed to the outdoor rusty table in the backyard. 

   Count Xanders had offered to replace some of the more rustic looking furniture, but Odette flatly refused to let him spend any money on her. When he mentioned it would be the Countess money, as this was her house, Odette refused all the same. They had gone through enough trouble as it was, bringing her here, she didn’t want them spending even more money on her. She found it suited just as well to throw a nice, lace, table cloth over the rickety looking benches.

   Odette sat at the table in the back garden and watched the colourful sunset. The air smelt sweetly of blossom coming from the apple tree by the kitchen window.

   She reminisced about her winter in Ardenne and then finding herself spending spring in Rothewein. Adding sugar to her coffee, she couldn’t drink tea any more, not without conjuring up painful memories, she brought the bitter broth to her lips and supped.

   She had been thrilled to find out her travelling companion was none other than Count Xanders. After the chance encounter with Countess Trier, taking an hour to enjoy some tea. The Countess then took Odette to the outskirts of Ardenne, where she met the Count.

   He escorted her the rest of the way to Rothewein, making sure she arrived safely to her sanctuary and like a hibernating animal, Odette fell into a deep dream. She had crossed the uncrossable river and after days of being in a dream-like trance, she finally woke up and found she was still in the dream.

   She whittled away the days cleaning and exploring, getting herself familiar with her surroundings. She also bought groceries and some essential items.

As the quiet days passed, spring came up upon her almost by surprise. Odette felt a sense of relief. She felt sure that by the time summer arrived, Bastian would finally go ahead with the divorce and she could start anew.

Hoping for the best, she melted the sugar once more. After taking a sip of lukewarm coffee, she realized she had added too much sugar, making the coffee excessively sweet. She held her breath, staring at the fragments of sunlight filtering through the broken teacup. 

   “Good evening, Miss Marie,” someone called out and interrupted her thoughts.

   Odette looked up to see an elderly gentleman walking along the road that passed around her house. It was her neighbour, a distant relative of Count Xanders and it was then that Odette remembered her new role.

   “Oh, good evening, I hope you’re well,” Odette said. The old man muttered something heartily without stopping.

The chat with her neighbors, divided by a stone wall, stretched on for more time than expected. It covered topics ranging from when to plant beans to butter production and her grandson’s school life. 

The disjointed conversation lasted longer than Odette had anticipated. When they said their goodbyes and she turned to leave, the sun had gone and so too had the light. Shaking herself into action, she cleared away the table and half drunk mug of coffee and went back into the house, where she found she couldn’t resist the urge to do a little more cleaning.

   She had no idea how much time had passed, but once she was done sweeping out the fireplace, washing the dishes, dusting the stairs and landing, reorganising the pots and pans, and scrubbing the bath, there came a loud knock at the door.

   Odette’s heart fluttered anxiously and she ran to a window to look out at who it was. She saw a tall, lank figure. A grim shadow in the darkness and her heart leaped, it was him, he had come for her at last and as thoughts of running out the back door, he spoke.

   “Odette? Its me, Maximin, are you in?”

   Relief washed over Odette and she rushed to the door and pulled it open.

   “I’m here too,” she said, smiling at him. She felt like such a fool. He had Alma with him.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

News had reached Theodora that Franz had made it safely aboard the transport ship and by now, it would be sailing across the ocean. She had sent her son away from this hell and there was nothing to be concerned about any more.

   Theodora indulged in a deep, lavender bath, before picking out a fine dress for he evening. A maid came with a glass of champagne and the air was filled with the aria of her favourite opera.

   Despite the situations the Railway King had found himself in, thanks to her foresight, they were just managing to stay afloat. If she had need sold off all their hidden assets, all her jewels and resources, they would not have been able to retain their staff. They would have all jumped ship and she would have been sunk.

   All of Jeff’s ill gotten gains and stolen property had been sold on for what ever price Theodora could get for them. She gave all of that money to Franz and sent him on his way. It was just enough to live out of poverty, so long as Franz didn’t do anything stupid with it. She told him it was his inheritance from his father, which was technically true.

   He would probably have realised by now and she allowed herself a satisfied smile. She all but threw the empty champagne glass back at the maid and as she laid back in the bathtub, another came over to wash her hair.

   Theodora hoped that the end of this relationship would be a splendid tragedy. She had given everything for this and she was left nothing to show for it.

   After taking her bath, Theodora out on her favourite dress. Once she had attached the last pearl to her ear, the news she had been waiting for finally came,

   “The master has returned. He does not look happy, ma’am,” the servant said, flushed with having ran from the front door. “Today’s dinner will be…”

   “Yes, yes, tell them to get started already,” Theodora said impatiently.

   Jeff would be upset, he would most likely rant and rave and break furniture, but in the end, he will have to obey her whims when she made it clear she had the last of the money and she was going to be taking charge of it. It was exciting to be able to finally control her husband. He had once been the sweetest lover she ever had, back when they thought they were on top of everything.

   Theodora shooed away the fussing maids and sat at the dinner table patiently waiting for her husband. The whiskey bottle she had prepared for him in advanced glistened in the firelight, it was his favourite drink.

   Even though she had spent most of her life chasing after Sophia Illis’ shadow, she could sit victorious as she had possession of the man in the end. Theodora had only ever wanted one thing in her life, and no matter what happened, she was determined to protect it.

   “Theodora!” Jeff bellowed as he came into the room, anger and frustration made his face scarlet.

   Jeff Klauswitz was still as charming and handsome as ever and that fact pleased Theodora. Their love would become an unextinguishable fire of passion even after their death. It had turned out to be a favorable arrangement, as she would have a man who would belong to her for eternity. 

   Theodora stood up and smiled her best and most beautiful smile at Jeff, who eyed her suspiciously as he walked calmly to the table 

With a composed step, Theodora started to approach the man who would be hers forever.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“Please get rid of that damn notice.”

   The door to Lovis’ small office burst open and another servant, red faced with anger, appeared before him.

   Lovis closed the accounts book he had been studying and raised his eyes to the servant. “What’s going on?”

   “Another bloody scammer appeared this morning. How much longer are we going to have to put up with this?” the servant said furiously.

   “Ah, I assume you mean Margrethe’s missing posters.”

   The attendant sighed and nodded his head. “He brought in some mangy looking mutt, trying to convince us it was Odette’s dog. Can you believe it?”

   “Where is he now?”

   “Well, not here, I gave him a good thrashing and sent him on his way. He wont dare do such a thing again. He’s probably gone back to begging on some street corner by now.” The servant shrugged.

   At that point, a clock chimed, even though it wasn’t on the hour and Lovis dismissed the servant. About now, Bastian would be coming in from his exercise, so Lovis went to fetch some ice cold water and be ready for his masters return.

   Contrary to preliminary concerns, Bastian had been taking the disappearance of Odette rather well. He simply carried on with his daily routine in silence and made no effort to find his wife. Lovis knew Bastian was hurting, he had been by his masters side for years now and knew the signs. He just wished his master would find a way to move past this.

   Lovis watched Bastian run down the driveway and stop in front of him. “Your time is improving, master,” Lovis said, offering a towel and the water. Bastian took both, dabbed his face with the towel, sipped the water and gave both back to Lovis.

   “We will be leaving after I’ve had my shower, make sure the car is ready.”

   “Maybe you should think about taking a break, sir, a holiday will do you…”

   “Master, master.”

   Lovis was cut off by the head maid running out of the mansion, a newspaper held high above her head.

   “What’s going on?” Bastian said as he took the paper from Dora and read the headline.

Railroad King meets an untimely end at the hands of his wife.

The newspaper bore the special headline he had been eagerly awaiting. The tragic downfall of the former railroad magnate, murdered by his wife, and the horrific ending unfolded before him.

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