Chapter 3 - -

Chapter 3 To my relief her voice begs me to come in when I knocked. Christin sat on a padded chair directly in front of her oak chest of drawers with the huge make-up mirror where different things like jewellery, powder compact and lipstick lay around. Her light room and the splendid ambience fitted to her exterior. That was superfluous, it hushed up from fanatic things, it adorned things which were spoiled inside, at least she herself. As usual she had tarted herself up, she had a lavish hairstyle which hold her red hair on the head as like as a crowd of winding serpents. Splendid jewellery adorned her long neck, the hands as like as the arms and the ivory-coloured cleavage. Outwardly she was perfect, but I had experienced very fast that it was to perfect. At that time, I had acted in faith that her soul was so pure like her appearance and her beauty. Persons – God only knows how many persons had envied me, not only because she was the daughter of an influential noble family and I was only a tailor from poor circumstances, but also because she obviously handed over what a man could wish from a woman. Yes, at that time, I was really happy, when I met her, but at that time, I hadn‘t realized how cruel she was back then. Today, I still ask me why I have earned the money which I had won by the marriage and given to my sick father didn’t earned it on another way. Sure, it seemed to be the perfect solution for the problems of my family at that time, but now, I knew that I should had listened more to my mother’s advice, who was already dead at that moment. She had always said to me: “Marry because of love!” an I had been so foolish to despise this wise advise because I thought love can grow, it only needs time. My marriage had been only a means to an end for both parties. For me it was only enriching of property which my sick father needed urgently to get ride of his disease and his debts. And for Christin it was the impulse to be able to control somebody by a prenuptial agreement that would deprive all of me if I should leave her. Christin’s assertive will was the cause that the marriage was accepted in spite of class differences in society. In all the years, I still don’t know why Christin took me as her husband although she had enough selection as countess and there surely were enough other who wanted to do the same mistake and wanted to make himself to a slave. She still looked her dominant personality. She hold her head upright and turned her superior eyes to me when I came in. Her faithful beast by the name of Emro, cuddled up beside to her. This animal was a good-trained doberman which looked at me observantly and he didn’t risk to let me out of his sight. With a cold and controlling glimmer, he starred at me with put ears to absorb each of my noises. I knew that the petrified statue had the ability to spring up at any time to go to my throat devastating because he had made it once and would do it again on order of my wife. At that time I had been so foolish to rebel against my wife, I had refused her, as wish camouflaged, order to kiss her whereupon she had demonstrated her power. The beast had sat there like petrified at that time until my wife had set the dog on me. I still felt the great craving to nearly bite of the leg of the damn dog like he had torned my right arm and my right leg which still had the scars as warning, nearly totally into pieces. The moment in which he had got his teeth into me and he hadn’t let go of until Christin’s thirst for power was finished, had burned into my thoughts by painful pictures. It had been one of the experiences which had learnt me the obeying without resistance. Now, I again stood in front of him and I had to confess that he was the only thing which stoped me touching Christine roughly. Really, I loved animals, also dogs. But that what was sitting beside to her, wasn’t a dog any more, it was one of the cruel things which Christine could use against me without hesitating. This beast didn’t have a soul or a heart. It was like his female master, cold. Waiting for a reaction, she looked at me. Until now, no one has said anything and suddenly I knew how foolish my plan was, but also if she knew it or had a suspicion, why should I confirm it? Sure, she would use my demand to keep out Scarlett as an opportunity to add more sorrow to me by shamelessly using the closeness to my daughter, just as by my father and all the others. But what should I do now, after all I already stood in her room? I had to act! “Why are you here?” she asked, so I was forced to say something. “Sorry, I’m sure you have to do very much because of ...” I faltered and didn’t mention the death of Sophie because the pain still burned into my heart. “But I feel so alone... on my room, it seems to me that I could feel how she left an emptiness of loneliness ... can I stay with you?” Surprised, she raised her eyebrows when she heard my request, her eyes seemed to be more than sceptical for a moment, nevertheless she meant: “Of course, please take a seat.” She pointed at one of the chairs on which I sat down obedient and fell into silence. My only thought was whether she would believe me or not, because nothing connected us. Basically, we both knew that I hated her, therefore I was convinced that she would ask immediately the question why I really had come, instead she said: “I don’t know how long it will take until someone will come who wants to review the today’s tragic incident ... whatever their point of view. But until then you can stay here!” In her voice, there was a sound which I only knew if she tried to get caress without giving an order. At this moment I know how stupid I was, I had given up myself! I sat in a trap. She came nearer and whispered: “I know what will bring you to other thoughts surely.” I had a terrible feeling of disgust while it sends shivers up and down my spine. I turned my head to the side when her pursed red lips came nearer to the one of mine and I said: “No, I’m not in the mood.” I knew this contradiction was a bitter mistake. But I hoped she would react so understanding how she never had made it get because of her apparent good mood which she had just displayed towards me. She took my head with her perfect manicured hand with the red long sharp fingernails which seemed to endanger me and turned him towards her. I felt how the tops of the fingernails bored into my skin. I knew, one wrong word and they would bore deep into my face. Now I looked directly in her eyes which gave me an unequivocal look of rage. In the green eyes, there sparkled unmistakeable rage whereby a shiver ran down my spine. “Think about well, after all I know always what the best for you is. And you should know it, too!” A smile flickered over on her face when she turned my head so that I was able to see the bared teeth of the doberman. Alarming growling he showed his willingness to carry out the warning of his female master at any time, when I suddenly saw a shadow under the door, someone had to stand in front of it! I took all my courage and repeated: I’m really not in the mood.” She had already opened her mouth to speak my death sentence when the door opened and two men came in. The person in front was slim, tall and had a good-looking figure, the person behind more little and slight. Both took off their hats but only the person in front with the black hair and the winding moustache said: “Sorry for disruption, but my work can’t wait! With your permission, I am Inspector Benjamin Cemford and this mister here is my colleague, assistant and half-brother Andre Tempton! I hope I’m right on the assumption that this wonderful lady is the Countess in person and you Sir, you are the Count in person. Of course, you are!!! You don’t have to answer because my fantastic flair and my sense for detail is unsurpassed. Look here, Andre, both carry the same wedding ring and sorry my Counts, but I have overheard that her husband, Countess, isn’t in the right mood because of his sister’s death! Let me add Madame, I can quite understand him. Well I think our visit isn’t inconvenient.” “HOW DARE YOU”, my wife hissed irritated who was obvious angered about this disruption and the disrespectful behaviour of the inspector. It seemed that she didn’t like that someone was on my side, all the more, I felt sympathy for this unusual forthright guy. Who also wasn’t enthusiastic by the presence of the strangers was no other than Emro, he was fallen in excited barking and yapping and was only waiting for the right words to bore his teeth into the flesh. But Mr Cemford was completely calm, in contrast to his light intimidated companion who looked at the animal with big, fearful eyes. “Now my Countess, my Count, I would be really taken, if we could put you some possibly unpleasant questions which you of course have to answer faithful and if you could bring us to the crime scene if we want to name the salon so.” spoke Cemford without giving to the words of my wife or the unmistakeable warning of the dog. My wife was looking for the right words to give her rage an expression, when I interrupted boisterously. “But of course, we will put us at your disposal because it is for a good cause!” Then I fell silent and struggled against the pictures in my memory which showed my death sister, pale and lifeless. I felt how the puncturing view of my wife brushed me, but I didn’t let it show because I hadn’t to fear any realization of her threats as long as we were in company with the two men, after all she had to save a title and we both knew that. All more, it seemed that it tormented her that she had to agree to my interference. In my eyes, such moments showed huge nearly insuperable obstacles because her preference to torture me was her greatest weakness which she could only resist with a lot of energy. In her graceful and narrow face a smile flashed just as wrong as her really put on behaviour, but quite effective to the inspectors. “Of course ... well what do you want to do at first? Do you want to put us first the how you called them unpleasant questions or go to the salon?” “We will have to get an view of the situation at first. Consequently we would be pleased if you could escort us to the salon.” gave Inspector Cemford back. My wife pulled herself up, trimmed her close-fitting and quite tearing open dress and proceeded the men with her graceful and arrogant behaviour, and I myself formed the end.