Sabina could do nothing to mask her fury. How dare he! she thought.

Matthew saw that his partner was about to explode. He stopped the dance, took her hand, and pulled her away. Obeying his lead, but in a fury of indignation, Sabina followed him, but not quickly enough to keep from hearing Gustav’s voice behind them.

“Though perhaps I will have to reconsider my pledge to her,” he said loudly, “if she continues to consort with American enemies of the German Reich. Ha! ha! ha!”

His wine-induced laughter was followed by the sound of Brigitte’s, and the two danced merrily away in the other direction, Matthew and Sabina exiting through one of the open side doors into the fresh air outside. Matthew had heard the words too and was now warm inside on account of his own anger.

“What was that all about?” he asked. “Is it true what he said about you and him?”

“Of course it’s not true!” rejoined Sabina heatedly.

“You’re not engaged?”

“No! Our mothers just talked of silly things when we were young, and Gustav knows it irritates me.”

“He does seem like rather a rude fellow.”

“He’s more than rude. If you only knew…”

“Knew what?” said Matthew, suddenly feeling very protective.

“Oh, I don’t know… nothing I can say for certain. He’s just gotten… a little spooky as we’ve grown. I don’t like the way he looks at me. He comes around at odd times, sometimes even hangs around outside a long time without ringing the doorbell.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“Sometimes I even get the chilly feeling he’s watching me.”

“It’s a good thing, then, that your room is on the opposite side of the house from this villa. Even if he had a telescope he could never see you from here.”

“I’ll tell you one thing, I would never go down into the cellar of our house with him! He frightens me sometimes.”

46 Outburst

46

Outburst

One more waltz followed. Then the music stopped, and the sound of Countess von Schmundt’s imperious voice raised itself above the din in an attempt to secure quiet. At last she succeeded.

“Meine Damen und Herren… bitte…” she said. “Today is a very special occasion….”

Matthew and Sabina turned, standing now not far from the countess, who proceeded to make her brief speech in motherly, though somewhat pathetic, recognition of her son’s twentieth birthday.

Gustav himself stood patiently at her side, too far gone with liquor by now to mind the embarrassment of a doting socialite mother whose better days had passed her by. He stood as erect as his tipsy frame was capable of, smiling in the adulation of her lauding words.

“And so, all you dear friends who have come to celebrate with us, won’t you join me in singing a birthday toast to our dear and wonderful Gustav?”