Chapter 11

Nathalie was not left alone in her room more than twenty minutes when Hedda and Astrid came to her. Had she met the two girls on the streets of her village a few days before, she would not have given them a second glance. Now, in the misery of her terrible ordeal, she greeted them like long lost sisters.

"Ohhh! I am so glad it is you!" she cried.

Hedda laughed merrily and threw her arms about the girl.

"It has been bad then?" Astrid asked.

"Terrible!" Nathalie told them. "Simply fearsome! Please, you must help me!"

"How?" Astrid asked skeptically.

"Ohh!" Nathalie moaned, sinking into a chair by the fire. "I don't know! I really don't know!"

She buried her head in her hands and the tears began to flow.

"What is it?" Hedda whispered. "Please, tell us, Nathalie."

Valiantly, Nathalie raised her head and tried to dry her eyes, though the tears streamed down and she kept having to blot at them.

"I-I hardly know how," she said hesitantly. "It is a most distasteful subject."

Astrid smiled. "You feel," she said simply.

Nathalie nodded.

"I cannot bear to let them know," she said. "Somehow, I shall keep it from them."

"They have not guessed?" Hedda asked incredulously.

"No, they are not particularly observant at such times, and I have used much restraint, but it is horribly difficult," she observed.

"Beautiful!" Hedda exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Impossible but beautiful to dream of. Ohh! What poetic justice it would be."

"I am not so certain that it is entirely impossible," Astrid said thoughtfully.

Hedda and Nathalie stared at the girl, waiting as she frowned thoughtfully.

"My brother," she said. "There is a salve he knows of. He offered it to me once, not realizing that his gift was a bit tardy. It is a mixture of-mmm, what did he say? Alum-yes and the pulp of a persimmon, and-oh, I don't remember it all."

"Think!" pleaded Nathalie.

"Why bother?" Hedda laughed. "Roald is here. He works in the kitchen."

"Then fetch the salve quickly!" Nathalie exclaimed. "Ohh! I shall show those horrid people!"

Astrid was shaking her head. "Not unless you are well satisfied before you are called to them. Walking about in a misery of need in such clothing as you must wear-well! No salve could stop that!"

"Do not say that! I beg you," Nathalie answered miserably.

"We can satisfy her," Hedda suggested.

"Oh no!" whimpered Nathalie. "I could not bear it."

"Better from friends than enemies," Hedda reminded her.

"I shall fetch Roald," Astrid said.

Hurrying to the door, she paused and turned.

"Do not speak of satisfaction before my brother," she cautioned. "He would not understand our offer, I fear."

Nathalie nodded, and the girl quickly left.

"I am sure Roald will help you," Hedda said. "We told him of your desire to escape. This has been his one dream since the beginning, but there are never enough to accomplish it his way."

"And what is his way?" Nathalie asked.

Hedda laughed and then threw up her hands. "It is not enough just to get away. He must have his vendetta. He wants to burn the manor to the ground!"

"Wonderful!" Nathalie exclaimed with such enthusiasm that she startled the older girl.

"Good heavens! Not you, too!" she said with an incredulous giggle. "Is it not enough to escape and report them to the authorities?"

"No! They are rich enough that they would find a way out of it. No, we must destroy the manor altogether and the Bjornsons with it."

"That is murder!" Hedda gasped.

"That is justice," Nathalie corrected. "They cannot be allowed even the remotest chance of bringing other innocents to ruin."

Hedda stared at the girl for a long, perplexing moment. Then she reached out and gently took Nathalie's hand.

"You do not believe you have been brought to ruin, do you?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," Nathalie answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "I despise with my mind what my body now hungers for. What could be worse?"

Hedda gripped her hand tightly. "God put the feeling there, Nathalie. You have fought well, and I am certain the Lord is well pleased with your struggle."

But the disheartened girl only shook her head. She was not at all pleased with herself. How in heaven's name could she hope to please the Lord when she could not manage to satisfy her own standards?

Then a light tap at the door announced Astrid's return, and she had her brother with her. He was very tall and straight and handsome. Nathalie doubted that he could be more than two score at most. He had hair even lighter than Astrid's, and eyes that were brilliant azure. His skin was ruddy and his chest broad.

"You are willing to try to defy them?" he asked even before Astrid could introduce them.

"I am," she said. "I must, for I could not bear to have them win."

"It is good," he commented with a nod of the head.

"He has all the ingredients but he will have to mix them here. If he were caught in the kitchen, they might guess."

"There is a wash basin and a pitcher on the bureau," she told him, and as he sat down by the hearth, she brought them to him.

The three girls sat silently watching him work. It took time but not one grew fidgety or restless. When at last he had finished, he handed over the paste and turned to Nathalie.

"I wish you good luck," he said, then turned to his sister. "Be careful to leave it on for no more than three or four minutes, and then wash it carefully away. It should last about an hour with each application."

Astrid walked to the door and let him out.

"Thank you, brother," she said.

He nodded. "I wish her well. It is a good idea," came his reply, and then he was gone.

"How long do we have?" Hedda asked.

Astrid shrugged. "Perhaps an hour," she answered.

"Before what?" Nathalie wanted to know.

"We are to deliver you to Sara's apartment when you are prepared," Astrid told her.

Nathalie shuddered. "Two women together," she said with disgust. "It is against everything that is right."

Astrid and Hedda smiled knowingly at one another.

"Not if it is done for a worthy cause," Astrid said, slowly sliding out of her tunic.

"We will all share the guilt if there is to be a guilt," Hedda said. "I would go through hell itself to teach the Bjornsons a lesson."

Hedda unlaced her bodice and pulled it aside, revealing two lovely, pert breasts. Nathalie's mouth dropped open at the sight of them denuding themselves for her.

"You are both noble, wonderful people," she told them with deep emotion.

She could not see Hedda turn to wink at her friend.