Read Online Blue Damask by Annmarie Banks - Free Book Online

their women.”  He returned to cleaning Sonnenby’s face.
         “I am Austrian,” Elsa corrected gently before tilting her head toward Marshall, “I had four older brothers.  I have been in wrestling matches before,” she said by way of explanation.  She quickly changed the subject, “I see you have everything under control, Mr. Marshall.  I would like to get cleaned up and changed.”
         “I will release you soon, fraulein .”  He sat on the bunk.  “But first I want to make myself clear.  The train will stop in Budapest for an hour.  It had been my intention to leave the train briefly to make some phone calls and post my reports.  I am reticent to do this now, and yet the information is more urgent.  With the unfortunate Mr. Jones now deceased, we are down one man.”  He glanced up at Davies who echoed his concern by pressing his lips together.  He shook his head.  “I cannot leave him alone, and I do not want you off the train.”
         Elsa nodded.  “I agree.  I will not leave the train--”
         “I do not want you to leave your compartment ,” he insisted.  “I want you locked in while the train is stopped. Not even to use the showers. Will you agree?”
         Sonnenby spoke, “I will stay with her.”
         Both men turned to look at him.  “It is not only her safety that is in question, Lord Sonnenby, but yours.”
         “I will stay with her,” he repeated.  “Put Davies on the door.  I believe there will be two stewards in this car for the next leg of the trip.  Am I correct?”
         Elsa agreed.  “Let him stay in my chamber.  We will talk.”  She looked steadily at Marshal to remind him why she was attending Sonnenby in the first place.
         “Talk.  Yes.  Of course.”
         Marshall opened the door for her and Elsa went into the corridor and then into her new chambers.
         She was pleased to see that a steward had brought her three pitchers of…she tested one…warm water for bathing, so she would not have to stand at the tap filling shallow cups.  She took off her nightgown and robe and put them in the rubbish bin. No amount of water would make them clean enough for her to wear again. She bent her head over the basin and poured the first pitcher slowly over her hair and watched the water in the basin turn pink and then red as it swirled down the drain.  She dried her face with a towel and put a handful of shampoo in her hair and began to work it into the strands.
         Her mother had told her to cut it when she had graduated from nursing school but Elsa could not bear the thought of scissors.  She set her mouth firmly as she rubbed the hair and tried to dislodge the clots of dried blood and loosen the tangles from its length.  She wanted to keep her long hair regardless of fashion and she was prepared to care for it.  She knew its length was irrational in many ways, and admitted her stubbornness to herself as she caught the comb in a snarl.  It was an hour before she was tucked into her bunk, slightly damp but ready for sleep.  The sun rose behind the blinds as she closed her eyes.
         It was Sonnenby’s voice that woke her later in the morning.  She sat up as her door shook with an insistent knock.  The train had stopped.  They must be in Budapest.  “ Fraulein ,” she heard him calling.
         She swung her legs out and was able to unlatch the door without getting up from the bunk.  Sonnenby strode in and went immediately to the window.  Davies peeked in before nodding to her once and closing the door with a click.
         Sonnenby turned from the window and sat on the little chair, much as he had the night before.  Elsa pulled the blankets up to her chin.  “Perhaps you could have waited until I was dressed,” she said.
         He shrugged.  “I was also asleep until a few minutes ago.  Marshall said they were opening the cars at the station.  There was no time to