The return

“Ilse? How did you get back, what happened to your hair, what…..”

Juli looked up “Father, follow your own rules, I shouldn’t tell anything until someone else assists you in my debriefing. Besides I’m hungry”

A short while later Von Barner returned with Otto von Stupenhagel, his deputy with pens, ink and a large sheaf of paper. “Now young lady tell us what happened”

“Well the important thing is I know what will happen once the Duke dies”

Von Stupenhagel started writing trying to capture every detail and interrupting whenever he felt a detail was missing.

“So how did you escape?”

Ilse described her journey back from Traunsburg

Scarcely had they started on this aspect, but the cook arrived almost immediately followed by by Bettina. They were both horrified, but Bettina immediately took charge, ordering the cook to go to the bakers to get more rolls, then grabbed Ilse and took her away saying “We need to tidy Ilse up before the guests arrive, and you two need to be ready in ten minutes”

As they ascended the stairs Ilse turned to Bettina “I don’t think I can manage meeting the guests, whoever they are”

“I agree, you look exhausted, what you need is some rest”