“My, that all looks fine,” said Mama. “You girls
have done well. I’m sure Papa’s associates will be impressed.”
Clara smiled to herself. Yes, they had worked hard and the
drawing-room sparkled. The candlelight reflected backwards and forwards in the
mirrors. It was getting dark outside and the warm glow defied the winter gloom.
Käthe giggled. “Do you think Clara will find a beau?”
Clara glowered at her younger sister. “Enough, young lady.
Any more of that and I won’t pin your hair up for you, nor lend you the peach
silk.”
“Really, Käthe, you mustn’t tease you sister like that.”
Lotte spoke quietly as usual. Her fine blonde hair was already neatly pinned up
and she looked much older than her fourteen years. Thank goodness, though,
there was a smile in her deep blue eyes.
“I’m glad you’ve got a friend who is sensible,” said Clara.
“Well, it’s about time,” said Käthe.
“Clara will find
someone to love when she is good and ready,” said Mama. It was obvious she was
trying not to laugh.
The doorbell rang.
“Ah, that’s the first of them here. Girls, go and get ready.
Then you’ll be in time to greet them all at supper after they’ve finished their
business meeting.
“How do you manage to get your hair to stay so neat
all of the time?” Clara asked Lotte. “It’s so fine. Our hair is much sturdier.
Yet we can’t get it to stay put.”
“I guess it’s because I keep practising,” Lotte replied. “I
pin it up every day now.”
Clara hugged the younger girl. “Don’t be in too much of a
hurry to grow up. Enjoy being young.”
She moved back to her sister whose hair was only half done.
“I do wish I could get your hair to behave,” she said as she tried to brush the
knots out. “What do you do to it?”
The doorbell rang again. Käthe jumped up from her seat and
ran over to the window. She peered through the drapes. “Goodness, look at that
funny man,” she said. “He’s all bent.”
“Käthe!” said Clara. “It’s rude to stare at people less
fortunate than ourselves.” She couldn’t help looking herself, though. Four more
young men had arrived. One of them was walking up the path with a limp. She
could see that although he was quite young he had a huge hump on his back and
his legs were bowed. It made him look much shorter than the others.
“Come on, then,” said Käthe, rushing back to her seat. “Let’s
finish getting ready and get downstairs to meet them. Some of them look quite
handsome.”
Lotte sighed and raised her eyebrows.
One hour later they were downstairs. The noise of
people talking came from the drawing-room. Clara opened the door and could see
straight away that all her other brothers and sisters were there already as
well as about ten of her father’s business associates. Papa was talking to the
young man with the deformed back. He signalled to Clara that they should join
him.
“Doctor Lehrs,” he said. May I present my daughters, Clara
and Käthe, and their friend, Lotte. Ladies, this is my very good associate,
Ernst Lehrs.”
Two smiling brown eyes looked into Clara’s and she knew that
the second phase of her life had begun.
