"I've been expecting you", said the Solicitor when Anne-Christine arrived. Please do come in".
"I am afraid that I am a bit upset by this affair", said
Anne-Christine. "I understand that I am Anne-Lise's sole heir
in the female line".
"You are quite right", the Sollicitor answered carefully,
after they had taken their seats on opposite sides of the
desk.
"Anne-Lise was a fascinating woman but the whole story
doesn't start with her. The inheritance stretches over a far
longer period, for she inherited letters from her ancestors in
the way you will do in just a moment."
"That is what worries me so much," said Anne-Christine.
"It feels like a heavy burden."
The Solicitor searched for suitable words: "I can imagine that
feeling very well, but if I understood my father properly ,and
he had first-hand knowledge, then it is an inevitable process
you'll have to go through".
Anne-Christine interrupted him: "Anne-Lise gave these
letters to your father but neither he nor you had any
knowledge of the contents. And yet she stipulated that I was
entitled to obtain this inheritance at the age of 21?"
"Quite right; but Anne-Lise has never known you because
you weren't born when she wrote her will. She therefore never
mentioned your name in her last will. She could just hope that
her possible great-grandchildren would be able to handle her
inheritance in the right way", the Solicitor explained.
Anne-Christine took some time to realise the meaning of
his words.
"Why did she contact your father in particular?", she
suddenly asked.
The Sollicitor, too, remained silent a while.
"He was the sole solicitor in Weezebeecke Village, I
suppose", he said. "And Anne-Lise knew that your mother, the
Lady of Weezebeecke Castle, was the only one who had a chance
to continue the female line of inheritance."
This answer seemed to satisfy Anne-Christine.
"Well, then, may I have these letters, please?" she asked.
"I would like to learn their secrets".
"That is all right", said the Solicitor., "But before
that... you may be aware that I've tried to save the Castle
for you and that I even took the burden of your fathers debts
upon my shoulders?".
Anne-Christine looked at him in surprise.
"I'm not quite convinced of that, my dear Sir. If I hadn't
locked you up, then perhaps I would have known your real
intentions by now. But, unfortunately, I did keep you locked
up in the old dungeons while my Castle was being sold, so I'll
never know what your intentions really were".
"Then I'll be honest with you, Miss Anne-Christine. At our
first meeting, you offered me a night in your bed and you
didn't keep your promise. Maybe you were able to outsmart me
that time. I underestimated you, I know now. But the tide has
changed, for I have the letters that you eagerly desire to
possess. At least, I suppose you do," said the Solicitor
carefully in his long-rehearsed speech. "And what's more,
you'll have to maintain an unbroken line of female heirs and
it would be a great honour for me to become the father of the
new-born baby. Could there be a better opportunity than your
twentyfirst birthday?"
"My dear Solicitor", said Anne-Christine. "Do you mean
that I shall not obtain my great-grandmother's letters, if I
don't give myself to you?"
She looked piercingly at her adversary.
"That would be a correct way to state it", he said.
"TrŠs bien, I know how to win just as well as I know how
to lose. You'll have to admit that in a minute", Anne-
Christine answered and she immediately started to unfasten the
many buttons of her white gown one after another.
"And you are certain you'll hand over these letters
afterwards?" she asked.
"You disappoint me, Miss Anne. I always think of your
well-being and it's not my fault if you are irresistible. But
to show my goodwill, I'll fetch them for you from the strong-
box even before you are fully undressed."
He immediately went to the safe and returned with a bundle
of letters.
"If you would be so kind as to sign here, then we can
proceed with what I have in mind for you."
Anne-Christine had now unfastend her entire dress and
could sign the receipt without moving from her chair.
Silently, she laid her pen on the pen tray and briefly glanced
at the letters that the Solicitor had put on the table just
beyond her reach.
"Don't you never wear underclothes?" he asked in
surprise.
"Usually I do, but I had already in mind what you are
asking of me. It was unnessecary to force me this way," said
Anne-Christine bitterly.
"Well, you didn't trust me once yourself, so you have
little right to complain when you aren't trusted either", the
Solicitor said and Anne-Christine could only agree.
"Nevertheless, my lust has left me, Sir. Could you please
let things happen quickly for it is no pleasure to become an
adult this way".
During this time, Solicitor had found his way between her
legs and he had flung his arm around her waist.
"I don't care if you like it or not, my pretty," he
replied, looking at her face to judge her mood. "In this chair
I am going to enjoy your presence to the full and the ever-
clever Lady of the Castle would be wise not to dislike being a
victim now and then", he said, smiling.
Intoxicated by his victory he pulled off his braces.
"It that all there is?", asked Anne-Christine not long
afterwards.
"Small is beautiful", her adversary answered unshaken.
"Don't try to run away from your fate, if that's what you have
in mind", he told her as he started to turn his propositions
into deeds.
"Then I'll have to resort to brute force", said Anne-
Christine.
She grabbed a sharp pointed letter-opener from the pen
tray and stuck it in his botttom as deep as she could. The
Solicitor sprang up and cried out loudly. While he jumped
around in circles, Anne-Christine swiftly collected the
letters which belonged to her and even found time to fasten a
button here end there before leaving the premises.
"I do not trade with people who try to bribe me", she
said, but the Solicitor was very busy and paid little
attention to her words.
The rest of the day, Anne-Christine, seated in the shade
of an old tree on the bank of Weezebeeke Brook, went through
all the letters.
"And did you thank the Sollicitor?" asked Lisabeth when
Anne-Christine came strolling home late in the evening.
"He'll remember for a long time", said Anne-Christine. "But
I've been reading about my inheritance most of the day".
"Without the Solicitor?" asked Lisabeth.
"Oh, shut up about that low, creeping insect", said Anne-
Christine. "Did you know that Anne-Lise stole the Glasswork
with the assistance of a certain Baron de Gosselingue?"
"No, of course not", said Lisabeth. "But please do tell me
more".
Anne-Christine slid onto the couch and started her
story:
"This Glasswork is tremendously old, Lisabeth. There are
some letters that I can hardly decipher. Our great-
grandmothers were on the trail of those pieces of Crystal for
centuries. By the way, the Glasswork consists of three main
parts: the Wine-set itself, The Sphere and a Tray, all made of
Crystal. The purpose of Atilla's conquests was simply to gain
control over this treasure as a whole. Unfortunately for him,
he was superstitious and the King of the Visigoths cleverly
took advantage of that, by enabling Attilla to lay his hand on
the Sphere, just when they were starting a fierce offensive.
By this co‹ncidence, the brave Hun warrior thought the
Glasswork was doomed and he panicked. Can you believe
that?"
"Well, men will always remain big babies", said Lisabeth.
"That's something I'm sure of".
"Me, too", Anne had to agree. "But as a consequence, the
Visigoths had lost their Sphere. Atilla still had the Wine-set
and the Roman Emperor kept possession of the Tray on which
everything had to be placed. We ourselves now have the Set and
the Sphere, but the Tray is still missing".
"And, beyond any doubt, you want to lay your hands on that
as well", Lisabeth said.
"Eh... as a matter of fact, I had something like that in
mind", Anne-Christine admitted.
"Then you have to go to the Roman Emperor and ask him
politely to hand it over to you", Lisabeth teased.
"Oh come on, Lisabeth, please be serious", Anne-Christine
said. "I've thought it over a long time and I think I know the
answer".
"The answer to what?" Lisabeth asked.
"The answer to where the Tray is!" shouted Anne-Christine.
"I have even seen it already!"
"Where was that?" wondered Lisabeth.
"In the treasure room of the Grand-Duke. But I didn't pay
too much attention to it. Even less did I think of stealing
it".
Anne-Christine fell silent and Lisabeth knew her friend
well enough to be certain that she would think of nothing else
but how to rectify her mistake".
"Do tell me about that Baron you were talking about",
asked Lisabeth after a while, hoping to turn Anne-Christine's
thoughts in another direction.
This question made Anne-Christine jump.
"Oh yes, well, according to Anne-Lise, she met a certain
Baron de Gosselingue in Moscow. He told her he knew the
whereabouts of a Glasswork which she knew so much about from
the letters of her ancestors. He could even tell her how to
lay their hands on it".
"That's just the way it was with Govert's Sphere",
Lisabeth exclaimed.
"And there are more striking similarities still to come",
Anne-Christine said. "Anne-Lise was very surprised to meet a
Baron who seemed to know so much about her, but nevertheless
she used his knowledge to steal the Crystal Set at the ball in
honour of the little Czarevitch's birthday.
The only thing she had to do was attract everyone's attention
by losing her garter. He would then hide the Glasswork in the
lustre to fetch it afterwards. And that's just the way it
happened, according to Anne-Lise. People scanned the entire
ball-room but didn't look above their heads.
Anne-Lise was the first to enter the Palace and she could take
away the Glasswork, for she was the Czar's mistress, you
know."
"I do believe that", said Lisabeth. "But did she never
devide the Glasswork into parts with the Baron?"
"No, their relationship was rather..."
Anne-Christine searched for words.
"Rather like a couple of rivals?", Lisabeth suggested.
"I suppose so", Anne-Christine said, "and that does sound
familiar to you, doesn't it?"
"It's not a particulary hard guess", Lisabeth said. "And
did something happen over there in Moscow that you haven't
witness yourself lately?"
Well,.. no", said Anne-Christine. "Anne-Lise and the Baron
argued all the time and resentful, the Baron seduced her
daughter".
"Then he may well be Govert's father!" Lisabeth
exclaimed.
"Judging by his character, he certainly is", Anne
confirmed.
Ten days later, Anne-Christine arrived in Transyldavia. She
could still travel with the Grand-Duke's old pass, which had
given her no problems at the borders. During her first
journey, she had carefully noted the route and was now able to
use this knowledge again.
She even managed to spend nights at the same inns and rattled
her purse whereever she had seen the coach drivers doing
so.
All in all, her journey passed smoothly and now she could
guide her horse onto the Park Lane of the Grand Duke's Palace.
Tired but satisfied, she jumped off the animal and gave her
name to the sentry, who guarded the entrance to the
Castle.
This soldier shook visibly when he understood that she was
the real Keeper of the Muscovite Glassware.
"I'll announce your arrival, Lady Anne-Christine", the
soldier said. "And I beg you to come in, so you don't have to
wait outside".
Once inside, it wasn't long before the Grand Duke's Envoy
greeted her in his own manner.
"Does your journey serve a special purpose, Lady Anne?",
he wondered after a while.
"No, no, I just passed by. Transsyldavia, is almost
becoming my second fatherland", she lied.
"That is nice to hear", the Envoy asquiesced with great
pleasure. "And without doubt it'll please the Grand Duke very
much to know you are here again."
"Oh yes, and I have to beg his Majesty a small favour, but
I'd rather discuss that with him personally, if you don't
mind. It is a very personal matter", Anne-Chistine added.
"Then I'll arrange a rendez-vous with our Sovereign", the
Envoy said. "And besides, I'll see that you will have your
personal servant. Did Alexej satisfy your desires last
time?"
"Oh yes", Anne said with blushes on her cheeks. "He was
very ... helpful".
"Well then, that is all settled", said the Envoy. "If you
don't mind waiting here a little longer, I'll free Alexey from
his occupations. He'll come to see you and you can trust him
as long as you stay here".
"Thank you so much", said Anne and she allowed him to kiss
her hand, before he left her.
"I would like to ask you a favour once more, but this time
I'll give you something in return", Anne-Christine told the
Grand Duke when she was alone with him the following day.
"You'd better start by telling me what I shall gain from
it", the Grand Duke replied like a tradesman.
"I'll give you some moments of pleasure, in a way you've
never known before", she said.
"You are a teaser! Don't make me laugh, Anne! What makes
you think you can outdo my previous experiences?"
With both hands, the Grand Duke prevented his belly from
shaking too much.
"You are a miracle!" he wanted to add, but to his surprise
he could tell by Anne-Christine's face that she had meant
every word. Her confidence made the Grand Duke hesitate.
"You are not telling me you really want to make me go
through something I've never been through before?" he asked in
astonishment.
"Certainly, Sire, and I'll manage to do it as well", Anne-
Christine said, full of confidence.
"You certainly are a very strange girl", the Grand Duke
had to admit. "You are my Glasswork's Keeper and you turn
every meal into a feast, but I still have some doubts about
your other qualities".
The Sovereign searched for words.
"I admire your courage, Anne", he finally said. "And if
you really manage to please me in a way I've never known
before, you will be rewarded with an item from my treasure
room, which you may choose yourself, as long as it isn't the
Muscovite Glassware you gave me".
"That is very generous of you, indeed", replied Anne-
Christine, who noticed by these words that he wasn't aware yet
that the real Glasswork was missing since her last stay at the
Palace.
"Tonight we'll meet in the treasure room, with a dinner
for two", she resolutely said.
"It's a deal", said the Grand Duke. "But what was it you
wanted to ask me, anyway?"
"That is of no importance any more, Sire", answered Anne-
Christine with a Mona-Lisa-like smile on her face. "As long as
I may choose an item from your treasure room tonight".
"Alexej", Anne-Christine said. "I need you once more".
"You say it. What can I do for you?" asked the
servant.
"Tonight, I'm dining with the Grand Duke, and therefore I
need your sleeping potion once more and also a rope", Anne-
Christine said.
"Just like the last time?" Alexej asked.
"Exactly"!" Anne-Christine replied, and within the hour
she possessed both articles.
The Grand Duke hadn't forgotten his appointment and had
ordered a dinner in the middle of the treasure room. Like the
first time, a score of candles cast their light in all
diretions, reflecting on innumerable shining objects.
"I'll pour you some wine, Sire", said Anne-Christine,
knowing that this seemingly insignificant gesture would make
the sovereign slumber for a while during dinner.
As soon as she saw him dip his nose in the plate of asparagus,
she ran to the Crystal Tray and took it to the window. But she
found it was much too large to pass through.
"I knew it!" she told herself.
Then she saw the Grand Duke starting to wake up again and she
nearly panicked. She just had time to hide the Tray and take
her seat at the table as if nothing had happened.
When the Grand Duke opened his eyes, he saw her cleaning her
greasy fingers on her dress, as usual. During the rest of the
dinner, Anne tried hard to spill as much food as she could
over her clothing.
This put her table compagnion in his usual relaxed
mood.
Having ended his meal he said: "Now you have to show your
skills, Anne!"
She imediately climbed upon the table which was overloaded
with food, and crawled across to him, not the least bothered
by the dishes in her way. When she reached the other side, she
started to unbelt his trousers. She then licked her lips,
planning to take the Grand Duke in her mouth first, but just
in time she noted how ill he was and decided suddenly to
change her scheme.
"For you, I've something very special in mind, Sire", she
said and crawled back over the table. She took a long-shaped
loaf of bread, cut it in two over its full length. She
buttered both sides with a thick layer. Armed this way, she
managed to do what she had wanted to obtain with her tongue
and lips.
"My litle sweetheart," the Grand Duke said afterwards,
"You know exactly what pleases me".
"Your pleasure is my goal, Sire", Anne-Christine said
proudly. "Can I choose something now?"
"All right then, a promise is a promise", the Grand Duke
roared. "Just say what you desire and I'll have it taken to
your room".
"If you allow me, I'd rather carry it myself", Anne-
Christine said hastely.
"Oh, very well, then", the Grand Duke grumbeled. "But
normally that's what servants are for, isn't it?"
Her eyes shining brightly with pride, Anne-Christine took
her own painting from the wall and carried the heavy object to
the door. The Grand Duke had stood up, too, and here they bade
goodbye for the moment.
"Just look what I've won!" said Anne-Christine to Alexej
when she found him guarding the entrance to her room.
"Oh, how beautiful, and it's yours now?" the servant
asked, opening the door for her. Anne shuffled in and let the
painting slip from her hands against the wall.
"Well, at least that is something", she said, very
satisfied.
"I hope the Grand Duke was not too rude to you?" asked
Alexej, seeming worried.
"As meek as a little lamb", Anne nonchalently answered.
"It's amazing what you can do with an honest loaf of
bread".
"So you did enjoy it? That is something I rarely hear."
Alexej was surprised to hear.
"Oh no, not exactly," Anne-Christine laughed. "I gave him
his pleasure, but I didn't take care of my own. Do you mind
assisting me with that yet another time? The last time you
were so cute to me," said Anne-Christine, smiling as sweetly
as she could.
"You can give me any order you want", said Alexej,
somewhat nervous.
"Last time, you did hurt me a bit, do you recall?"
Anne-Christine kept on smiling.
"That was your own desire," Alexej said defensively.
"That may be true, but today, I want you to go through
something", said Anne-Christine. "Just start to strip
now".
The servant began with his shirt and lost his last piece of
clothing in no time.
"That sleeping elixer of yours worked better the first
time than it has worked now", said Anne-Christine. "Are you
certain that the rope is all right?"
But without waiting for an answer, she added: "Now lay on
your back on the bed."
She found his knife to cut off parts of the rope, in order
to tie him down on the bed. And, almost before he realized, he
was a prisoner.
"Well, my dear Alexej, you are not as ill as all the
others, are you?
"No, Mylady, everyone in this Castle is ill, as we all
have to obey his Majesty's orders, but I..."
"I know what you intend to say", said Anne-Christine. "You
are not able to join them. But that's just why my plan is
still right on course".
She went to her painting and turned it around.
"Could you imagine that?" she asked when she saw that
Alexej was shaken by sight of the Crystal Tray when it became
visible.
She untied the fragile object and placed it upon a small
table. Then she climbed onto a chair to fetch the entire
Muscovite Glassware from the lustre.
"That is a little trick I learned from my great-
grandmother", she cried triumphantly. Then she began to
arrange all the Glasses around the Decanter in a circle on the
Tray and finally placed the Sphere on top of it.
"You certainly know how to obtain your goal", was all that
Alexej could utter in admiration.
"And what you couldn't do, all those years!" Anne
added.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Oh come on! We'd better put things in a straightforward
way, my dear Baron Alex de Gosselingue, one of the descendants
of the great warrior Atilla", Anne-Christine said in a cool
voice. "You hoped perhaps that I wouldn't notice the
resemblance between you and your father Govert? Well, you are
dead wrong. You look very much like him, not only by your face
but also by your habits.
Like your grandfather who was after the Glasswork in Moscow,
and your father Govert who wanted to possess the Sphere,
you've awaited your chance for the Crystal Tray as one of the
servants of the Grand Duke. You have invested years and years
in this plan and I have a slight idea about the reason behind
it".
"So you know by now that the Glasswork possesses
aphrodisiac properties", said Alex de Gosselingue.
"That is something I was well aware of, long before I read
my great-grandmother's letters", Anne-Christine laughed. "This
Glasswork has aroused a great many strange sentiments in me
lately and I could fill a book with what it did to me. But
without that Crystal you aren't worth a penny, I think. Your
father had to find innumerable escapes in bed while trying
desperately to obtain the Glasswork. Do all the de
Gosselingues suffer from this shortcoming?"
"For centuries, even before Atilla's days", Alexej
confessed.
"That is just what I guessed", Anne-Christine sighed. "And
we are going to put an end to it".
"Oh no, that will destroy the Crystal, what a pity!" cried
Alex, but Anne began to take off her sticky clothes. She then
climbed onto the bed, where Aley had already recovered from
the family shortcoming.
Anne didn't feel any pain when she felt a man in her body
for the first time.
"You'd better look at the Glasswork", she said, as she
knew what was going to happen.
"No, no!", Alex called out in anxiety. He turned his face
away and tried to free himself from his ropes with desperate
efforts.
"Well, then, don't," said Anne-Christine.
She began to move her body. It took a little while but
then she finally made the Crystal explode into a fountain of
colourful, whirling fragments right before her eyes. And so,
Alex de Gosselingue and Anne-Christine van den Weezebeecke
faded away together, in a maelstrom of confusing images which
arose from centuries ago.