“You looked like you were just going out when I arrived or you were going downstairs for a tea party perhaps.”
“Never mind her. Take me shopping Otto.”
“Haven’t you got enough clothes?” he asked her poking about in the wardrobes.
“A girl can never have enough.”
She disappeared into the bathroom again. He noticed the new stockings that Koenig had bought her half in and half out of a drawer. He picked one up and sniffed it.
“These are new,” he called out to her “and expensive.”
She came out of the bathroom to see him holding her stockings.
“What are you doing with those?”
“They’re new.”
“Yes.“
She took them from him and stuffed them into the drawer.
“How can you afford those?”
She slammed the drawer shut with irritation.
“My father gives me an allowance every month.”
“Your father?”
“Yes because you’re never here to support me. You’re always away with your friends and never home.”
He felt himself getting angry again and he crossed the room to her like lightning.
“That’s because I’m working hard for us.”
She came back at him now wanting the fight.
“Working hard?” she scoffed “that’s a joke. All you do is….”
“Shut up Elsa before you say something you may regret.”
It worked. There was a history of violence in their relationship. She always being on the receiving end. The last time he had hit her he had given her a black eye. She had packed her bags and moved to her parents. After four days he had begged her to come back promising to change.
“Or what?” she said “you’ll hit me again.”
“I’ve said a hundred times that I’m sorry.”
She smiled and blew him a kiss.
“I know you have.”
He was about to lay on the bed when he noticed his photographs.
“Why are my pictures facing the other way?”
Back in the bathroom Elsa cussed herself for not having put them right after Koenig had left. She sat on the toilet and tried to sound calm.
“Because if Mrs Drescher sees them it upsets her. Apparently you looked a lot like her son.
“Do I?” he said turning a large photo of himself around. He picked it up and held it flat and gazed at himself. He liked what he saw.
Proud, strong, arrogant. The deaths head insignia glittering on his lapels.
“I suppose there is no harm in her liking the old woman,” he said to the face that stared back at him. He put the photograph back and threw himself onto his back on the bed fully clothed.
“I’m being sent away Elsa.”
The words went through her and she felt excitement at the prospect.
‘While the cat’s away,’ came into her mind ’maybe I can persuade Hans to stay now.’
She quickly thought about the situation. She found she really liked the idea of her husband away from her, hopefully away from Berlin. She would be safe then, safe from him, his drinking, his temper.
“Where?“
She tried to sound interested but when the answer came it made the hairs stand up on the back of her neck.
“North Africa Elsa.”
She suddenly felt a terrible foreboding. She stood in the doorway of the bathroom.
“North Africa! I didn’t think the SS were involved in the fighting.”
“We can be sent anywhere. I am going to oversee an archaeological expedition. Herr Himmler has appointed me. It seems that the Fuhrer has a dream,” Otto said knowing that he should not be discussing it with anyone, not even his wife but he couldn’t help it, caught up in it.
“This could be my big chance to impress Elsa. I will be serving under Rommel. This could be my one chance to make Colonel Elsa. Just imagine it. The first of my family.”
“I’m pleased for you Otto,” she shouted trying to sound enthusiastic for him.
He put his hand under his head and stared at the ceiling. After a while he turned on his side to face the window. His eyes focused on the bedside table. Slowly he lifted his head off the pillow. He had a puzzled look on his face.
By the bed on the table were two glasses. One clearly had lipstick on it, the other didn’t. He swung his legs off the bed and stood up. The glass he had been using was on her dressing table. He picked the other two up. They smelled of cognac. There was a tiny amount of it in the bottom of each glass. He inspected the one with the lipstick first. It was definitely hers, her shade.
When she came out of the bathroom she was confronted by him standing in the middle of the room with