The Defeated Aristocrat (11 page)

‘Damn it all, Wolf, Germany’s fallen apart. A man has to look out for himself …’

‘Not at the expense of his brother. Shake hands with Paul and we’ll have no more politics under any von Mau roof.’

Paul was the first to step forward with extended hand. Wolf watched Wilhelm take it before heading for Martin’s study. He telephoned Martha on the Post Office line, told her Ludwiga was preparing rooms and suggested she bring Heinrich to Konigsberg that afternoon. She said she, Pippi and the children were aiming to arrive on the six o’clock train that evening but she’d telephone to confirm so he could send a carriage and a cart to meet them at the station.

Martin joined him after he replaced the receiver. ‘Lotte’s devastated.’

‘I saw,’ Wolf concurred. ‘Have they caught Anton’s murderer?’

‘No. Georg Hafen visited Lotte twice, but from what little he said I don’t think the police know where to start looking for the killer. Georg’s as shocked and angry as we are. The police regard fellow officers as family.’

‘I gathered as much from Peter,’ Wolf pulled a chair close to the fire.

‘I heard Wilhelm telling you about Franz.’

‘How could you allow Franz to negate my will, Martin?’ Wolf reproached his brother.

‘I didn’t allow him to do anything.’ Martin limped to a chair on the other side of the hearth. ‘The day after Gretel received the telegram that you’d been killed, Franz went to the courthouse, challenged your will in Gretel’s name and filed an application to take control of the von Mau estate. He didn’t consult me, Lotte, Liesl, or the twins. We didn’t find out what he’d done until Johanna Behn visited me. She, in her capacity as von Mau family lawyer, had been notified of Gretel’s application by the court. I took Johanna’s advice and lodged a counter application in Heini’s name so we could delay Franz’s application pending a hearing. Lotte, Liesl, the twins, and I hoped you were alive but Johanna warned all evidence was against us. The military don’t often make mistakes in identifying bodies. Thank God they made one in yours.’

‘I’m sorry for snapping. I wasn’t aware of the facts.’

‘Johanna refused to represent Franz so he had to find another lawyer. He was given access to the estate account in June on condition the money he drew out was used solely for the castle and farms and Johanna monitored his transactions.’

‘Franz showed me the estate bank statement. It’s lean.’

‘Franz invested heavily in war bonds before the court ruled Johanna had to monitor transactions.’

‘Clever move considering we lost the war,’ Wolf said caustically.

‘It was the first thing he did when he was given temporary control of the estate.’

‘He told you?’

‘I haven’t spoken to Franz. Not even when I saw him in court when we made the counter-application, but you know Konigsberg.’

Wolf repeated the maxim. ‘It’s more of a village than a city.’

‘The hearing to decide the future of the estate is scheduled for next week. You turning up alive will upset Gretel and Franz’s plans.’

‘Martha told me they’re charging you rent. I couldn’t believe you’d pay to live in our family town house.’

‘Franz threatened to evict me if I didn’t, and as I’d spent every penny of mine and Ludwiga’s savings converting the ground floor into consulting rooms I had no choice. But now my medical practice is established I’ve been looking elsewhere.’

‘You can stop.’

‘Looking or paying?’

‘Both. As soon as the estate is back in my name I’ll sign this house over to you.’

‘Thank you.’ Martin offered Wolf his cigar box. ‘It’s good to see you, Werlfi, and not just because of the house.’ His eyes were damp behind his spectacles. He changed the subject. ‘We’ve good cause to be grateful to Johanna Behn. If it hadn’t been for her, Lotte and I wouldn’t have known Franz had tried to take control of the estate.’

‘I’ll call on her this morning.’

‘And go to the bank. It might be as well to freeze the estate accounts if you can.’

‘I’ll take Johanna’s advice on the best course to take.’

‘If I didn’t have patients I’d accompany you. You should go shopping as well. That suit you’re wearing looks like a hand-me-down from a fat uncle and your shirt is yellow with age.’

‘Martha dug them up. They’ve been in a trunk since I left.’

‘I recommend the new tailor in Baumgarten’s.’

‘Last time I was there they weren’t taking promises or buttons as payment.’

‘I’d forgotten that saying of Papa’s.’ Martin pulled out his wallet and handed him a couple of high denomination bills.

‘I won’t take your money.’

‘I’m doing well and I’ve just heard that my landlord is waving my rent. Besides, it was the von Mau estate that financed my university fees. Pay me back when you can, you’ll need to buy things for Heini.’ Martin fell serious. ‘Ludwiga and I tried to take him when Gretel married Franz. They wouldn’t let us, but we would have spirited him away somehow if Martha hadn’t promised to keep an eye on him.’

‘I won’t let the boy go back to Gretel.’

‘He needs looking after, Wolf, and he will be here. Karin and Christa will enjoy having a cousin to mother and the twins will enjoy teaching him to fence and … ’

‘Fight?’ Wolf mocked. ‘I’d rather he stayed away from all his uncles except you.’

‘The twins are young. The war didn’t help. This is the most serious argument they’ve had.’

‘One’s enough.’

‘Heini will love having you around. Every time he saw me before Gretel told him you were dead, he asked about you. What I thought you were doing and what you were like. It will be good for Lotte too. She, like Ludwiga and I adore the boy.’

‘Thank God one Mau was prepared to assume the family obligations and offer Lotte, her girls and the twins a home. My homecoming would have been very different if it wasn’t for you.’

Martin changed the subject again and Wolf remembered how his twin had always been embarrassed by praise.

‘A word of warning, Wolf, be very careful and tell Peter to be cautious as well.’

‘Peter – why should he be cautious about Franz?’

‘I wasn’t talking about Franz. A doctor hears and sees odd things. These murders …’

‘Murders! I thought Anton was the only victim.’

‘One of Anton’s friends, Nils Dresdner who’d also taken a position with the police, was killed last night. According to Georg Hafen in exactly the same brutal way,’ Martin explained.

‘Dresdner … I don’t know the name. Does Georg Hafen think the murders are connected?’

‘Both victims were ex-soldiers, like Peter.’

‘The city’s swarming with ex-soldiers.’

‘Not all become police officers like the victims – and Peter. Warn Peter. That’s all I’m saying.’

‘These odd things you see and hear, they wouldn’t identify a murderer by any chance?’

Martin hesitated. Wolf sensed he was debating just how much he should tell him.

‘Well?’ Wolf pressed.

‘I was called out in the early hours to certify the death of Dresdner because the police doctor was unavailable. He couldn’t be identified until we managed to prise the mask from his face.’

‘What kind of mask?’

‘A Branks with a tongue depressor.’

‘A scold’s bridle …’ Wolf mused. ‘You think Anton and Dresdner were killed because they said something they shouldn’t have?’

‘I don’t know.’ Martin moved uneasily in his chair. ‘Dresdner’s body – the mutilations were ritualistic and that coupled with the bridle – Anton told me he joined the Freikorps the day before he was killed. I’ve warned Wilhelm to stay away from them but he’s not in a listening mood these days. The murders, the police, the military background and the Freikorps … it could be a co-incidence but …’

‘It might not be,’ Wolf finished for him.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kneiphof Island, Konigsberg, Saturday January 11th 1919

Johanna Behn’s office and adjoining house were close to the Honey Bridge in the select cathedral quarter of Kneiphof Island. Surrounded by river on all sides, the restaurants, beer houses, inns, and hotels on The Kneiphof were too expensive for ordinary workers.

Johanna greeted Wolf at the door of what had been her father’s office. Taller than he recalled, of athletic but heavy build, she could have been one of Wagner’s Valkyries. Her eyes were dark, probing, and sceptical. Whenever they’d met in the past she’d given him the impression she hadn’t believed a word he’d said.

‘Freiherr von Mau.’ She gripped his hand and shook it firmly in a strong masculine grasp. ‘I’m pleased to see you.’

‘Wolf Mau, Fraulein Behn. The days of privilege and titles ended when the Kaiser abdicated and Germany surrendered to the Allies.’

‘I’m glad you survived, Wolf, for many reasons. Coffee for two, Hermann,’ she ordered her assistant. ‘Please, come in, sit down.’

Wolf followed her into the book-lined office. The only change that registered from the days when her father had occupied the room was the addition of Johann Behn’s portrait above the hearth that housed a log fire.

Hermann brought a tray of coffee, milk, sugar, and cinnamon pretzels. He set it on a side-table and left, closing the door behind him.

Johanna poured the coffee. ‘When did you return?’

‘Late yesterday. I stayed overnight in Lichtenhagen. Are those real sugar pretzels?’

‘No, pretend ones. Go on, try one and see.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Most soldiers returned months ago.’

‘I had to travel from England. I was a POW. These are good.’ He took a second bite.

‘They should be, considering how much I had to write off Becker the baker’s bill for them.’ She didn’t offer him sympathy for his imprisonment. ‘Being a POW is a good explanation for your absence. We need one for the hearing. Have you seen your brothers?’

‘All four, and my sister.’

‘My condolences to your sister, your nieces and you. I knew Anton’s father. The von Braunsch family have suffered a triple tragedy, first the father, then the mother, now the son. But to business.’ She glanced at the clock. ‘Unfortunately I have appointments scheduled all day and can offer you only a few minutes now. Are you aware Franz challenged your will in your wife’s name?’

‘Yes. I spoke to Franz, Martin, Wilhelm, and Paul about it.’

Johanna handed him his coffee. ‘What did you tell them?’

‘Franz, that I wasn’t happy he’d challenged my will and was making Martin pay rent on a family property. I told Martin to stop paying and promised the twins I would sort out the question of ownership of the von Mau estate.’

‘Did Franz say anything about the estate accounts?’

‘He showed me his and Gretel’s private bank statements and the estate accounts. They appear to be in credit but not by much.’

‘Franz spent more than he or the estate could afford buying war bonds, unfortunately before I had the power to stop him. Gretel’s brother Lars von Poldi brokered the deal.’ Johanna offered Wolf the milk jug and sugar bowl.

‘Franz was an idiot to trust Lars.’

‘Franz and Gretel weren’t the only ones to buy bonds from von Poldi. The police are investigating complaints that the bonds he sold were forgeries. Not that it makes the slightest difference to the purchasers given their current value now Germany’s lost the war. Except of course to Lars when he took his unsuspecting clients’ money.’

‘Has Lars been arrested?’

‘He disappeared. Last seen on the dockside in October.’

‘Heading for where?’

Johanna shrugged. ‘With the money he stole, the world is his playground.’

‘So what’s the situation?’ Wolf asked. ‘Is the von Mau estate bankrupt?’

‘Close to it. When you left, the estate was thriving. Between army requisitions, which were never paid for, mismanagement, and war reparations it hasn’t been in profit for three years. If Franz had listened to Gunther Jablonowski the situation would be different but Franz did everything he could to drive your steward from the estate. It says a great deal for Gunther’s loyalty to you and your son that he refused to leave.’

Wolf told Johanna he had endorsed Gunther’s position and asked him to reside in the castle and ordered Franz and Gretel to move into the Post Office.’ She made notes.

‘I’ll draw up a legally binding contract for Gunther as you intend to keep him on as your steward and send Franz and Gretel a formal eviction notice.’

‘Thank you. Has Franz mortgaged the estate?’

‘No. He tried. Herr Farber at the bank refused Franz’s application on the grounds neither he nor Gretel owned it. I blocked his attempts to sell the estate assets until the courts settled Gretel’s claim one way or the other.’

‘What did Franz want to sell?’

‘Any and every thing he thought would bring in cash. Land, livestock, shooting rights, timber, carriages, furniture, and silverware. Prices are at rock bottom. War has bled even the wealthy dry.’

‘Are there any debts?’

‘No debts, no profit. Your tenants are paying their rents. That’s what’s kept the estate afloat.’

‘If they’ve been paying their rents there should be more money in the account.’

Johanna opened a drawer and removed a file. She handed it to him. ‘As you know, all rents are paid to this office. Given the circumstances I felt justified in setting some aside against future expenditure. It’s not a great deal of money but it should keep you for a couple of months.’

Wolf opened the file. ‘You continued the payments to my account in Baumgarten’s store?’

‘I increased them after consulting with Isaac Baumgarten. He agreed to pay interest on the money. Regulations prevented me from opening another bank account to handle the estate’s business but I felt something should be set aside for your son.’

‘I could kiss you.’

‘One thing at a time, Wolf. Do you have instructions for me before the hearing next week?’

‘I want the house in Gebaur Strasse to be put in Martin’s sole ownership.’

‘I’ll see to it.’

‘I also want three apartments to be put in Paul, Wilhelm, and Liesl’s names and one of the houses and one apartment in Lotte’s. They all need the security of an income. Will there be any problems?’

‘With the court case, no. You’re alive. Everything that was yours will be again as soon as the court recognises your authority. I’ll arrange the redistribution of these assets. However, you do realise that once you sign away these rents, an even greater strain will be put on the estate.’