The Noble Ladies' Orphanage

Chapter 4

Susana sat in a high-backed velvet chair with a German book in her lap, but she hadn't made it through one page. She strained to hear the low voices on the other side of her mother's bed chamber door but could only make out a word here and there: early, weak, pale.

The click of the door knob sent Susana to her feet, and the book clattered to the marble floor.

A woman and two men turned to the source of the noise. Susana recognized the woman as Martina, her mother's midwife, and she knew the man with the pointed white beard, Dr. Palacký, who had often visited their home during bouts of illness.

"Allow me," said Dr. Palacký. He picked up Susana's book, glanced at the title, showed the title to the other man, and handed it to her.

"Miss Susana, it is good to see you. You have grown so much this past year. May I introduce Dr. Richter to you?" The other man, a younger, striking man with green eyes, nodded his head and smiled. "Dr. Richter has come to Brno from the great Hapsburg city Strasbourg." Susana curtsied again and said, "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope you enjoy your stay in Brno."

"It's a lovely city. I'm growing quite fond of it," the young doctor said.

Susana cast a pleading look toward the midwife.

"Do you enjoy reading German?" the young doctor asked, pointing to the book in Susana's hand.

"Generally, yes," said Susana, "but I'm struggling with this book."

The young doctor laughed. "As well you might," he said. "I wouldn't have attempted to read it at your age. Perhaps I may stop by later in the week and help you with it?"

"That's very generous of you," said Susana. She smiled at the three polite adults but couldn't keep her eyes off her mother's closed door.

"Have you heard from your father lately?" Dr. Palacký asked.

"No, not lately," said Susana. Dr. Palacký and Dr. Richter looked at one another.

"Susana's father is one of Brno's greatest businessmen," Dr. Palacký explained to Dr. Richter. "He travels quite frequently. Where is he currently, Susana?"

"He's in Vienna," Susana replied.

"I adore Vienna," Dr. Richter said. Dr. Palacký agreed.

"Please," said Susana. "How is my mother? Have you no news for me?"

The midwife and Dr. Richter looked at Dr. Palacký. Dr. Palacký cleared his throat and said, "She's doing quite well, Dear." The midwife dropped her eyes to the floor, and Susana felt a lump forming in her throat.

"Dr. Palacký, you said that I have grown a lot this year. I can bear to hear the truth." Tears came to her eyes. "In fact, I do not know if I can bear to not hear the truth. I can see in your eyes that her condition is serious. I've known it for some days now. I've watched her grow pale and weak. Will you please spare me the agony of not knowing?"

The adults looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Dr. Palacký," said Dr. Richter, "I believe this young lady is mature enough to hear anything we can tell her."

"It seems so, Sir," said Dr. Palacký. "May we sit, Susana?"

"Of course," Susana said. She alerted the nearest house servant that they would be going to the blue salon, a comfortable sitting room where she liked to read by the fireplace in the afternoons. She didn't feel comfortable now, though. Leading those three adults down the spacious marble-floored corridor, she felt as if she were walking to her execution.