The Noble Ladies' Orphanage

Chapter 13

Twilight settled over Brno with a hush. Exhausted, Susana trudged through the gate at the city wall, oblivious to the bows and greetings from the gate guards.

She watched the cobblestones glide by beneath her feet. Their lines blurred with her thoughts.

"Miss Loboda?" a voice said.

Susana turned toward the sound of her name and saw a tall young man with dark, curly hair. He looked familiar.

"Are you all right?" he asked. When Susana didn't respond right away, he took her arm in his and started walking her in a new direction. "Your servants are out looking for you. Dr. Palacký has brought your baby brother to my house, to my mother. You remember my mother, don't you? Anna?"

Susana looked up at the boy beside her. Of course. "Peter, right?" she asked. He nodded. "All right," she said. She couldn't think of what else to say, so she just walked.

"I'm so sorry," Peter said. He slowed down their walking pace. "Dr. Palacký told me about your mother. "If there's anything I can do to help, please ask." Susana nodded slowly and leaned against his arm as she walked. She didn't recall ever having been so tired.

Peter looked down at the young noble lady. He had sometimes driven such ladies around in carriages or prepared their horses for afternoon rides. They smiled at him and toyed with him, but then they ordered him around and ignored him completely when their peers were around. He wondered if Susana was the same. Her face was blotchy from crying, and her hair was messy.

She looked up at the boy whose arm she clung to. His curly hair hung down to his shoulders. He had kind brown eyes, a straight nose, and girlish lips. He was handsomer than any boy in her social circle. But any boy in her social circle would not go out in public with a smear of soot across his forehead and he wouldn't wear a shirt with a frayed collar either.

Susana straightened up, let go of Peter's arm, and cleared her throat

"You said the baby is with your mother?" she asked.

"Yes," Peter said.

"Do you know who is with mine?" she whispered.

"Sorry?" he bent his head down to hear her better.

"Nothing," she said, "nothing."

They arrived at the Strigl's doorstep. Peter pushed the door open and held out his hand to motion for Susana to enter. He followed. He was so tall he had to duck so he wouldn't hit his head.

"There she is!" Zdenka cried. "Oh, Miss! We were so worried about you. Where did you go?"

As Susana's eyes adjusted to the dark little house she saw Dr. Palacký, Anna, and a handful of servants from her house, and her baby brother. The baby nestled into the nook of Anna's substantial arm. He slept soundly and appeared to be utterly content.

"I just," Susana began. "I just..."

"She just needed a bit of air, right dear?" Anna suggested. "Here," Anna said. "Have a seat. You must be exhausted."

She placed a plate of dumplings and a cup of tea at the table with her free hand and held the chair out for Susana.

Meanwhile, Dr. Palacký whispered to Susana's servants. They all bowed or curtsied to Susana and left.

"Where are they going?" Susana asked.

"They have some things to attend to back at your house," Dr. Palacký said. He pulled up a chair next to Susana and sat down.

Susana took a sip of tea and looked at him. His wavy white hair looked as orderly as ever above his gray eyes and white beard. He waited, but she didn't say anything. After a time, he reached forward and gently pulled a small twig out of her hair. He twirled the twig between the fingers of one hand and let his other hand rest on his leg.