"Surely, Elise," Bertha said, angrily, "you must see that I am not called upon to endure this patiently. Fortunately, there comes Hugo: he will know how to put a stop to Clara's impertinence."
Hugo von Wangen was returning from an expedition to the neighboring town of G----. He had driven thither in the early morning, and had hastened his return to Linau that he might escape the storm threatening in the west. His vehicle was just entering the court-yard, whence he came immediately through the garden-room out on the balcony.
Hugo von Wangen had changed greatly in the past four years; the shy, retiring youth had developed into a strong, capable man. The good-natured expression of his kindly face was, however, unaltered, it was even more pronounced than it had formerly been. He could hardly be called a handsome man, but he certainly was pleasant to look upon.
As he appeared upon the balcony he was so pleased with his speedy return and the happy termination of his business in town, that he did not observe the frown upon his wife's brow.
"Fortunately back again before the storm," he called out, gaily. "How are you, darling?" As he spoke he bent above his wife and gave her a resounding kiss upon her forehead, took Clara's head between his hands and kissed her likewise, and then bowed to the governess with a cordial, "Good-day, Fräulein Lieschen."
"Indeed, Hugo, I must beg you to dispense with the babyish 'Lieschen' in addressing a young lady of twenty-one," his wife said, sharply.
"You're right, my dear," he replied, good-humouredly. "I forget myself, Fräulein Lieschen comes so naturally to my lips; but I shall learn not to use it; so good-day, Fräulein von Osternau. I am so glad to be at home again, and I have had such a pleasure to-day. I met an old acquaintance, or rather an old friend, most unexpectedly in G----. Guess who it was, my dear,--you know him, and so do you, Fräulein Lieschen,--I mean Fräulein von Osternau."
Bertha had no desire to guess. She was contemplating preferring a complaint of Clara's disrespect, but her interest was aroused when Wangen went on eagerly,--
"No, you could not possibly guess. Just as I had got into the carriage to drive off from G----, whom should I see coming striding down the street but my dear old friend Storting? I jumped out of the carriage, and he was as much delighted as I was at our meeting. I should have liked to talk for an hour with him, but the skies looked so threatening I had to leave, and he too was in a great hurry to get back to Plagnitz before the storm came up."
"Plagnitz?" Bertha asked. "Is not that Herr von Ernau's estate?"