"My mother!" cried Willibald, in joyful surprise; but at the same time he put his arm around Marietta as if he wished to protect her from a renewed attack, for Frau von Eschenhagen's face seemed hard and gloomy, and her bearing did not look like reconciliation.
Without noticing the young girl, she turned to her son:
"I learned through Adelaide that you were here," she began in a rather harsh tone, "and I only wanted to ask how everything is at Burgsdorf. Have you looked for a steward during your absence? One does not know how long the war will last?"
The joyous expression on the face of the young lord vanished. He had really hoped for a different greeting at this unexpected appearance of his mother.
"I have arranged everything to the best of my ability," he replied. "The greater part of my people have been called to enlist; even the inspector has to leave in a few days, and a substitute cannot be had now. Work must therefore be reduced to the necessities, and old Martens will overlook everything."
"Martens is a goose," said Regine, in her old, terse way. "If he takes the reins, everything at Burgsdorf will go topsy-turvy. Nothing else is left for me to do but to go there myself and look after things right."
"How? You would?" cried Willibald. But his mother cut him short.
"Do you think I would let your possessions go to nothing while you are in the war? It will be securely cared for in my hands--you know that. I have held the reins there long enough and will do it again--until you return."
She still spoke in the hard, cold tones, as if she wished to exclude every warmer feeling. But now Willy stepped up to her, with his arm still around his bride-elect.
"You will take care of my worldly possessions, mamma," he said, reproachfully; "you will take them under your protection. But for the best and dearest thing that belongs to me you have no word nor look. Have you really only come to tell me that you will go to Burgsdorf?"