The Storm Sister (The Seven Sisters #2) (44 page)

In the run-up to opening night, Anna and Jens met every day after rehearsals. Worried about tittle-tattle at the theatre, Anna suggested he wait for her inside Engebret. The
café was at its quietest in the late afternoons, and slowly Anna began to relax and become less concerned about keeping up appearances. One day, when Jens had reached for her hand under the
table, she had allowed him to take it. That had set a precedent, and they now sat together most days with their fingers surreptitiously entwined. It made the pouring of the tea and the milk
somewhat difficult with only one hand available, but it was worth every second.

Jens was looking far more like his old self. He’d moved into Otto’s apartment and, as he had graphically described to her, had benefited from a thorough delousing. There was a maid
at the apartment who had also washed all his clothes, and Anna was relieved that he smelt far fresher.

But beyond all that, it was the memory of the touch of his skin on hers – an outwardly innocent touch, yet one that promised so much more – which consumed Anna’s thoughts night
and day. She finally understood how Solveig had felt and why she had sacrificed so much for her Peer.

Often, they sat together in silence, their tea ignored, just drinking each other in. Even though Anna told herself to be wary, she knew she had finally surrendered to him. And was being drawn
further and further under his spell.

Three days before
Peer Gynt
opened the new season at the Christiania Theatre, the arduous process of bringing orchestra and cast together began once more. This time,
Anna wasn’t sharing a room backstage with Rude and the other children. She was in Madame Hansson’s old dressing room, with a whole wall of mirrors and a chaise longue covered in velvet
to rest on if she felt weary.

‘Very nice, this is, isn’t it, Anna?’ Rude had commented as he’d taken a look around it. ‘I’d say that some of us have gone up in the world in the past few
months. Do you mind if I come in here sometimes and keep you company? Or are you too grand for me now?’

Anna had taken his chubby cheeks in her hands and chuckled. ‘I may not have time for our card games, but you are welcome to come and visit me any time you wish.’

On the opening night, she walked into the dressing room to find it filled with flowers and good luck messages. There was even one from her parents and Knut, with a letter enclosed, which would
doubtless refer to her broken engagement to Lars. She put that aside to read later. As Ingeborg, the make-up artist, painted her face, she read the other cards, appreciating the kind words people
had written. And there was one in particular, accompanied by a single red rose, which sent a thrill through her as she read it.

As Anna heard the call for ‘Beginners’, she sent up a prayer. ‘Please, Lord, do not let me disgrace myself or my family name tonight. Amen.’ Then she
stood up to walk to the wings.

There were moments of that night which Anna knew would be indelibly printed on her memory. Like the dreadful one when she’d walked onto the stage in the second act and
her mind had turned completely blank. She’d looked down into the orchestra pit in desperation and had seen Jens mouthing the lines to her. She hoped she’d recovered in time for the
audience not to notice, but it had unnerved her for the rest of the performance. It was only during ‘The Cradle Song’ at the very end, as Peer’s head lay upon her knees and they
were alone on the stage, that she had felt confident again and let her voice and emotions rise up.

After the last note had died away, there had been many curtain calls and bouquets were handed to her and Marie, who played Peer’s mother, Åse. She left the stage as the curtain
finally dropped and burst into noisy sobs on Herr Josephson’s shoulder.

‘My dear, please, don’t cry,’ he soothed her.

‘But I was terrible tonight! I know I was!’

‘Not at all, Anna. Don’t you see that all your natural uncertainty actually enhanced Solveig’s vulnerability? And by the end . . . well, the audience was spellbound. The part
could have been written for you, and I am sure that had they seen you, Herr Ibsen and Herr Grieg would have been satisfied. You also sang like a dream, as you always do. Now’ – he put a
finger to her cheek and wiped away a tear – ‘go and celebrate your achievement.’

Anna’s dressing room was crowded with well-wishers by the time she reached it, all wanting to be present at the crowning of a new and very much home-grown princess, and Anna did her best
to say the right things to all of them. Then Herr Hennum entered and shooed everyone out of the room.

‘It was a joy to conduct the orchestra tonight, and to watch you making your stage debut, Anna. And no, you were not perfect as an actress, but that is something you can learn as your
confidence grows, which it will, I promise. Please, try to enjoy the adulation of Christiania, because you truly deserve it. Herr Josephson will be here to escort you to the first-night party in
the foyer in fifteen minutes.’ Then he bowed and left her in peace.

As she was changing, a short knock heralded the arrival of Rude. ‘Sorry, Frøken Anna, but I’ve been asked to deliver a message to you.’ He handed it to her with a cheeky
grin. ‘You look very beautiful tonight, may I say. And can you ask my mother if I can come to the party? She may let me if the request comes from you.’

‘You know I can’t, Rude, but now that you’re here, can you fasten my dress for me?’

As Anna entered the foyer with Herr Josephson, she was greeted with a round of applause. Jens watched her from a distance and thought he had never loved her more, and he had told her as much in
his note to her afterwards, delivered by Rude. He noticed how she smiled and made small talk, and thought how far his bird had flown since he’d first heard her sing.

Then his heart sank as he saw a familiar figure approach her, his oversized handlebar moustache almost bristling with joy as everyone stood back to let him pass.

‘Anna! My dear young lady, even my mother’s illness could not prevent me from being here to watch you on this glorious night. You were superb,
kjære
, truly
superb.’

Jens noticed a slight slackening of Anna’s features, then watched as she recovered herself and greeted Herr Bayer warmly. Jens left then, feeling depressed that, with the appearance of her
mentor, he would be unable to tell her in person how proud he was of her.

Of course, he thought, as he sank his misery into an aquavit at Engebret, he could see which way the wind was blowing, even if Anna could not. She may have rid herself of the farmhand suitor,
but it was obvious to all that Herr Bayer was in love with her. And he could give her everything she could ever want. A few months ago, Jens thought, he could have done the same.

For the first time, he wondered if he’d made a terrible mistake.

‘“
Frøken Landvik may not bring the seasoned assurance of Madame Hansson to the role of Solveig, but she makes up for that with her innocence, her youth,
and her exquisite rendition of Solveig’s songs.
”

‘And in the early edition of
Dagbladet
, the reviewer comments again on your beauty and youth and the . . .’

Anna listened to Herr Bayer no longer. She felt happy that she had managed to get through the first night, but the thought of doing it all over again the following evening was something that she
could not begin to contemplate.

‘Now, Anna, sadly I am only able to stay in Christiania until the morning, as I must take the ferry back to my mother’s bedside as soon as possible,’ said Herr Bayer, closing
the newspaper.

‘How is she?’

‘No better, no worse,’ he sighed. ‘My mother has always had an unbreakable spirit and it is that alone keeping her alive. There is nothing I can do, except be with her as the
end approaches. But enough of that. Tonight, Anna, I wish us to share a special dinner, during which you can tell me all that has happened since I last saw you.’

‘Of course, it would be my pleasure, but I am feeling a little weary. If we are to dine together tonight, may I take a rest now?’

‘Of course, my dear young lady. And congratulations again.’

Franz Bayer watched Anna leave the room and marvelled at how far she had come in the past year. And indeed, since he’d last seen her. She’d always been a bud about to burst into
flower, but now she had fully blossomed, she was beautiful and under his tutelage had gained a new grace and sophistication.

Despite the fact that Anna had just pleaded exhaustion, there seemed to be a new glow about her he could not define. He hoped it had nothing to do with that violinist she’d obviously been
so taken with at the soirée back in June. Last night Herr Josephson had teased him rather meanly that it was a good job he, Franz, was back in town. Herr Josephson had mentioned that his
protégée had been spotted more than once taking tea with the fellow in Engebret.

Up until now, he’d been biding his time, not wishing to frighten her off. But after what Herr Josephson had said, he thought he had better make his intentions clear.

‘My dear young lady, how enchanting you look tonight!’

Herr Bayer greeted Anna as she entered the dining room in her topaz evening gown. No matter how beautiful people said she looked – especially men, she thought wryly – if they saw her
without the magic face powder, her freckles would be in evidence once more and they would likely consider her looks rather homely.

To repay Herr Bayer’s gallantry, all Anna could think to do was to admire his jaunty new paisley cravat, hoping he wouldn’t detect the insincerity in her voice.

‘How was your dear family keeping when you saw them in the summer?’ he asked.

‘My family is well, thank you. And the wedding was beautiful.’

‘I hear from Frøken Olsdatter that sadly, you and your young man have called off your betrothal.’

‘Yes. Lars felt he could wait for me no longer.’

‘Are you unhappy about this, Anna?’