It was all very strange.
Oliver was out there. The thought came screaming into her head and she rushed to the door to look out the glass window, but saw nothing out there. The day was overcast, but it wasn’t misty as it had been the day before.
Unfortunately, she didn’t see Oliver anywhere, but then there wasn’t much to see other than the road. The breakfast room had a better view, so she rushed there. If there were robbers out there, Oliver could run afoul of them.
The vast view of the glacier stretched out in front of her, but as hard as she searched, she couldn’t find the figures of Oliver and Mr. Schonberg anywhere.
“There is no mist,” Mr. Weber said beside her.
“There was this morning.”
“It is always misty in the mornings,” Mr. Weber said calmly. “We do have weather come in, so thick one cannot see in front of oneself, but those are clouds.”
“Clouds?” Clemmie repeated.
“We are in the mountains. High enough that we get enveloped in the clouds.”
That sounded romantic in a way, but hearing it described as so thick one couldn’t see was a little frightening.
“But that is not the day we are having today.”
“Do you think they’re safe out there?” she asked absently.
“Mr. Schonberg is a very experienced tramper,” he said, guessing her meaning. But his expression grew more serious, as if he was trying to understand what had happened to poor Miss Marnier.
Right now, Clemmie couldn’t care about anything other than Oliver’s safety, and she wouldn’t know a moment of calm until he returned.
Chapter 5
THE HOTEL HAD A SUBDUED atmosphere in the afternoon. The guests and staff must have all heard about the incident. Although Clemmie was more concerned about Oliver, who was still out there in the wilderness.
Her distress grew as the afternoon grew darker and it started to rain more heavily. Unable to relax, she paced, intermittently in her room and also in the breakfast room where she could stare out across the glacier, but it grew too hazy to see anything.
“I am sure they’re alright,” Mr. Weber said reassuringly. “Mr. Schonberg is very experienced. He won’t let anything happen to your husband.”
Clemmie smiled tightly, but it didn’t make her feel any better, not after that woman’s attack. As of yet, she didn’t know much about the woman, only that she was called Miss Marnier. None from the countess’ party had been seen all afternoon.
“And if there are robbers, as Miss Marnier believes, they will not follow where Mr. Schonberg and your husband are going,” Mr. Weber continued.
“You know where they went?”
“Mr. Schonberg gave me an understanding of the area he wished to explore.”
At no point had Clemmie seen his wife, Mrs. Schonberg, during the day. She had to be staying in her room, or perhaps she’d gone down to the village below.
“The sound of the door reached her ears and Clemmie walked toward the lobby. To her relief, she saw Mr. Schonberg and then Oliver behind him. Her relief was immediate.
“There you are,” she said to Oliver, who looked rosy-cheeked and happy. “I was worried.”
“Whatever for?”
“There was an incident. One of the young ladies was… attacked.”
“Attacked?” Oliver said, looking worried.
“She said someone, or rather several, tried to push her off a ledge. Actually, she said they were ghosts in the mist.”
“Ghosts? Sounds like she’s a bit unhinged.”
“She was very distressed.”
“I can imagine, if she thinks she’s seeing ghosts. A doctor should perhaps attend her.”
“I think one was called.”
“I could use a stiff drink,” Oliver said.
Somehow, Clemmie wasn’t able to communicate how unnerving the incident had been. It still gave her chills thinking about it.
With assured steps, Oliver walked to the bar and Clemmie followed. “Would you like something?”
“No, I’m alright just at the moment. Thank you. Some believe that Miss Marnier has misunderstood a robbery attempt.”
“Did they steal anything? A whiskey, please,” Oliver said to the bartender.
“Well, no. She had nothing with her.”
“I suspect it’s a case of this woman having a fanciful imagination. Perhaps it was simply some people walking past her and her nerves convinced her they were trying to rob her.”
“She said they spoke Latin,” Clemmie said quietly.
“The walk was wonderful,” Oliver said, changing the subject. It was clear he was dismissing the event entirely, and granted, if Clemmie hadn’t seen the woman’s distress, she would probably do so too. She tried to clear the concern from her mind and listen as Oliver described what he’d seen.
“We came across this marvelous waterfall. In places, the snow has started melting, even parts of the glacier, but the glacier won’t melt. Even in the height of summer, Mr. Schonberg said, there is a stream of melting water, but it never melts completely. The mass of ice is too substantial, even for the summer sun to thaw. It is truly amazing. I should take you up tomorrow to the lookout. It’s something you shouldn’t miss.”
That excited gleam in his eye was there again. Clemmie smiled, happy that he’d found the day rewarding.
The bartender delivered Oliver’s drink and they sat down at one of the tables.
“I think we’ll stay one more day, then we’ll continue, provided the weather is clement enough. The lakes at the base of the alps are stunning. You will enjoy them immensely, I’m sure. There are some Roman settlements that are being excavated. Mr. Coleridge told me about it.”
“That sounds marvelous,” Clemmie agreed. Visiting people’s houses, she’d seen paintings of Venice that they’d brought back. It looked curiously different and unimaginably beautiful. All those canals, and the gondolas traveling down them. It was still hard to think she was going to experience it for herself. “I thought I would get an Italian lexicon from the village if there are any booksellers.”
“Good idea. English is not terribly common in Italy. Enough amongst the hotel staff, but otherwise, it would be good to have a little Italian in order to be understood.”
“I understand Venetian glass is
