Chapter 4 Permission

The next day, she opened the bedroom door to go downstairs for her coffee and almost bumped into her sister who was waiting for her with one leg back against the wall and her arms crossed. She was wearing a flowing dress, which made her look younger than her sixteen years. She waited for Sigrid's patient inspection. When she looked into her eyes, Astrid stepped out of her position looking impatient.

"You didn't really think I was going to help you talk to Flauber alone and let you not tell me how it went, did you?" Astrid said approaching and spreading Sigrid's hair.

"Stop it! Behave yourself!" Sigrid scolded her, but she was used to that way of Astrid's and even liked it... "Have you had coffee yet?"

"No. I was waiting for you."

"Then let's go. I'll tell you all about it over breakfast."

The two went downstairs amidst happy smiles with jokes that they had had since childhood. They had always loved each other, although Astrid was always more indifferent about showing affection. But Sigrid always considered this to be her personality and never bothered. Because deep down they always protected each other. They arrived in the kitchen and had their breakfast there, with the maids already rushing to make lunch. Even though they were surrounded by the kitchen help and the cook, Sigrid managed to tell them everything she had found out, much to Astrid's surprise and shock. The maids paid no attention to their conversation. After that, they went outside the house and decided to get dressed for a ride. Until that moment, they had not seen their mother or Erick. But they didn't really have the habit of having breakfast together, since the mother spent most of the night reading, because she slept in a separate room from her husband. Erick, on the other hand, was up early. They asked them to get the horse ready and went to put on their riding clothes. They were excited. Although Astrid found it difficult to assimilate that they were not daughters of the same father. That bothered her. She wasn't sure why, but it saddened her. But she would not let her sister see her sadness. Sigrid was so happy. And she didn't want to spoil her sister's day.

They rode the whole morning through the farm. They stopped at a waterfall on the property and went inside. It was a wonderful day. They returned home happy. Dona Cleusa stood in the doorway watching her daughters arrive with wet hair. She smiled to herself. It was so good to see her girls having fun. They had always gotten along well, and after the day before, she was afraid that their bond would be broken, because she had not seen Astrid speak out against her marriage to Flauber. Which indicated that either the idea pleased her, or she would have rebelled on the spot, for she is impulsive and naturally rebellious. This worried Mrs. Cleuza. But seeing the two together now, with light and cheerful countenances, she realized that her concern, although well-founded, is unnecessary.

As they approached, Mrs. Cleuza went inside before they could reach her at the door. Even though she had a conversation that freed her from a burden she had carried all those years, she knew that at some point she would also have to explain it to Astrid. But Cleuza still didn't feel ready to let go of all the emotions that this secret brought back to her again. Astrid, just like Sigrid, could come to the conclusion that she still loved her love from her adolescence and she would not have the same reaction as Sigrid. She knew that it was very likely that Sigrid had already told her sister about what they had talked about that night. And Astrid would come prepared and with many questions on her mind. She was not willing to be interrogated on that subject. Not yet.

The sisters went into the house and went to take a shower and change their wet clothes. During that whole day, Mrs. Cleuza didn't see her husband and just watched her daughters giggling and laughing all over the house.

At night, while the girls were helping the maids in the kitchen with dinner, Mrs. Cleuza answered the door. It was Flauber, she noted without surprise.

"I came to find out what my father-in-law decided." He said after Mrs. Cleuza stared at him inquiringly and did not invite him in.

"Of course. Come in." She said, coming out of her reverie.

"I accept yes. Right tomorrow we will go to the notary's office. Be ready at seven in the morning, and I'll pick you up in one of the cars I inherited."

Erick looked at him satisfied and stood up and extended his hand to Flauber, as he did when he closed a good deal. Flauber stared at him for a few seconds before standing up and accepting Erick's hand.

"You won't regret it. Sigrid is the most beautiful girl in the region and everyone will envy you for this union. And your children will probably be beautiful too and coveted by all the high society. Sigrid will give you many male children. I'm sure of it."

"I don't mind having only daughters..." Flauber said shaking his father-in-law's hand with unnecessary force and Erick soon tried to remove his hand with effort...

Mrs. Cleusa stood up as well.

"Since everything is settled, I think we should have dinner. Erick, I invited Flauber to join us for dinner. Do you think I did wrong?" She said turning to her husband.

"That's fine with me, but you mustn't exchange words with Sigrid. That you will have plenty of time to do after you are married." Erick said and retreated to the pantry.

Flauber and Mrs. Cleuza followed right behind him. When they got there, the sisters were already waiting for them at the table.

Dinner went smoothly, without disturbance. Everyone listened to Erick's plans for when they would move into the mansion that Flauber had inherited. Which immediately reminded Flauber of the condition given for him to move in there.

"Mister Erick... I think you are forgetting one detail about your going to the mansion. I would like you to carry out the part of your agreement now, if it is not a problem for you. After all we won't all be together again until the wedding day."

Erick turned red with hatred. But he knew he would have to go through that humiliation. So he turned to Sigrid grudgingly.

"Sigrid, will you want to live in that mansion? You must remember that your future husband can take you to live wherever he wishes. And I hope you will do that, because I need your permission to go and live in that mansion with your mother and sister."

Sigrid stared at him in surprise. She didn't know that Flauber would force this man to talk to her, as if she were his superior. That pleased her enormously.

"Yes. You can live there. I really have other plans. And they don't involve a life on the farm." Sigrid said and gave Flauber a wink.

Dona Cleuza helped the maids serve everyone a drink. She poured a glass of wine for her husband, liquor for Flauber and hot milk for her daughters. And they drank in lively conversation among the sisters. Dona Cleuza looked worriedly at Flauber and he, feeling watched, turned back to her and then looked at Erick. He was about to fall asleep right there on the chair. Then he got up and said goodbye to everyone and went out the front door, where he waited on the porch for all the lights in the house to be turned off. After a few minutes of waiting, he saw that there was only light in the library, which he could see through the gaps in the windows. So he re-entered the house and went straight to the library. As soon as he entered and locked the door from the inside, Sigrid threw herself into his arms. He could smell her hair and was intoxicated with the love and recognition of the woman he loved in his arms. They parted, knowing they didn't have much time, but there was much to say. They sat down on a sofa in a corner of the library and began to talk. The words flowed out quickly. The love between them made them understand even the unfinished sentences. And that's how their conversation went as they talked.