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 Elizabeth Goes Shopping

   It was Saturday and Elizabeth had left Bettina playing at Katarina's
house whilst she went shopping in Frankfurt.  She had boarded the early
train, and had been in the city just in time to see the shopkeepers opening
up for business.

   Elizabeth disliked the city.  Noise, dust, too many horses.  And the
smell.  Horse dung everywhere.  On the few occasions she had ventured into
Frankfurt she had executed her business and left as quickly as possible. 
Today, however, she was just a little slower going about her errands.  She
had more money today than she had ever possessed.  Today he shopping would
be different.

   Over the weeks she had simply put the money that Herr Poppel and Father
Jacob provided, in the draw of the little table in the corner of her living
room.  Having had a free supply of groceries from Herr Schuster, the cash
from these men just accumulated.  This, added to the money that the Baron
had given her, she had brought with her today.  The thought of all those
Marks nestling in her purse brought a determined smile to her face.  Having
prostituted herself to get them, she felt she had earned every one of them!
Yes.  She deserved them all.

   Her smile faded a little, and a guilty tension crept across her stomach.
Some of those Marks had been given to her to buy her co-operation.  They
had been given to her by the Baron, to enable him to have the opportunity
to seduce her little girl.  She was desperately hoping that Bettina would
not let him have his way.  She would, Elizabeth reasoned, probably reject
his advances.  She was fairly sure that Bettina knew nothing of sex.  The
money the Baron had given her....well, he was giving her money not simply
to bed Bettina, but only to have the opportunity to ask her to sleep with
him.  If Bettina refused, that was not her problem.  If Bettina agreed,
well, that was between her and the Baron, and her little girl's first time
would undoubtedly be a much less traumatic experience than her own had
been.

   Elizabeth put the problem out of her mind, and entered one of the big
department stores that towered above the Frankfurt streets.  She began her
search for the blue velvet dress that the Baron had insisted she buy for
her daughter.  It had been years since she had been shopping in the city,
and she had never been so well provided for.  She doubted any women in the
village ever had been.

   A blue velvet dress....and new shoes....black would go well with
blue.... and of course Bettina should have new underwear too.  She went up
to the second floor and the Ladies Lingerie Department.  Elizabeth stared
in amazement at the articles on display here.  Just look at that.  How
fashions changed.  The smile came back to her face.  Her gentlemen would
certainly approve of some of these.  To her surprise, underwear for girls
was also quite, well, brief, was the only description that she could think
of.

   Bettina had started to develop as well, so there was now quite a lot to
think about.  But just look at these knickers.  Outrageous!  She giggled to
herself as she imagined Helmut or Father Jacob's face as they saw her for
the first time wearing these.  Pink silk, tight and cut at an angle to
expose the maximum amount of leg.  A whole world away from the sober white
linen drawers with their ribbon tie-ups.

   'The latest Parisienne offerings, Madam.' The sour looking woman behind
the counter informed her.  The look in her eye told Elizabeth that the
woman expected her to put the items down as she told her the price.  Her
bulging purse boosted her confidence.  'Such lovely things, I'll take them!
Do you have them in red, and in white?' The surprised saleswoman busied
herself fulfilling the unexpected order.  'I'll take some for my daughter
too.  She'll love them!  And stockings.......three pairs.....silk.  I
assume you have matching brassieres?' 'Of course Madam!' simmered the
assistant, 'Sizes?' And so it went on for a full half hour.

   When Elizabeth had finished, the pile of parcels was far too big for her
to carry.  As she stared at the packages, the shop assistant, with no signs
of sourness on her face now, asked, 'Would you prefer us to deliver,
Madam?' Elizabeth looked at her.  The sales woman continued in a lower,
almost conspiratorial tone.  'A complimentary service for our better
clients, Madam.' 'Yes!  How convenient.  Thank You!' On the train back to
Pohlheim, Elizabeth took stock of the situation.  Although she had spent
what she considered a huge amount on new clothing for herself and Bettina,
she still had an appreciable amount of money left over.  Life had taken a
very unexpected, and profitable turn, mused Elizabeth.

   The little steam engine wheezed and puffed it's way towards Polheim.  In
a second class carriage, Elizabeth's thoughts turned to Monday.  Seven o'
clock on Monday evening to be precise, and another round of rather
profitable pleasure!  Life, it seemed to Elizabeth Schmidt, was not so bad
after all!