Page 80 of Into the Breach With You

“I won’t have the chapped hands of washerwoman?”

Karl frowned at the dove-gray gloves she wore. “Only if you wish it.”

Suddenly, she was struck with a fear she’d never even thought of before. These were upper-class people, and Justine was a terror in society. What would they think of her? Would they like her? Flashes of evenings spent at tense, scowling, formal dinners came to her.

Then the door opened, and a woman in a ruffled blue gown trimmed with ebony ribbon stood there. “Karl!” she called, and then said something more in German that Justine couldn’t understand.

His grip tightened on her hand, and he pulled them forward. “My mother,” he whispered to her. As soon as they were at the threshold, she pulled him into an embrace. Karl pulled away enough to introduce Justine, and then his mother pulled her into the embrace as well.

So much for awkward introductions. The woman turned, still gripping both of them, and propelled Karl inside, smacking him lightly on the bottom as he went. Then this formidablewoman turned her blue eyes on Justine. She was so much taller. So much bigger. But she had Karl’s same eyes, and that made Justine want to trust her kindness.

“Meine Tochter,” she said, and then, with a smile, said in perfect English, “My daughter. Welcome.”

Frau Vogel moved inside and Karl reached for her hand. “Are you all right?”

Justine squeezed his hand. “This is going to be quite the adventure, isn’t it?”

“You’ll need to learn to speak German,” he said. “Or at least Swiss.”

With his mother out of the room, Justine reached up to her tiptoes. “Didn’t you know? I can do anything. Besides, you’ll teach me.”

Karl snorted. “I am not a good teacher.”

“I don’t know, you’ve already taught me loads.” Justine smirked at him, gratified to see his cheeks flare with heat.

“That does not count,” he whispered, glancing at the doorway where his mother had just disappeared through.

“Of course it does. New skills, all that.”

Karl’s eyes were round as saucers, and Justine smiled with satisfaction in making her new husband blush. What was the translation ofBad Newsin German? Because she was determined to earn the moniker here, too.

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