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 Chapter Five.  Elizabeth Goes Shopping.
   It was Saturday and Elizabeth had left Bettina playing at Katerina'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 occaisions 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!  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.  This, added to the money that the Baron had
given her, she had brought with her today.  The thought of all those
Deutchmarks nestling in her purse made her smile.  Having prostituted
herself to get them, she felt she had earned every one of them!  Yes.  She
definately deserved them all!  Her smile faded a little, and a guilty
tension crept across her stomach.  Some of those Deutchmarks had been given
to her to buy her co-operation.  Given 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.  She was desperate to find hope in the situation!  And the
money....well, he was giving her money not simply to bed Bettina, but only
to have the opporrtunity to ask her to sleep with him!  If Bettina refused,
that was not her problem!  She had already been paid!  If Bettina agreed,
well, that was between her and the Baron.
   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!  A blue velvet dress....and
new shoes....black would go well with blue....and of course Bettina should
have new underwear too.  She was, Elizabeth reasoned, developing into a
young woman.  Children should have children's clothing, and young women
should have femine clothing.  Deep in the back of her mind Elizabeth knew
she was dressing Bettina for the Baron.  Her little girl, should she be
stripped naked and deflowered, would at least not be embarrassed by cheap
underwear!
   Up to the second floor and the Ladies Lingerie Department.  She 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 grown breasts over the last few months, and it was high
time she had a bra, 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,in Japanese silk, 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.  he thoughTt of her bulging purse, however, 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, of course.' 'Of course, Madam!' cooed
the sales woman.  'I assume you have matching brassierres?' 'Of course
Madam!  Sizes?' And so it went on for a full half hour.  When Elizabeth
asked about a blue velvet dress for Bettina, the sales woman called a floor
walker over and he escorted Elizabeth to the appropriate department.  She
had no idea why it had to be blue velvet, but she guessed it was all part
of the Barons depraved plan.
   Elizabeth had finally finished.  Returning with a porter carrying
several parcels, Elizabeth found the shop assistant had been busy in her
absence.  All her purchases were neatly packaged, labelled, and tied with
ribbon.  Elizabeth thought of the times she had stuggled to find a bit of
ribbon for Bettina's hair, and here there was more ribbon than the two of
them could use in years!  And all for free!
   The pile of parcels was far too big for her to carry, but she need not
have worried.  The store was no mean street bazaar.  As she stared at the
packages, the shop assistant, with no signs of sourness on her face now,
asked, 'Would you like us to deliver, Madam?' Elizabeth looked at her.  She
continued in a lower, almost conspiritorial tone.  'A complimentary service
for our better clients, Madam.' Elizabeth laughed out loud.  How money
eased the way!  Free ribbons, now free delivery!  'My goodness!  Yes!  How
convenient!  Thank You!  You've been most helpful!' and pressed a banknote
of some considerable worth into the womans hand.  'Oh!  A pleasure to serve
you Madam, And please do come again!'
   On the train back to Polheim, 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!
   
  
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