mind - in class, in her bedroom, in the village. One day, Elizabeth promised herself. One day.
Meanwhile, she toed the line. It was easy enough to turn up for classes, and it was necessary. Then she had her first skiing lesson, and her life was transformed.
‘Alone on the black runs from Felskinn and Langfliih, slicing down the glittering, pearl-white tracks, her blood racing, she felt more alive than she had ever believed possible. Elizabeth had two years of finishing school and from now on she looked forward to every second.
She heard the other girls rise to their feet in a rustle of lambswool and cotton as Herr Geller and his guest entered the room. Hans Wolf marched rapidly up to the lectern amidst the polite applause, with the air of a man who wants to get something over quickly. His long stride and erect back were in strange contrast to his wiry white hair and the deep wrinkles scoring his face. Elizabeth knew he was seventy-six, but he looked fiftyl That’s what a lifetime on the slopes will do for you, she thought, thrilled.
Sighing, Hans Wolf regarded his bored, b.eautiful
50
audience for a second. Then he reached into his jacket pocket, fished out some crumpled notes and a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles, slid them up his nose and started to read. What a waste of a morning. He resented having to do this; the young prodigy, Franz Klammer, was racing down the Lauberhorn right now and Wolf had hoped to be there, checking him out. But a banker from Geneva with a daughter at the school had asked him for this favour, and since the banker made a breathtakingly large contribution to Swiss athletics last year, Wolf reluctantly agreed. Money, after all, was sacred.
He rattled on in a dry monotone about the Olympic ideal and the healing powers of sport, occasionally glancing up at the bored faces in front of him. Most of them were examining their manicures, or staring at him with glazed eyes, except for one girl in the centre front. She was “a pretty, healthy-looking child with bright green eyes and a dusting of freckles around the nose. Wolf galloped through his clichts at a rate of knots. He paused for breath and noticed the same girl looking at him as if spellbound, leaning forward on the edge of her seat. Disconcerted, the old man gave her a brief smile, lost his place, found it again and ploughed on to the end. Then he sat down, mopping his brow, and wondered how soon he could get out of here without being rude.
Herr Geller was on his feet. “I’m sure we’re all most grateful to Herr Wolf for that fascinating talk.’ Dutiful applause. ‘Now, mesdemoiselles, do you have any questions for our distinguished guest?’
The prefects duly raised their hands with prepared questions about sporting behaviour and it being the taking part that counted. Wolf answered them in an equally pat manner and waited for the attractive blonde to speak. He was slightly disappointed that she did not. After a few minutes Geller thanked him to a fresh round of applause and dismissed the school.
5x
‘Many thanks, Herr Wolf. I’m sure that was very instructive for our young ladies,’ Geller was saying.
Wolf picked up his notes and thrust them back into his jacket. ‘My pleasure, Herr Geller.’
‘I hope I can persuade you to stay for lunch. The school maintains an excellent cook …’ Geller began obsequiously.
Wolf suppressed a shiver of dislike and was starting to decline when he felt a small tug on his sleeve.
‘And what do you want, young lady?’ Herr Geller snapped, annoyed at being interrupted.
‘I’d like to ask Herr Wolf a question,’ Elizabeth said nervously.
Wolf turned to see the girl from the front row. Close ‘up, she was even prettier and she had a lean, fit figure.
‘You had a chance during the talk, Lady Elizabeth.’
Herr Geller was never too sharp with an carl’s daughter. ‘Well yes, sir, I know, but this isn’t about the talk.’ ‘Don’t worry, Herr Geller, I’m happy
Meanwhile, she toed the line. It was easy enough to turn up for classes, and it was necessary. Then she had her first skiing lesson, and her life was transformed.
‘Alone on the black runs from Felskinn and Langfliih, slicing down the glittering, pearl-white tracks, her blood racing, she felt more alive than she had ever believed possible. Elizabeth had two years of finishing school and from now on she looked forward to every second.
She heard the other girls rise to their feet in a rustle of lambswool and cotton as Herr Geller and his guest entered the room. Hans Wolf marched rapidly up to the lectern amidst the polite applause, with the air of a man who wants to get something over quickly. His long stride and erect back were in strange contrast to his wiry white hair and the deep wrinkles scoring his face. Elizabeth knew he was seventy-six, but he looked fiftyl That’s what a lifetime on the slopes will do for you, she thought, thrilled.
Sighing, Hans Wolf regarded his bored, b.eautiful
50
audience for a second. Then he reached into his jacket pocket, fished out some crumpled notes and a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles, slid them up his nose and started to read. What a waste of a morning. He resented having to do this; the young prodigy, Franz Klammer, was racing down the Lauberhorn right now and Wolf had hoped to be there, checking him out. But a banker from Geneva with a daughter at the school had asked him for this favour, and since the banker made a breathtakingly large contribution to Swiss athletics last year, Wolf reluctantly agreed. Money, after all, was sacred.
He rattled on in a dry monotone about the Olympic ideal and the healing powers of sport, occasionally glancing up at the bored faces in front of him. Most of them were examining their manicures, or staring at him with glazed eyes, except for one girl in the centre front. She was “a pretty, healthy-looking child with bright green eyes and a dusting of freckles around the nose. Wolf galloped through his clichts at a rate of knots. He paused for breath and noticed the same girl looking at him as if spellbound, leaning forward on the edge of her seat. Disconcerted, the old man gave her a brief smile, lost his place, found it again and ploughed on to the end. Then he sat down, mopping his brow, and wondered how soon he could get out of here without being rude.
Herr Geller was on his feet. “I’m sure we’re all most grateful to Herr Wolf for that fascinating talk.’ Dutiful applause. ‘Now, mesdemoiselles, do you have any questions for our distinguished guest?’
The prefects duly raised their hands with prepared questions about sporting behaviour and it being the taking part that counted. Wolf answered them in an equally pat manner and waited for the attractive blonde to speak. He was slightly disappointed that she did not. After a few minutes Geller thanked him to a fresh round of applause and dismissed the school.
5x
‘Many thanks, Herr Wolf. I’m sure that was very instructive for our young ladies,’ Geller was saying.
Wolf picked up his notes and thrust them back into his jacket. ‘My pleasure, Herr Geller.’
‘I hope I can persuade you to stay for lunch. The school maintains an excellent cook …’ Geller began obsequiously.
Wolf suppressed a shiver of dislike and was starting to decline when he felt a small tug on his sleeve.
‘And what do you want, young lady?’ Herr Geller snapped, annoyed at being interrupted.
‘I’d like to ask Herr Wolf a question,’ Elizabeth said nervously.
Wolf turned to see the girl from the front row. Close ‘up, she was even prettier and she had a lean, fit figure.
‘You had a chance during the talk, Lady Elizabeth.’
Herr Geller was never too sharp with an carl’s daughter. ‘Well yes, sir, I know, but this isn’t about the talk.’ ‘Don’t worry, Herr Geller, I’m happy
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