“This is, indeed, a rare pleasure.” Johannes couldn’t take his deep-blue eyes off of her.
Brother Simon cleared his throat. “What can I do for you, Johannes?”
“Ah, yes, what did I want?” Johannes kept looking at Madlen; embarrassed, she smiled and looked at the ground.
“Johannes?” Brother Simon persisted.
“The priest,” he spit out. “I’m looking for the priest. Have you seen him?”
“He’ll be in the church, readying everything for Mass. Go on.”
“Thank you.” Johannes smiled at Madlen. “It was a special joy to meet you. Do you come here often?”
She shook her head. Agathe finally broke the silence. “Johannes, please send my heartfelt greetings to your parents.” She stepped behind Madlen and laid her hands on her shoulders. “Maria is also a seamstress, by the way. Perhaps we’ll see you again when your dear mother comes to purchase another dress from us.”
“I will deliver your greetings.” Johannes bowed. “If I remember correctly, she spoke only yesterday about ordering a new dress.” He grinned broadly, and Madlen couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
“Well, we would be delighted to welcome you, too, when your mother comes to make her fabric selection.”
“Thank you kindly.” He bowed once again and touched his hand to his forehead as if wearing a hat. “I wish you a wonderful day. Ladies, Brother Simon.” And with that, he left.
Madlen was elated, her cheeks red with excitement as they returned to Agathe’s house. They strode arm in arm, chatting cheerfully yet making sure no one else could hear what they said. “I’m so excited that I will finally learn to read and write. I would have never thought it possible. Have you ever seen so many books? What are they about? Do you think that there will also be medical books?”
“It seems you can barely think straight from happiness. It’s wonderful to see.”
Madlen squeezed Agathe’s arm. “I’m so thankful to you.”
“Are you happy because of the books, or for some other reason?”
“What do you mean?” Madlen wondered.
“As if you didn’t know. I thought that Johannes’s eyes would pop out of his head when he saw you.”
“Yes, I noticed that,” Madlen admitted with embarrassment.
“How could you have not? The poor man forgot what he was there for.”
Madlen giggled.
“His father is a powerful man in this town. He sits on the council, and he’s the spokesman for the merchants. Still, don’t expect too much. I may be well-known, but the Goldmanns are in the upper class; we are far beneath their social standing.”
Madlen waved it off. “That doesn’t matter to me. Right now, the most important thing is my lessons.”
“That’s as it should be, although Johannes is a very handsome, educated young man. If I remember correctly, his mother told me that he’s a lawyer.”
“The last lawyer I knew, Andreas von Balge, was also a very nice man, but the circumstances under which I made his acquaintance still give me chills.”
“I can very well understand that. But you needn’t stop living your life.”
“I won’t.” Madlen held up her head as she continued to walk arm in arm with her aunt. “I’ll learn to read and write. How many literate women do you know?”
Agathe shrugged. “None, as far as I know.”
“You see. This will open up all sorts of opportunities. And even if I never become a doctor, I will learn everything I can from their books, written by the best and wisest people on earth. I will become so smart, Agathe.”
“You already are.”
“You know what I mean. I’ll know more than anyone you or I know.”
“The question is, what will you do with all this knowledge?”
“I’ll cure every disease known to man.” The words sprang out of her mouth, and she recognized her error.
Agathe stopped abruptly. “I thought you understood that’s not possible for you.”
Madlen stammered, “Yes, of course.” She looked around and whispered, “I’m not going to be a healer anymore. I promise you.”
“But you just said something completely different.” Agathe refused to budge.
“I only meant that I’ll know how to cure people. Nothing more.” She pulled on Agathe’s arm. “Come now, and forget what I said. I’m going to keep my promise.”
“Good! And don’t you ever forget that.”
“No, I won’t forget.” Madlen assured her, but neither she nor Agathe actually believed it.