Unusual Uses for Olive Oil by Alexander McCall Smith Read Free Book Online

amusing as this.
    ‘Or indeed if I introduced her as Frau von Igelfeld!’ continued Prinzel.
    Von Igelfeld’s smile faded. ‘But there is no Frau von Igelfeld,’ he said. ‘I do not think, therefore, it would be at all amusing to make such a ridiculous mistake.’
    Prinzel agreed. ‘No, you are right. I was merely thinking of another example of the same thing.’
    ‘An impossible example,’ said von Igelfeld.
    Prinzel nodded. ‘Quite.’ He drew himself up. He was every bit as tall as von Igelfeld and his bearing was still almost as impressive as it had been when they were students in Heidelberg and he had cut a dashing figure in the Korps. ‘Quite,’ he repeated. ‘Now, this question that my wife suggested I should ask. It is quite a simple question, but please, do not feel under any compulsion to answer it. You are perfectly free to claim what our American cousins call the Fifth Amendment and to say nothing.’
    ‘I have no cousins in America,’ said von Igelfeld. ‘Do you, Herr Prinzel?’
    Prinzel shook his head. ‘Not as far as I am aware. It is a figure of speech.’
    ‘And a very misleading one,’ snapped von Igelfeld. ‘It could cause considerable confusion if people thought that there were all these cousins in America, when in reality there are not.’
    ‘Of course; of course. But this question … What mywife wished to know is whether she could possibly introduce you to a lady of her acquaintance. That is what she wanted to know.’
    Von Igelfeld frowned. ‘Why?’ he asked.
    Prinzel looked at his friend. He was not making it easy. ‘This lady has only recently come to Regensburg,’ he explained. ‘She is from Stuttgart, I believe, and she does not know many people here in Regensburg.’
    ‘Then why did she come?’ asked von Igelfeld. ‘If you are from Stuttgart, where you know many people, is it wise to come to Regensburg, where you know nobody?’
    ‘She was left a house here,’ said Prinzel. ‘Her cousin was a bachelor and she is his heir. He was the Graf Hauptdorf. Hauptdorf und Praxis, to give him his full title.’
    Von Igelfeld sat quite still. He had seen the Graf’s obituary in the newspapers, and had been reminded of a visit he had paid to the house itself, which was often open to the public. ‘The Schloss Dunkelberg? He left that to her?’
    Prinzel nodded. ‘It is a very fine house, as you know. And so she thought that it would be best to leave Stuttgart and come over here to look after the place. It has extensive grounds, as you are no doubt aware.’
    ‘They are very fine,’ said von Igelfeld. ‘And the houseitself is of more than mere passing architectural interest.’ He paused. ‘How did Frau Prinzel meet this lady?’
    ‘They found themselves seated next to one another at a bridge class,’ said Prinzel. ‘It is a class for complete beginners that my wife has joined.’
    Von Igelfeld nodded. ‘Bridge is a very suitable game for ladies,’ he said. ‘One would not want one’s wife to be taking up some more dangerous sport – such as motor-racing, Herr Prinzel.’
    ‘There is no danger of that,’ said Prinzel. ‘My wife cannot drive, you see.’
    ‘Then she is unlikely to take up motor-racing,’ agreed von Igelfeld. ‘But to return to this lady – I would be perfectly happy to meet her, if Frau Prinzel would care to arrange an introduction. I will be able to show her round Regensburg, perhaps.’
    ‘That is precisely what my wife thought you might do,’ said Prinzel.
    Von Igelfeld hesitated. ‘And her husband too, if he would care to come.’
    Prinzel shook his head. ‘But there is no husband, Herr von Igelfeld. This unfortunate lady lost her husband at least ten years ago, I’m told. He was an industrialist. Herr Benz. The late Herr Friedrich-Martin Benz.’
    ‘Oh yes?’ said von Igelfeld. ‘And what did this Herr Benz make?’
    ‘I have no idea,’ said Prinzel.
    ‘They are very energetic people, these industrialists. They are always