"The little darling's a Lipizzaner all right," Barbara said excitedly.
Stephen looked at the two men. "How are we going to get her to Vienna?"
"More yanks," one of the men said, pointing to a forest trail that led away from the main road.
"They must mean some GIs are close-by in the forest," Barbara said.
As if understanding her, the two men waved and said good-bye. Then they retreated back the way they had come.
A rope was around the foal's neck and Barbara took it and began leading the beautiful filly away.
"Come along, Becky," she urged, and the foal followed.
"Why 'Becky'?" Stephen asked.
"It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you about it some day. From my dark past."
Stephen smiled at her. "There is no past, after last night. Dark or light."
Barbara thought she caught his meaning. For them, their love was the beginning of their future. Nothing that had happened to either of them before was important. Only their future together was.
Barbara doubted Stephen had a dark past, anyway, but by then had no longer expected her great love to be Ivanhoe. She would be glad for Stephen even if didn't wear a suit of shining armor or ride a white horse. Fantasy was slowly receding from Barbara's consciousness. She found herself glad to have it replaced by a reality as wonderful as Stephen.
As daylight began to break over the forest, another pair of Nazi Focke-Wulf 190 fighter planes screamed overhead. Stephen helped Barbara take the foal deeper into some shadows, then they waited until the planes left and did not return.
While they walked on again with the Lipizzaner, Barbara was silent and Stephen asked what she was thinking.
"Do you know where we can get some Delft china?" she asked.
"I'd settle for a GI mess hall tray right now, so long as some ham and eggs were on it."
"I mean for our house. I promised myself once I set up housekeeping with my husband, I'd treat myself to a set of Delft china. I think it comes from Holland."
"Holland is in pretty bad shape right now," Stephen said. "All their plates and things were probably broken in the bombings. But they'll start rebuilding soon as the war's over, any day now, like they will in every town and city over here. Maybe it'd be a good idea, though, if you put in your order early."
"You're right. There's bound to be a rush for Delft china."