All My Love Forever

Prologue

Happy Birthday

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

The Major's butler froze mid-step at the sound of his Master's thunderous tones issuing forth from the study. He had been prepared for some sort of explosion on this, his Master's birthday. Ever since Eroica had taken to sending a gift every fifteenth of May, it had become an annual ritual. But today the tone was different. Not the Master's usual anger. This was unbridled rage.

"God fucking dammit!"

When this bellow was followed by a loud crash, the butler chose to make a strategic withdrawal. He turned on his heel and quickly returned to the dining room where breakfast had been laid out. The Master would come when he was ready. Until then, it was safer for all concerned to leave him alone.

Inside the study, Klaus was beside himself with rage. He had fully expected to receive a ridiculous gift of one kind or another from Eroica today. But he had also expected to discover it when he arrived at work, not when he entered his study. Within he found that damned painting of Pumpkinpants had been removed from the wall, revealing the wall safe behind. A wall safe that was now standing wide open, its contents rifled.

Only one item was missing. One very important item. A rectangular porcelain box containing the Major's most closely guarded secret. A box that was undoubtedly in the possession of Eroica, who at that very moment was surely going through its contents.

As this last thought passed through the Major's mind he stopped his tirade, finally dropping into a chair. Once the Earl went through the box, he would be back demanding answers. Answers that Klaus was not prepared to give, least of all to Eroica. He looked down at what remained of the birthday card he had found in the safe--and promptly torn into pieces. He put a hand to his head and closed his eyes. The day had only just started and was already a disaster.

Happy fucking birthday.

* * *

Chapter One

The Letters

Several kilometers from Schloss Eberbach, safely inside a comfortable room in a flat belonging to a friend, Dorian sat with his stolen treasure. An incident that occurred during the Major’s last mission had left Eroica so enraged that he had been planning his revenge before the officer was even out of his sight. The Earl had fully intended stealing The Man In Purple as the Major’s birthday “gift” this year, leaving a tacky birthday card pinned to the wall in its place. That was until he discovered the safe behind the painting.

Dorian had expected that any safe in the Major’s home would be difficult to crack, but it took no effort at all. Not to his great surprise, the contents were not ultra top secret papers, just uninteresting documents pertaining to the estate—and an exquisite porcelain box that was obviously an heirloom, its every surface delicately hand-painted. Dorian’s first thoughts on seeing it were that it was a lady’s trinket box containing…the family jewels, perhaps? There was no way he was going to leave this behind. He could always come back for the painting later.

Dorian had carefully picked the lock on the box, taking great care not to damage it—or its contents. To his great disappointment, what he found within was not gold, jewels, or even cash. It was just letters. Dozens of them, all in the Major’s unmistakable bold handwriting, each one numbered, neatly folded in half, and carefully preserved over the course of years. How many years the Earl could only guess at.

Dorian flipped the stack over so as to start at the beginning. To his bewilderment, the first letter was addressed to the Major’s mother. He knew that she had died when the officer was just an infant. So for the Major to pen a letter to her was so incongruous.

Dorian had intended to just skim through it, but after the first few sentences, he stopped, looking carefully at the words again to make certain he hadn’t misread them. They were, after all, written in German. He could have mistranslated. So he started again, slowly…

      Mother,

      For the first time in decades I find myself wishing you were here to talk to because I am entering uncharted territory. I am having feelings that I have never had before and there is no one to whom I can turn. Father will be of no help. His answer to everything is for me to marry and have children. My feelings in the matter never enter into the conversation. He just wants to know why I’m not married yet, and why I haven’t given him any grandchildren.

      That brings me to the reason I wish I could talk to you, Mother. I’m sure you’ve already guessed that I have met someone. At first, I thought nothing about it, because in my work I meet all sorts of people. Some who try to get close have a hidden motive from the other side, while others are my idiot superior’s attempts to domesticate me. Sometimes I think he and Father are working together.

      Forgive me, I’m getting off the subject. Back to this — someone. I’m sorry, Mother, but because of my work, I can’t even give you their name. Anyway, I am experiencing feelings I cannot identify. Feelings I’ve never experienced before. And that actually frightens me. Me! Iron Klaus! What is happening to me? Is this—

      I can’t even write the word! I don’t want to think that word. They say that that—word--is a special kind of madness. It must be true, because I believe I am slowly going mad. Perhaps it is best that you’re not here to witness it.

      Your son,
      Klaus

The Earl sat staring at the paper in his hands, reading and re-reading the words. The Major...in love? It’s not possible!

Dorian flipped the paper over, seeing nothing on the back other than the number. Damnation, Major, why didn’t you put a date on this?

He picked up the paper marked number two…

      My Dearest One,

      There is a fine mist coming down. Just enough to make everything damp and oppressive, much like my mood, because not long ago, I finally admitted to myself that I am in love with you. I know that learning such a truth is normally a reason to celebrate, but I know you understand how dangerous my job is. If you were to learn my true feelings, and then were harmed in any way, I would never be able to forgive myself. It isn’t even safe to put your name in these secret missives. What if someone should find them and learn who you are? No, my Flower, I must protect you because I never want to see you wither.

      That’s why I have chosen to speak to you this way, in order to tell you on paper what I will never be able to say aloud. Why, you may ask? Because suddenly everything I see I want to share with you – my successes, my failures, my joy, my happiness. When I had to go away for weeks or months on end for a mission, it wasn’t too bad for me, because I was busy all the time and there was no one worried about my return. But then I learned that you loved me, and that was reason enough for me to want to return safely. And if something were to happen and I did not return, I know that you will remember me. I know this thought will sustain me through the darkest times.

      I am still in a state of shock after discovering you loved me. If I hadn’t been in love with you already, I don’t know how I would have felt in this knowledge. This is the first and only time that I have been in love. Does it always hurt so? I feel all lost inside because we are apart. But we must remain apart, so you will never know just how much I love you. Knowing that you love me will have to be enough.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Dorian could not believe the words he was reading. Had they not been in the Major’s unmistakable handwriting, he would have sworn they were written by someone else. But it was undeniably the Major’s bold script. Undeniably Iron Klaus. In love! When did this happen? How did this happen? The man ran from even the slightest hint of intimacy. Who the hell could have captured the heart of my beloved Major?

The Earl picked up the next paper.

      My Dearest One,
      My Flower,

     Outside it is raining very hard, as if nature is weeping because you are not here. Because you can never be here. With me. So I must write the things I dare not utter. And yet, I know that that will only make it worse, but I must be strong so you will stay safe. You don’t even suspect my true feelings for you and that is good because it keeps you safe, my Flower. Because I love you, I will bear this burden.

     Today, I want to tell you how my heart is bursting. But it will take an eternity of days for me to describe even one small bit of my love for you. My love grows day by day like a flower, unfolding as a flower, petal by petal, each more beautiful than the last and making the whole unutterably beautiful to experience. The glow and dazzle is still there. I get all fuzzy when I think of you. I keep trying, but these words just don’t seem to be adequate. It’s music in the air, stars in the sky, and happy voices crying out when I think of you even though you cannot be here with me.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Dorian found he could not stop reading, going from one letter to the next. He was determined to find one that would give some indication as to how long the Major had been writing these secret missives.

      My Flower,

     I am supposed to be writing a report about my mission in Alaska, but instead I’m writing to you. I have started this letter 3 times and I still cannot write what I am feeling. I love you so damn much that my nerve is all gone. MY nerve!  Even I can’t believe it. The words just won’t behave so I will dive right in. I need to tell you that if I had any doubts about your love before, I never will again. For the rest of my life I am sure. No matter what anyone says now, I am as sure of you as I am of myself.

     How can I describe how I feel? Wanting to just hold your hand and walk together like every other couple. You listening while I tell you that I love you. How wonderful it would be just to have you near. My Flower, know that my love is with you constantly. I am but the keeper of the flame with your love filling my life with radiance.

     My Flower, I wish you could know how writing to you takes me a long time. I lean back to think and I get all wrapped up in rosy dreams and I stop writing. I only wish that I could put some of the dreams in words. They are such nice dreams, too. It starts with a small cast – just two. Two people very much in love stepping onto the stage of life. But there is no scheduled opening date to this romance. Delayed indefinitely due to unforeseen circumstances. I don’t want to think about that. I just want to think about you. But I still have that damned report to write!

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

When Dorian read “Alaska,” he felt his heart jump, recalling how long ago this particular mission had taken place. It had been in 1980! He looked at the number of letters that preceded this one with disbelieving eyes. Then he felt himself growing very angry and snatched up the next letter. There had to be a clue in these somewhere identifying the strumpet who had stolen his beloved Major’s heart!

      My Flower,

     I finally finished my report. It took forever because you kept interrupting my thoughts. The storm off Alaska reminded me of another mission at sea many, many years ago. That one was so very different. Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful, peaceful world than from a ship as it steamed through the tropical waters off the Indian Ocean. The sea was glass smooth and the wake of the ship stretched out behind in a phosphorescent trail to the horizon. Overhead, the night blazed with a pattern of stars. The only sounds were those of the ship working as it steamed along and the bubbling murmur of the bow wake as it curved over and exploded in frothy splendor. How I wish I could relive that time with you beside me to share it.

     Until I met you, my Flower, I had no idea that love could be such a wonderful, beautiful thing. And I was filled with joy just knowing that you loved me. The most beautiful sunset ever seen is dim against the radiance in my heart. It is difficult for me to describe my love, because I have never been in love before. You are totally and completely responsible for my present condition. My love grows every day, becoming more and more a complete part of me — making everyday even more lonely because you are not here with me.

     My Flower, the love I have for you is a shining silver thread that spans the oceans of the world, joining my heart to yours. That slender thread has me bound more effectively than any chains or bonds could possibly do. It’s the star dusted thread of eternal love that binds me to you. And I am happy beyond any comparison to know that it exists, even if you will never know.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Dear God, the man’s an even bigger romantic than I thought! I always knew he had it in him. Dorian found himself alternately hating and loving the Major all the more as he read letter after letter.

      My Flower,

     Another quiet Sunday without you. After mass, I decided I would write to you again, but once again I became lost in dreams of you. I know now that the miracle of life is to fall in love. I bounced all over the world for so long but I never suspected I would find someone. And to find them right here in front of me! My Flower, I find that I cry inside when you are sad. Don’t let anything hurt you – because it hurts me. You are life itself to me. You are the sun, the stars, the sky. My world is bounded in your love. And when you are happy — the air is filled with nightingales and birds of paradise. My future is completely wrapped up in you and I don’t know how it happened.

     The one big, beautiful thing in my life now is my love for you. My entire life has been reoriented — my thinking, my actions, my desires, my dreams. Everything now revolves about you, my Flower. I thank you with all my heart for giving a true purpose and direction to my life. Just by being you — you shattered all the walls I had been building to isolate me from the world. I now want to join into the life about me. And I desperately wish we could do so together. I send my love to you on angel’s wings through the night. May my love be close to your heart when you wake to face the day and all the days ahead.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

To Dorian’s delight, he realized he had discovered a clue! The Major traveled the world, but had found his flower right there in front of him! It was someone close at hand. But who? Someone in Bonn? Someone at NATO? Someone in the intelligence community? Who? It had to be someone in Germany. The letters were written in German, after all…

      My Flower,

     It has taken many tries to get this letter started because I am so angry, annoyed — jealous! There, I’ve said it. I am jealous! I see you talking to other men, men whose intentions are glaringly obvious, and I am filled with envy. Oh, to be able to talk to you that freely! I see you smiling, sharing your radiance with another, and I am — Well, you should know my temper. If I could make my feelings known, and then saw this happen, I would be putting people into the hospital on a regular basis.

     Am I being selfish? I should be happy for you. Happy that you are able to move on with your life to find happiness with another man. But don’t allow him to hurt you. Because what hurts you, hurts me. And I always give back double what I am given.

     Occasionally I seem to have the ability to express myself clearly and smoothly in words – tonight appears to be one of those rare instances. How strange. I feel much better and less alone by just writing this to you. There is a strong feeling in the air, as though you are very close to me right now. My Flower, even though there are two silver strands, there is but one thread. The strands, one my love, the other your love, are bound and woven into one strong solid thread that holds us together no matter how far the distance between. If by some miracle we can actually be together, the thread will be welded into an eternal link between us. To be together! When I write these words I hear music and the sky lights up. Oh, how I love you!

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Dorian found himself weeping and had to stop reading. At this point, he wasn’t sure if he were feeling sorry for himself or his lovesick Major. They were both separated from their loves, although for the Earl, it was not by his own choice.

      My Flower,

     In this letter I am trying to put into words some of the love in my heart. The glory and wonder has been growing every day. The radiance is here to stay. I wouldn’t know what to do without it now. I don’t ever want to think of the days before it joined me. What did I do before I fell in love with you? How did I go from day to day? I love you more strongly with every passing minute. I keep discovering how much deeper and more full my love grows every day. There are no bounds as limits — my heart just expands as my love grows.

     My Love, if I may presume to call you my love, I miss you twice as much as all the lonely songs I have ever heard. My clock is ticking loudly in my ear, underscoring the emptiness of the room and of my heart. I love you so much that I find myself wondering if you feel my heart tugging at the silver cord to your heart. At times I feel so close to you that I can hear your heart beat. My Flower, heart of my heart, I love you. Wherever you go, wherever you are, whomever you are with, please know that I love you.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Again, Dorian was forced to stop reading to wipe the tears from his face. To be so in love and unable to be with that person. Oh, my dearest Major, I know how you feel. Why couldn’t you have loved me?

      My Flower,

     The promise of the day has been echoed by the evening. The night sky is clear and an almost full moon crosses serenely over the arch of the sky. It is a most beautiful evening, one that promises that it is but a sign of many, much more beautiful to follow. Oddly, I am not feeling lonely tonight. It seems that now I am in love and I am never completely alone. When I pause as I write, I am close to you. It takes me hours to write because I am forever stopping and dreaming of you.

     My Flower, the knowledge of your love has made me beyond doubt happier than I have any right to be. Therefore, I will love you with all my heart and soul. There is a joyous singing in my heart — a song of love dedicated to you.  You see, my heart recognized you as the one for whom I have been searching throughout the world. My heart saw that you were the rest of me — to make me whole and complete. I have loved you all my life and searched for you all this time. And now my heart is filled with love, for I have found you and learned you loved me! My Flower, I know that I keep going on and on. I am trying to put into words how I feel whenever I think of you, whenever I see you, or read one of my letters to you. There is so much love and adoration in my heart that, even though I write and write, I’ll never explain it all.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

To Dorian’s surprise, he picked up what turned out to be the last letter. He had read the entire contents of the box, not even noticing the passage of time. He wondered just how recent this final entry was. Had the Major only just penned it? Or had it been in the box for some time?

      My Flower,

     For some reason, my Love, I miss you more strongly tonight than I have before. I finished writing my earlier letter to you at eight and then waited around to nine. I made myself a cup of Nescafé and went to the library looking for a book but I just don’t feel like reading. Today’s newspapers are sitting untouched on my desk. Instead, I wandered in the garden to try and clear my head. Now here I am, with another cup of coffee, writing to you. It was while I was aimlessly wandering in the garden that the sense of being separated from you was very strong. It’s a very beautiful night. The sky is clear and the air is cool and crisp. My Flower, my life, my everything, I love you and wish you could be here to share more than the night sky with me.

     I have never, ever been in love before. I have a small idea as to why. I never quite trusted any person completely. I was afraid that I would be hurt. But with you, my Flower, I have no defenses. I love you totally and absolutely. My happiness, my life, are in your hands. Somehow, without my knowledge, you have gained unrestricted control over my heart. That is one small part of what I think it means to love you. Loving you is wanting and missing you, laughing and crying at once, silence and sound. Loving you is all the inarticulate letters I started to write to you, striving to overcome years of reticence and write of the song that echoes endlessly in my heart. Loving you has tamed some of the fire in my temper and made me happier. Loving you has washed away all the petty doubts and worries that harassed me before I met you. After I met you, I knew my life had changed forever even if I wouldn’t admit it. Then I learned that you loved me and I realized that I actually had doubts, that I was not worthy of you. Having lived with me for a few years, I knew only too well all my faults. That you accept me nevertheless, that is cause for rejoicing — even with the knowledge that we can never be together.

     When I see you with another man, I find myself wishing things were different. That we could be together. If that were to happen, I would swear to you that I would do everything in my power so you would never, ever regret your decision to love me. And you. I suspect that you would be busy polishing the silver threads of our love every day, adding more strands to weave a fine net. But that would be unnecessary. I am already all tied up with your love. It is impossible for me to get away. I have razed all my fences, torn down all my barriers, my heart is yours, my Flower. Not that I am at all worthy, but I am yours to do with what you will.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

Not worthy! This was the final straw. How could Iron Klaus be unworthy of anyone? Dorian found himself returning to the anger that he had felt after reading the first letter all those hours ago. He wanted to tear them all into shreds, but could not bring himself to do it. Not something the Major had taken such care to preserve. He carefully returned the letters to the box and closed it.
 
Who is she, Major? Who is your precious flower?

Dorian was on his feet before he realized, heading for the door. Time to take a much closer look at the Major’s circle of friends and acquaintances. It shouldn’t be too hard to narrow down the list. It was someone who had been in the Major’s immediate circle for decades, possibly even a woman he worked with.

It wasn’t until he was explaining to his men what he wanted them to do that Dorian realized he had no idea what he was going to do once he uncovered the identity of the Major’s love. Confront her? Confront the Major? Leave it be?

Dorian decided that this was best left until after he had actually found the woman who had managed to capture the heart of Iron Klaus.

* * *

Chapter Two

The Search

No one at NATO intelligence was surprised when the Major arrived in a foul mood. It was only too obvious that the officer was expecting the annual appearance of Eroica’s birthday gift, whatever that may be. What the Alphabet did not expect was the Major’s temper growing worse as the day went on. Normally he would arrive, irritated in the knowledge that at some point during the day a “gift” of one sort of another would make an appearance, but then he would become involved in his work and forget about the whole thing until the gift actually appeared, at which point the Alphabets ran for cover.

Today was different. The Major’s black mood did not improve, and he seemed very preoccupied to the point of actually being distracted. It was at this point that someone deduced that the Earl had already struck. That the Major’s gift had already made an appearance at the officer’s home.

When the Major was called into a meeting with the Chief, the Alphabet took advantage of his absence to put their heads together. Finally, Agent A decided to go to the source, as it were, and called the Schloss.

“I don’t know what the Master received,” the butler said calmly, confirming the agents’ theory, “but he was very angry about it.”

“I see,” A replied. “Very angry. More so than’s usual for him?”

“Oh, yes, Mr. A. Dare I say, the Master seemed…homicidal.”

Agent A’s eyebrows went up. Were they talking about anyone other than the Major, A would have brushed it off. He thanked the butler and hung-up the phone, telling the others what he had learned. The room fell into a deafening silence.

Someone wondered if they should contact the Earl’s man Bonham to warn him. Eroica had a knack for pushing the Major’s buttons. This time he seemed to have pushed a bit too far. The last time it happened, the Major maneuvered the Earl into a warzone. Would he simply kill the thief outright this time?

The consensus of the Alphabets was that Bonham should be warned, just in case the Earl was planning on “dropping in” at NATO headquarters to see how the Major liked his gift.  

Considering the Major’s current black mood, if the thief did make an appearance, it was very likely he would leave the building feet first. Unless the Major decided to throw him head long from one of the fifth floor windows, that is.

* * *

Days went by. Then, much to the Major’s bewilderment, weeks passed. He had fully expected the Earl to appear on his doorstep within hours of his thief. Instead, he seemed to have fallen off the face of the Earth. What the hell could he be planning?

The fact that someone was digging into the Major’s background did not go unnoticed by NATO intelligence or the officer himself. Naturally everyone’s first thoughts were that it was some enemy agency trying to find some dirt on Iron Klaus. The Major dismissed this as being ridiculous. The KGB had tried for years to find something in the officer’s background that they could use as leverage against him. The only thing they had ever come up with was Eroica, much good that did them.

Eventually NATO learned that this time it wasn’t enemy agents digging into the Major’s background but Eroica himself. This did surprise the Major, who was now all the more baffled as to what the Earl could be planning.

* * *

After weeks of fruitless searching, digging, and probing, the Eroica gang were reluctant to tell the Earl that they had come up empty. While not explaining the exact reasons he wanted this search done, the gang had already surmised that the Earl believed there was a woman in the Major’s life—somewhere.

The Eroica gang were no strangers to their leader’s fits of jealousy concerning Iron Klaus and any woman who might so much as glance in his direction. By the same token, they were equally familiar with the Major’s propensity for fleeing any situation with “marriage” as a possibility. Unless it was required for a mission, the Major remained unencumbered by domestic entanglements.

“Nothing?” Dorian said in a disappointed tone. His men all shook their heads.

“We’ve turned over every rock, m’lord,” Bonham said with a sigh.

“And you even did as I suggested?”

Early on, when it became obvious to the gang that they were going to turn up nothing, they had tried to discreetly let the news slip to the Earl. Instead, he suggested taking the Major’s words literally. He had, after all, referred to his love as “My Flower.” And the delicately painted box was covered with flowers. Perhaps the woman’s name was floral in nature.

“Yes, my lord,” Jones chimed in, “we did as you said.”

“And...?”

“And we learned there are a lot of women named after flowers.” Jones pulled out a paper. “We’ve found a Violet, Daisy, Heather, Lily…”

“Yes, yes,” Dorian sighed, waving a hand.

Jones could not resist adding, “We even found a Sister Mary Rose.”

“Very funny,” Dorian said sourly as the others responded with giggles. The Major in love with a Nun. That will be the day. Especially since the letters made it clear that the woman was unattached and available.

Or was she?

Dorian blinked as a sudden thought struck him. All this time he had been going on the assumption that the woman in question was still single. What if she had married at some point in time? The letters speak of other men. Of her moving on. What if she was married?

“Mi’lord,” came Bonham’s tentative voice, breaking into the Earl’s thoughts, “you sure the info you got was genuine?”

Dorian scowled. “Genuine?”

“Aye. After all this time, the ‘ole world’d know if Uncle Nato ‘ad a woman on the side.”

Dorian opened his mouth, about to point out that the Major didn’t exactly have a woman “on the side.” After all, the letters had been carefully locked away...

The Earl blinked as another thought struck him. The letters had indeed been locked away. In a safe that was in a location that practically guaranteed that he would find it. In a safe that was almost too easy to open.

That bastard! He set me up! He must be laughing his ass off watching me looking for a phantom woman in his background. Damn you, Major!

* * *

“Who is she, Major?”

The question, as well as the speaker, had appeared out of the blue, stopping the officer in his tracks as he was walking to his car. He stood staring at the Earl as if he were speaking Chinese.

“What?” the Major replied, finding his voice at last. “Who is who? Eroica, you’re not making sense.”

The Earl stood with his hands on his hips, blocking the man’s path. He responded with a hollow laugh. “Look who’s talking. Always so cryptic, aren’t you?”

The Major put a hand to his head, feeling a headache coming on. There were days he felt certain he needed a code book when talking to the Earl. This was one of those days.

“I’m talking about your Flower, Major,” Dorian said coldly.

Klaus stiffened visibly, his eyes widening. He hadn’t expected this tone from the Earl. “And…?

“Don’t give me that look, Major,” Dorian spat. “How many hours did it take you to fabricate those letters?” He waved a hand in the air, not even waiting for the officer to reply. “You actually had me feeling sorry for you, too! Sick bastard.”

“I’m gonna assume you read them all…” Klaus managed to inject.

“Of course I read them all!” Dorian exploded. “Surely you knew I’d want answers eventually!”

The Major nodded. “I expected you to turn up within hours, not weeks.”

“My men wouldn’t let me come see you right away. They were afraid you’d do something… drastic.”

“Drastic?” That was an understatement and a half. “You break into my house, steal my property, have your men digging into my…affairs,” the Major said calmly. “And now you have the nerve to come to me making demands! I should break your fucking neck right here and now just for pissing me off!”

“What! For pissing you off!”

“What did you do with my property?” Klaus broke in before Dorian could get up another head of steam. “Did you have your stingy bug sell it?”

The Earl picked up an unusual edge to the officer’s voice. Perhaps the box really was a family heirloom. That might be worth something in a negotiation… “It’s safe and sound.”

“Good. Return it and I won’t break your fucking neck.”

Dorian made certain that he was not within easy reach before asking, “Just the box alone, Major?”

The Major’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he replied through clenched teeth. “The box belonged to my mother. I want it returned.”

“Only the box?” Dorian asked repeated guardedly. “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll make the contents public?”

The Major gave a dismissive snort, waving a hand in the air. “After all the shit you’ve pulled over the years, do you think anyone will believe they’re genuine? You have a team of expert forgers at your beck and call.” A small smile curled the edges of his mouth. “And no one would ever believe that Iron Klaus would write anything so...foppish.”

Dorian actually winced at the word. He also found he had no answer other than to curse under his breath.

“I have an appointment and you’re making me late,” the Major said gruffly, shoving the Earl out of his way. He opened the door to his car, turning to glare at the thief. “I expect my property returned undamaged, Eroica.” He did not wait for a reply, getting into the car and driving off, leaving the baffled Earl staring after him.

Well, that didn’t go as I’d planned at all, Dorian thought in annoyance.

* * *

"Return my property and I won’t break your fucking neck."

The Major’s words rang through the Earl’s head as he returned to his car. He hadn’t thought through what he was going to do after confronting the Major, realizing that he had just been hoping that by confronting the man he’d learn the truth. Stupid, stupid, stupid! As if Iron Klaus would fold like a deck chair at the threat of exposure. He’d been guarding this secret for decades. He must’ve had some kind of backup plan in mind should the letters ever be discovered. It would take more than a threat to uncover the truth. It would take an all out assault.

"I expect my property returned."

As the Earl got into his car, another plan came to mind. I’ll return your property all right, Major, he thought with a smirk. In spades!

* * *

Chapter Three

The Assault

The Major did not even have to go to work to learn that Eroica had begun his assault. The following week, he received a baffling phone call from NATO’s London office before he’d even sat down to breakfast.

“Sorry to disturb you at home so early, Major,” the voice on the phone said as soon as Klaus answered. “But the note had your name and number on it.”

Klaus scowled. “Note?”

“What? Oh, sorry, let me start over. We’ve had a…um, delivery, I suppose you’d call it. Here at London HQ.”

A delivery for me in London? Klaus was all the more baffled. “What the hell is it?” he heard himself demanding. He almost dropped the phone when he heard the reply.

“It’s a tank,” the man in London was saying. “Arrived sometime during the night. Caused quite a stir, I’ll tell you.”

I’ll bet, the Major thought as he silently started seething. As the man on the other end of the phone went on, Klaus started mentally listing the ways he was going to hurt the Earl the next time he saw him.

“There was a card on it that said— Here, hold on, let me read it.” There was the sound of muffled voices, some fumbling of the receiver, and then the man was back on the line. “Here we go. It says, ‘Please return this property to Iron Klaus, care of NATO headquarters, Bonn, Germany. From Eroica with love.’”

The rest of the conversation was a bit of a blur after that as Klaus tried very hard not to explode until after he’d hung up the phone. After that, he blew his stack, sending his staff running for cover and his butler to the kitchen phone to call Mr. A and warn him.

Things only went downhill from there.

Over the next several weeks, items addressed to the Major continued to mysteriously appear at NATO’s London and Bonn offices. Several of the items Klaus had not even been aware that Eroica had stolen. All had notes attached requesting the property be returned “To Iron Klaus from Eroica with love.”

All save one item. The one the Major had demanded returned in the first place.

When no further mysterious deliveries appeared after three weeks time, the Major started to wonder if Eroica had deliberately withheld the box in hopes of having the officer personally call to demand its return.

Like hell, Klaus thought. Two can play at this game.

* * *

Despite all of James’ protestations, Eroica had returned everything he had ever stolen from the Major or from NATO in general. His men weren’t sure if he had taken leave of his senses or had simply acquired a death wish. They had reluctantly followed his orders, delivering each package as instructed. After the delivery of the tank, they were sure Iron Klaus would turn up to— Well, they weren’t quite sure what he would do, but they were quite certain it would involve violence and bloodletting.

Eroica had held back his most recent acquisition. The acquisition that had triggered the investigation into the Major’s background and later confrontation. Now the Eroica gang wanted to know what exactly had transpired at that confrontation that would have the Earl divesting himself of all items connected to his beloved Major.

After being badgered for weeks, Bonham finally agreed to ask for an explanation. Or attempt to ask. The Earl had been uncharacteristically reclusive since his assault on the Major started.

Unfortunately for Bonham, he chose the day that the Major’s return volley arrived at the Earl’s residence. A large, stiff envelope, boldly addressed to Eroica, appeared from Germany, and Bonham found himself elected as the one to deliver it. The only thing he learned was it contained a letter that sent the Earl into a fit of apoplexy. He did not remain long enough to learn why.

Once Dorian had sufficiently calmed down enough to realize he was raving like a lunatic, he also realized he was going to have to apologize to Bonham for scaring the life out of him. After all, it wasn’t poor Bonham’s fault the Major had—

Just the thought of what the Major had done caused Dorian’s blood to boil all over again. He looked at the mess he had made of the room in his fit of pique and sighed, dropping into a chair. Then his eyes fell on the cause of it all. Yet another love letter to the Major’s beloved Flower with a note attached.

      Eroica,

      You missed the one on the desk when you stole the others.

      —KvdE

Damn you, Major! Now you’re mocking me! I will not be mocked!

Time for a second assault.

* * *

Despite the fact that Klaus knew his taunt would elicit some kind of reaction from the Earl, he found himself in surprisingly good spirits. Somehow he felt he now had the upper hand. He would be able to gauge how effective his strike had been by Eroica’s retaliation. The more elaborate the counter-strike, the closer to the mark.
 
When flowers started arriving anonymously for every female in NATO HQ, the Major determined he had made a bull’s eye. Then he wondered how long it would take before the Earl’s patience ran out and he was back making demands again.

* * *

During the course of his assault on the Major, Dorian had actually ignored the object that started it all. When Bonham finally managed to ask what all the fuss was about with Uncle Nato, Dorian finally remembered the porcelain box. He gave a vague sort of answer that seemed to satisfy Bonham that he had not completely taken leave of his senses, going on to delight the man further by suggesting they pull a job—-just as a lark. Bonham left the room, content in the knowledge that Eroica had not forgotten he was the best thief in the world.

Once alone, Dorian sat down with the box. He checked the glaze for crazing from age. There was none, which surprised him. The cover was typical of the Victorian era with large dark red roses in the center of the lid surrounded by smaller, delicate flowers, vines and leaves. The rose vine motif was carried on onto the sides. The border was an unusual gold filigree that formed a musical staff. This motif was carried on along the inside top edge the box, the rose vines weaving their way around the inside beneath. Considering the box was from Bonn, the Earl had no doubt the music was excerpts from various Beethoven pieces. The name of the city as well as the name of the artist were on the bottom. Dorian had never heard of him, not to his great surprise. The artists that he was interested in painted on canvas. What did surprise him was the date. 1979. Wait a minute, 1979? That can’t be right. The Major said this belonged to his mother! Surely that should be 1879.

Before he even realized, the Earl was at the door calling for Bonham. Time to have this so-called Eberbach family heirloom appraised.

* * *

Just as the Earl suspected, the so-called heirloom was indeed from 1979. The artist was apparently rather well known for his porcelain work, a fact Dorian felt embarrassed not knowing. It injured his professional pride more than anything else. But then again, he finally admitted to himself, hand-painted ladies trinket boxes weren’t exactly Eroica’s area of expertise. What he did find interesting was the artist wasn’t known for making such large pieces. These were always custom made.

Now a whole new set of questions arose in Dorian’s mind. Would the man remember this particular piece after all this time? Surely if the Major had ordered it, that would be memorable unto itself. Iron Klaus never failed to make an indelible impression. Of course, even if the artist did remember, would he be willing to divulge the information? A small smile played at the edges of the Earl’s mouth as he considered how he might persuade the man to part with the information.

* * *

It seemed that even when he tried to concentrate on thieving, Dorian could not get away from flowers, and that just reminded him of the Major’s Flower. He was convinced now more than ever that she was real. No one could make up such heartfelt longing as was contained in those letters, especially Iron Klaus. Yet even after all these months, he was no closer to learning who she was than he had been the day he read the first letter.

Not so subtle reminders from James returned him to the reality of his promise to pull a job. The accountant had been none too pleased by all the attention being given to the Major. The huge bill for all the flowers sent to NATO was the last straw.

Eroica was fond of saying that he had the Devil’s own luck, and this appeared to be true as one of his underworld contacts sent a tip about possible lost masterpieces in an old storeroom of a small country church that was undergoing renovations. The workers who had found them thought they were just paintings that were donated by overzealous parishioners and church had simply stored them so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. The contact thought differently. Even better, along with the renovations going on inside, the outside of the building was being sandblasted, and the grounds were being extensively landscaped.

Eroica could not have been more delighted. With all kinds of strangers coming and going, no one would notice a few more come to help haul away the trash—with a few masterpieces mixed in amongst the debris.

Dorian arranged to meet with his contact in a neighboring town so he could go over the layout with Bonham. The contact worked for the landscaping company and said that several deliveries were due in the next few weeks. Dorian decided to contact a horticulture expert to give him a crash course so he would at least sound like he knew what he was talking about.

The crash course consisted of a stroll through a park with the knowledgeable Mr. Davis pointing out various plants, rattling off their Latin names followed by their common names. By the end of the afternoon, Dorian’s head was swimming. Bonham and James, who had accompanied him, had chosen to not even bother trying to absorb any of the information being giving. Bonham didn’t think it was necessary, and James saw no profit in it.

As they were making their way out of the park, and to their mutual horror, they ran smack into the Major. It was immediately apparent he was there for a mission as he gave no outward indication to knowing any of them from Adam. Never one to be ignored, Dorian could not stop himself from taunting the man as he strode by. “Here to meet your lady love, Major?”

The Major only slowed slightly. “You haven’t returned my property yet, Eroica.” He turned his gaze to James, who immediately hid behind Bonham. “You better not have sold it behind his back, Scrooge!”

Dorian immediately intervened. “No, no, Major. It’s still safe and sound.”

“Good. See that it stays that way.”  With that, the officer continued on down the path, vanishing around a bend. It was then that Dorian noticed a couple of the Alphabet nervously watching the exchange from behind upraised newspapers.

“Um…I don’t mean to pry, Lord Gloria,” Mr. Davis said, returning the Earl to reality, “but why did that man just call you Eroica?”

Dorian gave small laugh. “Oh, don’t take any notice of that German boor,” he said evasively.

“’E’s the only one what calls ‘im that,” Bonham chimed in.

“I see. A private joke?”

“You might say that. It’s because of something I once said about Beethoven and his ‘Eroica’ symphony--”
 
“Oooo!” Mr. Davis gave a nervous laugh. “My apologies. I thought it must be some German way of calling you a pansy.”

“Lord Gloria is not a flower!” James huffed.

Dorian started, turning sharply to the little man. “What did you just say?”

Mr. Davis took no notice of this as he had dropped into horticulture lecture mode. “There’s a German hybrid tea rose called Eroica, you see. Beautiful dark red color. And a purple perennial...” The man’s voice trailed off as he suddenly noticed an odd look on the Earl’s face. “Lord Gloria, are you quite alright?”

“What?” Dorian looked up and then shook his head. “No,” he said, looking in the direction the Major had taken. “No, I’m not alright. I am quite the imbecile.”

* * *

After the chance meeting on the mission in England, Klaus had expected the Earl to turn up and cause all kinds of problems. When this did not happen, he braced himself for another assault in Germany. Again, nothing. Weeks passed without so much as a whisper of mischief from Eroica.

Klaus wasn’t sure what to think. It had been six months since the Earl had broken into his house. Six months and he still had not returned the stolen box despite having returned everything else he’d ever stolen, down to the last pencil.

He’s planning something. I know it, I can feel it. What would he be waiting for? Klaus considered who it was and how he operated.  He’s a romantic, so he’ll want whatever it is to have some kind of significance. A special date, perhaps? But when?

He glanced at the calendar and the answer struck like a bolt of lightning.

Christmas.

* * *

Chapter Four

The Return

Klaus was surprised when he arrived at work to find a package waiting for him. It had no outward signs of being the same as those Eroica had been sending all those months ago other than the fact that it had been hand delivered. Security assured him it had been completely checked over and was “clean.”

The Major was glad that he had arrived at work earlier than usual. None his men were present as yet, allowing him time to examine the package without an audience.  To his bewilderment, he found a gift wrapped box inside that was large enough to hold the stolen porcelain box. He wondered if he had over-thought the Earl’s plan as he pulled it out of the packing material. He thought otherwise when he lifted the lid from the gift box to find a small shoe inside. Then he wanted to kick himself. He had forgotten to take the Earl’s sense of theater into account. Christmas was still more than two weeks away. This day, the sixth of December, was Saint Nicklaus day.

The shoe held the traditional treats of candy, fruits, and nuts. It also held a small envelope. Inside the envelope was a hotel key and a note.

      Major,

      You may recover your property at 6:00 this evening.

      From Eroica with Love

The Major looked from the note to the key and back. Fuck. Now what’s he planning?

* * *

The Major arrived promptly at six and knocked on the door, hearing the Earl call, “I sent you a key! Let yourself in!” from the other side. He did, seeing Eroica on the far side of the room. Klaus was surprise to find the man alone in the room. Then again, like himself that morning, the Earl probably did not want an audience to see him returning stolen property.

Klaus was also relived that the Earl’s sense of theater did not extend to his dressing the part of Saint Nicklaus. “Well, I’m here,” he said tersely as he closed the door. “Where is it?”

“Right here,” Dorian replied, placing the item on a table on the far side of the room.

“About bloody time,” Klaus growled as he started towards it.

“I know who your Flower is.”

This quiet statement stopped the officer dead in his tracks. He studied the Earl’s set expression and then folded his arms, a challenging look on his face. “You do, do you?”

“It’s all right here.” Dorian gave the box a loving pat before taking a seat beside the table. “No wonder you wanted it back so badly.”

“I told you that belonged to my mother,” Klaus countered fiercely.

“No, it didn’t. You ordered it yourself in 1979.” Dorian could not help smiling at the thunderstruck expression this statement invoked “Even after all these years, the artist remembered you vividly. But then, Iron Klaus always makes an indelible impression, doesn’t he?”

Klaus stood considering the present situation. He had one of two options. Either take the box by force, which could damage or even break it, or listen to what the Earl had to say. He resigned himself to the inevitable fact that he was going to learn what the Earl had on his mind regardless and sat down. “Alright, let’s hear your latest theory.”

“Theory?” Dorian shook his head. “No theories this time. Nor wild accusations. In fact, it wasn’t until James said something offhand that I realized I’d been overlooking the obvious.”

Klaus sat back in his chair. “You picked the wrong holiday. You should’ve waited until January to share your personal epiphany.”

Dorian ignored the barbed comment. “You ordered a box with a lock on it. That’s not normal for delicate things like these.” He then went through the litany of things the artist had remembered about the unusual commission. It had been ordered to resemble a trinket box from the Victorian era, as it was intended as a gift for the buyer’s mother on her wedding anniversary. The design and decorations were all specifically spelled out. Sheet music had even been provided so the gold filigree was exact.

“Congratulations,” the Major said acidly. “You’ve uncovered my purchase of a painted piece of glass.”

“A painted piece of glass that has the identity of your Flower written all over it.”

“Now you’re reaching.”

Dorian patted the box. “This lovely red rose is an Eroica.”

“So you say,” Klaus replied blandly. “I say it’s just a rose. There must be hundreds of the wretched things.”

“The smaller ones,” Dorian went on, “wrapping around the edge, are English wild roses. I had to use a magnifying glass to see they’re not actually wrapped around a vine. They’re wrapped around a wire rope.”

The Major’s eyes flickered. His only visible response.

“The music was a puzzle because I was sure it was Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ symphony.”

Klaus could not help but snort at this.

“Not Beethoven?”

“No.”

“No, not Beethoven. Not even close.” Dorian cocked his head to one side. “It’s The Tank Song.” He smiled as the Major’s eyes widened at this statement. “I played it on the piano, you see. Recognized it right off.” He gave Klaus a look through his eyelashes. “I’ll never forget the first time I heard it.”

Klaus groaned at this. He wished he could forget the embarrassing incident entirely. “So that’s your theory, huh?”

“You didn’t want your letters back because I was the one you’d written them to in the first place.”

“Eroica...”

Dorian pounced, “And then there’s that!”

Klaus blinked, wondering where this non-sequitur had sprung from. “There’s what?”

“Eroica. You’re the only one who ever calls me that!”

Klaus was still clueless. “So? I’m the only one who calls you a fucking pervert, what does that prove?”

Exasperated, Dorian stood up, slapping his hand on the lid of the box. “It’s the name of this bloody flower! Eroica! Your Flower is Eroica! Dear God, I can’t believe I didn’t see it!”

As the Earl continued to berate himself, Klaus lit a cigarette, glancing at his watch at the same time. Then he sat back and waited, wondering how long it would take before the Earl ran out of steam and finally realized he hadn’t uttered a word.

It took nearly five minutes.

“Well, aren’t you gonna say something?!” Dorian finally demanded.

Klaus gave a wry smile. “I thought maybe you’d forgot I was here,” he said aridly.

“Oh, very funny!”

“What am I supposed to say?” Holding up a hand, Klaus added quickly, “I know what you want me to say. And I know what you want to hear.”

“Major, I love you!”

“I know.”

“I want to be with you!”

“I know.”

“I worship the ground you walk on!”

This caused Klaus to give an amused snort. “Now you really are reaching.”

“No, I’m not!” Dorian objected. “I read every letter—”

“Yes, you read every letter,” Klaus interrupted sharply. “So you know I can confirm nothing.”

Dorian was incredulous. “Nothing!?”

“It would be too dangerous.”

Dorian waited, hoping there was more. But the Major just sat looking at him the same way he had for decades. He wanted to plead with the man, but could think of nothing more to say other than, “So...that’s it?

“Yes, that’s it,” Klaus said, rising to his feet and crossing to the table. “You’ve gone to a lot of trouble and wasted a lot of energy over—” He broke off when he opened the box. He was going to say over an empty box, but it wasn’t empty. Once again it contained letters, only these were not the ones the Earl had stolen.

“Those are the ones I wrote you,” Dorian said in a quiet voice.

Klaus looked up sharply. “You wrote me?”

“You’re not the only one who gets lonely, Major. I thought it was only fair, since I have no intention of giving the others back.”

Klaus was silent a long time as he took this in. “I see,” he said at last, picking up the box.

Realizing there was nothing more to be said, Dorian crossed to the door and opened it. “Well, um...good-bye, Major.”

“Good-bye, Lord Gloria,” the Major replied, adding sharply, “And don’t even think of stealing that bloody pumpkin, either!”

“No, Major.” Dorian gave a bittersweet smile as he left, closing the door behind him. I’ve already stolen your heart. That will have to enough. For now.

* * *

Christmas came and went as usual, but the Eroica gang noticed that the Earl could not quite muster his usual holiday cheer. He put on a good front, that was certain. No one could light up a party the way the Earl of Gloria could. But ever since his last trip to Germany, he had been withdrawn. Sullen.  And try as they might, no one, not even Bonham, could discover the reason.

“He’s finally seen sense,” James concluded. “Finally realized that Machine Maniac wants nothing to do with him.”

“I dunno,” Bonham replied. “’E’s been lovesick like this before.”

“No, he hasn’t!”

This ongoing argument of the past month was ended by the arrival of Jones. The look on his face caused the others to stop and stare. He looked...frightened.

“Jones? What on earth’s the matter? You look like someone’s walked over your grave,” Bonham said. He was none the wiser when the other man held up an envelope.

“It’s from Germany,” Jones said in a shaky voice. “You know what that means...”

“No! Not again!” James wailed. “He’ll have another fit! We can’t afford that!” He looked around, trying to think of a place in the house without breakables in it. “Give it to him in the bath—No, that won’t do. He’ll break the mirrors.”

“Who’ll break the mirrors, James?” came the Earl’s stern voice from the door.

James let out a small squeak and put a hand to his mouth.

Jones turned and held up the envelope. “This just arrived for you, m’lord.”

Bonham gave James a harsh look when it appeared he was going to pitch a fit.

Dorian sighed, wordlessly taking the envelope. He glanced at the label, sighed again, and turned, heading for his office. His first thoughts were that the Major was returning the letters he’d given him, but the envelope wasn’t nearly thick enough to hold them all. In fact, he’d barely been able to fit them all into the box that he’d returned there so many of them. Then again, if the Major had burned them, the ashes would probably fit...

After staring at the envelope for several minutes, Dorian could stand it no more and finally opened it. As he suspected, it contained another letter. And another note.

      6 January
      Epiphany

       Your personal epiphany was impressive, Eroica.

       –KvdE

Suddenly Dorian could not breathe. He sat down and fanned himself with the empty envelope, finally downing a glass of water. That was when he realized his hands were shaking, not that he could see them as his vision was suddenly blurred with tears. It took several minutes before he felt he had recovered enough that he could attempt to read the letter. He was disappointed to discover it was not a proud declaration of love but was like all the others before it, giving nothing away. That is, not until the last paragraph and Dorian could not keep the smile from blossoming across his face as he read it.

     This winter is cold and dark, and the world around me all gray and colorless to the point where I begin to despair that you cannot be here to illuminate my world. Then I remember the shining silver thread that spans the distance between us, joining my heart to yours. That slender thread of love. Did I say thread? Nay, it’s a rope of wire that eternally binds me to you. And I am happy beyond all imagining knowing that it exists.

      All my love forever,
      Klaus

All my love forever.

Dorian stared at the words on the paper in his hand.  There was so much he wanted to know. So much he wanted to ask. It was all he could do to keep himself from calling the Major right then and there.

No, that won’t do at all, he realized. Just getting this much out of the man had taken a full frontal assault and confrontation. And even then he had admitted nothing face-to-face.  He needs to see that he can trust me with this secret.

Dorian took the letter and folded it, crossing to a display of antique boxes and opening a delicately painted porcelain box that had just arrived from Bonn. It was an exact duplicate of the one he had returned to the Major. But with one distinct difference. Encircling the rose motif inside the lid, written in gold, were the words, All My Love Forever, From Eroica With Love.

Dorian smiled as he read the words. Forever is a long time, Major. I’ll bet you don’t think I have the patience to wait that long.

The question is, now that you know I know, do you?

- END -