Barbara Blomberg

At the Golden Cross in Ratisbon, the health of Charles V weighs on everyone from sentries to visiting nobles. Georg Ebers places this historical novel within the Holy Roman Empire, showing a court where access to the ruler, medical advice and political business are closely bound together. Queen Mary worries that her brother's workload is worsening his illness, while Don Luis Quijada answers her concerns with the restraint of a trusted servant.

The later festival scene brings Barbara into a different kind of uncertainty. Surrounded by wealthy guests, music and costly clothing, she balances a daring purpose with anxiety about her welcome and her lover's favour. Memories of childhood festivities sit beside the careful observation of rank and appearance. Readers interested in court society can follow how large questions of authority enter private conversations, and how pride and affection shape Barbara's experience of a public gathering.