Margaretha had not slept well in many days, and she felt she could almost sleep standing up. Finally, they came to the large stone manse that belonged to another of Duke Wilhelm’s guards. Margaretha went to the door, along with the others, and knocked. When she had explained to the parents of this guard who she was and that they were looking for Duke Wilhelm and Lord Hamlin, they pulled Margaretha inside and immediately bustled about, finding her a chair to sit on and bringing her a goblet of wine.
The woman of the house told her, “My dear Lady Margaretha, you look worn half to death. Stay here while the men go and join your father.”
“Then you know where he is?”
“Bless your soul, yes. My husband has been helping him round up men for the battle for Hagenheim Castle, to take place at dawn tomorrow. These fine men can join him, and you can stay here and rest yourself in a nice warm bed.”
It didn’t take long for the good woman to convince Margaretha that she should stay and get as much sleep as possible before being reunited with her father. She was almost too exhausted to climb the stairs to the bedchamber the lady had sent her servants to prepare for her. When she did lie down, the bed felt exquisite.
When she was alone and the candle had been extinguished, she pulled the heavy iron cross out of her sleeve and clutched it to her chest, feeling comforted, as it was not only a weapon but the representation of all her hope. “Thank you, Jesus,” she whispered, “for Claybrook becoming sick, and for Thomas and Thaddeus helping me escape.”
Her thoughts immediately turned to Colin. Where was he? Was he well and safe? Was he trying to come to her? And where was her father and Valten? Had Colin left Toby in Marienberg? Was he safe and happy?
When she had been with Colin, she missed her mother. Now that she had been with her mother, she missed Colin. Remembering how he had held her in his arms when she cried, she felt a strange, almost painful tug at her heart. How she wished to see him again, to talk to him, to tell him everything that had happened to her. She wanted him to hold her again. She wanted him to feel about her the way her brothers felt about their wives. She wanted him to get that look in his eyes that Gabe had for Sophie and Valten had for Gisela.
“Colin, Colin. I escaped. Again. Now I just want you to be safe and come back for me. Please come back.” She closed her eyes, her hand touching the cross beside her in the bed.
Chapter
31
It was twilight when Colin and the rest of his party arrived at Duke Wilhelm’s encampment. Now they were all gathered — a mighty force, including several men of high rank and all their knights and soldiers who were allied with Duke Wilhelm.
Colin had been surprised to find his father at Marienberg when he and Toby made their way there a few hours after Margaretha had been captured by Claybrook’s men. He soon learned Colin’s father had felt it his duty to come to Germany and try to bring Claybrook to justice for the heinous murder the man had committed. And he had also come looking for his son, worried that Colin would get himself killed, no doubt. He had stopped in Marienberg because he had heard that Claybrook was on a mission to woo Duke Wilhelm’s daughter. He also knew that the Duke of Marienberg was a near relation of Duke Wilhelm, and that Claybrook’s uncle lived in Keiterhafen, which was near Hagenheim.
When Colin arrived at Marienberg Castle, speaking only English, the castle servants had not understood him. He had been quite surprised when they went and fetched his father. Colin had been nearly overcome by his father’s joy at seeing his son unharmed. He would not admit it to anyone but himself, but there had been a few tears shed, by both men.
Now the plan was to attack Claybrook and his men at Hagenheim Castle an hour before dawn, as Duke Theodemar of Marienberg, Lord Glynval, and all their combined fighting men, had joined Duke Wilhelm and his knights and allies. As they waited for the appropriate time to attack, Colin realized he might finally be able to speak to Duke Wilhelm.
Colin compelled a new friend he had made, Sir Gerek, who was one of Duke Wilhelm’s knights, to translate his meeting with Duke Wilhelm. But first, the Duke of Marienberg would make the introductions for Colin and his father.
“Duke Wilhelm,” Duke Theodemar said, “allow me to present the Earl of Glynval and his son, Lord le Wyse, both of England. I have only recently made their acquaintance, but I can assure you, they are well worth having as allies. And now I will allow Lord le Wyse to explain why they are here to fight against Claybrook, while I see to my men.”
Sir Gerek quietly interpreted for Colin and his father.
The uncle and nephew exchanged a few more words of friendly greeting before Duke Theodemar excused himself.
“Your Grace,” Colin began, as he faced Margaretha’s father for the first time, trying to appear both humble and confident. “I came to the Holy Roman Empire with the intention of capturing Claybrook and taking him back to England to face the consequences of a murder that he had committed there. I was attacked and left for dead by his men and was brought to your healer at Hagenheim Castle.”
Up to that point, Duke Wilhelm had looked at him with piercing but expressionless blue eyes. His brows lifted when Colin mentioned Hagenheim Castle, and as Sir Gerek interpreted Colin’s English into German for Duke Wilhelm.
“Before I could recover enough to come to you with my story, you had left Hagenheim. I managed to tell your daughter, Lady Margaretha, of Claybrook’s true character, and she bravely eavesdropped on Claybrook and discovered what he was about to do in Hagenheim. We were both captured by him, but we escaped and tried to make our way to Marienberg. We traveled for several days — ”
“You traveled with my daughter? Who accompanied you?”
His heart leapt to his throat at the look in Duke Wilhelm’s eyes. “Sir, we were alone most of the time.” He continued quickly, so as not to give the duke a chance to interrupt. “But I assure you, your daughter is as virtuous as ever, and I wish to ask your blessing and permission to marry her, if she is willing, for I have fallen in love with her.”
Duke Wilhelm studied him with slightly narrowed eyes. “And how does my daughter feel? Is she in love with you?”
“I don’t know, sir. I would like to discover that myself, as soon as I see her again.”
“And where is my daughter now?”
His throat went dry, and he had to swallow, hard, to get the words out. “I do not know for certain. She was taken by Claybrook’s men. I believe she should have arrived back at Hagenheim one or two days ago.”
Duke Wilhelm said nothing, but stared at Colin from beneath those lordly brows of his. Colin had to force himself not to squirm, but to meet him stare for stare.
“Your father is an earl, from England, and you have no title. Is that true?”
“My father is the first Earl of Glynval, for services rendered to King Richard. I am the oldest son, and my father’s family has long held many lands and estates in England, from Lincolnshire to Surrey.” He hated laying out his pedigree to prove his worth, as if he was a stallion or a hunting dog, but he would do anything to win Margaretha’s father’s permission to marry her. “More importantly, sir, you have my word that I would cherish your daughter and treat her well, bringing her back to Hagenheim for visits, whenever feasible, and that I am a God-fearing man whose priorities are God and family.”
Duke Wilhelm’s tense features relaxed, but he never took his eyes off Colin. “I believe you are an honorable man, Lord le Wyse. If Margaretha wishes it, and if her mother approves of you, you have my blessing to wed.”
Margaretha opened her eyes in the strange bed and immediately remembered where she was. She could not have slept long, as it was still quite dark outside. What had awakened her?
A strange noise was coming from outside. It was not loud, but it was pervasive, almost a rumbling sound. She slipped out of bed, still wearing her mother’s emerald green dress, and looked out the narrow window.
A hundred men or more and their horses were passing by the house at a fast walk. She imm
ediately recognized her father in his chain mail and sitting on his favorite horse.
Margaretha drew in a startled breath, hurriedly slipped on her shoes, and raced out the door and down the stairs. She ran across the main floor of the house. A young man was guarding the front door, and he jumped up from his stool at the sound of her footsteps pattering across the flagstone floor.
“Open the door,” she cried. “It’s my father!”
The boy obeyed, unbolting the crossbar and pushing open the massive wooden door.
Margaretha hurried outside. There were so many men. How would she find her father? “Father!” she called out. “Father, it’s Margaretha!”
The crowd of men parted, and her father appeared on his horse. He dismounted and came toward her.
Margaretha threw her arms around him. “Father! You’re here! We have been waiting for you to come.” His mail hauberk was not comfortable against her cheek, but she hardly cared.
“My Liebling, Margaretha.” He kissed her forehead. When he pulled away and looked down into her eyes, there was something almost sad about his smile. What was he thinking?
“Father, I’m so glad you’ve come. Please be careful. Claybrook has guards at all the gates and inside the castle, but he was poisoned last night and I don’t know how sick he is, but maybe he will die. I escaped with two of Claybrook’s men who were coming to join you.”
“Yes, Thomas and Thaddeus told me what transpired.”
“Oh, good. They found you.”
“And there is someone else here who has found me.” Her father stepped back and Colin stepped closer.
“Colin!” Even in his mail hauberk, he took her breath away.
Margaretha’s voice set Colin’s heart to pounding. When her father stepped away to watch the two of them greet each other, it beat even harder.
She closed the distance and threw her arms around him, as she had done her father. “Oh, Colin, I knew you’d come.” She stood on the tips of her toes and pressed her cheek against his — about the only part of his body not covered in chain mail.
“How did you recognize me?” It wasn’t what he had planned to say to her upon first seeing her again. But he was very aware that her father was only a few feet away.
“Oh, Colin! You are well! You are here! I thank God.” She pulled away to look at him. “You look so handsome in armor.” Her smile made his chest tighten. “I must look a fright after walking for hours, then sleeping in my clothes — my mother’s dress at that. I probably have spider webs in my hair too, from walking through the tunnel.” She rubbed her hand over her hair, which hung loose around her shoulders.
“You look beautiful to me.” He longed to say more but a lump formed in his throat. He only hoped that later they would find a few moments to be alone.
Margaretha had yearned to see Colin again, but now she felt shy. It was strange to be surrounded by people, when she so wanted to speak to him alone. And by the look on his face, he was feeling the same thing. Somehow, telling him he was handsome in his armor, and the way he had told her she was beautiful, had seemed incongruous with her father standing only four feet away. She felt herself blushing.
Strange how she was more interested in talking with Colin than with her own father! And it had been longer since she’d seen her father. Should she feel guilty?
The other men continued on their way, and her father was turning to leave too.
Colin leaned closer. He only said, “I have to go,” but a world of words were in his eyes.
Margaretha held tight to his arm. “Take me with you.”
He got that anxious look, just as he had when she had asked to take Toby with them. “You should stay here. It will be safer.” But the edge in his voice proved that he didn’t believe she would.
“You must take me with you. Nothing bad will happen to me.”
Her father, who had mounted his horse but was still very near them, said to Colin, “The two of you will stay at the rear of the fighting men, and you can be Margaretha’s guard. We should be able to defeat Claybrook’s men rather quickly, since we greatly outnumber them.” He smiled a bit ruefully, as if he knew something she didn’t. “I’m sure you’ll keep her safe.”
Margaretha turned a triumphant smile on Colin. “Yes, you’ll keep me safe.”
“There’s an extra horse in the back,” her father said.
Once Margaretha was mounted on a horse, Colin rode beside her, and they cantered until they were near the front of the great company of knights and soldiers. Several carried torches so that they would be able to see their way through the dense forest up ahead.
Colin kept glancing at her, and she at him, but they had little opportunity to talk. The other men crowded around them, laughing and shouting, eager to begin the battle for Hagenheim Castle.
The journey was accomplished much faster on horseback than it had on foot, and soon they were at the edge of the meadow outside the town wall where the entrance to the tunnel was located.
After they tied the horses to the trees next to the meadow, Colin stepped toward her. He was so close, if she had lifted her hand, she would have brushed his arm. He looked into her eyes as if he was about to ask her something important.
Her heart skipped a few beats, and she focused on his perfect lips. How would it feel to kiss them? Did he want to kiss her?
Her father cleared his throat from only a few feet away. “We’ll go through the tunnel to attack.”
Margaretha and Colin each took a step back. To cover her embarrassment, she did what she always did in uncomfortable moments. “I shall have to tell you both how I escaped from Lord Claybrook last evening, and you must tell me what happened after I was taken by Claybrook’s men on the road to Marienberg.” She glanced at her father, then grabbed Colin’s hand. She gave it a squeeze and tried to let go, but he held on. Her father looked at their joined hands but said nothing, only moved forward, giving orders to various men as he went.
“I got a little lost in the woods that morning,” she told Colin, “and couldn’t find my way back to where you and Toby were, next to the stream. I was so frightened when I realized I was lost, but I thought if I could find the road, I could find my way back. And as soon as I stepped out onto the road, Claybrook’s men were right there, staring at me. I didn’t want them to find you and Toby, so I told them you had died. Of course, they didn’t know about Toby, but I was afraid they would kill you and leave poor Toby alone in the woods, so I knew I had to go with them.”
Colin nodded as they waited behind the men. “I understand.” Her father walked forward to the front of the great company of men.
“They did not mistreat me, but they did tie my hands and feet at night so I couldn’t escape, which made me very angry.”
Colin’s brows lowered and he frowned in a dangerous way.
“But first, I should have asked you about Toby. I wondered and wondered what happened to you and to him.” She drew close to Colin again. “Is he still in Marienberg?”
“Yes. The housekeeper there is a motherly woman. She says she will take care of him and will send him to us when all is safe here. I do believe she intends to fatten him up. She kept talking about the things she would bake for him — pastries and sweet breads and pies.”
“That sounds marvelous.” Margaretha couldn’t help gazing up into Colin’s blue eyes. The dark of night must have been fading, because she could see that they were so blue they were like a stormy evening sky. And the expression on his face . . . it reminded her of the way Valten looked at Gisela. She seemed to lose her breath.
“You didn’t tell me how you escaped from Claybrook,” he prompted.
“Oh yes. After the wedding ceremony last night, I — ”
“Wedding?”
“Oh. Yes. Well, Claybrook forced the priest to perform the ceremony, marrying me to Claybrook.”
“What?” Colin stopped walking and gripped her hand tighter.
“It is true that the priest pronounced us man and wife,
but the only witnesses were Mother, Gisela, Kirstyn, Adela, Steffan, and Wolfgang. And Claybrook’s knights. But I refused to give my consent and plainly said so. And afterward, after the feast, when we were going upstairs, Claybrook got violently sick and ordered me to go to my chamber, and the two guards who were with me helped me escape — oh my! There they are! Thomas and Thaddeus!” She waved at the two men, who had obviously joined forces with her father’s men. “And Valten! Gisela will be overjoyed to see you.”
Valten pushed through the crowd of men and stood before her. She had forgotten how ferocious he could look. He looked ready to bite the heads off of anything that got in his way. “How is Gisela?” But when he said his wife’s name, his expression softened. “Is she well?”
“She was well last night. Mother says she is near her time, and the baby could come any day. But she is well, don’t worry.”
Valten reassumed his usual scowl.
“Did you say you are married to Claybrook?” Colin asked, recapturing her attention, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.
“I suppose, in the eyes of some, I am married to him. But I am sure Father will be able to get the marriage annulled.” She bit her lip at the anxiety in his eyes.
Colin took hold of her arm, drawing her close and looking into her eyes. “He did not hurt you, did he? Because if he did, I’ll tear his . . .” He stopped and took a deep breath.
“No, he did not hurt me. He barely touched me. I mean, he and his guards forced me to stand in front of the priest, but he did not hurt me. I was too afraid he would hurt my family to fight him. And then there was a feast, he got sick, and I escaped.” He put his arms around her, pulling her against him — or against the hauberk, with its hundreds of tiny metal rings. Not nearly as comfortable as she remembered his chest being. Still, it felt good to see how much he cared. It was written on his face and in the way he held her in his arms. “I wanted so much for you to come.” She drew in a halting breath, tears pricking her eyelids. “And now you’re here.”